Aquaman 34: The Power of the Will

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Tyrant King

Writer - Dan Abnett, Artist - Kelley Jones, Colors - Michelle Madsen, Letters - Steve Wands, Cover - Andy Kubert & Alex Sinclair, Assistant Editor - Andrea Shea, Editor - Alex Antone, Group Editor - Brian Cunningham

Initial Reactions:

I found this issue really interesting.  It fleshes out Corum Rath's backstory as well as his present state of mind.  If you are wondering more about our villain and current King of Atlantis, check out this issue.  It also reinforces the political divides within the kingdom.  This is a pretty good jumping on point, as the beginning gives us a recap of what happened in the last epic issue.  Let's dive in to learn more about the King.

The Story:

The issue begins with Corum Rath recalling his father.  He belonged to the Hadalin of the Ninth Tride and was responsible for building and repairing the palaces of the royal family.  He was a hard worker and was so proud of his vocation that he wore the symbol of Atlantis on his face.  Corum Rath tells us that while his father loved what he did, it wore him down physically.  He died without any respect from the royals.  Yet through all of this he believed his offspring would make Atlantis great.

In the present, his chancellor and commander of the guard are explaining to the King what has happened.  The rebels, led by Aquaman and aided by the gangs of the Ninth Tride, attacked the Silent School and took down the Crown of Thorns.  This was a magical barrier that was designed to keep enemies out of Atlantis, but also kept their people inside.

We flash back to see Corum Rath and his father again.  This time, instead of appearing virtuous we see a darker side of the man.  He is simple-minded to a fault about his role in society and is quick to hit his son after making a mistake.  In the palace, Corum Rath gives the order to burn the Ninth Tride.  His commander pleas with him to reconsider such a drastic measure since they are already employing internment and mass incarceration policies.  If this sounds like a parallel to the Nazi government, that is intentional.  Rath reveals that he hates the sea-changed Atlanteans because to him they have accepted their weakness.  He also reveals that his goal is for Atlantis to rule over the land and sea as it used to.  The King tells Murk to find Arthur Curry and kill him.

Corum Rath continues to monologue about the weakness of Arthur.  He also justifies to himself the reason for using so much magic.  The elders and members of his cabinet are not happy that he does this, but he claims to use it return Atlantis to it's former glory.

Meanwhile, as the chancellor and commander are searching for Aquaman, Elder Leot suggests staging a coup.  He feels that Rath has become too dangerous and is no longer ruling with a clear head.  Unfortunately for them, Corum Rath can see their interaction through a spell.  He is with his best friend Kadaver, who is a user of magic that was an enforcer for the gangs in the Ninth.  It is time for them to fulfill their childhood dream of ruling Atlantis together.  Rath and Kadaver are going to raid the Silent School and forcefully place Kad in power.  They demand the entire well of magic, including what Magister Loke believes to be too toxic to ever use.  Rath recognizes that his friend is unstable, but at this time, he values this trait a great deal.  They dispose of Loke and make their way to the vault of magic.  They appear at the door of the vault, and only Kad can open it.  As he does, a voice comes from the opening.

The voice tells them that kings have locked him away for generations, and that his power can make them great.  Once they have accepted the risk, the being grants them the power he possesses.  Rath and Kad shake hands in delight, but the touch of the king turns him into a zombie-like creature, obedient to him.  The being explains that this is the deepest darkest magic, and that anyone the magic touches will become obedient, with no willpower.  The issue closes with the King stating his intentions to go after all of his dissenters, and finally destroy Aquaman.

Final Thoughts

The issue brings a lot of political ideas to the table.  We see obvious homages to not only Nazi and Communist governments, but also some jabs at the current American political landscape.  However, it becomes obvious that what tyrants like Corum Rath covet is unflinching obedience to his rule, at any cost.  Our issue ends with him possessing the ability to take away willpower, which is what allows for individuality.  He would rather his kingdom be filled with mindless zombies instead of a vibrant nation of great minds and talents.

Our God has a different approach.  He could have made us without free will.  We could have been those mindless zombies obeying what God wants us to do.  Instead, he chose to create us with free will, the ability to make our own choices.  Unfortunately, we make the wrong choices most of the time, so He had to send Jesus to redeem us.  As a result, when we express our love of God, it is a true reflection of what He has done for us, not just some mindless recitation.  We are also free to be individuals, using our talents to better the Kingdom of God here on earth.  How do you exercise your free will?  If you have not thought about that in awhile, I encourage you to use it to God's glory and to be a part of this beautiful tapestry that is the human experience!

What did you think of this issue?  I would love to talk about it with you.  You can comment below, or find me @behindthecapes on Twitter, or by liking the Behind the Capes Facebook page.  Also, something new, Behind the Capes has a group called Behind the Capes' Nerd Out Round Table, where we talk about a bunch of geeky stuff.  It is technically a closed group, but anyone can join if they agree to the simple rules laid out in the group.  I would love for this group to grow!