Aquaman #3

Patrolling the Atlantic Ocean, Aquaman and Aqualad are alerted to danger in Atlantis, by a signaling lantern fish. Racing to the ancestral home of his mother's people, Aquaman encounters the Atlantean, Pomoxis, just outside the great domed city. It is Pomoxis who has sent word to Aquaman, via the lantern fish, that Atlantis is threatened. A series of underwater explosions have been occurring with alarming frequency, not far from Atlantis. Pomoxis fears that the detonations will grow nearer still, potentially reaching Atlantis, utterly destroying it. Aquaman and Pomoxis race to investigate the source of the explosions, leaving Aqualad behind, to inform the Atlanteans that help has arrived. Aquaman and Pomoxis discover large amounts of gas emanating from fissures in the ocean floor. Moving closer, the pair are caught in another explosion. En route from Atlantis to rendezvous with Aquaman, Aqualad sees the flash, but is too far away to determine if Aquaman or Pomoxis have come to any harm. Upon reaching the site of the explosion, Aqualad finds Aquaman staggered, but uninjured. Aquaman informs Aqualad, and later the Atlanteans , that Pomoxis died in the explosion, buried under tons of rock and debris. Aquaman also assures the Atlanteans that the explosions are merely volcanic eruptions, the worst of which having passed. Aquaman and Aqualad depart Atlantis, resuming their oceanic patrol. No sooner do they break the surface, then they run across a sinking cargo ship. Aqualad ushers the crew onto the back of a sperm whale, while Aquaman tries to save the cargo. In short order, Aquaman is unable to salvage the ship's cargo before the ship explodes & sinks to the bottom of the sea. When Aqualad questions Aquaman as to why he did not summon the fish to aid him, Aquaman snaps at his young charge. Ordering Aqualad to get the ship's crew to shore, Aquaman, angrily, swims away. Aqualad worries that the earlier explosion may have affected Aquaman's mind. The truth is far more...