- "I didn't want any of this. All I wanted was to see Atlantis with my own eyes. I thought I could share its wonders with the world. I'm a scientist and I just wanted to be taken seriously."
- ―Stephen Shin to Aquaman and Orm Marius[src]
Doctor Stephen Shin is a marine biologist who became obsessed with Atlantis and Aquaman. He is the author of the books Atlanteans Among Us: A Secret History[2] and Atlantis is Real.[3] Shin's obsession led him to have to join the vengeful Black Manta and his crew to discover Atlantis, aiding him in his personal vendetta against Aquaman, using Orichalcum to melt Antarctica and free the Kingdom of Necrus to harness the power of Kordax. After seeing the corruption of Manta and the kidnapping of Arthur Curry, Jr., Shin, after verifying the existence of Atlantis, chose to betray his leader and helped Aquaman save his son. After the battle, Shin befriended Aquaman and the Atlanteans.
Biography[]
Studying marine biology[]
Observing the sea[]
In March 3 of 1992, Stephen Shin was recorded as having borrowed a copy of The Mystery of Atlantis from a library.[4]
Shin studied marine biology at the United States Institute of Marine Science for several years before being fired due to his crackpot conspiracy theories regarding Atlantis and its alleged existence.[2]
He was treated as somewhat of a conspiracy theorist in quite a few of his news appearances. On his latest appearance in early 2018, he posited the theory that forces from underwater were attempting to attack the surface world when trash and submarines washed up on shore because of King Orm's attack on the surface world.[2]
Alliance with Black Manta[]
Shin's boat passed by and rescued Black Manta, who was revealed to have survived his encounter with Aquaman. Sometime later, Shin was tampering with Manta's suit while Manta himself, David Kane, was hooked up to a homemade medical care system to heal from his wounds sustained in Sicily. While tinkering with the advanced device, it fired an optic beam, destroying part of the structure's ceiling.[2]
Shin turned towards the conscious Manta, and then asked if it was Atlantean technology, which it was. He then requested that Manta tell him how he got it. Manta replies that he will if Shin tells him how to find Aquaman.[2]
At some point, Shin wrote the book Atlantis is Real. Freddy Freeman was known to have acquired a copy of the book which he kept at his desk.[3]
Black Manta's Campaign[]
Searching in Antarctica[]
To be added
Robbery of the Orichalcum Storage Vault[]
To be added
Attack on Devil's Deep[]
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Battle at Necrus[]
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Personality[]
- "You picked the wrong day to grow a spine, Doc."
- ―Black Manta to Stephen Shin
Stephen Shin was originally a genuinely curious scientist, who dedicated his life to study Atlantis and prove its existence with relentless determination and absolute belief in his theory, as evidenced with him remaining adamant and vocal in his findings, despite many branding him as a crazed conspiracy theorist. This curiously and interest, however, would gradually wane into an unhealthy obsession, to the point that Shin would go so far as to ally himself with notorious criminal, Black Manta, in order to better experiment and familiarize himself with foreign Atlantean technology, although for what purposes he intends to use them for, remain dubiously unknown. Shin's obsession with the Kingdom of Atlantis is also exemplified by the many newspapers that he had collected over time, all revolving around Aquaman and Atlantis, which are seen when Manta surveys the former's room. Despite this, he does, at least, appear to be a hospitable fellow, notably rescuing the debilitated Black Manta and personally patching him up in his own home.
Shin also appears to somewhat fear Black Manta, as when he gleefully requested that the former disclose to him his means of obtaining Atlantean technology, his initial delight was short-lived, becoming somewhat unsettled when he witnessed Manta seething with rage. Nevertheless, he appears to have allied himself with the malevolent pirate. However, a combination of attacking Atlantis, witnessing the destruction that the Black Trident would do to both the surface and ocean, and Manta's inhumane plan to murder/sacrifice Arthur Curry, Jr., an infant, caused Shin to ultimately betray Manta and save Arthur Jr.
Abilities[]
- "I spent 15 years at the United States Institute of Marine Science... studying oceanic phenomenon, and this is the most conclusive evidence we have to date. Deep-sea seismographs have recorded explosions on the ocean floor. We have satellite imagery of debris from Atlantean warships floating on the surface--"
- ―Stephen Shin[src]
- Master marine scientist: Stephen Shin, having spent 15 years studying oceanic phenomenon at the United States Institute of Marine Science,[2] is a genius oceanographer and marine biologist, being the first surface-dweller to discover the existence of Atlantis and its inhabitants, as well as rightfully positing the fact that underwater forces were attempting to attack the surface world, based on evidence that trash and submarines were washing up on the shore, despite the fact that he was viewed as a crackpot conspiracy theorist.
- Skilled physician: Stephen Shin is a skilled physician, as he was able to patch up Black Manta after rescuing the latter and hooked him into his own homemade medical care system for recuperation, despite the pirate sustaining severe injuries from his fight against Aquaman.
- Expert engineer: Stephen Shin is a highly proficient engineer, notably repairing Black Manta's heavily damaged suit to such efficiency, that he inadvertently caused the suit's helmet to fire an optic beam at his home's ceiling, in spite of him not being familiar with Atlantean technology. He also assisted in repairing and retrofitting the ancient Atlantean technology of the Kingdom of Necrus for use by black manta and his men.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
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Enemies[]
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Trivia[]
- In DC Comics, Stephen Shin is a marine biologist who is good friends with Thomas Curry and when Arthur Curry didn't reveal the location of Atlantis, he tried to kill him.