The Mariner Returns is Issue #1 of 4 in Volume One of the Waterworld: Children of Leviathan comic books.
It was released in August 1997.
Plot[]
The comic begins with the Mariner dreaming of the flooding of the world, and after, recalling fragmented memories of his own past, including mysterious people in biohazard suits observing him through glass.
The Mariner is awakened when his new trimaran, crafted over months after leaving Dryland from the husk of an ancient jet fighter, is attacked by an enraged whalephin. Given the Mariner is a creature of the ocean himself, he has a respect for all sea life; after all it could be a male protecting it's territory, or a female protecting it's calf, but the Mariner forced to counter attack for sheer survival. After it brushes off his firearms, the Mariner dives into the water and surprises it by plunging a harpoon into it's blowhole. The wounded Whalephin retreats.
Hours later, when there is no further sign of the Whalephin, the Mariner dives into the ocean to explore the sea floor, which happens to be the submerged ruins of Washington D.C. The Mariner searches for useful salvage, and most importantly, anything which could provide knowledge or even clues as to his own origins. The Mariner has caches of treasure troves which he struggles to remember the location of. He is careful to avoid the hulk of the Whalephin, either dead or dormant, but is then startled by the lights of a submarine vessel suddenly appearing from an old subway tunnel.
The Mariner is cautious and observes the submersible from a distance, following it to the surface. The Mariner then watches as a raiding party of berserkers also begin to bear down on the site. The Mariner recognises them as the Children of Leviathan, savage cutthroats who wear the spiked armour of mutated crustacean exoskeletons, and worship their leader the Leviathan with religious fervour, who they believe is a living god of the ocean. The Mariner knows it will be suicide to intervene in what is to come, and so remains hidden.
Inside the submarine, their raft is seen approaching by the occupants. Some of the explorers are curious, fascinated to learn that other people still live on the surface, while others are hesitant to engage the unknown. Against the wishes of a woman named Alannah and a boy named Carlos, their leader Richard opens the hatch, desperate to breathe 'real air' for the first time. Richard is immediately impaled by one of the marauder's weapons, who with glee claim the sub as tribute for their living deity. The Mariner observes from a distance as the followers of Leviathan remorselessly attack the others, incapacitating them with poisoned pufferfish maces, before leaving with the sub. After the berserkers have left with their spoils, the Mariner dives into the water and saves the boy Carlos, who had been thrown overboard, and brings him to his trimaran, saving him from drowning.
The berserkers arrive at their base, the Church of Leviathan, an ancient yet massive former aircraft carrier. There their spiritual leader, the Leviathan, a hideous pale hulk, is just beginning a ritual of clairvoyance aided his deacons and servant girls, using the agonising venom of mutated jellyfish attached to his body. Leviathan has a vision of a great underwater kingdom which he and his serrated warriors will conquer, opening up untold riches to them and rising them to untold glory. Leviathan also has a vision of the Mariner and his former deeds in destroying the Smokers, a faction Leviathan was allied with, and the only one who can stand in the way of Leviathan's ultimate ascension.
The Leviathan's most trusted advisor, Jonah, observes the war raft approaching with the sub in tow. The old man is glad he has good news to relay to his master, since the last time he had bad news, it cost him an eye. Jonah tells his master that the scavengers have returned with a submarine in tow, similar to the one they recovered a few weeks back. The Leviathan joyfully declares to his cult that their final struggle has begun, and that the Mariner, who he declares as a 'perversion', is destined to die by his own hand in three days time.