"Blink while perusing a Previews and you would probably miss the solicit for this book, a mash-up of classic adventure cartoons like Johnny Quest, Golden Age super-heroics of Aquaman and the Defenders, and some Jules Verne and Seaquest for good measure.It all begins when a futuristic mini-sub of sorts washes ashore off the coast of Maine and within is discovered an infant boy. A kindly lighthouse keeper and his wife are quick to adopt him as their only child and name him Eli, soon marveling at not only the boy’s innate swimming abilities above and beyond his peers, but also his technological savvy. Where he came from may be a mystery, but where he is destined to go is clear. He can’t be much more than twelve when he’s taken his pod and some spare parts courtesy of the US Navy, and built himself a mini-submarine: The Guppy. Accompanied by his bowline-knot-tying dog, Barney, and a two-hundred-year old parrot who speaks seventy languages, Eli sets out for answers and adventure on the high seas. His journey will make him a team member of the Sea Searchers, an aquatic version of G-Force, as they seek the mystery of the Sargasso Sea and the time-displacing vortex of the Bermuda Triangle. Opposing their mission are the nefarious Hydrons, squadrons of Ralph Hammeras-inspired Nautilus analogues, while occasionally assisting from the periphery is the enigmatic Commander X and his equally mysterious and technologically advanced Sub X.
This is simply a terrific and fun book, drawn in a combination of 3-D graphics and comic book-style penciling, with vibrant colors that practically leap off the page. Jay Piscopo has done a magnificent job of creating an adventure tale that never takes itself too seriously and never allows itself to become kitschy and cute. While I think the average comic-reading adult may find it perhaps a little too juvenile (especially those who feel the Marvel Adventures line of books are for kids), it is certainly a book that younger readers can enjoy without feeling “talked down to”. Science and eco-awareness are inherent elements of the story, but are subtle enough to be appreciated and learned from, while remaining far from being preachy or heavy-handed. If you are looking for something a little different than the tights-and-fights stories of most comic books, especially for younger readers, then I highly recommend that The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli be at the top of your list."
