A brief recap of the events in the first volume leads directly into the action as young Eli and Commander X arrive in the undersea city of Aquaria after the Commander rescues the boy from a time vortex. Eli learns about the history of the undersea cities (including Atlantis) just as the Hydrons that assailed him and his companions in the time vortex attack Aquaria. Eli works to defend Aquaria, even as Commander X is captured by the attackers. The past plays a strong role in what occurs in the present, familial loyalties and betrayals cause repercussions throughout the undersea world, and Eli learns that his own jaunt 5,000 years into the past has many consequences. While the first graphic novel spent a lot of time introducing characters and seemed overly wordy, this volume is an action-packed, fast-paced story full of derring-do. Piscopo again blends 3D-style art with traditional cartooning and updates old-fashioned adventure storytelling for today’s young readers.— Kat Kan
The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli
v.2: The Mystery of the Sargasso Sea
Piscopo, Jay (author). Illustrated by Jay Piscopo.
Nov. 2008. 112p. Nemo, paperback, $9.99 (9780981713212). Grades 3-5. 741.5. REVIEW. First published June 16, 2009 (Booklist Online).
Ordering information for The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli all ages graphic novel series at this link.
