Newsarama: Jeff Marsick Reviews "The Sea Ghost #1"

"This was the kind of book I loved to read as a kid...and reading it with my own kids it inspires "oohs" and "whoas" with each turn of the page." ~ Jeff Marsick, Newsarama

The Sea Ghost #1
Written and Drawn by Jay Piscopo
Published by Nemo Publishing Group
Review by Jeff Marsick
February 1, 2011

Read full review below or at this link.

I've raved about the first two volumes of Jay Piscopo's The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli in the past, especially what wonderful kid-friendly fare they are as digest-sized roller-coaster rides of thrills harkening back to the days of Hanna-Barbera animation (y'know, the Golden Age of cartoons). Jay's back, this time with a one-shot of the Sea Ghost, an Aquaman-type with Space Ghost inspirations and arguably one of the best characters from the second Capt'n Eli book.

The Ghost is living in the ruins of Atlantis with his two children, Triton and Coral, when he discovers a dimensional displacement doohickey that pinballs him around the universe to another aquatic somewhere, smack dab in the middle of a war between the underwater people called the Phlan, and land-dwelling humanoid simians called the Simas. Turns out both sides pledge fealty to a Lovecraftian supreme being called Vorrgoth and Sea Ghost smells something fishy about the whole thing. It’s up to Sea Ghost to reveal the truth and get the two warring factions to end their violent ways.

Jay Piscopo’s minimalist artwork is inspired by Kirby and with its bold colors the action practically leaps off the page. This was the kind of book I loved to read as a kid (before I got older and fell for grim-and-gritty), and reading it with my own kids it inspires "oohs" and "whoas" with each turn of the page. The Sea Ghost carries with him good messages for kids, about how choices shape our destiny, and how blind violence is not an acceptable means to an end. I only wish Sea Ghost had a little more going for him other than the cool costume and the ability to re-direct energy used against him.

Still, for thirty-six pages of book, it’s well worth the money. And that’s before I mention the guest artist pin-up of the Sea Ghost by Ramona Fradon, who, back in the fifties, used to draw Aquaman for DC and co-created Aqualad. Very cool indeed, and bravo to Jay for including her in this book. If you’ve got a little one who loves comics and you find acceptable material hard to find, look no further than The Sea Ghost #1.