Review -- THE UNDERSEA ADVENTURES OF CAPT'N ELI

THE UNDERSEA ADVENTURES OF CAPT'N ELI
Art by Jay Piscopo
Written by Jay Piscopo

Oh man does Capt'n Eli bring back the memories.
This is a comic which is really ideally suited to younger readers, and I initially wondered how I would get through the book, being well, a long long way from being a younger reader.
Yet, the story just pulled me in, part because it's a darned good yarn, but also because it has a nostalgic feel to it.
This is a story that is reminiscent of old television series like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and comic books like Charlton's The Phantom. When I was young those were much enjoyed shows and books because they opened a world of adventure, mystery and fantasy, all things Jay Piscopo wraps up nicely here as well.
Capt'n Eli is a genius kid who is in the midst of a grand undersea adventure, complete with secret submarines, unknown undersea races, mystery and intrigue.
Accompanied by his trusty mutt, and a 300-year-old talking parrot, Cap'n Eli moves through the adventure with the awe of a kid, and the savvy of a hero.
Interestingly, Capt'n Eli spun out of an ad campaign.
“Initially Capt'n Eli was created a a mascot for Captn Eli's Root Beer. Fred Forsley wanted to create an entertainment property in support of the soda,” explained creator Jay Piscopo in an email interview. “... Fred brought me in to help develop the project and basically gave me free reign to create what I wanted.”
Piscopo said he basically drew on those shows and books which captured his imagination as a kid.
“The time I grew up in was pretty magical for superheroes comic books, cartoons and movies. The Silver Age was still in full force. Hanna Barbera cartoons designed by the one and only Alex Toth dominated Saturday Morning. Star Trek was in syndication, and had a mystique to it that was there before the word trekkie was invented. Ray Harryhausen movies were the epitome of adventure to me.
“So characters like Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, The Fantastic Four, Captain Nemo, were imprinted in my brain at an early age.
“I rolled all this up and The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli was the result.”
Once read I knew this book was ideal material for young boys aged seven to 13, and Piscopo said that was a market he wanted to focus on.
“That's the ideal audience, but at the same time I'm trying to adopt the attitude of creators like Jack Kirby who understood comics of their time to be a children's medium, but adults would read as well,” he said. “That's why we describe the book as all ages. Involving kids back into comics is very important to me, as well as creating something for the kids that never grew up.”
In terms of art, Piscopo keeps it clean, and varied, just right to hold a young mind's attention, drawing on a number of styles.
“Well, the obvious influence is Doug Wildey's Johnny Quest and Alex Toth's Hanna Barbera work,” he said. “A big Jack Kirby and Wallace Wood influence too.
“And, a huge influence from Japanese animation and European comics with the 2D and 3D integration.”
At more than 100 pages an issue, in square bound trade paperback format, these are as much a children's storybook as it is a comic.
“We describe it as a Graphic Novel series,” said Piscopo. “Tintin is a big influence, but unlike Tintin, each book is a part of a much bigger story.”
In terms of the bigger story Piscopo said more is certainly on the horizon for Capt'n Eli.
“We have plotted up through issue 4 with concepts to go beyond,” he said. “I'm working on issue 3 right now, as well as a spin off Sea Ghost comic book
“And, another spin off of Commander X Adventures free online comic for this Christmas.”
As for the first two issues of Capt'n Eli, I know I would have reread this tale until the pages were ragged when I was a kid, and it is certainly recommended since Dad won't mind reading this one to younger children either.
Check it out at www.captneli.com
-- CALVIN DANIELS

-- Appeared on Yorkton This Week Web Xtra