Captain Nemo, vol. 1
Writer: Jason DeAngelis
Artist: Aldin Viray
Publisher: Seven Seas
Rating: Teen
Price: $10.99
Captain Nemo is a straight-up action manga with plenty of undersea adventure and touches of steampunk and romance. How can you not like that blend?
The book begins with the premise that Napoleon won the battle of Waterloo after all, and his successor is now (1893) ruling all of Europe with an iron hand. Nemo Jr., son of the Captain Nemo of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea fame, is looting Napoleon IV’s ships from the safety of his underwater contraption, building a treasure trove to fund a revolution. That’s a premise with lots of possibilities, and volume 1 only begins to scratch the surface.
But wait, you say—isn’t there a comely lass mixed up in this somewhere? Mais oui! Meet Camille, the spunky and rebellious daughter of a French bureaucrat. When said bureaucrat sets out on a French ship, Camille stows away to bring some adventure into her life. She gets more than she bargained for when Nemo appears on his submarine and demands that the captain surrender his ship at once, threatening to destroy it with a giant steel spur if the crew does not comply. In the battle that follows, Camille is knocked overboard, rescued by Nemo, and ushered into life aboard the Nautilus II.
Although she resents her enforced stay, Camille soon discovers that Nemo is kind of sweet and shy and even a bit cerebral. Hoping to impress her, he takes her and the crew, clad in form-fitting diving suits, on a walk around the ocean floor. Of course she wanders off (she’s spunky, I tell you) and gets herself into danger, but she also demonstrates that she’s more than able to take care of herself. Having set up some interesting chemistry between Nemo and Camille, volume 1 winds up with a visit to Japan, while in the distance, the French bad guys plot to track down Nemo.
DeAngelis and Viray have assembled an interesting cast of side characters, including a ship’s doctor who is the daughter of Jack the Ripper and an albino second mate with a curious sense of style. The costumes are drawn with loving detail, although they seem a bit improbable, especially for Victorians. On the other hand, Nemo’s library, with its wrought-iron arches and mounted specimens, is a nice piece of fin-de-siecle excess. The only thing I really didn’t like about the art was the excessive toning, which made the book seem dark and muddy.
With its quirky combination of romance, sea monsters, and a giant steel ship-destroying spur, Captain Nemo is a great summer vacation read.
This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.