Written by Tom Taylor
Illustrated by James Brouwer
Lettered by Wolfgang Bylsma
The Deep is a graphic novel that deals with mysteries of the ocean and the Nekton family that is searching for dragons.
It begins with a teaser beautifully illustrated by Brouwer, 
reminiscent of Pixar films, with the loss of fisherman’s boat by an unseen, colossal creature. The action is dynamic and the start of what’s sure to promise an adventure that is introduced in the form of a family of Aquanauts. These cast of characters, the Nekton family, are a readers jumping on point to becoming explorers along with them.
The explanation of the technology like the Arronax, capable of diving incredible depths, allows is crisp while also introducing the setting of the story. This is where the Nekton family lives. It also introduce us to the two children of the family, Ant and Fontaine. These two are characterized by Ant’s hopeful optimism toward teaching his fish to fetch and Fontaine’s dismissive, yet pragmatic approach to him creates an interesting contrast. One that clearly reflects the dynamic of the two parents, Kaiko and Will when it comes to the objective of their deep sea exploration.
The coloring between the history of large creatures in the sea and present creates a nice contrast in tone. The blues and greens that are used in the scenes with the Nekton family are still warm to illustrate the closeness of this family. The character expressions and designs allow each character to truly be their own along with the dialogue.
This is an all-ages comic that has an intriguing mystery that is a mix of the Wild Thornberrys meets Atlantis: The Lost Empire. The wonder that’s elicited by the history and maps utilized in the story and the emotional resonance of the family dynamics makes for an incredibly enticing adventure that is sure to exceed expectations.
Verdict
Buy! I love it! The comic itself feels like something I would’ve read as a kid. There’s a wonder that directly translates to reader of any age. It’s engaging and funny. This is a comic I would’ve recommended myself and will continue to keep up with. Also, a story with POC characters that are represented well! There is a little something for anyone!
