by Dan, Santat opens with a dramatic visual of a ship tossing dangerously in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. The crew frantically abandons the sinking ship but one man, Michel, is trapped as the ship sinks into the blackness at the bottom of the sea--but he manages to leave a message behind. Five years later in San Diego, Michel’s daughter, Sophia, is struggling to adjust to life with her father lost at sea. She spends most of her time at Aqualand, the marine theme park that her dad and his brother helped found. Meanwhile, a strange-looking “aquanaut” in an outdated diving suit makes its way from the bottom of the sea to Aqualand, confusing passersby as it goes. The Aquanaut isn’t actually a person but a collection of rambunctious sea creatures manning the robot-like suit. They may have uncovered something about Michel’s disappearance and are on a mission to find Sophia, with comedic and sweet results. A funny, bittersweet, and highly unusual story with beautiful visuals. (Graphic Novel)