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Aquatlantic
A Raw artist returns, and Atlantis exists, in this new and original graphic novel from one of the great Italian comics masters, published in English for the first time.
In this graphic novel, Aqualantics maintain a fragile peace with their "surface brothers"—as long as their world remains a myth. But when an actor who plays the character of the "indefensible Earthman," all cynicism and vulgarity, is gradually possessed by his role, a chain reaction jeopardizes the entire kingdom and the uneasy peace between the two species. Giorgio Carpinteri's sheer graphic brilliance — fusing aspects of Futurism, Cubism, Russian Constructivism, and German Expressionism with echoes of Bauhaus and distinct whims of Art Deco — would be enough to carry this brilliant fantasy, but Aqualantic is also a lyrical, allegorical masterpiece exploring the relationship between the conscious and unconscious, the known and the unknown.
In this graphic novel, Aqualantics maintain a fragile peace with their "surface brothers"—as long as their world remains a myth. But when an actor who plays the character of the "indefensible Earthman," all cynicism and vulgarity, is gradually possessed by his role, a chain reaction jeopardizes the entire kingdom and the uneasy peace between the two species. Giorgio Carpinteri's sheer graphic brilliance — fusing aspects of Futurism, Cubism, Russian Constructivism, and German Expressionism with echoes of Bauhaus and distinct whims of Art Deco — would be enough to carry this brilliant fantasy, but Aqualantic is also a lyrical, allegorical masterpiece exploring the relationship between the conscious and unconscious, the known and the unknown.
56 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
About the author
Giorgio Carpinteri
8 books1 followerDopo l’esordio sulla rivista Il Mago, ha collaborato al volume Indagini nell’Altroquando, alla rivista Pinguino e a Nemo. Fonda poi il gruppo Valvoline e approda a Frigidaire e Alter Linus con una serie di racconti brevi poi riuniti in Flirt, volume pubblicato nel 1984 dalla Primo Carnera, e con il romanzo a fumetti Polsi sottili. Dal 1986 ha collaborato a molti programmi televisivi in qualità di art director e autore per Rai1, Rai2, Rai3, Tmc. Inoltre è autore di spot televisivi.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 18, 2021
The story is something about human greed, ecological exploitation and hubris, but it's done in broad strokes and feels rather clunky. The artwork, however is 😍 and worth the price of admission. Also, Atlantis 💙🐬💙, which Carpinteri says he's always found boring, but which I find fascinating. So 4🐚 for the art, 3🦑 for the narrative.
August 16, 2020
Most people who live on land believe that stories about an ancient civilization buried undersea are just fables. But in Aquatlantic, the civilization is still alive, and those who live underseas know rather than believe that people use to and continue to live on land. They also know that a meeting of the two peoples would be disastrous for their underwater civilization. Landlubbers are their evil twins: they pollute, and they manufacture and amass material goods far beyond what the natural balance of the biosphere can withstand. The desire for more is both peoples’ original sin. Only those under water atoned to survive.
An undersea dweller named Bho performs in a highly successful one-man show in which he parodies the greedy behavior of those above water. Aquatlantic begins shortly before his last performance, the character of which has slowly been consuming Bho, as Bho increasingly struggles to separate himself from his character, who acts with all the piggishness of ground dwellers.
At the same time, an evil man with a mercenary army are in a ship headed toward Aquatlantic’s location, to kill and capture the Aquatlantans (sp?).
Author Carpinteri’s Aquatlantic world is richly imagined. His visual style quotes from various 20th-century schools without becoming self-consciously “retro” or invoking nostalgia for the tales of, say, Jules Verne. If the story is familiar to many of us, for young readers for whom this may all be new, Carpinteri’s illustrations, at least, give the eyes details that spark the imagination.
An undersea dweller named Bho performs in a highly successful one-man show in which he parodies the greedy behavior of those above water. Aquatlantic begins shortly before his last performance, the character of which has slowly been consuming Bho, as Bho increasingly struggles to separate himself from his character, who acts with all the piggishness of ground dwellers.
At the same time, an evil man with a mercenary army are in a ship headed toward Aquatlantic’s location, to kill and capture the Aquatlantans (sp?).
Author Carpinteri’s Aquatlantic world is richly imagined. His visual style quotes from various 20th-century schools without becoming self-consciously “retro” or invoking nostalgia for the tales of, say, Jules Verne. If the story is familiar to many of us, for young readers for whom this may all be new, Carpinteri’s illustrations, at least, give the eyes details that spark the imagination.
February 27, 2022
The drawings in this >>>>>>>>>>>>> you better cube girl!! I love the Soviet art imagery as well ofc
January 1, 2021
A beautifully illustrated neonoir set in Atlantis, Aqualantic marks Carpinteri’s return to the style and substance of his work reveals a beautifully illustrated and told story of a future of the two halves of existence exist between our world and the Atlantean in a short volume of powerfully beautiful illustration. While the story is unique and beautiful, I thought that the piece itself was a flimsy satire that was a heavy-handed approach to our world today. Satire is a very temperamental and delicate form, and requires the utmost of delicacy in execution and language. The artwork of this piece nails it, and is clearly Carpinteri’s strength (as it always has been), but sometimes things are lost in translation or miss the mark entirely... And while I was completely entertained for this piece, the satire really hit me over the head too many times in too many ways to achieve the subtlety to make a statement in today’s world where real life seems like a satire for itself. If it was attempting to achieve it in sixty pages in the ninteen-sixties, absolutely, but we live in a different time today that allows me to feel simply entertained rather than changed. We all feel this way. We get it. Does this work? Not quite sure. That said, I don’t regret reading it and I enjoyed it a great deal... The art was incredible, but the story and dialogue and execution needed a lot of work.
January 26, 2022
Sob o oceano, vivem homens na sua cidade submersa. Partilham os delirantes edifícios em estilo art deco com tartarugas inteligentes e outros animais marinhos. Estes homens submarinos conhecem os homens que vivem à superfície. Respeitam-nos, têm até um museu dedicado à sua cultura, mas assumem um certo desdém institucional, que serve para proteger ambos os mundos, que não se podem cruzar. Enquanto nas profundezas um ator sofre uma crise por encarnar em demasia uma das suas personagens, na superfície um milionário contrata mercenários e está muito próximo de descobrir a cidade submersa. Só a intervenção de forças primordiais poderá travar o encontro. Nem sempre a bd tem de contar histórias com lógica, ou acutilantes. Este curioso livro é um excelente exemplo de exercício de estilo poético, cada vinheta está mais ao serviço do deleite no traço e imaginário do criador, do que nas convenções estruturais do género. BD como pura expressão artística pura, algo surreal e com um estilo gráfico deslumbrante.
January 2, 2021
One of the last things I read this year. Super weird!! The art was interesting, and the story was dreamlike and something I'll maybe have to go back to in order to fully understand. I'm not sure if the details are important however, there was a more clear sort of moral to it - again, very dreamlike. You get the gist, even if it doesn't fully make sense.
I bought a TON of non-US comics in 2020 (just had a moment where I realized that even all the independent stuff I've read, the non-mainstream non-superhero stuff, or small publisher stuff, was STILL all made by American or maybe Canadian creators, so I bought some Euro stuff, some Mexican and South American stuff, some Japanese stuff - not straight-up pop manga - and any other big name/famous somewhere else stuff I could find) and I forgot to add most of them to GR so I might try to go back and do that.
I bought a TON of non-US comics in 2020 (just had a moment where I realized that even all the independent stuff I've read, the non-mainstream non-superhero stuff, or small publisher stuff, was STILL all made by American or maybe Canadian creators, so I bought some Euro stuff, some Mexican and South American stuff, some Japanese stuff - not straight-up pop manga - and any other big name/famous somewhere else stuff I could find) and I forgot to add most of them to GR so I might try to go back and do that.
January 1, 2024
This was an interesting one. Atlantis exists and is occupied by humanoid creatures incredibly similar to their surface dwelling brethren as well as talking sea turtles and they live a very Roaring 20s esque existence. But the only way they continue to exist is by being thought of as a myth by the surface. But when a psychic has visions of Atlantis, he winds up on a “research” vessel to guide a greedy billionaire to find it.
It was a very odd and clunky story that needed to be longer to make full sense. But on the flip side of that coin, I would’ve been bored if it were any longer. The art, though, was magnificently weird in a very art deco meets Russian propaganda style.
It was a very odd and clunky story that needed to be longer to make full sense. But on the flip side of that coin, I would’ve been bored if it were any longer. The art, though, was magnificently weird in a very art deco meets Russian propaganda style.
March 15, 2022
okay so it made sense well enough but the art felt waaaaaay over my head. i cant spot the genuine differences between art deco and futurism or between russian constructivism and cubism. it all felt... uncomfortable. id reread it to intentionally grapple with these artistic distictions. i loved seeing igorts artwork showcased inside this wild ride.
August 22, 2023
I should look at page counts more often. I was settling in for a longer story and then it was done in 50 pages. It was well drawn and oozing with style, but it was over way too quick. I need more! One thing about this book that bugged me was the lettering. The balloons were poorly done and the font choice didn't vibe with the comic. It took me out of the story.
December 13, 2023
Top quality art leads to a very rewarding experience even if I can't help but feel that some things are being lost in translation here. Reminded me very much of the experience of watching Fantastic Planet: every individual aspect made sense, but the whole comes together in a surreal and feverish way.
February 14, 2026
absolutely gorgeous artwork. the visual differences between the surface dwellers and the aquatlantians was great. i also think it managed to create a very interesting setting and world. a nice short and sweet story
Want to Read
June 7, 2020Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
December 17, 2020
A pretty but ultimately disappointing book
December 29, 2020
Really like the art, not so much the story
April 26, 2021
Gorgeous artwork
May 31, 2021
I'm not sure I understood the story but the artwork is great, reflective of a Cubist, Futurist style with subtle blues and orange shades
June 1, 2021
I dig it. Weird and wonderful.
October 25, 2022
Interesting. Really liked the art style, could have been longer to really delve into the story.
February 22, 2023
The surreal art is gorgeous and there are parts of the story that are interesting and funny but overall, I feel like I missed the point.
August 20, 2024
Very interesting very strange very gorgeous
November 20, 2024
Art 4-5 stars
October 31, 2025
beautiful art. really builds another world and is perfectly paced
March 12, 2021
One of the last things I read this year. Super weird!! The art was interesting, and the story was dreamlike and something I'll maybe have to go back to in order to fully understand. I'm not sure if the details are important however, there was a more clear sort of moral to it - again, very dreamlike. You get the gist, even if it doesn't fully make sense.
I bought a TON of non-US comics in 2020 (just had a moment where I realized that even all the independent stuff I've read, the non-mainstream non-superhero stuff, or small publisher stuff, was STILL all made by American or maybe Canadian creators, so I bought some Euro stuff, some Mexican and South American stuff, some Japanese stuff - not straight-up pop manga - and any other big name/famous somewhere else stuff I could find) and I forgot to add most of them to GR so I might try to go back and do that.
I bought a TON of non-US comics in 2020 (just had a moment where I realized that even all the independent stuff I've read, the non-mainstream non-superhero stuff, or small publisher stuff, was STILL all made by American or maybe Canadian creators, so I bought some Euro stuff, some Mexican and South American stuff, some Japanese stuff - not straight-up pop manga - and any other big name/famous somewhere else stuff I could find) and I forgot to add most of them to GR so I might try to go back and do that.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews