The Lost City Explorers by Zack Kaplan and Alvaro Sarraseca is an interesting graphic novel that reimagines the classic Atlantis myth and its location. Instead of sinking beneath the ocean, the legendary city is concealed deep beneath the streets of Manhattan — underground in the heart of New York City! It’s a blend of myth, adventure, and science fiction, making it a pretty cool read for anyone fascinated by Plato’s Atlantis legend and hidden worlds.
The story follows Hel Coates, a teenage girl thrown into a whirlwind of mystery and danger. Her father, an archaeologist working for a secretive company called Sagan Labs, suddenly disappears without a trace under unusual circumstances. The company tries to smooth things over by offering her money from an insurance policy, promising to look after her and her brother — but they push her to accept their version of events: that her dad died in a gas leak deep underground.
However, Hel isn’t convinced, especially when she finds out there’s a possibility her father may still be alive. Driven by her instincts and curiosity, she sets out on a daring quest to uncover the truth. With the help of her brother and friends, Hel dives into a world of secrets buried beneath the city — and perhaps, beneath the very fabric of the Atlantis legend itself.
It turns out, they’re about to find Atlantis — hidden right beneath the city! Will Hel find her missing dad there? And if she does, can she save him and get him back to the world above? That’s the big question, and it’s what’ll keep you flipping through the pages all the way to the very end.
On their Atlantis adventure, they run into these mysterious Atlantean beings who are totally into music — like, they actually respond to different kinds of songs.
Get this: research has shown that water reacts differently to love songs than to war drums! Crazy, right? But it’s actually based on real science by a guy named Dr. Masaru Emoto, who discovered that water crystals freeze into different shapes depending on the sounds or words it’s exposed to. I bet you never knew that! These kinds of cool facts are sprinkled at the end of the book, so it’s got some pretty deep stuff to think about too.
In “The Lost City Explorers,” you’ll be curious about these Atlantean beings, and that’s another reason why this graphic novel really pulls you in.
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The Lost City Explorers: Exploring Atlantis
I’d give “The Lost City Explorers” a 6 out of 10. Yeah, I know, not that great of a score, but I’m picky. Honestly, I think it could have been way better. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that they really needed to make us care more about the main character. I just didn’t feel connected to her at all. Maybe if I were a girl, it’d be a different story, who knows?
Also, the characters’ looks aren’t very memorable — except for those creepy, ghostly Atlantean creatures, they looked pretty cool. Some more effort to make the characters’ facial features stand out would’ve been awesome. But still, it’s an interesting enough read — definitely worth checking out if you’re into adventure stories with some cool science facts sprinkled in.
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You can explore more Greek mythology comics and graphic novels here. Atlantis Mystery might also catch your eye, along with this graphic novel about Atlantis and other lost cities.
But for the ultimate Atlantis adventure, check out these 12 Atlantis movies about the Lost Island.
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