Review by Ian Keogh

In theory Deeply Dave is aimed at children, yet despite the actual drawing being simple Michael Grover’s graphic sophistication is capable of impressing many adults.

We first meet Dave under the sea in his diving suit and looking for his mother. He’s warned about the doom below, but he has a penknife with assorted functions to protect him. Of greater use, though, is the friendship of Amos the lobster, an undersea entrepreneur whose speech patterns aren’t far removed from Popeye. Amos is mate of Walter, the octopus connecting a form of human skeleton. The healthy appreciation of the absurd is an abiding characteristic of Deeply Dave, well conceived and continually funny.

To stand out in a crowded market Grover begins with black pages featuring panel borders drawn as white lines. Dave is presented in blue, as are many of the background details, while Amos is small and red, at least until he’s large, and so is Walter, which provides contrast. Distinctiveness is achieved by something as basic as the long blue air tube connection to Dave’s helmet set against the black background.

Wordless scenes signify the webcomic origins, and the inventiveness is a consistent accompaniment to Dave stumbling from one crisis to the next, all both thrilling and funny, and it takes some keeping up with the switches that take place. It’s an absolute joy, but with the caveat that the stylish items may be appreciated by adults, but there’s a feeling youngsters may find some sequences difficult to follow.

As of writing the webcomic remains available online, and there’s the bonus of animated sequences and a soundtrack.