Quotes from Four Gentleman and One Extraordinary Woman

Nina Harker

“I feel a wonderful peace and rest tonight. It is as if some haunting presence were removed from me. Perhaps.”

Henry Jekyll

“Edward Hyde alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.”

Harwley Griffen

“This is day one of year one of the new epoch-the epochs of the Invisible Man. I am Invisible Man the First.”

Allan Quatermain

“I’ve killed many a man in my time, but I have never slain wantonly or stained my hand in innocent blood, but only in self-defense.”

Captain Nemo

"I am not what you call a civilized man! I have done with society entirely, for reasons which I alone have the right of appreciating.”

The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, Volume II, Moore & O’ Neil

The Nautilus

Here is another rendition of Captain Nemo’s Nautilus. This version as depicted in the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a bit more fanciful than the one rendered in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

I suppose I could have gotten some better screenshots of this craft. Better luck next time.

Who is this Captian Nemo?

Twenty Thousands Leagues Under the Sea, Disney Films

Captain Nemo tells his story and reveals his identity to the settlers on Lincoln Island.

"Captain Nemo was an Indian, the Prince Dakkar, son of a rajah of the then independent territory of Bundelkund. His father sent him, when ten years of age, to Europe, in order that he might receive an education in all respects complete, and in the hopes that by his talents and knowledge he might one day take a leading part in raising his long degraded and heathen country to a level with the nations of Europe.

From the age of ten years to that of thirty Prince Dakkar, endowed by Nature with her richest gifts of intellect, accumulated knowledge of every kind, and in science, literature, and art his researches were extensive and profound.

He traveled over the whole of Europe. His rank and fortune caused him to be everywhere sought after; but the pleasures of the world had for him no attractions. Though young and possessed of every personal advantage, he was ever grave—somber even—devoured by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and cherishing in the recesses of his heart the hope that he might become a great and powerful ruler of a free and enlightened people.

Still, for long the love of science triumphed over all other feelings. He became an artist deeply impressed by the marvels of art, a philosopher to whom no one of the higher sciences was unknown, a statesman versed in the policy of European courts. To the eyes of those who observed him superficially he might have passed for one of those cosmopolitans, curious of knowledge, but disdaining action; one of those opulent travelers, haughty and cynical, who move incessantly from place to place, and are of no country."

Chapter 19, The Mysterious Island, Jules Verne

Mysterious Islands Game

Mysterious Islands site includes a basic premise of the game, instructions on how to play, and the materials needed to play the game. The game is played with up to six players. Each player takes one of the associated factions. The factions of Mysterious Islands are The Pirates, Dr. Nemo, Dr. Moreau, The Rebels, The British East India Company, The Zombies, and The Natives. Each faction is either fighting to keep the territory they already have or trying to unseat the other factions from their domains.

Mysterious Islands uses a hex-game-board map of a Pacific archipelago consisting of 11 main islands and several smaller islands. Each faction chooses one island as its base. The game lasts 12 rounds. During a round, each player takes a turn. Each turn includes the following phases: Recruit Phase, Movement Phase, Bombardment Phase, Action Phase, and Combat Phase.

If one could come up with the required game-board, the game looks like it might be interesting to play. Anyone know of an online map creator that could be used to produce the game board?

Jules Verne’s Voyages Extraordinaires that Have a Sequel

As far as my readings of Jules Verne have taken me these are the only sets of sequels that I know of. I would be happy to find out otherwise…

Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea
Mysterious Island

These tales include the mention of Captain Nemo and his Nautilus submarine.

Robur the Conqueror
The Master of the World

These tales are about embittered engineers and their airships. I found The Master of the World better reading than Robur the Conqueror. Robur the Conqueror really didn’t have too much of a plot.

A Fanciful Nautilus Design

When Jules Verne wrote his Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, he envisioned his nautilus in a rather conical design, it sort of resembled are large cigar. Not a very fanciful design at all. Disney came along and redesigned the Nautilus and gave it Victorian aspect. Although many have taken to envisioning what the Nautilus could have looked like. Some of the designs were rather fanciful like Disney’s, however the Disney design became one of the most popular. You might have seen miniatures, and scale models using this very design.

However, there is Nautilus design in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen that is even more fanciful than all others. It is big and ominous. It sports an orange livery and features several, what look like tentacles like a squid or octopus have. These tentacles do not seem to have any purpose except to give the vessel a frightful appearance. In addition, there is coat of arms of Captain Nemo, or should I say Prince Dakkar on the submarines conning tower and the vessel spouts water like a whale would from its blow hole.

There are more than a Few Reasons the British should (if they haven’t already) build a Submarine like the Lusca

The first reason for the British to build a submarine is to catch Captain Nemo, while he is under the sea. The mechanical tentacles could be maneuvered to catch and put a hold on the unsuspecting Nautilus

A vessel like the Lusca could also be brought into play against other enemies of the realm. The physiological effect on Britain’s enemies would be great. Think of the terror the vessel like this would stir among the crew from a vessel being attacked by what looks like a giant squid?

Is There a Hint of Steampunk in Pirates at Oceans Edge?

Evidently there is. One blogger reported seeing Steampunk like contraptions on the bows of some ships. The contraptions resemble pinchers that can be used to grab and hold a bow of another ship.

Another discovery that smacks of Steampunk is a playing piece called Lusca. Lusca, a sea monster and whether real or myth Lusca does figure in to local lore. The beast is said to be half shark and half squid and is said to live in the Bahamian blue holes. The version included in Pirates at Ocean Edge is depicted as a large squid.

There two clues that point to this creature as being another Steampunk invention instead of the sea creature as purported.



If you look closely at the creature you will see what looks like three green port holes. In addition to the port holes the vessel is said to belong to the English. How could the English train a sea creature like Lusca to do its bidding? Have the English built a submarine?

Phileas Fogg makes a cameo appearance in Anderson’s Captain Nemo. Whereas Fogg is self-assured in Verne’s “Around the World in Eighty Days”, he seems to be quite indifferent in Anderson’s Captain Nemo. After being pulled out of the sea by the crew of the Nautilus Fogg’s huffy demeanor puzzles Nemo. Fogg seems to haves no interest in the Nautilus or its workings. However, a bit later blurts out “You and this abomination of a vessel have just cost me a very large wager”. Because of some new found compassion in Nemo, Fogg does make it back to London on time to win his wager.

But what if Fogg was actually a spy and took in more than we first realized. Now the English government knows with out a doubt that the creature that has been raising so much havoc on the high seas is not a sea monster, but a manmade vessel. Why not endeavor to create your own. It may be the only way to catch the wily Captain Nemo at his game.

The Other Log of Phileas Fogg

I have just finished reading Philip Jose Farmers, The Other Log of Phileas Fogg. The novel gives us another look at Phileas Fogg. The Other Log of Phileas Fogg recounts Phileas Fogg’s journey around the world except with a catch.

Two alien cultures are warring for the control of the earth. Fogg is of the Eridanean race and in addition to trying to keep his bet with his fellows at the Reform club he and his servant Passpartout must battle the Capelleans for the control of earth. Captain Nemo, a Capellean is a sworn enemy of Foggs and Fogg must outwit Nemo.

Two Sources for Captain Nemo Miniatures

There may other sources for Captain Nemo miniatures, and I would sure appreciate a mention of these. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Extraordinary Personages (captain Nemo (Prince Dekker) and Mr. Griffin)

Brigade games offers set of miniatures that include a Captain Nemo character. The characterization and impetus seems to come from The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, a graphic novel, by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill. I believe these are 28mm miniatures.

Reaper Miniatures also offers a Captain Nemo miniature. The inspiration for this 25mm miniature seems to be the British actor James Mason, which played Captain Nemo in Disney’s Twenty Thousand League’s under the Sea.

Captain Nemo's 'Seafood & Saltwater Salvage Rail Road

According to Chris Walas Captain Nemo has survived, got to some deserted island and is now the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Nemo's 'Seafood & Saltwater Salvage Rail Road.

The engine is a refit of Nemo’s Nautilus. There is tank car with sea monsters, a flat car with the catch of the day, a gondola filled with refuge that looks like it might have come from the Nautilus. Bringing up the rear, in the barrel, is a catch of a lifetime, a mermaid in all of her glory.

My Current Reading List

I am in the middle of reading several books, two of which are technical in nature, for a certification I am studying for and the following texts are for fun.

The Other Log of Phileas Fogg

The Other Log of Phileas Fogg (Wold Newton) (Wold Newton Novels), by Philip Jose Farmer is a story about the legendary character of Phileas Fogg. This novel, my first go of the author Philip Jose Farmer, is the third instance of this character I have come upon. Interesting! (more about Phileas Fogg in an upcoming post).

Captain Nemo by Kevin J. Anderson

I have just finished reading this novel in concurrence to a series of posts I would like to make on Captain Nemo. Captain Nemo by Kevin J. Anderson is a story about Nemo in his formative years. (I am writing a review about this book and will be making a post as soon as possible. The story, a deconstruction of the original Captain Nemo, looks at a different aspect of this infamous character.)

Axis and Allies War at Sea, Rulebook

I am in process of reading through this rulebook for this two player game. The rules seems to be relatively easy to understand, not to burdensome, and the game should keep our attention. A full review of this game will follow.

Captain Nemo

The Captain Nemo character is a creation of Jules Vern and was first mentioned in Verne’s “Twenty Thousands Leagues under the Sea” and then again in Verne’s “Mysterious Island”. Since these appearances the character of Capt. Nemo has been portrayed in many different forms and characterized in the popular culture. The character of Captain Nemo has appeared in 67 different comics, in several books, as a miniature, and in a few movies.

The many different characterizations of Captain Nemo I have encountered already have me wanting to explore and expound on this character further in upcoming blog posts.

Pirates of Mysterious Islands-What is all the Mystery Anyway?

Although quite rare there is a Nautilus Submarine included with this version of this strategy game by Whizkids, so I thought the use of Mysterious Islands was a very obvious reference to Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island; however the Islands included in this rendition have their own set of mysteries.

Verne’s Mysterious Island was the island where Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus ended up stuck in a sub terrain cavern. The Island, an uncharted Island, that was off the usually shipping lanes, became home to several civil war ex-prisoners of war, after they were deposited on the island by their hot air balloon. Mysterious happenings started to occur soon after arriving on the island and thus the title “The Mysterious Island”.

The Pirates of Mysterious Islands have several scenarios printed on the bottom of the islands and are tied to certain dice roll outcomes. There is even a provision on one island where you can write your own scenario.

These scenarios will make the game a bit more interesting, as you really never really know what the outcome might be.

The Adventures of Captain Nemo: Doom Island Comics

The Nemo Nautilus page offers several scanned editions of the “The Adventures of Captain Nemo: Doom Island” comic book. To read, click on the individual pages to zoom in on the page.

Doom Island seems to me to be referring to Jules Verne’s “Facing the Flag”. Facing the Flag mentions an island that is eventually blown to bits by Thomas Roch, the inventor of a new type of super explosive.