Johnny "Genius" Jones, a young boy, is stranded on a desert island with 734 books. Jones reads every book, memorizing every bit of information from them. He ultimately burns the books to attract the attention of a passing ship. Once back in civilization he sets himself up as the Answer Man, a costumed hero who answers questions and solves crimes for a dime. He has no superpowers but has a very advanced lab. He is also aided by an adult sidekick named Mr. Oldster.