Action Lab Entertainment 2015
Written by Josiah Grahn
Illustrated by Carl Yonder
Ah this story has proven to be full of surprises and action that just re-envisions the world of the Pirates. When I was little kids still dreamed of being a Pirate and it’s stories like this that make that dream come back to life. The interior artwork is fantastic and it’s stylized in a way to keep it fun and dark at the same time and the infusion of those background people who have that real life person look to them that just give us that surprise pop of interest.
I love how Burroughs has tried to manipulate things to come to a head and get Smitty into his clutches but the luck that man has really does defy the odds. The writing is just that clever that this kind of luck he has can be highlighted in such a way that you’d think he was more than just a man but we know he’s not he’s a guy who has resigned himself to his current fate and will do whatever he can to live just a little while longer. With nothing left to lose it’s not surprising that he appears lucky he just goes with everything and that in the right circumstances can look like luck.
That the Captain is overconfident in her ship and her crew that they get away from Burroughs is delightful. Smitty knows he’s got a fleet and the Captain won’t believe what she can’t see and that’s her biggest mistake, not listening thinking she knows better. Still this leads us to a big fight that starts off with Smitty and Burroughs but grows to encompass Captain Collins and Simon.
It’s pretty fantastic the way all these characters can be woven into being into the same place at the same time without it feeling contrite. Again you have to admire the look of the people surrounding Simon too it just draws the eye, sometimes too much, in way you try to find if they look like someone from real life. Then again as Smitty runs off to save his own skin the inmates, thanks to Simon, have taken over the prison and these real look alive characters see him running and wonder hmm what’s this bloke up to?
Ironically in seeking to escape his fate at Burroughs hand he ends up being in the hands of someone else looking for him as well. Out of the frying pan and all that. Mr. Parrott has wanted Smitty for a while now and well he’s got his map and his people have him on board a ship. The dialogue here really is phenomenal and you see that Smitty admits he’s defeated and can’t handle the running anymore and resigns himself to his fate.
This really has done wonders to reinvigorate ones love for the Pirate genre. It brings back our fascination with the world of crime and plunder. This really is a wonderful world that we looks and feels like one we’d love to be a part of and that people like Disney wish the theme parked evoked.