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“A Man Among ‘Ye” #8

By | February 17th, 2022
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

While it’s not surprising, it’s interesting to see the legacy of piracy in pop culture. There is just something about pirates that speaks to the adventure in all of us. There’s the flamboyant excess of it all, the cool frock coats, the sword fights, the ability to live a carefree life. In a world of puritanical conservatism, there was something about going “on the account” that made overnight celebrities of the men and women who turned their backs on the world and became villains of all nations. The thing is that while today pirates are the ultimate example of sticking it to the man and making your destiny, for so many, it was a last resort, desperate people trying to make some money. That doesn’t mean there weren’t some true believers in the mix. In “A Man Among ‘Ye” #8, Stephanie Phillips creates a riveting issue that combines swashbuckling action with a badass and heartfelt look into why you keep fighting, even when the world has turned against you.

Cover by Josh George and John Kalisz
Written by Stephanie Phillips
Illustrated by Josh George
Colored by John Kalisz
Lettered by Troy Peteri, ALW Studios

When Anne Bonny and her crew of lady pirates finally confront Calico Jack Rackham, loyalties are tested, sides are chosen, and not everyone will survive. High-seas action hoists the sails on this shocking arc two finale!

While there’s a lot to like in “A Man Among ‘Ye” #8, one of the most impressive things about the issue is the masterful way that Stephanie Phillips builds the tension throughout the issue. Throughout the series, Phillips has done a remarkable job of building the rivalry of Jack Rackham and Anne Bonney, a complex and nuanced rivalry of lovers turned enemy. Yet, as we get ready for the inevitable final fight, Phillips temporarily takes her off of the table. Of course, it lends itself to the best kind of conflict, with our intrepid hero down for the count and mustering up all of her courage before the final confrontation. But not only does it give a chance for Phillips to build the tension before the final conflict, but it also allows Phillips to hone into the strongest theme of Anne Bonney.

While we know that Anne Bonney and Mary Read were two women who went “on the account,” their stories are some of the hardest to corroborate. Overall, “A Man Among ‘Ye” #8 is in many ways a work of wish fulfillment, a happy end to two women who are more or less lost at the very end of their story. But Stephanie Phillips takes advantage of this, making sure to inject an incredibly compelling motivation to her final conflict of Calico Jack and Anne. One of the biggest throughlines of the series is the fight to take down Anne Bonney, one of the last people brave enough to stand up to Woodes Roger’s hunt against the pirates. Other historical characters are introduced through the series either by reputation or characters themselves. The one throughline? They have all given up the fight. Phillips makes a point to emphasize just WHY these fearsome buccaneers decided to hang up their cutlasses and refuse to sail under the black flag. They got money, pardons, or power. This creates a fascinating dynamic between Bonney and her contemporaries. Anne Bonney has something to lose. Though we see Rogers constantly renege on his promise to those male contemporaries throughout the series, Bonney never gets that choice. For Bonney, turning her back on the black flag means a return to complacency, obscurity, a life lived behind the shadows. To Phillips, Anne Bonney is the ultimate defender in what it means to be a pirate, to be free. This is especially true as Rackham talks about his old flame. For men like Rackham and Benjamin Hornigold, piracy was the means to an end, a way to get rich and a life just as easy to abandon when a better offer comes along. To Bonney, it’s a life of freedom.

Phillips does an excellent job of writing Anne Bonney; she is sharp, sassy, and foul-mouthed, every bit the pirate you expect. But there is also a vulnerability to Bonney, a love for her crew, and a desire to keep them safe even as the world turns against them. “A Man Among ‘Ye” #8 leans into these two sides of Bonney’s character. Her ferocity and devil may care nature leads her to get her revenge is on full display when she fights Rackham, but she has tender moments with Anne and her daughter. Phillips really excels at finding the balance between these two sides of Anne, which you can see in her climactic battle with Jack. While there is anger and hatred in their sparring, there is a certain degree of sadness as well. While the series delivers on the excitement, it’s the beating heart of Anne that keeps the issue moving.

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But while Phillips’ script does a good job of making Anne Bonney an interesting and nuanced character, Josh George’s art gives some bombastic and swashbuckling flair to the climactic final fight. The majority of “A Man Among ‘Ye” #8 is the much-anticipated duel between Jack Rackham and Anne Bonney, and the issue delivers a fight scene that lives up to anticipation. George does a stellar job at creating intense kinetic action. You can see the momentum shift through the fight sequence. There are little details that George focuses on that show he’s familiar with swordplay. There are moments that focus on the footwork, the shift in dueling styles, and how cheap shots can change the momentum of the duel. He also does a tremendous job of knowing when to have backgrounds and the raw emotion of two people out to kill one another. Everything about the duel was well executed, especially thanks to John Kalisz’s coloring. Kalisz embraces dark blues and greys of the background, which allows the red of Anne’s hair and outfit to stand out, to the way that the swords convey the intense speed of a deadly duel. For all the action, George can convey the nuance of Phillips’ script, with Anne going from sassy, to savage, to sympathetic in just a few panels. When a creative team complements one another this well, you know you’ve found something special.

It’s unclear if “A Man Among ‘Ye” #8 is the end of Anne Bonney and Mary Read’s story. Again, Phillips gives them a much happier ending than the historical record, and there is a certain joy in watching them sail off together, free and safe. There are other stories to tell of other women who went a pirating. Phillips would have no difficulty continuing the series. But if she wants to continue telling the story of two legends of the high seas, that’s fine by me. In any case, with a team this good, you hope that there are more swashbuckling stories to tell in the future.

Final Verdict: 9.0 “A Man Among ‘Ye” #8 delivers on epic action and provides a satisfying conclusion to one of history’s most fearsome pirates (for now.)


Joe Skonce

Joe Skonce was born, raised, and currently resides in Ohio, but has been exploring fantastical and imaginary worlds for as long as he can remember. He loves big guys and barbarians, pirates and puppets, and is always down to find nerdy new things. Come say hi to him on twitter @tunabellgrande.

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