There are a lot of comics out there, but some just stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we’re taking a look at the climactic final(?) issue of “A Man Among Ye.” If you haven’t had a chance to read the pirate story we so desperately need, right now is the perfect opportunity.
Who Is This By?
“A Man Among Ye” has a stellar creative team doing their best work right now. Writing it is the stellar Stephanie Phillips (“Red Atlantis,” “Future Slate: Harley Quinn”), who was one of our 2020 Breakout Writers here at Multiversity. This series is further proof of why she deserved to be on that list.
The art is done by Craig Cermak (“Voltron: Year One,” “Read Team”) with coloring by John Kalisz (“Batman: Streets of Gotham,” “Salvation Run”). They work in near harmony with Cermak’s dynamic panel layouts and character-oriented action perfectly complimented by Kalisz’ vibrant primary palette.
Finally, we get to the lettering by Troy Peteri (“Witchblade,” “Vampirella/Dejah Thoris”). They bring love for piracy in every choice – whether it be the SFX or the simple speech bubbles. It’s always a delight reading any of the words they put on the pages here.
What’s It All About?
Pirates. This has all been about pirates. “A Man Among Ye” has followed the adventures of Anne Bonny, the biggest badass pirate. She has, over the last three issues, been fighting the pirate patriarchy while outwitting, outplaying, and outlasting everyone who got in her way. She quickly found herself on a small ship with an all-female crew – all attempting to circumnavigate the gender standards of the time.
It is also about pirates though in the genre sense as well. This is not a remixing or deconstruction of pirate stories; there is no ironic remove from the story. All the best tropes of the genre get mixed together with only sincere love. It is a demonstration of a deep love for a genre that has generally sailed away, only to be seen in the United States when Disney decides they need to milk a franchise further.
What Makes It So Good?
Part of the answer to this has be pirates. Pirates don’t pop up much anymore, so when they do we can’t help but get excited. Having a sincere pirate plot being produced is an occasion for celebration on its own.
On its own true merits though, “A Man Among Ye” is an excellent example of what’s to like about these kinds of stories. It’s consistently dynamic and fun; issues are filled with action that pops off the page. Whether it be explosions, poisonings or conversational pitter-patter, it’s all just so much fun the whole way through.
Phillips’s writing brings out the best of these moments. Everything is character-oriented so, regardless of what is happening, it always feels true. This knack for building real characters with fully formed motivations makes it a breeze to read, and this skill carries over to the fourth, and quite possibly final, issue. It is set in a prison for much of it; if the characters weren’t as well defined, it be a waste of the precious few pages left in the series. Instead in a comic featuring a dock full of ships burning down, the dialogue stands out as some of the best parts.
Cermak’s art is the secret weapon that carries this ship to shore. His page layouts have consistently been a highlight of the series showcasing a set of skills he needs numerous more places to flex. He’ll often use dutch angles to imitate not just the movement of the seas but the stressors of everyday life. His linework is clear cut articulating the best parts of the Italian high adventure movies we all here at Multiversity love so much.
If this leads to more pirate comics, the world will be a better place. An excellent take on a dead genre can serve to revitalize it and, while not the responsibility of “A Man Among Ye,” it be a beautiful side effect. Let the execs in the towers hear us demand pirate stories everywhere. And not just high seas pirates – no. We need sky pirates. We need space pirates. We need modern pirates. We need pirates in every which way across our media. We need to stand together around our corporate big-wigs who sit in their walled city of non-pirate stories learn the strength we have as we blare our trumpets in unison till they crumble. They will not hold us back. They cannot stop the sea from being sailed upon.
Continued belowBesides if global warming keeps going, we’ll all be pirates sooner or later, so we might as well start getting people ready for it. Thankfully Stephanie Phillips, Craig Cermak, John Kalisz, and Troy Peteri are helping prepare the world for this inevitability. We should all be grateful.
Where Can You Read It?
“A Man Among Ye” is available in print and digital comic books shops, with its fourth issue hitting stands yesterday, January 13. The trade of the first four issues is scheduled to come out next month, February 10th. You can preorder it online now wherever you can preorder comics online. You should probably still go through your local comic book shop though; they will most definitely appreciate it.
