A Man Among Ye #1: What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor?

A Man Among Ye #1 is here! A high seas adventure that dives into both the known and unknown history with Anne Bonny and Mary Read, famous pirates in the early 1700s. It’s a spectacularly fun time, and will definitely leave you excited for the next issue.

We were lucky enough to speak with writer Stephanie Phillips earlier about the series, so it’s one that I have been excited for personally for some time. After being able to finally read the issue, it’s safe to say that it is one hell of a good time. Women are not the most popular choice to spearhead a pirate story, and Anne Bonny proves to be a charismatic and thoroughly enjoyable lead, hopefully showing that it’s time for a lot more women pirates. The banter is filled with the expected jargon but it’s not overtly satirical either. It’s a story that knows when to have fun and when to hook readers with strong developments. Phillips and company thrive in presenting historical possibilities and exploring them with a unique sense of adventure.

The artwork is ultimately behind the real success of A Man Among Ye #1. Craig Cermak and Brittany Pezzillo deliver one exciting panel after another, capturing a classic pirate feel while still bringing some fresh elements to the table. The character design is spot on and the helps to give the world a real lived-in feeling. Peteri’s letters are clear, but don’t add as much visually as I would have liked, though they still get the job done. While you can tell the creative team hasn’t set out to take themselves too seriously, it’s undoubtedly a book that packs a punch.

At it’s core, this is the story of Anne Bonny, Mary Read and Captain “Calico Jack” Rackham. The introductions in this first issue work well and set up an engaging story, but I still feel like we need to see more from them to see how successful the characters really are. Anne is great right now, but we haven’t really gotten to know her yet and if this adventure proves to be as thrilling as it seems, we could be in for a treat. However, if the story isn’t able to build a compelling dynamic with these characters soon, it may lose momentum. There is a villain at play and plenty of conflict to come from the trio, so hopefully things only pick up from here.

There’s no denying A Man Among Ye #1 is explosive and dramatic, with great potential to bring something new to fans. While the issue could have framed what’s to come a little more effectively, it understands how to hook readers quickly with a fast pace and plenty of action. You won’t regret buying this book!