REVIEW: A Man Among Ye #6

A Rollicking Adventure

A Man Among Ye #6 opens on a very well-written scene to introduce us to two characters in pursuit of our leading ladies. The two gentlemen have crossed swords by the beach and are trading witticisms by the crashing waves. We quickly find out this book is about two pirate crews, one enlisted by the British navy to track down the other who are a group of pirates comprised completely of women. Writer Stephanie Phillips does a wonderful job weaving an engaging story between the two pirate crews with Captain Jack (Yes, he even looks a little like Johnny Dep) depicted as suave and swashbuckling and Amria as a raven-haired beauty who has wits to match.

The majority of this slice of the story is cut between a port prison and dock where the navy is overseeing the pirates in their employ. The pirates in port are plotting to bring the women back alive because Jack and Anne seem to have a shared possibly romantic history. Amria charms a guard into submission, taking the keys from the guard in a scene that is right out of a 007 film if Bond were a woman. After taking the key, Amria has everything she needs to convince a crew of pirates to accompany her on a grand treasure hunt the likes of which has never been seen on Caribbean waters.

Better Than What’s Coming Out Of The Big Two At The Moment!

Top Cow & Image Comics bring you a brilliantly executed pirate story with sexy characters, witty dialogue and freaking wonderful art. The writer and art team are to be commended on delivering such a lively tale with appealing aesthetics. Memories of watching Disney’s Pirates Of The Caribbean came flooding back while reading this, and it plastered a smile across my face the whole way through. The issue draws towards a climax with a menacing figure who earlier ripped a tooth from a man’s head peruses Amria and the female pirates into the tunnels below the prison for a conflict that’s sure to put some wind in your sails come issue seven.

Final Thoughts

The writing has wit, the art is astounding, but the book is too short. American comics often have this problem of releasing in twenty-page snippets as where a volume of manga gets you a hefty hundred or so pages. Very few floppies contain a satisfying self-contained narrative, and A Man Among Ye #6 is no exception; what’s here is promising, but waiting for the collected volume with more high seas goodness might be the way to go here.

“It warms this old sea dog’s heart to see stellar content from talented female writers.”

Final Score 4/5 Stars

Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Josh George
Publisher: Image Comics/Top Cow