Pirate Eye: A Pirate's Life is Not for Meby Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 7 Smitty is a pirate turned private eye, but that job is just as dangerous ... especially when it involves pirates. When I think of pirates, I don't think of detective stories, and the same goes for the reverse. However, Pirate Eye shows me just how well such a combination can and does work.At first, it seems like an unusual order to relay the events in which Smitty is involved. The transition to the flashback with the oar across the face is especially rough since the placement of the panel made it seem like he was hit in present day … until you go to the next page and realize we've jumped back in time. As things unfold, the order begins to make much more sense, allowing for a couple of "aha!" moments. What really makes this whole comic and concept work is that it's not a straight mystery or just a pirate story. The fact that Smitty is / was a pirate means he's finagling things to best benefit himself, which sometimes means creating mysteries and / or "solving" things by rearranging the players. He is both the bad guy and the good guy, relatively speaking. It seems like much of the story is told through narration boxes (narrated by Smitty's thoughts) rather than actual conversations. I found this to be a little odd when Smitty was relaying the conversation he had with Captain Spitz while going through the motions of that conversation. There's a fair amount of word balloons, too, but this narration actually allows us to get to know Smitty better and inherently empathize with him. I really like the art. The character designs are very fitting for pirates without looking Hollywood-ized. The characters are also distinct, meaning I can easily tell them apart, even if they're only in a panel or two. The coloring is phenomenal! I love the colors used and the shading -- not to dark and drab and not bright and cheery either. The coloring complements the art. Even dark night scenes are easy to see what's going on. It really helps make this comic enjoyable and memorable. This first issue immediately wraps up some issues, but also sets the stage for a big adventure. I am quite interested to see how the private eye part of the story continues in this world of pirates. Written: February 10, 2013
|
|
|
Home |
Features |
Columns |
Culture Vultures |
Report Card
Indicia | Contact | Archives © Sequential Tart, 1998 – 2021 |
