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www.shebuccaneer.com

Let’s face it – it’s not exactly unheard of for a couple of folks to come up with the not-quite brilliant idea of, “Hey, let’s create a movie / comicbook / game / whatever starring a pirate chick with huge boobs – the plot will work itself out somehow, I’m certain.” And it’s for this reason that I’m always a tad skeptical when I see a cover that so prominently features a chesty she-pirate as the primary sales pitch.

I’m delighted to say that The Voyages of She Buccaneer is a comic that successfully dodges the above scenario. True, our heroine is quite the fetching lass with an ultra-healthy chest that constantly threatens to burst free of its scanty pirate-flag inspired captor, but the writers of the series wisely depend on sex-appeal far less than you might expect. Instead, The Voyages of She Buccaneer focus primarily on pirate action, exotic locals, and more than a little mysterious – if historically unlikely (though no more so than She Buccaneer’s attire) – supernatural elements. The artwork is attractive and vibrantly colored, and the content is surprisingly substantive, with a full mini-adventure per issue (commendable in these days when comics seem to be getting shorter and shorter.)

The character of SheBuccaneer remains unnamed in these initial three comics, although based on her relationship and ongoing love of the recently deceased Calico Jack one could fairly surmise that she’s Anne Bonney. Whatever her true identity, as the story begins she is the sort of head-strong, gutsy lass that always makes for a great pirate captain in such tales. Mourning the loss of the recently executed Calico Jack, she takes command of his former ship (not without some objection of the crew) and quickly discovers that death may not be as final as is generally assumed. Seeking a series of gems that can open the gates of hell itself, The Voyages of She Buccaneer sees us begin a quest is sure to take us to the far reaches of the Earth. Issue 1, in fact, begins with no less than the Egyptian pyramids themselves, while the next two issues venture forth to Atlantis and the Persian Empire. While I sometimes find “collection quest” storylines to be tedious, in this case they offer a fun opportunity to different flavors of maritime mythology.

The advanced yet neglected technology found in the ruins of Atlantis presents an intriguing mix of Greek and Steampunk, while the dusky sorcery of the Persians with their Jinns and harems brings a very different yet equally flavorful experience in itself. Considering to potential future cultures to be discovered through the remaining five stones – combined with the additional plotline involving a demon who greatly desires SheBuccaneer to successfully open death’s door, while also knowing full well that it might not produce the outcome she so desperately desires – and it would seem this series should have a strong wind in its sails for some time yet.