Under the Black Flag – review of the comic book “Skull Republic”

Skull Republic by Vincent Brugeas tells the story of a pirate crew, but interestingly enough, the story of black slaves has been woven into this story. Can an outstanding comic come out of this combination?

 

Adventure is calling

The life of a pirate is not easy. Not only do you have to watch out for the navy, but most importantly, you should often loot other ships, because this is usually the only way to replenish your supplies. Each boarding involves the loss of a part of the crew, and even the death of the captain. It is these dramatic events that the heroes of the Skull Republic recall at the very beginning! Although the loss of the commander was painful for the crew, they very quickly chose a new, charismatic leader. Sylla is not only able to speak like a seasoned politician, but also with his speeches is able to encourage sailors of attacked ships to change sides. In fact, Captain Sylla makes an amazing impression on his companions or enemies with his appearance. His right hand, and at the same time the main character, is Olivier de Vannes, who quite quickly becomes the commander of the captured ship. Already on the first expedition, the heroes come across a drifting ship filled with slaves. They are led by the determined, brave Queen Maryam! And this is just the beginning of the adventure!

Slaves and pirates

Skull Republicit is interesting because many interesting motifs are woven into the plot. The topic of slaves is the first thing that catches the eye. It was played really cleverly. Pirates consider themselves free men who choose their own commander. Meanwhile, the slaves are ready to serve until the last drop of their queen’s blood. I like these conflicts between the two groups. On the one hand, they efficiently cooperate with each other, and on the other, it turns out that many things separate them. I also appreciate the way you narrate. Not only is Oliver a great storyteller, but most importantly he writes a journal where he addresses directly to the commodore! A very interesting and at times funny procedure. The best scene, on the other hand, is undoubtedly a fictional trial. This type of show is played by pirates in their free time for fun. Of course, the role of the judge was played by a charismatic captain. His gestures, court speech, and thrown allegations create an extremely amusing scene that shows that Sylla is an excellent leader. Of curiosities, the question of superstitions is also raised. At the beginning of the comic, we learn that some pirates consider Olivier to be Jonah, a person who brings bad luck! What can I say more, the writer had a whole lot of ideas, thanks to thatSkull Republic impresses with an extensive plot, as well as a wealth of ideas!

Leap for a hundred years?

Ronan Toulhoat is an extremely gifted cartoonist. I already like the cover design, and the individual frames look beautiful. The draftsman cares about the details, the ships look majestic, and the captain Sylla does not even have to say a word for charisma, strength and incredible fortitude. I also enjoyed watching the dynamic fight scenes. In the end, I regret a bit that there were no more naval battles in the pages of this comic book. The graphics are amazing, and what about the release? Well, it is very good, although it was not without a slight slip-up. Namely, I caught a sudden jump from 1717 to 1817, although it was actually 1718, later in the comic this error repeated again. Fortunately, it’s just a minor matter. It is worth paying attention to the additions.

Is it worth embarking on Fortuna?

Skull Republic is an extremely addictive, intriguing pirate story filled with many interesting themes. I am delighted with this comic and I could talk about its advantages for a long time. In this review, I have only mentioned three of the most important heroes, and besides them there are a few more intriguing supporting characters, such as the Marquis, the only black sailor in the Olivier’s crew. By the way, it was he who watched the actions of Queen Maryam with the greatest concern. This story will remain in my memory for a long time. Lost in Time has re-released an outstanding title. I recommend it to everyone who is thirsty for an epic, pirate adventure!