Brilliant pirate comic, that nicely weaves in supernatural elements. Bartholomew Eamus is a pirate who finds that he is being betrayed by his captain. He survives and later finds himself subject to a fatal curse. Trying to resolve the problem means that Bartholomew crosses part with his former captain again. The reveals are very well staged, the action is ferocious and the conclusion very satisfying.
Heart Shaped Ambition is part of the Few and Cursed story universe, the conclusion to the story is the link that joins it to the main timeline. There is no attempt to force any continuity which is very welcome, the story stands easily by itself. No prior knowledge is needed to fully enjoy the story.
Carlos Estefan has written a first-rate pirate story, there are battles at sea, lots of fighting, betrays and action. There is a treasure that everyone is chasing and the confrontation that the reader is waiting for arrives with force. What is particularly impressive is the way the critical, supernatural element is handled. It creates a vital turn in the story without overwhelming it and changing the flavour of the story. It cleverly creates a imperative for Bartholomew to act, to become even more of the pirate leader than he was.
The genre requirements for a pirate story are all respected, they are delivered with a fresh energy and keen eye for detail that make them shine.
Pedro Mauro has embraced the importance of pirate film visuals rather that trying to fight against them. The art has the romantic flavour that pirate films have created as the standard, and this works strongly in support of the story. The cast and, most importantly, the context are delivered with pitch perfect detail. From the costumes to the rigging on the ships, it all feels exactly right. The wonderful confidence of the writing is captured by the wonderful confidence of the art. The cast are expressive and are completely at home in their context. The reader can slip completely into the story and be fully engaged by it.
The colours by Elonerh add depth and solidity to the art, they bring out the details of the context that allow the story to fly.
Deyvison Manes’s lettering and sound effects do not draw any attention to themselves, they flow naturally with the pace of the story. This is a striking accomplishment.
Readers will find plenty of treasure for themselves onboard Heart Shaped Ambition, a pleasure to read.
