This year, I suppose, is about as good a time to release your pirate related product as possible.
What with Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man’s Chest being out and all, and it raking in over 200 million dollars in two weeks time, I can’t imagine a better time for a pirate related thing.
With that said we’ve got this, Destiny’s Hand from Seven Seas to check out.
But maybe it’s not just the fact that it’s a good year for a pirate title to come out as much as it’s also a good year for AmeriManga titles to come out. Before this year I hadn’t been blown away with the line-up of AmerManga available, but once I got ahold of last year’s Dramacon (TOKYOPOP), and now the new batch of titles this year I’m beginning to find that this year should be a good year for voting on Best AmeriManga of 2006. So far we have three titles worth talking about in this regard, starting with this title (of course), with the other two being TOKYOPOP’s Dramacon and Kat & Mouse.
I have a few more titles, by the way, on Seven Seas list to look over in the coming weeks, but for now let’s get to this one… Destiny’s Hand.
It is the age of piracy. In the new world it runs rampant, but even amongst the pirates there is honor… but that is slowly dying as the last of the honorable pirates are slowly fading away to be replaced by men who are more animal than human in their violent behavior. But, in this world, there is yet one man who is driven by honor in a world decaying into violence and darkness.
Meet Captain Sebastian Blaine, aka the Gentleman Pirate. On his ship, the Destiny’s Hand, he holds fair yet stern rule over the sea as the last of a dying breed of honor bound pirates. Maybe because of this, or something yet spoken, his ship is blessed with the protection of an angelic visage. This visage comes in the form of a beautiful female figurehead named Lady Kate (who is indeed based on a woman of flesh and blood whose ties to the Captain and ship shall be a tale of future telling), she whose figurehead cannot be removed from the bow of the Destiny’s Hand contains power keeps the ship from sinking even in darkest times. But for all her power she can only save the hull upon which she rests, the crew of flesh and blood that resides within her are not so blessed by her power despite the fact her spirit seems to generate a blessing of a different kind in them, giving them the will to carry on. This becomes clear as the story opens.
Three years ago her ship was boarded by the Destiny’s Hand. But instead of it being a downturn this event turned into a chance at her own destiny. Troubled by her impending arraigned marriage, young Olivia Soldana dreaded the topic of her future… until the day she bested one of the pirates of the Destiny’s Hand, and gained the trust of it’s Gentleman Pirate captain who made her part of his crew (even as her snob of a dud father disowned her). Now, with a new “Family” she set out onto the ocean as it claimed her and made it her destiny… and no, nothing perverted happened even if it’s rated T for Teen. That’s… cough… that’s something you’ll find over at Icarus Publishing… (cough)… yeah. (That’s why Captain assigned her a big powerful bodyguard anyway, to make sure nothing hentai occurs to her… that and the total guilt trip of if you harm her you‘re harming me so bugger off, which actually works).
But now (as the present day in terms of the title comes about) her destiny may drive her farther than she ever dared as her captain falls victim to one of the new breed of dark pirates, a despicable thing of a human being named Mulgrew (Captain of the foul abomination known as the Kraken… no, he’s not working for Davy Jones and didn’t make a cameo appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man’s Chest) who skewered his one good lung and put him on the disabled list headed towards Captain Nemo’s Nautalis right fast… but not before he completes a few unfinished tasks.
He was seeking a legendary item known as the Devil’s Eye, but as he is struck down he came to the realization that his hunt is a race against time with the wicked Mulgrew (who struck him down). If Mulgrew gains hold of the Devil’s Eye before the Destiny’s Hand, then there can only be suffering for many who stands in Mulgrew’s way (be it innocent or not).
But his unfinished tasks do not end there. To another end he sends Olivia (who is now one of those who he has entrusted with these task and the future of the Destiny’s Hand) to retrieve a scholar from the house of a local governor, whose own destiny crosses with the Captain’s in an unexpected way (or maybe expected if you think about it)…
As the story ends we’re at a cliffhanger moment, and we’re only just getting underway here!
The breakdown will mull over the rest of this pint of grog for you.
Destiny’s Hand Breakdown the 1st
What’s Hot?
This is a damn good read. Once you start turning the pages you’ll appreciate how well written, finely drawn, and nicely done this title is. A good action drama yarn that should keep you reading from cover to cover.
And yes, while the back of the cover calls it a “rip-roaring adventure on the high seas in the vein of Pirates of the Caribbean” don’t be chased off by it if you don’t happen to be a Pirates fan.
Destiny’s Hand is NOT, repeat NOT a Pirates clone looking to ax some sea cred on the success of Pirates. Destiny’s Hand stands on it’s own merits as a read worthy of it’s own praise, and it’s own readers who are looking for a pirates title that is both action and drama at the same time (with lovable characters you’ll get to know and finely crafted substance in both the writing and art dept).
Destiny’s Hand is a worthy part of your collection, and another reason why this year’s AmeriManga line-up is looking better and better by the review.
What’s Not?
The insufferably long wait for the second volume. Is it me or are a lot of these AmeriMangas making you wait and wait and wait for their next release! I forgot when this one’s Volume 2 is slated to release, but I do know it’s 50/50 odds that you’ll see this AT LEAST in time for Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man’s Chest DVD release… at least.
I don’t know but I’m kinda fussy about having to wait so darn long for my next fix… but I guess it gives me something to look forward to, if nothing else.
Moments to Remember?
Quite abit, and I implore you to snag up a copy to see how good it is.
What to Ignore?
The whole “Pirates of the Caribbean” tie in? I know everyone is doing it, but doesn’t this title earn enough cred on it’s own to stand on it’s own? Still, I guess if you ARE a Pirates of the Caribbean fan then snagging up Destiny’s Hand is on your short list of to do things because it IS worthy of your collection (regardless of whether you are flying the banner of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean, Sid Meyer’s Pirates or some other Pirate related franchise).
Overall?
A worthy read that adds to the good AmeriManga reads out this year, as well as a good read if you are looking for another Pirates fix to keep you going. If you can? Go check this out…
(Adam Sessler accent) A four… out of five.
NOTE - This is not the only retro past title Seven Seas has up it’s sleeve for you. In the coming weeks I’m going to have a review of another of these titles, Captain Nemo V. 1, for you so stay tuned for that.
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