Monday, November 15, 2010

David B. & Pierre Mac Orlan's "The Littlest Pirate King"

My interest in this graphic 'novel' is the author Pierre Mac Orlan. A hero to Guy Debord, Mac Orlan was the Bohemian's Bohemian. Although a major writer in France, there is very little English translations of his works that are out there in the world.

I don't know the origins of "The Littlest Pirate King" except I have to presume that the narrative was written sometime in the early or mid-20th Century, and recently turned into a graphic novel by David B., who I know nothing about. But beyond that this is a wonderful little story about dead pirates who are somewhere between being a ghost and nowhere. All they do is float on their death ship from sea to sea. They can't even get enjoyment of killing another boat load of people, I due that they're dead - and therefore that's it. All they have is their memories. 

But alas, they find a living and healthy baby from a shipwreck and therefore they become sort of parents to this child. A splendid book and hopefully an introduction to the mysterious (at least to me) Pierre Mac Orlan.

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