Who wants to buckle a swash? SLG has announced a serialized adaptation of Rafael Sabatini’s classic novel of sea-faring adventure Captain Blood, to be written by Matthew Shepherd and drawn by Mike Shoykhet. A trailer and preview are available here.
Peter Blood had always been a driven man. He was a soldier, a sailor, a captain, and a doctor. Nothing seemed unattainable for the skilled Dr. Blood. But when an act of compassion during a rebellion thrusts him into the bottom trenches of slavery, Peter must use his wits and experience to fight his way back to freedom. Shepherd’s Captain Blood promises to chronicle Blood’s ascension to power as he eventually becomes one of the most notorious pirates to roam the seven seas.
The book will be filled with epic sea warfare, forbidden romance, drunken debauchery, unrelenting action, and yes, even political intrigue. This isn’t any ordinary pirate story, however. It’s as much a story of one man’s journey of transformation and strength in the face of defeatist-inducing circumstances as it is a tail of revenge, violence, and adventure. “Blood is no cardboard-cutout hero,” Shepherd says, “he’s a tactical genius, but also a rash, bullheaded leader whose sense of nobility gets him into as much trouble as it gets him out of it.”
The novel was also the basis of a classic Errol Flynn movie and one of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s great scores, which we suggest putting on the old iTunes as you read the book. The PR from publisher Dan Vado also contained this interesting quote:
Captain Blood #1 is 24 page one color comic book printed in a sepia tone a priced at $3.50. The comic flies in the face of a recent move by SLG Publishing to an all graphic novel release schedule. “Given the state of the economy and recent sales figures it became apparent that selling a graphic novel, even something based on a familiar character like Captain Blood, is becoming more and more difficult” said SLG president Dan Vado “We want to start moving back to products with lower price points which might still have a longer shelf life.”
Pretty art based on a terrific novel. Sabatini is such a great adventure novelist that those interested in this comic really owe it to themselves to buy and read the original. Will “Scaramouche” be next?
Kinda late to capitalize on the done-to-death pirate trend though. A few years ago this might have done great. I’d be interested in who the prospective audience is supposed to be now, especially for a pamphlet.
Neat-o! Can’t wait.
Give me two!
(Ooh,…Scaramouche.)