Review by Ian Keogh
Jeremy Whitley and Roald Marcellius return to their task of providing background stories for the characters encountered when playing Sea of Thieves. However, unlike the first Origins, this time Sir Arthur Pendragon is almost the entire focus as we learn how he became the Champion of Souls.
Early pages show his being born into wealth and raised with the privileges that permits in the 19th century. With his education complete he begins his adventures across the world, encountering the supernatural with some frequency. It’s when lifting the curse from a ghost that he learns of the Sea of Thieves, and he’s drawn there as a source of new adventures.
Whitley captures the confidence of the upper class Englishman in his narrative captions, and defines Pendragon as an appealing adventurous type with an irresolute sense of honour. There’s a relish about the way Whitley has him set about the Skellies, and Marcellius delivers that visually, along with the greater lust for life Pendragon has. He’s almost always seen in action, relishing the forthcoming action or in awe at encountering the unknown, and Marcellius turns in pages with a relish matching Pendragon’s own.
Action art, a likeable lead character with a lust for adventure and a series of sticky situations combine for an enjoyable romp that leads to a crisis point and a transformation. It’s restrictive, but barely diminishes Pendragon’s lust for life and justice.
While the Sea of Thieves title is there to attract those who play the game, you don’t need to know anything about it to enjoy Pendragon’s pirate romp. However, bonus strip ‘The Servant’s Tale’ is more intimately connected with the game and its nuances in spotlighting the Servant of the Flame, so not as satisfying for the novice reader.
