Apparently not satisfied in creating a perfect goth heroine who appeals to the non-goth crowd as well, Naifeh has gone and done it again. Polly, the lead of Polly and the Pirates, is a perfectly charming young lady of old world upbringing whose purity of spirit and strong will makes her an exceptionally likable character, and Naifeh does a terrific job of telling an all-ages adventure that will appeal to adults as well as kids.
Like Courtney Crumrin, Polly and the Pirates offers up a comic for young girls, but Polly is quite a different character than Courtney. In fact, I suspect that if the two were to meet, Courtney wouldn't much like Polly, at least at this stage in her life. While Polly's best friend at boarding school longs for adventure and reads tawdry novels, Polly behaves well, listens in class and generally tries to follow the rules. She's not stuck up about it, she just seems like a genial, rule-abiding sort, which of course is a tipoff that there's more to her, and most will probably guess the big reveal on the last page before it actually comes. Doesn't matter, though, because Polly hasn't guessed it, and seeing her reaction is a lot of fun.
The first issue of Polly and the Pirates is really a setup issue, with fully half of the book taking place at Polly's boarding school, the only pirates being the ones mentioned in Anastasia's stories. It's good setup, though, especially if the likably rebellious Anastasia will be making a return later in the series. If she doesn't, then the first part of the book might be stretched a little bit, but Naifeh does use the time to establish Polly's general nature and the history of the pirate Meg Malloy, which is obviously going to be important to the book.
Naifeh's pirates remind me quite a bit of some of the night things that Courtney first encountered. They're obviously dangerous, but there's a special quality that makes the protagonist safe from them, and thus allows them to serve as comic relief without dampening their more serious qualities. The "screaming" scene is hilariously funny, a highlight of the issue, and Scrimshaw's friendly nature makes him an instantly likable supporting character as well.
Then there's the artwork, and as always, Naifeh doesn't disappoint. There's some really nice graytoning going on, adding depth to the art, and Naifeh does some especially expressive work on Polly and Anastasia. The personalities of both girls are clear in their character designs, with little details like Polly's pigtails adding instant character. We get only a glimpse of them this issue, but it's clear that Naifeh has put a lot of thought into his pirate visuals as well, from the almost monstrous, sharp-toothed fellow who first greets Polly to the more fatherly/friendly dwarf look that Scrimshaw sports. Polly is fun adventure in an all-ages, girl-friendly vein.
