So I really like pirates. Historical pirates, fictional pirates, swords and the ocean, the whole package. I’m a longtime fan of fantasy, but I like my fantasy with some grounding in reality. Way back when I was a kid, I used to play pretend I was a stowaway/cabin boy. Until one day something changed and then I pretended I was a girl disguised as a cabin boy/stowaway. When I was older and got into AD&D and GURPS I had a pirate character named Scarlet, a badass woman pirate captain. 

As an adult I figured out I was trans, and eventually I wanted a new pirate costume and persona that fit me better, and so I came up with Rook. There are historical instances of women dressing as men for a life on the sea, and maybe they did it because they were what we now know as trans, or maybe they dressed as men just because it was the easier route. Maybe some of both. Rook is of the former, because he is a character based on me. Because and my wife are into RP and fantasy, she made a character to meet Rook and we did some roleplay, and it didn’t go very far but it gave me a springboard for ideas, and that’s what this comic came out of. It’s paraphrased and altered from that first scene we wrote, and then goes off from there. I know roughly where it’s going but it’s going to be an adventure to get there.

Theoretical FAQ (Mostly questions I’ve asked myself):

So is Orla, like, your actual wife and Rook is just you?

They are their own characters, although you can call Rook my piratesona? Their physical appearances are based on us because it makes for easy drawing reference, but they are their own characters and do not necessarily make the decisions we would make in all situations.

Are the pirates/characters/setting historical?

One of the main characters is a sea monster. So… no. There’s some definite resemblance to our world geographically, but I definitely do not promise historical accuracy.

Will you be adding color?

I considered it but what I’ve drawn so far was designed in black and white and adding color might actually detract from the art. There will definitely be color art of Rook and Orla separate from the comic, and at some point I may draw the comic differently and in color. Currently my drawing time is limited due to a full time 40+ hour a week job so keeping the comic black and white allows me to put out pages faster.

Is this comic G Rated?

So far yes, but I’d give it a PG-13 I guess? It’s not really aimed at kids, and there will be romance and nudity. There may be some violence, but not gore.

What does the title ‘Some Distant Shore’ mean?

When I was looking for a title for the comic I started thinking of the old saying about a bird loving a fish- I know Orla isn’t exactly a fish, and Rook is just a pirate with a bird name, but it’s definitely a conundrum of where would the two live together. Some distant shore is the best answer I can come up with, and it has a romantic kind of sound.