A Piratey Preview

A Pirate Who Looks Vaguely Familiar

Finding pirate imagery on the Internet is shamefully easy. And easily shameful; even an innocent search will bring up images that require gallons of eyebleach in order to erase them from your memory.

But this illustration, culled from a site advocating, of all things, wind power, seems fitting to preview tomorrow's installation from The Cokesbury Party Book: The Pirate Party.

Yes, it almost looks like it's Lucille Ball threatening the fop with the dagger. Or dirk. I'm no pirate; I'm not up on my piratey weaponry. But it is fitting that the pirate here resemble Lucille Ball, because at Cokesbury's party, pretty much everyone would have shown up in the costume ball variety pirate uniform, looking like something stolen from the costume shop at Desilu Studios.

Today, no longer. Now every pirate will resemble, well, you know. And the costumes will look like they've been swiped from the Disney backlot. Or at least one of the rides. (Not that I don't like you-know-who, but costumes inspired by you-know-who and his cohorts have got to be the new pirate cliches, replacing those of Treasure Island.)

Speaking of Treasure Island, Cokesbury seems to think Squire Trewlawney was a pirate. But more on that tomorrow.