JOE THE PIRATE

A handsome, charismatic character speeds boldly through a unique life story.

Joe Carstairs, born in London in 1900, was rakish, dapper, and determined, a skilled, confident lover and a self-appointed ruler of a Bahamian island. If this sounds like the stuff of classic cinema, that’s by design—Carstairs lived on her own terms, from cradle to grave, in an exhilarating fashion. With bold, high-contrast images of cityscapes, war zones, raucous parties, and sexual encounters, and a story that glides smoothly from scene to scene, this stylish graphic biography beckons seductively to curious readers. Carstairs “came out of the womb queer,” smoked cigars at age 8, and drove field ambulances as a teenager during World War I. Her driving obsession became a lifelong thrill for speedboats, which she raced competitively. In adulthood, she dressed primarily in men’s clothing, enjoying relationships and affairs with more than a hundred women—including leading actresses and British socialites. But the wealth that purchased Carstairs’ personal freedoms also allowed her to exercise power over others. In the mid-1930s, she bought a Bahamian island, where invited guests enjoyed lavish soirees, while Black residents of the island were held to strict standards. Carstairs prohibited alcohol, made church attendance mandatory, and served as the island’s doctor, judge, baby namer, and banker. At the wheel of a speedboat or in a lover’s quarrel, the elision of broader societal context feels natural, but on Carstairs’ island, narrative neutrality sometimes feels akin to absolution. This sense is underscored by caricature-ish depictions of “Black” features—broad noses, thick lips, and white eyes set against inky skin. These images implicitly, uncomfortably, celebrate the unconventional late-era colonialist’s legacy, and readers may well hesitate to join the party.

Fascinating and engaging, a complicated queer story depicted without apology.