I probably need to get out my book and look for specific items, but just a couple off the top of my head - the junk tied into the hair and his staggering gate and his love of rum. I kept going "oh! yes! that's Captain Jack!" repeatedly, and since I am in the minority about that point it seems, this is the place I should be prepared to defend my position.

Me too. I have to come back. Tax prep underway, running to and fro. Panic followed by resignation. It's a really nice question however and it'll give me something to think about besides "surely I don't owe that?!?"

This question made me think of the things Capt Jack had dangling from his belt. Not the cool things but was it a rabbits foot and a shrunkin head? Anyhow when I read of the pirates carrying dead things I thought of Jacks danglies. I always thought the things he ties into his hair reminded be me of Blackbeard even before I read the book. I am sure Johnny read a bit of pirate lore while he came up with his look. (Certainly those teeth)

Oh, I forgot mannerisms. I thought Shandy being drunk all the time was certainly a pirate trait Johnny would pick up on. Also the stumbling around sort of "out of it" mode that Capt Jack has before he gets ”daft like Jack”.

Oh I see Nebraska beat me to it with the "staggering gait". Thats what I was trying to describle.

I feel for you fireflydances. I just got out of that mode and it is hard to concentrate on anything else until you remove that hurdle. Calm down it will be over soon and you can relax with catching up on your posts.

Yeah, the things I thought of were the staggering gait and Blackbeard's beard and hair. I know that there was something else, but I can't think of it for the life of me.

Oh don't bring up taxes. I haven't even started mine yet.

The question asks if we think Johnny might have drawn some of Captain Jack's mannerisms or appearance from the book. I decided to go page by page and see what I could find.

I see great similarities in demenor between Jack Sparrow and Phil Davies. At least three quarters of the time Phil's name is mentioned, the man is grinning. I liked in particular his "wolfish grin" (Chapter 8) as that seems a pretty apt definition of that smile we see so often on Jack Sparrow's face. He's also pretty good with the rather tongue in cheek comment:

"Davies grinned at him and in a contemptuously upper-class accent quoted the punch line of the old joke "Had to ----- dead, you know." (Chapter 4)

"Playing to the audience, Davies said. "I don't call that a responsive answer." (Chapter 4)

"Davies was hunched forward, and he looked up at the captain with a skull-like grin. "Wilson, isn't it? he said hoarsely. "Sam Wilson, right? I recognize you. What, now? A statement? Like for the court?" He squinted speculatively at the captain. "No thank you Sam. But tell me.." He seemed to brace himself, then spoke quickly, "Is it by any chance true what Panda Beecher once told me about you?" (Chapter 7)

And yes, we do assume that most pirates are spending an inordinate amout of time either drinking or thinking of drinking (yo ho ho and a bottle of rum)but this small scene that I found tonight seemed so Sparrowesque ( ):

"and when he turned back towards the fires he saw the lean figure of Philip Davies striding toward him, a bottle of wine in each hand." (and Chateau Latour to boot!) (Chapter 4)

Hi, I'm back after a loooooooooooong time with life getting in the way of more important things...I just ordered this book as well as the new poster from all posters.com I wanted to say that it is very likely that Johnny got some of his ideas from this book. He does do research and then combines a lot of things to create.