Holmes On Holmes

I was a bit late to the game on this one - issue # 2 had come out before I decided to give the series a try - but the now that I've read the first 3 chapters in this latest Sherlock Holmes mini-series from Dynamite Entertainment, I'm very impressed and totally hooked!

The tale is "The Trial of Sherlock Holmes" and is an original script by Leah Moore and John Reppion, illustrated by Aaron Campbell. Moore is, of course, the daughter of Alan Moore, and she works here (as she often does) with her husband, John Reppion. The artwork by Campbell is perfectly suited to the late-19th century London setting, with lots of detail and easily-distinguishable cast members. Having covers by the great John Cassiday don't exactly hurt the series' appeal, either!

Moore and Reppion have wisely decided to leave Holmes in his native element (both in time and space) and to retain the sensibilities that characterized each of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's adventures. The twist here is that the Great Detective himself, within the pages of the very first chapter, is the prime suspect in the murder, having been found at the site of the crime with a literal smoking gun in his hands. This allows Moore and Reppion to showcase some of the supporting cast - such as Dr Watson, Inspector Lestrade and housekeeper Mrs Hudson - while still keeping Holmes himself on centre stage through the use of some clever plot developments.

I absolutely love reading new Holmes material when the authors manage to get the characters, setting and atmosphere right. Most of the time, that bar seems to be too high and the results are lacklustre, at best. But in this case, Moore, Reppion and Campbell have recreated Doyle's Holmes and Company perfectly. My only disappointment is that there are only 2 more issues to come, as this should surely be an ongoing title!