Sherlock Holmes: Victorian Knights #2
Written by Ken Janssens
Art by Matthew Martin
Colors by Vladimir Popov
Letters by Bernie Lee
Bluewater Comics
Release Date: March 14, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

I have long been a fan of all things Holmesian, even the ridiculously overzealous films of the last few years. I’ve read everything I could get my hands on for decades and comics are no exception. It seems like Bluewater Comics is trying to build a library of literary figures and who better to add to that collection than the world famous consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes: Victorian Knights #2 drops us into the plot right after Angela Farrell, a local “working girl” has been murdered. Much action ensues… We have a royal carriage being vandalized by local anti-monarchists, which turns out to be less than what it appears. Even the death of the prostitute is not what it seems. The twisting plot is definitely an homage to the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

It was a valiant effort on the part of writer Ken Janssens, but unfortunately didn’t have the depth of the original stories. A good start, perhaps, but the issue felt more juvenile than it could have been.

As I read more and more of the comics produced from this company, I am finding it more and more difficult to see anything positive about the art, which is unfortunate since comics are often times considered an art form unto themselves. I can no longer criticize the individual artists, I must now begin to shine the spotlight on the editors and publisher to try to determine where this disconnect occurs. I do not ask for realism, but I do require that proportions be somewhat within the bounds of normality.  Repeatedly the characters in this issue appeared to be akin to hobbits, both in stature and in hairiness. I hope that they one day can set a standard for quality control that influences their artists to try just a bit harder.

In review, I liked the concept of the comic far more than the comic itself. I have hopes that in the future we can see a Sherlock Holmes tale more befitting the character we all know and enjoy. If you are a fan of Holmes and Watson, then by all means, pick this up. If you are not influenced, however, by the need to own every reference to the great detective of 221B Baker Street, then this is an easy pass. Whatever your decision, just remember that Sherlock Holmes never, ever said “Elementary, my dear Watson” in any book. Nope, not even once.