The Baker Street Peculiars

by Roger Langridge and Andy Hirsch
kaBoom! (January 2017)
112 p. ISBN 9781608869282

Publisher’s Summary

The Baker Street Peculiars is a supernatural twist on the beloved world of Sherlock Holmes.

When a giant lion statue in Trafalgar Square comes to life and wreaks havoc on 1930s London, it seems like the perfect case for the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. With an overwhelmed caseload, however, Holmes recruits the help of three precocious young detectives-in-training (and one cunning golden retriever) to solve the mystery. Molly, Rajani, Humphrey, and Wellington (the dog) will have to work together and use all their wits if they are to uncover the truth behind the living statues and save London. But on the legendary Baker Street, nothing is as it seems and their biggest mystery might be the real identity of the famous detective who brought them together.

Written by Eisner Award winner Roger Langridge (Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Abigail and the Snowman) and illustrated by Andy Hirsch (Adventure Time, Regular Show), The Baker Street Peculiars is a heartfelt and supernatural twist on the beloved world of Sherlock Holmes.

General Review

I love stories that center around the Baker Street Irregulars.  I especially love them when they come in comic book form.  I have an entire shelf devoted just to such books, and I’m very pleased to be able to add this one, especially as it has a fairly new, fresh take on the Irregulars mythos.  Despite my personal disinterest in most Holmesian stories that incorporate supernatural elements, I found this one utterly charming.

The story is fairly straightforward.  Statues are coming to life all around London, wreaking havoc wherever they go.  Molly, Humphrey, and Rajani (as well as dog Wellington) are drafted by Sherlock Holmes to look into it, as Holmes is busy with several other cases and doesn’t quite believe the tales of walking statues.  Using their very different backgrounds, the children (not quite Irregulars in the traditional sense) piece together the clues, find the culprit, and save the day.  It’s a common formula, found in many different Irregulars stories, but Baker Street Peculiars manages to find its own unique twist on the formula.

One of the first things that makes this Irregulars story stand out is that, rather than take place in the Victorian era (and often right around the Hiatus), this takes place during the 1930s.  There are vehicles on the streets, electricity instead of gaslight, and slightly different social norms.  It gives the comic a different look, brighter and more colorful, helping it stand out from its predecessors.

Then there are the main characters.  While their personalities are largely told in broad strokes, without a great deal of depth, each of them brings their own set of talents and strengths, as well as unhappiness and baggage, to the investigation.  Molly steps forward as the leader, although her Jewish grandfather would rather she stay home and work towards becoming good wife material; she desperately wants to become a detective in her own right.  Rajani is a foundling, raised by a criminal that she viewed as a father, who ultimately died and left her to fend for herself; she is the most reluctant of our investigators.  Humphrey is the youngest son of a wealthy family, neglected and ignored, sent to a boarding school with a dog valet; Humphrey is naïve and well-intentioned.  They end up working well as a team, with some friction because of their very different backgrounds, in a way that is believable and engaging.

Rather than taking itself too seriously, the book is more comic than dramatic, with cartoonish reactions, villains, and physics.  Despite the comedy, though, it still manages to be touching and sweet at places in the story (watching Molly and her grandfather reconcile their different ideas on what her life should be; Humphrey and Rajani finding a point of connection).

The art, as mentioned earlier, features bright colors and bold lines.  The illustrations are very simple in many ways, but still satisfying.  The backgrounds are largely just shaded in, without a great deal of detail, while the characters receive most of the attention.  There are, however, a number of delightful Easter eggs hidden in the art, references to the Canon that made me guffaw.  Pay particular attention to the first big two-page illustration.

Overall, I thought this comic was an incredibly fun read.  I haven’t yet been able to find out if it will get another run, but I do hope it will, as the ending lends itself to further adventures.

What About Our Watson?

As a Watsonian, I try very hard to focus my attention on books that feature Watson or have him showcased in a particular way.  Occasionally, though, there are books that I very much want to review that lack a Watson entirely.  This is, unfortunately, one such book.  Not only is there no Watson, there isn’t even a Watson figure.  The end of the book hints that a reporter character may end up working with Holmes, fulfilling a similar role to the classic Watson.  However, that happens in the last two pages of the book, as is hardly a major feature of the plot.

Though there is no Watson, which is disappointing, it was still a fun little book.

You Might Like This If You Like:

Scooby Doo (particularly A Pup Named Scooby Doo); comic books; parodies; children protagonists

Is there a book you want Lucy to review?  Let her know!

Sherlock Holmes and the Nine-Dragon Sigil

by Tim Symonds
MXPublishing (November 2016)
358p. ISBN 9781787050358

Publisher’s Summary

It’s the year 1906. Rumours abound that a deadly plot is hatching – not in the fog-ridden back-alleys of London’s Limehouse district or the sinister Devon moors of the Hound of the Baskervilles but in faraway Peking. Holmes’s task – discover whether such a plot exists and if so, foil it. But are the assassins targeting the young and progressive Ch’ing Emperor or his imperious aunt, the fearsome Empress Dowager Cixi? The murder of either could spark a civil war. The fate of China and the interests of Britain’s vast Empire in the Orient could be at stake. Holmes and Watson take up the mission with their customary confidence until they find they are no longer in the familiar landscapes of Edwardian England. Instead, they tumble into the Alice In Wonderland world of the Forbidden City.

General Summary

Unlike several of the reviews I’ve written for the Society so far, this book (which was sent to me by the author, Tim Symonds) features a Holmesian story much like the ones in the Canon.  Watson is the narrator, Holmes and his case are the focus, and it takes place in the era that the Canon was originally set.  This will, I am sure, make a number of Society members very happy.

The story, as noted in the publisher’s summary, takes place in 1906 and is firmly set during the Retirement Era.  Holmes is away in Sussex with his bees, while Watson tends to his practice.  It becomes clear from the get go that Watson is rather bored without the stimulation of his friend’s cases.  It is hardly surprising, then, that when approached by General Yuan for his help in developing a company of Chinese army medics, he leaps at the chance.

The book is steeped in historical detail which many readers will find incredibly rich.  The author meticulously notes the ephemera of the Edwardian era, such as ads and brands and the popular fashions of the time.  It does an excellent job of making you feel like you’re there, standing next to Watson.  When the narrative moves to China, the historical details do not end, and you’ll find yourself discovering a plethora of fascinating information.

The mystery is complex and knotty, and will satisfy anyone who has a fondness for royal dramas.  It was difficult to work out in advance, as no one is telling the full truth.  It also moves incredibly swiftly, moving from action to action to action, and it will certainly keep you engaged.

The Chinese characters, while occasionally steeped in unfortunate stereotypes both historic and modern, were as complex as the plot itself.  The Empress Dowager and the Emperor are, in particular, fully examined and have a plethora of emotions and motivations.  The Empress Dowager in particular was incredibly complicated character to understand, which is not necessarily surprising, given her role in history and the diversity of opinion on her rule.  Because the book primarily takes place in China, there are very few Canon characters who appear, but Mycroft shows off his role as The British Government as well, in a way that will certainly make Mycroft fans grin.

Canon was referenced throughout, and one can tell that Watson feels a bit nostalgic for the Good Ol’ Days, but it also serves to show just how deep the history between Holmes and Watson runs.  There is an easy camaraderie between the two that demonstrates the close friendship, and how quickly they can fall into old routines and patterns, despite the physical distance between them most of the time.

For anyone who likes a more traditional Holmesian romp, with an emphasis on investigation and friendship, this will certainly appeal!

What About Our Watson?

Watson is very much the central character in this story.  Even though it was Holmes that ultimately solves the mystery, it is Watson who drives the action and provides all the relevant clues.  As it is said in Canon, he is a conductor of light.

Delightfully, this story begins with Watson, not Holmes, being approached by a Chinese general who wants his help.  The General wants him to help build a company of medics in the Chinese military.  Although this explanation deflates a little bit later on, Watson provides a great deal of information and suggestions to the General, taking his job very seriously.

Watson also serves as a confidant to a number of people.  They tell him their problems with ease, as well as their secrets.  It is this quality of Watson, his unobtrusiveness, concern, and compassion, that provide him with so much information necessary for Holmes to solve the mystery.

If I have one complaint, it’s that the first-person narrative is perhaps a little distant, and so we don’t get to know a great deal of how Watson feels about the things he’s hearing and experiencing.  I would have loved to know more about his internal life throughout this book.  But he is a solid Watson, and I look forward to seeing this author’s other works.

You Might Like This Book If You Like:

Court intrigues; travelogues; Shakespeare; the Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce films

Is there a book you want Lucy to review?  Let her know!