PopCultHQ received a review copy of INSIDE THE MIND OF SHERLOCK HOLMES from Titan Comics. Available now in bookstores and in comic book shops, the hardcover collection features writing by Cyril Lieron & Benoit Dahan, illustrations from Benoit Dahan, and letters by Lauren Bowes.
Here’s PopCultHQ’s spoiler-free review of…
INSIDE THE MIND OF SHERLOCK HOLMES HC
Credits:
Written by Cyril Lieron & Benoit Dahan
Art by Benoit Dahan
Letters by Lauren Bowes
Translated by Christopher Pope
Genres: Crime, Mystery
ISBN: 9781787738911
Hardcover, 96 pages, FC
SRP: $12.99
An award-winning original graphic novel starring the world’s greatest detective: Sherlock Holmes! See into Sherlock’s mind like never before as Cyril Lieron depicts an intricate visual representation of his mind palace!
Sherlock Holmes fans can sink their teeth into this brand new original tale, which uniquely portrays the inner workings of the greatest detective’s mind as he works to solve the case!
A visually stunning treat, every thought and clue that flows through Sherlock’s mind is thoroughly explored and displayed in the art for readers to latch onto. Put on your deerstalker and pull out your magnifying glass, there’s a mystery to be solved!
Set in the Victorian era, the discovery of a mysterious powder on some clothing and a very special show ticket leads Sherlock Holmes to believe a patient isn’t the only victim of a grand conspiracy.
Indeed, it seems the strange disappearance of Londoners can be explained by the performances of a Chinese magician. When other tickets are found, the detective’s suspicions are confirmed…
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Some of the most fun when it comes to being a comic book reader is discovering unexpected and fresh takes on characters who have been around in the public eye for years. Whether that new form takes place within the realms of literature, comics, music, or visual media (movies/TV), when it is handled in a way that is both respectful to the source material but also allows for the creative freedom of the artists, things get interesting in the best way possible. Such is the case with Cyril Lieron & Benoit Dahan’s delightful graphic novel ‘Inside the Mind of Sherlock Holmes.’ Whether you are a dedicated comics reader or someone who lives for the adventures of Holmes and Watson, there are enough juicy nuggets of fun, suspense, mystery, and Holmesian excellence here to sate anyone’s appetites. What will stand out to long-time fans of Holmes is the “Easter Eggs” that Cyril and Benoit incorporate (both the obvious and not so-obvious) throughout the book, both within the script and the artwork.
Writing: The script by Cyril and Benoit is a fun, engaging, and original tale set firmly within the “classic” era of Sherlock Holmes canon (specifically 1890, one year before Holmes’s apparent demise with Professor Moriarty in ‘The Final Problem). Thus, audiences are presented with a Holmes who is still at the very height of his game and is known worldwide as the only private consulting detective. One of the things that was incredibly fun about this script is that even though it is a plot that is not adapting or borrowing from the Arthur Conan Doyle stories, it FEELS like a Holmes mystery. The twists and turns and intricate details begin to fall into place as Sherlock and Watson progress to the showdown (such things must occur before the intrepid duo can retire to Baker Street to rest). The whole story was delightful, absolutely delightful.
Art & Colors: The art and colors provided by Benoit were stunning to look at. This creator not only has incredible talent as a storyteller, but takes it one step further by being a brilliant artist as well. Every single page was full of rich and incredible details. The layouts were all over the place, but it helped maintain the plot flow, especially when Holmes goes into his famous in-depth descriptions as he breaks down clues and crime scenes. There were moments that will take readers into a gorgeous variation of the “Mind Palace” concept made famous by Benedict Cumberbatch on the BBC show. As for the colors, not one tone was out of place. Dark, haunting hues brought the London of Victorian England to life, as did the richness of scenes during daylight hours or wherever our heroes go to pursue justice. Spot on and superb.
Letters & Translating: Lauren Bowes and Christopher Pope were a fine pairing to act as letterer and translator to this delightful mystery drama. Lauren’s work provided distinct voices for all the players, not just Holmes, Watson, and the mystery villain, but even side characters like Mycroft. While on the other hand, Christopher did admirable work taking the text and translating it into English. What surprised me was that the voices I heard for the famous duo varied throughout my reading. In some instances, I could hear Peter Cushing, while in others, it bounced from Jeremy Brett to RDJ to Cumberbatch. And the same goes for Dr. Watson, whether it was Nigel Stock or Jude Law. Any two people who cause the imagination to work overtime like that have done one heck of a job.
Overall Assessment:
For over 130 years, the world has been thrilled by the exploits of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most incredible creation, Sherlock Holmes. Throughout the years, devoted readers of these beautiful mysteries and the various spin-off stories and adaptations have been treated to new and innovative ways to continually bring Holmes and Watson back into the public eye and fixed firm in the hearts of all who love these two fine fellows. What the creative team for this volume has done is pool the unique talents and produce an original, engaging, and brilliant story that is on par with the original works of Conan Doyle himself. In the end, anyone who is a dedicated fan of Sherlock will want to add this volume to their collections, and the same can be said for comic book fans.
PopCultHQ’s Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
About Titan Comics:
Titan Comics offers astounding creator-owned comics and graphic novels from new and world-renowned talent, alongside the world’s greatest licensed properties and classic graphic novels remastered for brand-new audiences. Titan is one of the most successful independent publishing operations in the US, with a recent six-week run at #1 in the New York Times bestseller list.
