{"id":28037,"date":"2023-05-21T09:00:15","date_gmt":"2023-05-21T09:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=28037"},"modified":"2023-05-19T17:21:55","modified_gmt":"2023-05-19T17:21:55","slug":"the-wild-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes-volume-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2023\/05\/21\/the-wild-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes-volume-two\/","title":{"rendered":"The Wild Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Volume Two"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\"\"
\nBy Will Murray<\/strong>, illustrated by Gary Carbon<\/strong>, Joe DeVito<\/strong>, Jason C. Eckhardt<\/strong> (Odyssey Publications)
\nISBN: 979-8-379327-44-6 (PB\/Digital edition)<\/p>\n

I\u2019m always saying it, in fact we all are: Something Strange is Going On. Let\u2019s address that situation with a week of detective-themed reviews\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Way back in the days when even the shabbiest waif or emphysema-riddled ragamuffin could read, story periodicals for young and old ruled. Countless stories recounted the exploits of adventurers, do-gooders and especially detectives. None ever matched the cachet and pulling power of Sherlock Holmes<\/strong>. Even today the meta-real household name continues and thrives, both in countless reworkings and adaptations of canonical classics and in new material by and for devoted and dedicated admirers ever-hungry for more\u2026<\/p>\n

Holmes wasn\u2019t the first but he is most assuredly the most popular and well known. His success spawned a storm of imitators and tribute acts – some even going on to immortality of their own. In1893, just as The Strand Magazine<\/strong> published the \u201clast Sherlock Holmes story\u201d (The Adventure of the Final Problem<\/strong><\/em> – and it nearly was as Conan Doyle held out against incredible pressure from fans, editors and bankers until 1901 when The Hound of the Baskervilles <\/strong><\/em>began serialisation) another profoundly British criminologist was beginning his own spectacular multimedia career: Sexton Blake<\/strong>…<\/p>\n

As described by physician Arthur Conan Doyle via the narratives of companion and stalwart factotum Dr. John Watson<\/em>, Sherlock Holmes<\/strong>\u2019 fictional exploits (54 short stories and 4 novels beginning in 1887) popularised and formulated detective fiction: mythologising the processes of observation, deduction, logical reasoning and forensic science. Britain became a nation of crime fans and Holmes went on to repeat the process for most of the planet\u2026<\/p>\n

The first exploit was A Study in Scarlet<\/strong>, published in Beeton\u2019s Christmas Annual 1887<\/strong>, with the majority of stories thereafter in The Strand Magazine<\/strong>. Inevitably, the character soon escaped the page to appear in countless, stories, plays, films, television shows, adverts and anything else canny entrepreneurs could think of.<\/p>\n

Although graphic adaptations are plentiful, original English language comics have not excelled with regard to the Great Detective: a trio of newspapers strips, brief comic book runs by Charlton (1955) and DC Comics (1975) and some few later miniseries by independent publishers such as Caliber and Moonstone. Holmes is, however, an evergreen guest collaborator: popping up to aid everyone from Batman<\/strong> to The Muppets<\/strong> to The Shadow<\/strong> himself.<\/p>\n

If you can find them, Scarlet in Gaslight: <\/strong>An Adventure in Terror<\/strong><\/em> and A Case of Blind Fear<\/strong> by Martin Powell<\/strong> & Seppo Makinen<\/strong> would provide resolute pictorialist devotees with a rare and worthwhile treat: showing the Master Ratiocinator testing himself against other literary touchstones of the period – specifically Bram Stoker\u2019s Lord of the Undead in alliance with the truly evil Professor Moriarty<\/em> and then H.G. Wells\u2019 Invisible Man<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n

He has also faced such contemporary challengers as The Phantom of the Opera<\/strong> and Mr Hyde<\/strong> in the company of Henry Jekyll<\/em>, Toulouse L\u2019Autrec and Oscar Wilde<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

Writers and fans alike share an oddly perverse but clearly overwhelming desire to \u201cmix and match\u201d favourite literary figures: especially from the Victorian Era, that birthplace of so many facets of popular culture. Holmes is so much a household name that his inclusion in any venture is a virtual guarantee of commercial success, but regrettably often no guarantee of quality. Of course, no one can get too much of a good thing and happily Holmes and Watson have thrived under the aegis of many creative stars ever since Doyle\u2019s death. Writers adding to the oeuvre include Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Anthony Burgess, A.A. Milne, P.G. Wodehouse, John Dickson Carr, Anthony Horowitz and so many more, and today I\u2019m sharing the efforts of another with a well-earned reputation in the field\u2026.<\/p>\n

Will Murray is something of a classic fiction force of nature. Journalist, editor and author, he produces scholarly histories and critiques on cult characters in the Will Murray Pulp History Series (as seen in today\u2019s other posting) and celebrates the pulp experience in general and especially fading genres via new prose stories for the canon of so many landmark literary characters and concepts. Through print, audio and eBooks, Murray has extended the legends and shelf life of The Shadow<\/strong>, Doc Savage <\/strong>(and Pat Savage<\/strong>), The Spider<\/strong>, King Kong<\/strong>, The Green Lama<\/strong>, The Bat<\/strong>, The Avenger<\/strong>, The Destroyer<\/strong> (Remo Williams<\/strong>), Tarzan<\/strong> and The C\u2019thulu mythos<\/strong>, He is especially adept at crafting combinations: teaming individual stars and concepts in team -up tales such as King Kong vs Tarzan<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll probably want to see – or may already enjoy – Murray\u2019s comics too: gems like prose novel Nick Fury, Agent of S.H. I.E.L.D.: Empyre<\/strong>, and visual delights like The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl<\/strong> (co-created with Steve Ditko), Spider-Man<\/strong>, Hulk<\/strong>, Secret Six<\/strong>, The Destroyer<\/strong>, Superman<\/strong>, Batman<\/strong>, Wonder Woman<\/strong>, The Spider<\/strong>, The Gray Seal<\/strong>, Ant-Man<\/strong>, Green Hornet<\/strong>, Zorro<\/strong>, The Phantom<\/strong> and more\u2026<\/p>\n

These stories were originally published in magazines and books from MX Publishing, Thrilling Adventure Yarns<\/strong> and Belanger Books, and are set in various periods of the consulting Detective\u2019s long and prestigious career. This tome is the second and latest of two volumes and I\u2019m happy to confide that I enjoyed it so much when my comp copy arrived that I actually paid with my own money to get the first one too\u2026<\/p>\n

Following an effusive and informative \u2018Introduction\u2019<\/em> discussing how this collection concentrates on stories challenging Holmes\u2019 rational mindset and non-rationalistic encounters, the casebook reopens with \u2018The Singular Problem of the Extinguished Wicks\u2019 <\/em>as the investigator reveals his fascination with Spontaneous Human Combustion and its effect on a particularly gruesome demise, after which \u2018The Mystery of the Spectral Shelter\u2019<\/em> sees Holmes approached by a Hansom cab driver who has had a decidedly close call with a vanishing caf\u00e9 used by his professional compatriots\u2026<\/p>\n

The irascible ratiocinator\u2019s perennial problem with mind-numbing boredom is highlighted in \u2018The Problem of the Surrey Samson\u2019<\/em> and assuaged by a theatrical turn whose seemingly miraculous strength does not endure Holmes\u2019 close scrutiny, whilst \u2018The Uncanny Adventure of the Hammersmith Wonder\u2019 <\/em>exposes a body in incredible circumstance and – once properly pondered – sees the detective solve a long-hidden generational crime\u2026<\/p>\n

Weird – but still plausible – science and a truly grotesque murder inform \u2018The Repulsive Matter of the Bloodless Banker\u2019 <\/em>before Murray adds his own choice pick to that army of previously established associates.<\/p>\n

A ghost story – or is it? – bringing mysteries of ancient Egypt to Edwardian England, \u2018The Adventure of the Abominable Adder\u2019<\/em> is set in 1903 and introduces the champion of rational thought to his equally estimable but operationally opposite number. This tale sees Algernon Blackwood\u2019s spiritual detective John Silence – Physician Extraordinary<\/strong> also consulted by a terrified client with both valiant advocates needed to solve the mystery.<\/p>\n

Silence was among the best of a wave of \u201cghost-breaker\u201d heroes from that death-obsessed era, appearing in six stories by the prolific Blackwood (1869-1951), beginning with \u2018A Psychical Invasion\u2019<\/em> (1908).<\/p>\n

A genteel and refined war of world-views having been declared, Mind and Soul met again in \u2018The Adventure of the Sorrowing Mudlark\u2019<\/em> as Dr. Silence asks the esteemed logician to assist a dead woman trapped in an eternal search, before a mythological mystery manifests when a green-hued lad long ago abducted by fairies abruptly returns to a rustic village in \u2018The Adventure of the Emerald Urchin\u2019<\/em>, with Silence again offering unique insights\u2026<\/p>\n

With Holmes assuming the narrator\u2019s role, 1908-set conundrum \u2018The Adventure of the Expelled Master\u2019<\/em> details how he deduced the manner in which a maths teacher was actually murdered despite his body being observed flying up a chimney and rocketing across the heavens, before this embassage into eerie esoterica concludes with Watson\u2019s already crucial role in the stories expanded. It\u2019s 1915 and whilst involved in the war effort the military doctor seeks to drag his old comrade out of retirement to verify the provenance of an unearthed hoard seemingly minted in fabled Atlantis in \u2018The Conundrum of the Questionable Coins\u2019<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

Wrapping up the investigations are fulsome biographical dossiers on Murray in \u2018About the Author\u2019 <\/em>and artist Gary Carbon in \u2018About the Artist\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Compelling, rewarding and just plain fun to read, these tales are a delight and a must for any Holmesian follower.
\n\u00a9 2023 by Will Murray. All rights reserved. Front cover image & frontispiece \u00a9 2023 by Gary Carbon. All rights reserved. Back cover image \u00a9 2023 by Joe DeVito. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Will Murray, illustrated by Gary Carbon, Joe DeVito, Jason C. Eckhardt (Odyssey Publications) ISBN: 979-8-379327-44-6 (PB\/Digital edition) I\u2019m always saying it, in fact we all are: Something Strange is Going On. Let\u2019s address that situation with a week of detective-themed reviews\u2026 Way back in the days when even the shabbiest waif or emphysema-riddled ragamuffin … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “The Wild Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Volume Two”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[75,122,66,225,160],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-crime-comics","category-historical","category-horror-stories","category-mystery","category-pocket-paperback-collections"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4AFj-7id","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28037"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28037\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28040,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28037\/revisions\/28040"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}