Reading Material

Moriarty

Image Comics

Over the last couple of months I've stumbled on this publication (above) Moriarty. Now I'm not an offical type of reviewer but I thought I'd write a few comments down to try and explain why I picked this off the shelf.

Written by Daniel Corey, drawn by Anthony Diecidue and published by the independant Printing press of Image Comics, it stood out on the shelf for both the content and the style. I've always been a big Sherlock Holmes fan and I've mentioned a few times in the blog about the BBC (Steve Moffat & Mark Gatiss) updating of it, and of course there has also been the Robert Downey JR and Jude Law remake directed by Guy Richie. So here on the shelf was Sherlock Holmes Arch enemy with his own publication. Would it tell the Sherlock stories from his point of view? would it be based in his younger years and show how his down fall (if you could call it that) happened?

Closer inspection lead to the realisation that it was based 20 years or so after his an Holmes final confrontation, and the super villian had fallen on hard times. His greatest victory seemingly left an empty hole now in his life, where crime held no alure for him.

Now he's approached by the British Secret Service on the eve of the first World War to find Sherlocks brother Mycroft Holmes who has mysteriously dissappeared! There is a big step of faith here as a super villian turns into willing civil servant. It's a little like Osbourne being in charge of SHEILD! Anyway this pans out ok as Moriarty thyinks that this is more a trick laid out by the British than an honest plea for help in the case of the missing Mycroft!

Needless to say a few things happen where Moriarty discovers his hunger and appitite again. He discovers that there is now a new Underground criminal element that controls London and he seems driven to prove their new master isn't as good an under lord as he was!  

Anyway, I dont want to give away anymore of the plot. I mentioned about the artwork that stood out on the shelf to me.  Anthony Diecidue Produces some lovely dark images of old London Town.

There are also so some guest star roles in characters from other literature novels, "Oliver Twists" Fagin appears when Moriarty is trying to find some information out from around London Town.

The lighting and atmosphere captured in some of the panels is breath taking, though as the book does go on, some of the detail is left behind a bit, almost as working to a deadline the artist ran out of time.  

I loved the Photomontage scenes, such as the ones above where images of well known London Landmarks are used to great effects in the backdrops. I wish I thought of this while doing my comic book!

The layout is spectacular as well, here are a few screen grabs to give you a taste of the quality of the artwork and also how the pacing and timing flow.

Overall this was a very good read and I would recommend it to anyone. I also think giving the audience an already established character and doing something slightly out of the ordinary with him that is new and refreshing.