Inside the Mind of Sherlock Holmes is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel which shows the internal workings of the brain of Holmes. In many of the original Holmes mysteries by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes likens his inquisitive mind to that of a vast library. Here writer Cyril Lieron and artist Benoit Dahan layout the detective's mental processes as that giant archive, which is cataloged like a Dewey decimal system of criminology and obscure facts, ready to be accessed when need arise thanks to uncovered clues.
'The Case of the Scandalous Ticket' sees Holmes and Watson investigating a series of kidnapping. The case will uncover a trove of beautiful gilded tickets involving a special Oriental themed magic show and mysterious Chinese characters and glyphs. Is there a connection to the body of a woman wearing a blonde wig who was found in a nearby reservoir? Who's that trailing Holmes and his faithful companion? With appearances by Mrs. Hudson, Inspector Lestrade and big brother Mycroft Holmes, no clue will be overlooked in this complex mystery.
Originally published as a two-issue miniseries in France, this English language translation is given the deluxe treatment by Titan Comics. With its hard cover cutout of a library shaped like Sherlock Holmes, I've been wanting to read this book since I learned about it in Previews just a few months ago. A fan of Sherlock Holmes, I might not read every public domain adventure written about him; but I won't pass up the adventures that pique my interest. Thank you to my public library for carrying this visual gem!
Artist Benoit Dahan might be one of my new favorite artists. I appreciate artists who put amazing tiny details into their work. Examples of this are Todd McFarland with how he filled pages of Spider-Man with thousands of minute strands of web, George Perez with every fine lock of hair on Wonder Woman's head and Frank Quietly who illustrated Batman and Robin by detailing their utility belts down to the smallest gadget in every panel. Benoit Dahan ranks up there in his illustrations of the detective roaming through London as the game is most certainly afoot.
I also must pay tribute to Dahan's rendering of Sherlock Holmes. I'm not certain but if I had to guess, I feel like the artist chose legendary actor, and masterful portrayer of Holmes, Peter Cushing. Dahan's Holmes with that napiform head is to me unmistakably Peter Cushing!
A complex mystery that is a visual masterpiece. A must for fans of Holmes where the more your favor graphic novels, the better the experience for you!
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
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