| Title | : | Victorian Undead: Sherlock Holmes vs Zombies! (Victorian Undead, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1401228402 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781401228408 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 143 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2010 |
Victorian Undead: Sherlock Holmes vs Zombies! (Victorian Undead, #1) Reviews
-
Three and a half stars.
What’s a good literary cash cow if you can’t regurgitate it over and over and over again? In this case, you combine an evergreen literary icon, Sherlock Holmes, with the monster de jour, zombies and viola: Sherlock Holmes vs. Zombies. This was published in 2010, so maybe people hadn’t reached the shambling dead breaking point back then.
This one is an entertaining and quick read in a pandering, obvious kind of way. It hits all the Sherlock and zombie formulaic notes and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Moriarity, Mycroft, England in peril, London overrun with zombies and oh yeah, let’s hit them/shoot them/do the stabby to them. In the noggin. It's elementary, kids.
I say, brilliant deductive reasoning and all that.
Bottom Line: If you’re not sick of zombies and/or Sherlock Holmes, give it a go.
Oh, and don’t let Mrs. Hudson near a loaded weapon.
What a fiendish turn of events! The zombies speak English! Bollocks and what, Ho! Cheerio! -
You must face the facts, gentlemen. This is a foe who never sleeps, who knows neither pain nor fear nor injury, whose ranks swell with every bite and tear.
Armed only with their keen wits and a brace of pistols, Holmes and Watson are on the trail of some rather bitey revenants.
What with all the elegant dialogue and Mrs. Hudson preparing tea, this is certainly the most well-mannered zombie book I've read. -
I tend to avoid high-concept stuff from unknown creators like the plague, especially if it features zombies or steampunk, but I also read every bit of Holmes pastiche I can get my hands on, so there you go. This is Holmes in Rathbone mode, a smart, dynamic man of action who solves the mystery and saves the day by bravery and initiative as much as deduction - which is not at all out of character, just one possible perspective. It can be argued that Holmes should be disproving the supernatural, as he did in the case of the Sussex Vampire, but zombieism is presented as a phenomena that is amenable to scientific analysis. The interplay between Holmes and Watson (and Mycroft) is nicely done, the scenes under London are excellent and the great detective actually does do his fair share of detecting, even if you have to pay attention to notice it amongst the more overt hi-jinks.
-
Look, it's just ...exactly what it says on the tin. Sherlock Holmes vs. Zombies. It's a fun time and it has fairly accurate Holmes & Watson characterization [unlike SOME things these days, cough] but it's also incredibly formulaic with no real depth. If you're just looking for a quick read where you can watch Sherlock lopping the heads off of some zombies then this is your thing, but if you're expecting anything more than that you might want to steer clear. Also I'm a bit confused by the ending because it sets up a sequel, but the next book in the series is about something completely different so ???
-
Hmmm. This was pretty much what I expected with all the usual characters.
Holmes is a pompous know-it-all,
"No time is ever wasted Watson. You must put such instances to efficient use to exercise the mind,"
Watson is the ever-loyal sidekick,
"I left you to face Moriarty alone once before...I swore to muself I would never do so again. I just pray my nerve will hold."
Mycroft jumps in and saves the day at just the right moment, Moriarty is an evil swine, the zombies says thins like "ggaaaakkkkk" while bearing their teeth. The graphics are great, but the switching between zombies and automatons left me confused a couple of times about which character Moriarty was!
But it's Sherlock Holmes vs. Zombies , so really, don't put too much thought into it. It's not meant to be thought provoking. -
Tapping into the cultural zeitgeist, Edginton and Fabbri effectively combine the popular genres of steampunk, zombies, and Sherlock Holmes in a clever tale of Victorian terror. In March 1854, an alien ship lights up the skies above London. Some thirty years later, Scotland Yard calls on Holmes and Watson to investigate the odd occurrence of the dead who refuse to stay dead. Edginton wisely populates his tale with classic Holmesian elements: Mrs. Watson, Mycroft, Lestrade, and most importantly Holmes himself deducing the opaque and improbable. Eschewing the trend to portray Watson as a buffoon, in Victorian Undead the war veteran and respected physician functions as an valued ally and aide-de-camp. Additionally, unlike Tony Moore's cover, artist Fabbri illustrates Holmes in the far more accurate bowler and suit than the popular deerstalker cap and Inverness cape coat, an ensemble never worn in the city. As Holmes digs further, he discovers a massive government cover up and a long-dead foe's horrific machinations. A visual delight, the well written Victorian Undead: Sherlock Holmes vs Zombies emerges as a welcome addition to the Holmes mythos.
-
If you can say " a fun twist" on a story about zombies that is how I would describe this book. I'm not sure if anything with zombies in it should be classified as fun but who says we need to take of this kind of genere seriously. Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty meet again this time, man v. zombie. It's a good way to pass an hour or so, the story is ok and the artwork outstanding. If you are a Sherlock Holmes aficionado you might think it silly, but for me who mostly watches Sherlock on the big and small screen, it was fine.
-
Der Prolog zur eigentlichen Handlung findet rund 50 Jahre davor statt. Auf London gehen Bruchstücke eines grünlich leuchtenden Kometen nieder. Die Farbe stellt eine optische Verbindung zu einer unheimlichen Krankheit her: Menschen erkranken und sterben schnell, erwachen aber wieder zum Leben - als aggressive und menschenhungrige Untote.
50 Jahre später im Jahr 1898 (die Jahresangaben spielen bei den Fällen von Sherlock Holmes durchaus eine Rolle) besuchen Holmes und Watson incognito ein Etablisment, dass den Gästen die Erfüllung ihrer geheimsten Wünsche verspricht. Der Gastgeber, ein geheimnisvoller Hope, versucht sie mit Licht zu hypnotisieren, doch sie können die Lichtquelle zerstören. Als sie Hope überwältigen wollen, stellen sie fest, dass es sich bei ihm um ein Simulacra, einen menschenähnlichen Roboter handelt, wobei dieser zeitgemäß rein mechanisch-elektrisch funktioniert. Dieser Hope hat hohe Beamte der Regierung erpresst, deswegen ist Holmes auch aktiv geworden. Doch bevor Holmes die Spur weiter verfolgen kann, ersucht ihn Inspektor Lestrade in einem dringenden anderen Fall um Hilfe, wie man es aus vielen Geschichten kennt, und Lestrade wendet sich nur dann widerwillig an Holmes, wenn er selbst nicht weiter weiß. Er führt Holmes und Watson zu einem Arbeiter, der bei der Erweiterung U-Bahn gearbeitet hat und plötzlich unglaubliche Aggressionen zeigt. Fabbri, der Zeichner, lässt keinen Zweifel, dieser Mann ist ein Zombie, gruselig grüner Teint und nur zu unartikulierten Lauten fähig. Holmes, wie wohl mit Zombies unvertraut, ist jedoch keineswegs geschockt, sondern betrachtet ihn mit wissenschaftlicher Neugier, auch den Kopf eines Zombies, der immer noch zu leben scheint. Der Leser weiß schon, dass der Mann in einem neu gegrabenen U-Bahnstollen von einem Zombie gebissen wurde und so ebenfalls zu einem wurde. Das Interesse von Holmes und Watson ist natürlich geweckt, aber bevor sie weitere Nachforschungen anstellen können, treten einige Herren in schwarzen Anzügen auf, die Lestrade von dieser Sache Abstand nehmen lassen, und er Holmes und Watson wieder nach Hause komplimentiert. Holmes lässt das keine Ruhe, er bricht zu einer nächtlichen Erkundung in den Londoner Untergrund auf, bei der ihn Watson, dem diese lebende Leiche Grauen eingeflößt hat, dennoch begleitet. Sie gelangen in eine unterirdische Kaverne mit altertümlichen Häusern und einer unwirklichen Atmosphäre. Hier werden sie von einer Horde Zombies angegriffen, gegen die sie sich tapfer wehren. Aber als sie sich schon von ihnen umzingelt sehen, kommen ihnen speziell ausgerüstete Soldaten zu Hilfe. Und dann hat ein weitere bekannte Gestalt des Sherlock Holmes Universums seinen Auftritt, Mycroft Holmes als Mitglied des königlichen Geheimdienstes. Er setzt das Detektiv-Duo über die unheimliche Zombieseuche und ihre radikale Bekämpfung durch die Regierung ins Bild.
Es gibt jedoch keine Verschnaufpause, ein geheimnisvoller Unhold, der selbst wie ein Zombie wirkt, lässt eine Armee von Zombies auf London los, gegen die sich das Empire bald mit allen Mitteln verteidigen muss. Holmes hält diese Bedrohung jedoch nicht davon ab, Nachforschungen anzustellen Ein Buch über "Die Dynamik von Asteroiden", von niemand anderem geschrieben als von Professor James Moriarty1, dem Widersacher von Holmes, bringt ihn auf die richtige Spur, die auch wieder zu dem Schurken Hope führt. Hier sollte man erwähnen, dass dieses Abenteuer nach dem Zweikampf zwischen Holmes und Moriarty an den Reichenbachfällen angesiedelt ist, nachdem Holmes bekanntermaßen lange für tot gehalten wurde...
Die Handlung nimmt einen apokalyptischen Verlauf, wie man es aus vielen Zombie-Erzählungen kennt. Davide Fabbri hat nun reichlich Gelegenheit, die Umtriebe der Untoten im historischen Ambiente des London vor rund hundert Jahren auszumalen. Natürlich ist das nicht so grauenvoll und unheimlich wie im Film, aber dafür wird hier eine bekannte Umgebung mit dem Zombiehorror konfrontiert, was den unangenehmen Eindruck vermittelt, dass keine Zeit und kein Ort vor Zombies sicher ist.
Sherlock Holmes wird hier durchaus ernst genommen. Der SH-Kenner findet hier viele vertraute Elemente vor. Holmes ist bei einem solchen Fall natürlich nicht nur der geniale Detektiv, sondern allgemein ein klarer Denker, der sich der Bedrohung sehr bewusst ist und unerschrocken gegen sie vorgeht. Ein Action-Held, was aber durchaus eine plausible Erweiterung der klassischen Figur ist, wie schon der Film "Sherlock Holmes" von Guy Ritchie zeigt. Der Zeichner hat „seinen“ Sherlock Holmes auch äußerlich mit einigen Merkmalen des Originals ausgestattet, wenngleich er sein Raubvogelprofil nicht übernommen hat. Das ist mit den Konventionen des amerikanischen Comic-Stils schlecht kompatibel. Und Doktor Watson wird schon als angejahrter Herr im besten Alter dargestellt. Das ist eine Konvention, die nicht unbedingt stimmig ist, da Watson nur wenig älter wie Holmes sein dürfte.
Der Handlungsaufbau ist geschickt und dynamisch, Spannung ist gewährleistet.
Auch wenn man sagen muss, dass letztendlich die Handlung und ihre Elemente für einen Phantastik-Kenner nicht wirklich überraschend sind, ist die Neukombination doch gelungen, da die Eigenheiten der Sujets in die Geschichte gut integriert wurden. Die im Comic gängige Crossover-Masche hat hier zu einem sehr unterhaltsamen und lesbaren Comic geführt. Freunde des Phantastischen kommen auf ihre Kosten. -
El dibujo es bueno y la ambientación también, pero el guión es una gran mierda. Lástima, porque la idea no es mala del todo.
-
While skeptical of the series being able to capture the essense of Holmes with the added Zombification, I took a leap and was pleasantly surpised by the series.
While the initial pages didn't draw me in completely, by the end of the first issue I was hooked. The pacing of the series is very much akin to traditional Sherlock Holmes, full of investigative detective work, slow reveals and wonderful dialog. The writer captures the dialog of Holmes and Watson very well.
I was also very pleased to see the inclusion of several other characters from the original works (who will remain unnamed for the sake of those who have not read the series yet). The art was good. Not mindblowing but enjoyable and not distracting. Even the zombie plot was plausible and not over the top extraordinary as it could have been.
At the end of the series, I truly felt I had read a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Definitely worth checking out. -
As a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes I am tired of all the new Sherlock Holmes stories. Then I saw this and thought wow at least it is something different and the cover is pretty cool. Reading it though was a bit confusing since it appeared as if a lot of things were missing or left out but I guess nothing was. I kept having to flip back to make sure I got what was happening. The ending was bad since it makes you think there is going to be a sequel and there is a Victorian Undead 2 but has nothing to do with this one. So it leaves you hanging a bit.
-
I had a lot of fun with his one! Watson and Mycroft both rang quite true for me. Holmes was a bit off, like they were trying to make him a leading man, but it's only a minor distraction. The premise, action and art were all engaging and I will now happily pick up any further books n the series!
-
Ništa specijalno, pročitao sam i ovo da vidim o čemu se radi, ali nije me dojmilo, nimalo..
-
Seriously, who isn’t fighting zombies these days? While Max Brooks may have written the current authoritative guide to the zombie fighting biz, it seems that Elizabeth Bennet, Ebenezer Scrooge and even Abraham Lincoln each had their own preferred fighting method and it now appears that even Sherlock Holmes threw his [deerstalker?] hat into the proverbial [zombie infested] ring. In Victorian Undead: Sherlock Holmes vs Zombies, Ian Edginton and Davide Fabbri take the world’s most famous consulting detective and his trusty sidekick Doctor Watson on a hilarious and horrific romp through the zombie infested streets of Victorian London.
In March of 1854 a group of cockney clichés witness a meteor streaking across the sky above London and, as the masses stare in awe, one wise biddy predicts doom. It turns out that biddy was on to something as, only a few months later, London has been gripped by a deadly plague that is baffling scientists [John Snow gets to make his long overdue comics debut at this point]. Although deadly probably isn’t the right word as the plague victims show a troubling tendency not to stay dead for long. Fortunately, the zombie outbreak is limited to a relatively small area of the city and so the government are able to contain [read: eradicate] the undead hordes and hush the whole business up.
However, zombies are a pesky bunch and they don’t stay hushed up for long. Twenty years after the meteor sparked the plague, the undead are once again walking the streets of London. The dastardly and decidedly decaying Professor Moriarty has hatched a devious plan to create his own zombie army in an attempt to overthrow the British government. Fortunately, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson are on the case [Queen Victoria, Demon Hunter presumably being busy with other matters] and are ready to face off against the duel forces of MI5 and the zombies.
While horror was no stranger to Victorian London, this is certainly not your common or garden Sherlock Holmes tale. The whole zombie thing is beginning to feel a little played out, particularly in the graphic novel genre where only The Walking Dead seems to have any kind of durability, but Sherlock Holmes vs Zombies is, after a rather slow setup, actually a fairly decent read. Yes, it’s completely bonkers, and highly unlikely to appear to fans of the traditional Sherlock Holmes stories, but it’s still a fun and entertaining romp.
Ian Edginton has done a good job of crafty a reasonably likely detective story for Sherlock Holmes to feature in and worked in zombies as plausibly as possible rather than simply cashing in on the current undead trend of wedging zombies in to pretty much every classic tale available. The story is gimmicky and rather disposable but, taken as a whole, offers an exciting, fast-paced adventure that provides an hour or two of shameless escapism. As well as getting the tone of the story right, Edginton also has a good ear for Victorian dialogue so that there are no major dialogue clangers that pull the reader out of the story. The banter between Holmes and Watson is in-keeping with their traditional Conan Doyle style patter and their respective characters come across as authentic.
As well as being able to draw a great zombie, Davide Fabbri’s art also sticks close to the traditional portrayal of the characters although he succeeds more with Watson than with Holmes who seems more chiselled and square-jawed here than he should be. The backgrounds are well drawn and coloured and are also generally true to the desired Victorian aesthetic.
Unsurprisingly, despite being played straight, Sherlock Holmes vs Zombies is all a bit silly really, but the tone and authenticity of the story set it well above the average zombie comic offering. Apparently, Messrs Holmes and Watson will be battling vampires in the near future. -
Voilà un apocryphe de Sherlock Holmes que j’aime ressortir de mes étagères de temps en temps.
Là, ça faisait un certain temps que je ne l’avais plus lu… Et il me fallait un truc pour mon 665ème post sur mon blog avant le 666ème !
Pas de diable ou de sorcière sous la main (posté Black Butler trop tôt, la 659), donc, on récupère les zombies qui puent avant de sortir le diable demain.
Ce livre – un comics en fait – je l’avais zappé en découvrant sa couverture pour le moins « horrible ».
On y voyait une sorte de Sherlock Holmes en zombie, bouffé par les vers, en décomposition totale.
Bref, peu séduisante… J’imaginais un Holmes en zombie, revenant d’entre les morts, les bestioles en prime. Beurk !
C’est sur un forum holmésien que j’appris que la couverture était indépendante du contenu (merci à Jean-Claude pour l’info, en passant). Il y a des zombies, mais ce n’est pas le grand détective !
En fait, la couverture était juste là pour un coup de pub. Cela avait eu l’effet contraire chez moi, ne cherchant même à découvrir cet album.
Une fois que je le sus, je me mis en quête de cet album et je le dévorai, tel un zombie assoiffé de chair humaine.
Oui, il est bien ! Du moins, pour ceux que la présence de zombies dans un univers victorien ne rebutent pas.
Je n’ai rien contre les zombies, mais ce n’est pas mon genre de prédilection. Walking dead, avec tout le succès qu’elle a, je ne regarderai pas. Je hais les zombies, ça pue et je les trouve un peu trop affectueux.
Des morts-vivants mélangés à une histoire où Holmes est présent, ça pouvait être casse gueule au possible et j’aurais pu détester l’ouvrage. Examen réussi : les auteurs ne se sont pas plantés.
Voyons ce qu’ils nous ont concocté comme histoire…
L’histoire démarre par un flashback, nous ramenant en 1854 alors qu’un météore traverse le ciel londonien, emmenant dans sa traîne un mal profond et inconnu.
Et, comme un malheur n’arrive jamais seul, c’est forcément sur l’East end que s’abat cette vague de peste zombie. Les gens meurent, reviennent à la vie et contaminent les vivants…
Oui, pas de nouveautés dans le genre : les bons vieux zombies restent les mêmes.
Les services secrets réussiront à contenir la menace, ensevelissant au passage une partie de la ville pour prendre le maximum de précautions.
Mais 44 ans après (alors que le quatrième de couverture parle de « 20 ans après »), à l’aube du XXe siècle, le mal refait surface. Mhouhahahaha.
Sherlock Holmes est revenu d’entre les morts (façon de parler, hein) après l’épisode des chutes du Reichenbach (mais nous savons qu’il n’était pas mort puisque non tombé, au contraire de Moriarty – vous suivez toujours ?) et il est bien décidé d’enquêter sur ces morts qui ne le sont pas tout à fait, quand bien même les services secrets le lui interdiraient.
Quant à l’origine de ce regain de peste moribonde… Chuut, c’est un secret !
Comme je vous le disais, le scénario aurait pu sombrer dans les tréfonds de la connerie ou du farfelu, surtout avec une couverture kitch à mort et son côté « série B+++ ».
Cela ne laissait pas présager une véritable histoire, avec une intrigue développée et bien construite.
Bon, je ne vais pas vous mentir non plus, je me suis doutée de certaines choses…
On sent que l’œuvre de Conan Doyle n’est pas une inconnue pour l’auteur et la passionnée de l’œuvre holmésienne que je suis, ça fait toujours plaisir.
Grâce soit rendue à l’auteur : Watson n’est pas le benêt de service ! Alléluia ! Les auteurs en auraient-ils fini avec le Watson bête comme ses pieds ? C’est à espérer vu que les derniers Watson sont plus relevés au niveau intellectuels que certains que j’ai déjà lu et vu.
Non seulement il est intelligent (mais moins que Holmes, normal) et sa relation avec Holmes est celle d’une amitié profonde. Un plaisir aussi de découvrir que Mycroft, le frère de Sherlock, est également bien utilisé.
N’oublions pas Lestrade et ce bon vieux colonel Moran… Ironie, pour le colonel.
Graphiquement parlant, le dessinateur s’en sort haut la main.
Les décors de Londres sont fouillés, on a l’impression d’y être, les plans sont très variés et le rendu des scènes d’action sont de bonne facture.
Oui, il y a de l’action, des combats et du dégommage de zombies à la sulfateuse (de l’époque), ça éclabousse la cervelle et les morceaux un peu partout, mais je vous rassure de suite, ça tache pas les mains et ce n’est pas en odorama !
Bref, une belle variation sur notre légendaire détective tout en introduisant un élément fantastique sans (trop) dénaturer le mythe.
Comme pour les bédés où Holmes était face au suceurs de sang, les auteurs s’en sortent haut la main.
Le découpage est très « cinématographique », c’est rythmé, on ne s’embête pas, on frissonne et c’est visuellement soigné.
Le seul problème pourrait venir du trop-plein d’action. Oui, il en faut, mais trop d’action nuit à l’action et aurait pu causer la mort de ce bon scénario.
Attention, je ne sous-entend pas que le trop-plein d’action est pas là pour masquer le manque de scénario, comme dans certains blockbusters.
Non, le scénario est fouillé, mais nous avons l’habitude de voir (enfin, de « lire ») Holmes disserter et aiguiser son sens de l’observation et de la déduction. Ici, il le fait moins. J’aurais aimé plus de réflexion et moins d’action à la James Bond (Sherlock a les gadgets en moins).
Malgré tout, hormis ce petit bémol, j’ai passé un bon moment auquel je ne m’attendais pas du tout.
Un récit culotté, fallait oser, ils l’ont fait, prouvant que avec un bon scénario, rien n’est impossible.
Lecteurs sensibles, attention, il y a de la décapitation dans l’air… ça grouille de vermines et quand il faut s’en débarrasser, on ne le fait pas avec de la dentelle. On dégomme et on ferraille sec !
N’oubliez pas de bien nettoyer votre sabre ensuite. On ne sait jamais, vous pourriez en avoir besoin dans quelques secondes…
A découvrir. -
Great book one of the best massing in Comedy and Zombie's.
Pros
Great Comedy mixed with Action and zombie killing, if you love either like me it will be amazing.
Great storyline which links up very well.
Artwork is amazing, the zombies look really cool how they are designed.
Great setting, i mean having Sherlock Holmes Vs. Zombies who ever thought of that is a genius.
Cons
Some of the story gets boring as he tries and discovers it before actual killing the zombies.
In Conclusion
I enjoyed it very much will look at him vs Frankenstein as that seems interesting. -
Buena trama y desarrollo, me gusto.
Lo único que no me gustó fue el arte. Los diseños de Sherlock, Mycroft y Watson por alguna razón no me parecían adecuados. -
Fun, if forgettable. Liked how it tied together wormwood and the John Snow's cholera outbreak epidemiology though.
-
Netflix's series please
-
Great tale, hope to write a full review soon.
-
An awful holiday read.
-
The saga continues as famous sleuth Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson find themselves in the middle of a zombie plague. It is up to Holmes to uncover the source of the undead before they engulf all of London and he finds himself face to face with an enemy he thought dead. The folks at Wildside have done a fantastic job of bringing the undead masses to England while keeping the focus on Holmes. While there are a few traditional Holmes moments in the series, Holmes also takes on more of an action hero role with more battles and physical actions versus exhibiting the power of deductive reasoning. While it is understandable given the context of the story it would have been nice to see more of those moments.
Victorian Undead brings forth some excellent zombie art with all the gore that comes with it and a good story to boot. It comes along at an excellent time, as the graphic novel of Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies has been released and this would make a fine complement. It is important to note that Victorian Undead is not a mash-up, where a classic book has additional content added to it by another author. Rather, this is an imaginative Sherlock Holmes pastiche, which takes the familiar characters of Watson and Holmes and throws them into the incredibly popular zombie plague. This is a highly recommended title for libraries when it comes out in trade paperback in October. While a fun story on its own, it could also be paired with the original stories by Arthur Conan Doyle Holmes, other Sherlock Holmes pastiches, and other graphic novels such as The Hound of the Baskervilles (Illustrated Classics): A Sherlock Holmes Graphic Novel by Ian Edginton, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and I.N.J. Culbard. -
The BEST book with zombies that I have ever read! (Okay, granted, that's not much of a recommendation, but still --) At first glance, Sherlock Holmes and zombies should not work together in the cover of the same book -- but they do.
The artwork is intricate and suitably gory. The only real quibble I have is that Sherlock Holmes' eye color keeps changing. Perhaps he was wearing contacts at one point? His hair color here is chestnut, which was Jeremy Brett's original hair color before it had to be dyed black for his take on Sherlock Holmes in the award-winning Granada series from 1984 - 1994. Well, I thought it was an interesting detail, anyway.
The text is actually quite faithful to the original Sherlock Holmes stories (well, except that zombies exist, but anyway) and a few familiar faces (or what's left of them) pop up here. You do not have to be a fan of the original Sherlock Holmes stories to understand what is going on here.
And hey, coming back from the dead as a zombie makes more sense than how Sherlock Holmes came back from the dead in "The Empty House." -
Sherlock Holmesista on vuosien varrella ollut moneksi. Englantilainen mestarisalapoliisi on joutunut mittelemään voimiaan niin professori Moriartyn ja Viiltäjä-Jackin kaltaisten ihmishirviöiden kanssa kuin ratkomaan erilaisia yliluonnolisia mysteerejäkin. Luulisin kuitenkin, että Ian Edgingtonin käsikirjoittama Ja Davide Fabbrin kuvittama sarjakuva-albumi "Victorian Undead: Sherlock Holmes vs. Zombies" ((Wildstorm, 2010) on ensimmäinen kerta populaarikulttuurissa kun sankarimme joutuu kohtaamaan elävien kuolleiden armeijan.
Vuoteen 1898 sijoittuvassa tarinassa zombit pistävät Lontoon polvilleen, mutta ihan tuosta vaan eivät kuolleet ole henkiin heränneet, vaan kaiken taakse kätkeytyy pirullinen suunnitelma, jota vastustamaan Holmes käy uskollisen tohtori Watsonin ja salaisessa poliisissa työskentelevän veljensä Mycroftin kanssa.
Lopputulos on melko tavanomainen kauhua ja seikkailua yhdistelevä sarjakuva, jonka lukee ihan mielellään kevyenä välipalana, mutta joka sen jälkeen tulee todennäköisesti unohtumaan kirjahyllyyn kätköihin." -
Sherlock Homes....zombie apocalypse...not much else need be said. Setting aside the fact that the original Holmes would never have been so open-minded to the supernatural, undead, and non-factual, this is actually a fairly well-conceived idea. Little time is spent on deductions, or Holmes' theatrics, and frankly there is little need for it as the culprit is all too readily revealed as an undead Moriarty who wants to take over London. These events are inserted into history, just like many Holmes tales are, and it bares a style of dialogue that resembles the English from this time period. The illustrations are full of colour and lighting, which together with a smattering of gore, creates an appropriate tone for this mash-up. Purists will undoubtedly wish to avoid this title, but for those seeking something slightly different, a what if scenario if you will, than this action-packed mystery/horror graphic novel is worth a try.
-
It's Sherlock Holmes and Zombies. What can go wrong? Well, a lot, I should imagine. Zombies are hugely oversaturated, so I was more than prepared to be disappointed by this. But it actually tells a pretty solid Sherlock Holmes story. It's not really meant to fit into the proper canon of Sherlock Holmes, and is more of an alternate take. It's set after Holmes comes back from the dead (though not as a zombie, thankfully).
It does the things that all good zombie stories do where it doesn't focus too much on the zombies. They're all part of the mystery, and it's not action set-piece after action set-piece.
The art is also very good, in that very detailed way that I like for a lot of zombie things. However, I did feel it was a little "clean" in places. There was a fair amount of gore too.
A surprising hit for me, and a pleasing, short read that any Holmes fan will likely enjoy. -
This was more entertaining than it has any business being. The overall plot is derivative but decent, and Edginton does a surprisingly good job with the characterizations of the core Holmes characters. I also appreciated the light Steampunk touches. The artwork overall is pretty strong with some pretty active layout designs, but when we get to the real gore it looked a bit plastic at times.
The real weakness to me is that when I pick up a Holmes story I want to see Holmes really solve a mystery (and I want to try to solve it along with him). But it's made pretty plain early on who's behind the zombies, and while the main culprit makes perfect sense I would have liked having a couple of red herrings thrown at me to keep me guessing. Fun, but by no means a necessary read.
