What do you think?
Rate this book
Watson and Holmes #1
Watson and Holmes - A Study In Black
Collecting the entire first arc of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson re-envisioning as African Americans living in New York City's famous Harlem district. Watson, an Afghanistan war vet, works in an inner-city clinic; Holmes, a local P.I. who takes unusual cases. When one of them ends up in Watson's emergency room, the unlikely duo strike up a partnership to find a missing girl. Watson & Holmes bump heads along the way as they enter a labyrinth of drugs, guns, gangs and a conspiracy that goes higher and deeper than they could have imagined. Containing epilogue issue #5 as well as chock full of extra material on the evolution of a new classic. Now nominated for Best New Series of 2013 for the Eisner Awards and Best Story for the Glyph Awards.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2013
25 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
Karl Bollers
192 books22 followersBad Idea Managing Editor, former Valiant Ent. Sr Editor, Eisner Award-nominated writer, former Marvel Comics writer, former Sonic the Hedgehog comic book writer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
February 17, 2020
This was a fairly solid mystery graphic novel. The derivation of the characters is pretty clear. Holmes is a slightly less aloof Sherlock. Watson is a medical intern Homes encounters in the course of an investigation. I thought having Watson get involved because he was concerned about a pattern of crimes that led to the death of a patient made for a stronger character with a more equal partnership.
The crime is not much like the bizarre sort Doyle's detective usually found intriguing: inner city drug traffic, organized crime, lots of machine guns. secondary, more outre series of crimes is only coincidentally connected. To be honest, I didn't find the main story that thrilling. Not all stories about African-American men in the inner city have to involve gangs and drugs and guns. They can, for instance, involve musicians and the eldritch forces of evil.
Art was fine, although not fascinating. There were quite a few typos. I'd probably try something else by this writer and artist, although not necessarily this series.
The crime is not much like the bizarre sort Doyle's detective usually found intriguing: inner city drug traffic, organized crime, lots of machine guns. secondary, more outre series of crimes is only coincidentally connected. To be honest, I didn't find the main story that thrilling. Not all stories about African-American men in the inner city have to involve gangs and drugs and guns. They can, for instance, involve musicians and the eldritch forces of evil.
Art was fine, although not fascinating. There were quite a few typos. I'd probably try something else by this writer and artist, although not necessarily this series.
February 3, 2018
I enjoyed this better than the BBC Sherlock in terms of it being a contempory Sherlock. It equals Elementary in terms of dealing with modern problems in a real world as opposed to the Whoish feel of the BBC series. Also Bollers is better with the women charactes - Lestrade's counterpoint is Stroud, a woman for instance.
January 22, 2015
Beautiful graphic novel. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys retellings of Sherlock Holmes. The action isn't particularly compelling, & don't read it expecting major twists & intrigue, but there's a lot of heart that keeps things alive. I rather enjoyed the art style, the dialogue, & the appearance of "Mike". There were typos that made me cringe, & sometimes the words that are bolded really don't seem to make any sense as deserving of import (a personal pet peeve)-- those factors were distracting. But all in all, this is a book I'd be happy to have in my collection, & will certainly be talking about it & looking for future installments.
December 19, 2017
I wanted to like this more. The idea of an African-American with Sherlock Holmes' character and intellect raised in Harlem sounds great but Bollers doesn't think it through. It felt too much like an episode from the Cumberbatch/Freeman Sherlock with the ethnicity tacked on.
I do want to continue with the series, however, and see if Bollers can't make this iteration of Sherlock truly unique.
I do want to continue with the series, however, and see if Bollers can't make this iteration of Sherlock truly unique.
June 8, 2015
Probably the most interesting re-imagining of the famous duo. I like the story, the setting, and the characters, and I'm very glad Vol II has now been funded. The only problem I had was that I kept hearing Holmes' voice with an English accent, which I doubt this character has. But Watson is note-perfect and Mycroft is wonderful too. Very enjoyable.
ETA 9/4: The problem with Holmes' voice was bugging me, so I re-read it with Elementary's Detective Bell - another intelligent, well-educated, black New Yorker - in my head. Slowly the Britishness of his language melted away, and I got the Holmes I was seeing on the page.
This is a very good take on Holmes/Watson, and very good detective fiction. I highly recommend it. Looking forward to Vol II.
ETA 9/4: The problem with Holmes' voice was bugging me, so I re-read it with Elementary's Detective Bell - another intelligent, well-educated, black New Yorker - in my head. Slowly the Britishness of his language melted away, and I got the Holmes I was seeing on the page.
This is a very good take on Holmes/Watson, and very good detective fiction. I highly recommend it. Looking forward to Vol II.
September 17, 2024
When it comes to reading, it's very hard for me to describe the voices that accompanies the words. Part of the reason I like audiobooks so much is that it takes some of the guesswork out of the equation for how some characters are supposed to sound. It's only really a problem when I've read something and the adaptation to screen doesn't match the voice at all from what was going on in my head (the manga-to-anime conundrum is its own TEDtalk thanks).
I bring this up here because it was SO hard not to make this Sherlock sound British in my head, either something akin to Cumberbatch or John Boyega in his natural accent (see the fantastic film Attack the Block).
Not that I was expecting ebonics all the time and abbreviations out the wazoo, but the word choices and (for lack of better word) sophistication I got from the speech bubbles made it seem like this guy would be more in place in Piccadilly than in Harlem.
Regardless, the rest of the book is fine. An intriguing mystery that's not just a rehash of an Arthur Doyle case, a great take on Watson, Mycroft, and Lestrade (Leslie Strad dohohoho), and of course, Sherlock himself is true to his character as has been depicted through the centuries, a man of determined resolution & reliant more on his brainpower than any other tactic.
Looking forward to Volume 2 if I can find it.
I bring this up here because it was SO hard not to make this Sherlock sound British in my head, either something akin to Cumberbatch or John Boyega in his natural accent (see the fantastic film Attack the Block).
Not that I was expecting ebonics all the time and abbreviations out the wazoo, but the word choices and (for lack of better word) sophistication I got from the speech bubbles made it seem like this guy would be more in place in Piccadilly than in Harlem.
Regardless, the rest of the book is fine. An intriguing mystery that's not just a rehash of an Arthur Doyle case, a great take on Watson, Mycroft, and Lestrade (Leslie Strad dohohoho), and of course, Sherlock himself is true to his character as has been depicted through the centuries, a man of determined resolution & reliant more on his brainpower than any other tactic.
Looking forward to Volume 2 if I can find it.
April 23, 2018
This was a really fun modern Sherlock Holmes adaptation. I thought both Holmes and Watson were very in character [unlike certain other adaptations that shall remain nameless] but also fit well into the modern world. This volume shows us how Holmes and Watson first met and solved their first case together. I will definitely be checking out volume 2 and would probably recommend this to people who like Elementary and other adaptations of that vein.
April 5, 2019
An fun re-imagining of Holmes and Watson in modern times Harlem. This be great as a show!
February 4, 2017
In this retelling Holmes is a P.I., Watson is an Afghanistan war vet, now medical intern, and 221B Baker Street is located in Harlem, New York. I enjoyed the updated version of this duo, and the gritty, urban setting. Holmes sometimes talks in old-timey speak which does not make sense, and is no where as quirky as the original. Watson, though is great. I didn't love the art in this graphic novel, but do plan on reading the next installment to see how the story unfolds.
April 22, 2017
Another surprise library find. The art was often a little rough and literally sketchy for my taste, but the writing was a good attempt to reimagine the characters and concepts in contemporary Harlem.
January 19, 2019
The greatest part of Sherlock Holmes is that he can be adapted into so many other forms, either indirectly (like House), with new adventures (too many to list, but the Bee Keeper's Apprentice is one of the best of these), or in a direct reference such as this one, Watson and Holmes.
Here, John Watson is an Afghanistan War Vet who works at a local hospital. During his shift, he meets an eclectic man named Sherlock Holmes, who soon draws him into a mystery that relates to the deaths of those he sees in the Emergency Room.
While modernized of course, all the essentials are here. Watson is an everyman who wants to do the right thing, but has trouble understanding this strange new world of detective work and weaving in and out of the legal world. Holmes is mysterious, acidly sarcastic, and a bit manipulative. Their foes are smart and dangerous--but not as good as Holmes. It's really well done.
Rick Leonardi is the main artist, and while he's not quite the artist he used to be, this is still quite good, though I think the coloring blurs some of his line work. He relies a bit too much on close-up work and returning to the same panel structures too often, though. Larry Stroman provides the art for the final issue, and while not as finely detailed as Leonardi, there's better pacing because of the variety in panel size and character placement.
I found this a cool little hidden gem, and it's well worth grabbing if you can find a copy somewhere.
Here, John Watson is an Afghanistan War Vet who works at a local hospital. During his shift, he meets an eclectic man named Sherlock Holmes, who soon draws him into a mystery that relates to the deaths of those he sees in the Emergency Room.
While modernized of course, all the essentials are here. Watson is an everyman who wants to do the right thing, but has trouble understanding this strange new world of detective work and weaving in and out of the legal world. Holmes is mysterious, acidly sarcastic, and a bit manipulative. Their foes are smart and dangerous--but not as good as Holmes. It's really well done.
Rick Leonardi is the main artist, and while he's not quite the artist he used to be, this is still quite good, though I think the coloring blurs some of his line work. He relies a bit too much on close-up work and returning to the same panel structures too often, though. Larry Stroman provides the art for the final issue, and while not as finely detailed as Leonardi, there's better pacing because of the variety in panel size and character placement.
I found this a cool little hidden gem, and it's well worth grabbing if you can find a copy somewhere.
June 4, 2017
A very interesting and different take on Sherlock Holmes! The writing and story are good! The editor leaves a little note when Holmes is explaining his deductions to tell you where to look back and see it for yourself. Overall, a great Sherlock Holmes story!
December 30, 2021
A cool modern reinvention of a classic. It’s great to see these characters represented in a different cultural atmosphere, and while the beats of this book will be familiar to Holmes fans, the dialogue and art breath fresh air into the story.
March 19, 2014
Anyone who knows me remotely knows I adore Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous Sherlock Holmes. I grew up seeing two thick volumes of “The Complete Sherlock Holmes” on the bookshelf and always knew he was a brilliant detective. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when I endeavored to read Doyle’s works, that I understood the hype. Sherlock Holmes is my spirit animal, if spirit animals could be literary characters from the 19th century. When I discovered New Paradigm Studios had jumped into the arena with a modern, urban re-imagining of the famous detective duo, in graphic novel format no less, I had to check it out.
Image-based reading isn’t my primary area of expertise; I read the newspaper comics as a teen, but with the exception of one, I never latched on to any comic strip with passion. Frankly, I wasn’t at all sure what to expect with Watson and Holmes and worried that it wouldn’t hold my interest due to a lack of depth to the story. Admittedly, I prefer novels to any other form of literature, but I was willing to give a graphic novel a try. I was NOT disappointed. It’s a bit of a leap to go from the wordy Doyle stories to a format that relies as much on the imagery as the dialogue to bring the story to life. I also had to adjust to the serial nature of this tradebook. Each chapter’s cliffhanger made the reading experience much different than sitting with a straightforward short story or book. With Watson and Holmes, however, both parts work together amazingly to create a cohesive story across the chapters.
The graphics were deserving of their own attention (obviously?). They were dynamic and conveyed a great amount of detail and nuances between the characters. Regarding colors, I found them to be appropriate for each scene. Some scenes were more monochromatic and somber, while others were vibrant. I would have liked to see more of the black and white images, though. There are a few included in the back to let you know which artists were a part of which chapters, but I’m curious to see how the full chapters, either in whole or in part, would change without the colors. There are noir editions available, so I'll likely get those in addition (maybe a future printing could include all of them).
I loved the portrayal of Watson and Holmes in modern-day Harlem. Early 20th century England is cool, but the modern take is fascinating as the story incorporates technology into how crimes are carried out. As a reader, you get to see the workings of Holmes mind play out in a world filled with cell phones, emails and hackers. I found the deductive reasoning he used entertaining as he and Watson (bobbed and) weaved their way through the plot. Moreover, the personalities of the Watson and Holmes we’ve come to know are translated into such a gritty environment seamlessly. You really get to see them in their own elements, which helps to make this interpretation easier to believe. The writers were able to stay true to the core of each character, but it’s definitely not just an update.
One piece that I did not expect was the depth to Watson’s back-story. It’s definitely a departure from most other versions I’ve seen. Giving him a troubled family life lends realism to his characterization and makes his motives much easier to understand. It also fits the story of how he and Holmes find themselves as unlikely roommates. Holmes, on the other hand, is harder to pin down — but what’s new? He’s still idiosyncratic and pensive, but always engaging. His dialogue is modernized appropriately, but his well-known quips are still there, blending in perfectly.
The story itself is substantial. It’s similar to previous stories but is a full departure from them as well. There are requisite plot twists that threw the entire path of logic to the wind, but the writing was solid, so seeing it woven together was classic. A plus of the graphic novel format is that details the reader missed are “footnoted” as Holmes works through his solutions. I spent quite a bit of time after I’d finished reading just going back and looking for points that I’d missed in the dialogue and artwork. Reading is rarely that fun for me, so the new format is definitely beneficial with this set of characters.
The only thing I didn’t care for was the shift in illustrators toward the end of the story arc. I was reading a tradebook, so I had all of them together in one sitting. The artists responsible for the art in the Epilogue were different from the other chapters and it’s evident in the details. I noticed the subtle differences in the coils of Holmes’ dreadlocks and Watson’s hairline. All things considered, these aren’t major detractors from the overall product, but it was enough to give me pause to flip back and forth a few times.
I was genuinely impressed with this take on a story near and dear to me. I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for future Watson and Holmes stories.
Image-based reading isn’t my primary area of expertise; I read the newspaper comics as a teen, but with the exception of one, I never latched on to any comic strip with passion. Frankly, I wasn’t at all sure what to expect with Watson and Holmes and worried that it wouldn’t hold my interest due to a lack of depth to the story. Admittedly, I prefer novels to any other form of literature, but I was willing to give a graphic novel a try. I was NOT disappointed. It’s a bit of a leap to go from the wordy Doyle stories to a format that relies as much on the imagery as the dialogue to bring the story to life. I also had to adjust to the serial nature of this tradebook. Each chapter’s cliffhanger made the reading experience much different than sitting with a straightforward short story or book. With Watson and Holmes, however, both parts work together amazingly to create a cohesive story across the chapters.
The graphics were deserving of their own attention (obviously?). They were dynamic and conveyed a great amount of detail and nuances between the characters. Regarding colors, I found them to be appropriate for each scene. Some scenes were more monochromatic and somber, while others were vibrant. I would have liked to see more of the black and white images, though. There are a few included in the back to let you know which artists were a part of which chapters, but I’m curious to see how the full chapters, either in whole or in part, would change without the colors. There are noir editions available, so I'll likely get those in addition (maybe a future printing could include all of them).
I loved the portrayal of Watson and Holmes in modern-day Harlem. Early 20th century England is cool, but the modern take is fascinating as the story incorporates technology into how crimes are carried out. As a reader, you get to see the workings of Holmes mind play out in a world filled with cell phones, emails and hackers. I found the deductive reasoning he used entertaining as he and Watson (bobbed and) weaved their way through the plot. Moreover, the personalities of the Watson and Holmes we’ve come to know are translated into such a gritty environment seamlessly. You really get to see them in their own elements, which helps to make this interpretation easier to believe. The writers were able to stay true to the core of each character, but it’s definitely not just an update.
One piece that I did not expect was the depth to Watson’s back-story. It’s definitely a departure from most other versions I’ve seen. Giving him a troubled family life lends realism to his characterization and makes his motives much easier to understand. It also fits the story of how he and Holmes find themselves as unlikely roommates. Holmes, on the other hand, is harder to pin down — but what’s new? He’s still idiosyncratic and pensive, but always engaging. His dialogue is modernized appropriately, but his well-known quips are still there, blending in perfectly.
The story itself is substantial. It’s similar to previous stories but is a full departure from them as well. There are requisite plot twists that threw the entire path of logic to the wind, but the writing was solid, so seeing it woven together was classic. A plus of the graphic novel format is that details the reader missed are “footnoted” as Holmes works through his solutions. I spent quite a bit of time after I’d finished reading just going back and looking for points that I’d missed in the dialogue and artwork. Reading is rarely that fun for me, so the new format is definitely beneficial with this set of characters.
The only thing I didn’t care for was the shift in illustrators toward the end of the story arc. I was reading a tradebook, so I had all of them together in one sitting. The artists responsible for the art in the Epilogue were different from the other chapters and it’s evident in the details. I noticed the subtle differences in the coils of Holmes’ dreadlocks and Watson’s hairline. All things considered, these aren’t major detractors from the overall product, but it was enough to give me pause to flip back and forth a few times.
I was genuinely impressed with this take on a story near and dear to me. I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for future Watson and Holmes stories.
July 28, 2014
Watson and Holmes are turning up everywhere these days. This interpretation takes Sherlock and John to Harlem, where Holmes is a P.I. and Watson a Afghanistan vet and medical intern.
I initially enjoyed these new portrayals of the famous duo, they worked well together and John seemed very well adapted to this new modern world. I was a bit put off by Sherlock's inexplicable diction, use of the "Game is afoot" and other Olde English type vocab, which is even dropped in the British modern take on Doyle's most famous work. I think although John was very well thought out, Sherlock needed a bit more translation, as it was he was the same old Sherlock, with zero adaptation to being from Harlem instead of London.
Overall, while I enjoyed the characters, I was a bit put off by the story, which lacked in it's Sherlockian clues and art of deduction in my opinion. One thing I look for in detective stories, especially those involving the most famous consulting detective in literature, are observations and deductions that I couldn't have made myself. I want to be impressed, but in this case, I was unmoved. Also, the art wasn't really my cup of tea.
I initially enjoyed these new portrayals of the famous duo, they worked well together and John seemed very well adapted to this new modern world. I was a bit put off by Sherlock's inexplicable diction, use of the "Game is afoot" and other Olde English type vocab, which is even dropped in the British modern take on Doyle's most famous work. I think although John was very well thought out, Sherlock needed a bit more translation, as it was he was the same old Sherlock, with zero adaptation to being from Harlem instead of London.
Overall, while I enjoyed the characters, I was a bit put off by the story, which lacked in it's Sherlockian clues and art of deduction in my opinion. One thing I look for in detective stories, especially those involving the most famous consulting detective in literature, are observations and deductions that I couldn't have made myself. I want to be impressed, but in this case, I was unmoved. Also, the art wasn't really my cup of tea.
January 22, 2015
The buzz was right -- this is a really good book. The first ingredient in a good Holmes story is a mesmerizing Holmes, and we've got it. He's a good detective, almost otherworldly but then when he explains his reasoning, it's obvious! His reveal scenes are much better than most of the TV and cinematic versions I've seen recently. His Watson is a big guy, a modern medical intern and war veteran, and as the title indicates he's just as important as Holmes. As usual, much of the character development surrounds the question of why these two guys feel the need to investigate crime together, but there are no answers, at least not yet.
I was concerned about the quality at first. Watson is referred to as both "Jon" and "John," for instance. However, that's pretty common in mainstream comics, let alone small-press books, so I'll overlook it since the rest of the book is great. In my opinion, with all the other Holmes versions out there, the black Harlem setting is worth doing and brings something new to the table, but it's not just a gimmick. It's well-thought and a good book in its own right.
I was concerned about the quality at first. Watson is referred to as both "Jon" and "John," for instance. However, that's pretty common in mainstream comics, let alone small-press books, so I'll overlook it since the rest of the book is great. In my opinion, with all the other Holmes versions out there, the black Harlem setting is worth doing and brings something new to the table, but it's not just a gimmick. It's well-thought and a good book in its own right.
March 9, 2014
Sherlock Holmes appears to be a character everyone wants to update lately. The BBC has Sherlock (quite enjoyable as an aside), CBS has Elementary (which I've been told is good), and Karl Bollers takes Sherlock, places him in New York's Harlem, and tosses in a little bit of the George C. Scott movie They Might be Giants.
Oh yeah, this Sherlock is African-American.
Watson is an intern at a clinic where a baby is found in a dumpster. Combined with the gangs and drugs in the area Watson, a Desert Storm War vet hooks up with Holmes. To find out why a teen aged girl was kidnapped, why mercs are running around the ghetto, and why did the baby end up in a dumpster.
Holmes is portrayed as very intelligent and uses 21st century tech to achieve his goals (which seems to be one man trying to right wrongs). Watson is trying to find his place after multiple tours in the Army and a wife who has left him.
Well executed, and if they do a second volume I would likely check it out.
Oh yeah, this Sherlock is African-American.
Watson is an intern at a clinic where a baby is found in a dumpster. Combined with the gangs and drugs in the area Watson, a Desert Storm War vet hooks up with Holmes. To find out why a teen aged girl was kidnapped, why mercs are running around the ghetto, and why did the baby end up in a dumpster.
Holmes is portrayed as very intelligent and uses 21st century tech to achieve his goals (which seems to be one man trying to right wrongs). Watson is trying to find his place after multiple tours in the Army and a wife who has left him.
Well executed, and if they do a second volume I would likely check it out.
December 28, 2016
Eisner nominated. Glyph award winner. And yet almost no one has read this? It's such a shame. All the familiar Sherlock Holmes elements are here, but remixed and made fresh. Holmes operates out of Harlem, New York City. He's an eccentric private investigator who shows up an an inner-city emergency clinic asking questions about a kid brought in unconscious. Watson is an ex-military medical intern at that clinic. When the kid's toxicology screen shows exactly what Holmes told him it would, Watson wants to know how Holmes knew, and voila, a partnership begins.
Watson is a sympathetic protagonist, and Holmes is a delicious enigma. Both artists and all the colorists work together well, creating a tense atmosphere as the case unfolds. This is one of the best detective comics I've read, and a standout among diverse comics and independent comics.
Watson is a sympathetic protagonist, and Holmes is a delicious enigma. Both artists and all the colorists work together well, creating a tense atmosphere as the case unfolds. This is one of the best detective comics I've read, and a standout among diverse comics and independent comics.
August 16, 2014
So the modern world has an extreme fascination with Holmes - House MD, Elementary and the new British Sherlock all reimagine the classic detective. The three that I mention in particular have Holmes be more flawed like the books. Drug addict, social pariah with mommy issues. Watson and Holmes does something braver. It brings back Watson as a prime character. Watson is more than a scribbler along for the ride but has his own life and own issues.
This take is refreshing. It is set in Harlem and using black characters to talk about Afghanistan, military industrial complex, drug culture, PTSD, divorce and the disparity between rich and poor. And this is just the first collection.
This can continue to be good. I really enjoyed it.
This take is refreshing. It is set in Harlem and using black characters to talk about Afghanistan, military industrial complex, drug culture, PTSD, divorce and the disparity between rich and poor. And this is just the first collection.
This can continue to be good. I really enjoyed it.
June 6, 2018
I have tried on many occasions to expose myself to and get into detective fictions. Some attempts are very successful, some are not. This is one of those good attempts. It takes the modern Sherlock Holmes story to Harlem and Watson is not simply a man way over his, head but a man who can handle himself just fine (story is told from his point-of-view). I really recommend this book and supporting this series overall.
January 29, 2023
I’m new to this series and glad I picked it up!
Watson will deduce quicker than your Grandma making breakfast and Holmes will ride at dawn for the people he loves.
This story is set in New York and Holmes is a medical intern dealing with an intense ER. Watson rolls in asking about (2) patients that came in but Holmes can tell there’s more to him that meets the eye.
As the story continues, we follow them figuring out a pertinent issue that’s affecting the community. So you know drugs are involved.
I know this is the first issue but I was hoping for a little
more background on Holmes and it was set in a different city. The story was still fun to read and would recommend!
Watson will deduce quicker than your Grandma making breakfast and Holmes will ride at dawn for the people he loves.
This story is set in New York and Holmes is a medical intern dealing with an intense ER. Watson rolls in asking about (2) patients that came in but Holmes can tell there’s more to him that meets the eye.
As the story continues, we follow them figuring out a pertinent issue that’s affecting the community. So you know drugs are involved.
I know this is the first issue but I was hoping for a little
more background on Holmes and it was set in a different city. The story was still fun to read and would recommend!
February 15, 2016
New indeed
4.25 stars
This was a very good take on the classic Sherlock Holmes and Watson. But there were moment when the scene changes kinda through me off. And sometimes the dialogue seemed to drag on a bit too long in some scenes where it seemed like he was trying to make sure that Holmes said those classic Sherlock quotes. And Watson was just the muscle. The art was great..I think how it was drawn really help with the type of story he was trying to convey, them being in New York and all. Can't wait for the second volume, hopefully the dialogue is better.
4.25 stars
This was a very good take on the classic Sherlock Holmes and Watson. But there were moment when the scene changes kinda through me off. And sometimes the dialogue seemed to drag on a bit too long in some scenes where it seemed like he was trying to make sure that Holmes said those classic Sherlock quotes. And Watson was just the muscle. The art was great..I think how it was drawn really help with the type of story he was trying to convey, them being in New York and all. Can't wait for the second volume, hopefully the dialogue is better.
March 5, 2016
4.5. An updated Sherlock Holmes, set in Harlem with Jon Watson (medical intern post-Afghanistan), Holmes (PI) and Lesley Stroud (female LT on police force). This was such a pitch perfect update and adaptation. I honestly enjoyed it more than I do Sherlock. The art is a little too scratchy for my taste, but the coloring was gorgeous. The story was smooth and there were clues in the art all along, which I appreciated. I cannot wait for volume 2 to come in!
March 19, 2015
Book #8 for my 50 book PoC Challenge.
I liked this and thought it was interesting. It was fun but not especially profound, and the ending felt a bit abrupt.
#weneeddiversebooks
#50bookPoCchallenge
I liked this and thought it was interesting. It was fun but not especially profound, and the ending felt a bit abrupt.
#weneeddiversebooks
#50bookPoCchallenge
March 30, 2018
Book #10 for 2018
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book by an author of a different ethnicity than yourself
Key Words Challenge: February - And
PopSugar:
- A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you
- A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift
Alphabet Soup: W
50 States Challenge: New York
Full House Bingo Square: Mystery or Thriller
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge:
- A comic written or illustrated by a person of color
- A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author
- A comic that isn't published by Marvel, DC, or Image
Book Bingo Square: Graphic novel, manga, or comic book
Better World Books:
- A graphic novel
- A book with a detective protagonist
I had some of my usual graphic novel problems with this one: unclear order of panels and/or speech bubbles and artwork that was too shadowy for me to make out important details. But seeing as how these are such common features of graphic novels, this is probably just more evidence that I should give up on reading graphic novels and leave them for people who get how they work. I don't know why it's so difficult for my brain to process these things, but there it is. And I'm beginning to think reading challenge list-makers keep adding these tasks just to make my life difficult.
Despite these difficulties, I enjoyed this Harlem-based twist on the Holmes/Watson mythos and dynamic. In some ways I liked it even better than the Cumberbatch/Freeman reboot on the BBC, and I'd love to see this translated to the screen, where I should be able to follow it better. And who knows, with the success of Black Panther, maybe this could be an Actual Thing That Happens. I was also pleased that this volume had a lot more plot resolution than I've come to expect from comic book series, so that episodic nature should be helpful in this regard.
I'd recommend this to anybody looking for a new take on Sherlock Holmes or who is interested in a mystery series set in Harlem.
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book by an author of a different ethnicity than yourself
Key Words Challenge: February - And
PopSugar:
- A book by an author of a different ethnicity than you
- A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift
Alphabet Soup: W
50 States Challenge: New York
Full House Bingo Square: Mystery or Thriller
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge:
- A comic written or illustrated by a person of color
- A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author
- A comic that isn't published by Marvel, DC, or Image
Book Bingo Square: Graphic novel, manga, or comic book
Better World Books:
- A graphic novel
- A book with a detective protagonist
I had some of my usual graphic novel problems with this one: unclear order of panels and/or speech bubbles and artwork that was too shadowy for me to make out important details. But seeing as how these are such common features of graphic novels, this is probably just more evidence that I should give up on reading graphic novels and leave them for people who get how they work. I don't know why it's so difficult for my brain to process these things, but there it is. And I'm beginning to think reading challenge list-makers keep adding these tasks just to make my life difficult.
Despite these difficulties, I enjoyed this Harlem-based twist on the Holmes/Watson mythos and dynamic. In some ways I liked it even better than the Cumberbatch/Freeman reboot on the BBC, and I'd love to see this translated to the screen, where I should be able to follow it better. And who knows, with the success of Black Panther, maybe this could be an Actual Thing That Happens. I was also pleased that this volume had a lot more plot resolution than I've come to expect from comic book series, so that episodic nature should be helpful in this regard.
I'd recommend this to anybody looking for a new take on Sherlock Holmes or who is interested in a mystery series set in Harlem.
February 7, 2020
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Jon Watson as you’ve never seen them before.
Set in modern Harlem, we see the duo rebooted as black men, still solving crimes.
Watson here is a intern at a hospital newly divorced and a father. It’s something we rarely see in other Holmes stories and adds a new sense of depth to the character. Holmes is the master of deduction, but I will say that this is the most empathetic I’ve ever seen him done, which is great because the “rude genius” trope is over played and needs to die. Watching him care for others doesn’t hinder his intelligence or his ability to catch criminals, so this was a nice change of pace.
Out of all the Holmes stories out there, this was probably the most realistic, since they made good use of Harlem by showing its rough crime, but also the good sense of community with the neighbors. Doesn’t hold back any punches either by having one case be about babies in dumpsters.
One thing I really love is how Holmes, Watson, Mycroft, and Mrs. Hudson are all here and while their race has been changed, they’re personalities are affected due to the circumstances of both race and location, but they’re over core character traits are still the same as they’ve been in over 100 years. Watson still has strong morality, Holmes is still clever, Mrs. Hudson is still the kind landlady, and Mycroft is the smartest person in the room. Unfortunately this has only one other book, but this is great if you want to read a different yet familiar Holmes.
Set in modern Harlem, we see the duo rebooted as black men, still solving crimes.
Watson here is a intern at a hospital newly divorced and a father. It’s something we rarely see in other Holmes stories and adds a new sense of depth to the character. Holmes is the master of deduction, but I will say that this is the most empathetic I’ve ever seen him done, which is great because the “rude genius” trope is over played and needs to die. Watching him care for others doesn’t hinder his intelligence or his ability to catch criminals, so this was a nice change of pace.
Out of all the Holmes stories out there, this was probably the most realistic, since they made good use of Harlem by showing its rough crime, but also the good sense of community with the neighbors. Doesn’t hold back any punches either by having one case be about babies in dumpsters.
One thing I really love is how Holmes, Watson, Mycroft, and Mrs. Hudson are all here and while their race has been changed, they’re personalities are affected due to the circumstances of both race and location, but they’re over core character traits are still the same as they’ve been in over 100 years. Watson still has strong morality, Holmes is still clever, Mrs. Hudson is still the kind landlady, and Mycroft is the smartest person in the room. Unfortunately this has only one other book, but this is great if you want to read a different yet familiar Holmes.
January 1, 2018
I was really excited to read this but I am sorry to say that the story fell short. I felt the story became a little confusing to me and I eventually became bored. The story begins with babies being found thrown in the garbage. Watson a doctor in the ER tries to save the baby but the poor baby dies. Then another man with severe wounds comes into the ER and we meet private detectives Holmes. Then the story changes in a weird way. The two come together to look for the man's sister and then they find her but the reader doesn't really knows what happened to her and why she was kidnapped. Then at some point the artwork changes and I actually thought a new character was introduced but then found out it was Holmes. I also did not understand Holmes and his background totally. At this point I kinda gave up on the story and just read the last couple of pages. The positive of the book was the artwork was gorgeous. I actually flipped through the rest of the book just to see the images. At the end of the book there are additional drawings of the main characters which are really cool to look at.
June 28, 2022
The art in this book was amazing, but the violence was so over the top that it was hard to put myself in the story. This modern version puts Watson and Holmes as Black men in Harlem. Holmes is still a private eye, but one willing and likely to use a gun and get in street fights. He still uses his mind but comes off more brute than brain. Watson is just a medical intern, and he has lost his heart. He is an Afghanistan war veteran with PTSD who feels pulled to Holmes. However, the friendship between the two does not feel real. It feels more like hero worship. Watson seems more inclined to find action like his military duty, while Holmes is not so much about showing and learning, as bragging and snobbery. I wanted to like this but didn’t. However, I think the main problem is I am the wrong audience. I have never lived in Harlem or neighborhoods like it. I have never had to deal with the issues and hardships of inner-city life. So, to someone else, this book is probably amazing, and I think libraries should carry it, but for me, it just was not my thing.
September 14, 2024
This was fun. I've always admired detective stories. I don't know if the clues are set up in a way that the average reader can deduce and figure out what's happening, but I had fun reading. Holmes and Watson's banter is great, and there are constant twists and turns.
The artwork is supposed to have a gritty feel, but some panels look unfinished due to the sketchy line art. The last issue has a "hamster eyes" problem where they're too spaced out and pupil-less. One of the side characters Junior is supposed to be a young teenager but looks like he's pushing 50. Despite these minor things, I think the artwork was mostly effective, and I believe the New York setting.
I was really intrigued by Holmes. What's driving him? The sense of accomplishment, the need to do good, his mother's approval, etc? This question may be enough to make me read the second volume.
The artwork is supposed to have a gritty feel, but some panels look unfinished due to the sketchy line art. The last issue has a "hamster eyes" problem where they're too spaced out and pupil-less. One of the side characters Junior is supposed to be a young teenager but looks like he's pushing 50. Despite these minor things, I think the artwork was mostly effective, and I believe the New York setting.
I was really intrigued by Holmes. What's driving him? The sense of accomplishment, the need to do good, his mother's approval, etc? This question may be enough to make me read the second volume.
December 31, 2018
The premise was really cool, the story wasn't bad, and the art was pretty solid; I loved some of the character designs, particularly Detective Straud and Jon Watson. Something in the characters' dialogue, though, just was off-putting. While I'm no expert on AAVE, much of this book seemed to jump at random between classic Sherlockian English and stereotypical Black English words like 'bro and 'kat.' It felt like someone trying to affect a Black accent, and struggling with it.
Again, I am no expert. Heck, I barely have enough linguistics to qualify my minor in, and I grew up in Whitey McWhitesville. The dialogue in this just felt weird to me, thus the lower rating.
Again, I am no expert. Heck, I barely have enough linguistics to qualify my minor in, and I grew up in Whitey McWhitesville. The dialogue in this just felt weird to me, thus the lower rating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews