Hyde And Seek
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson face off against Mr Hyde in a new Titan Comics series
WRITTEN BY FRED DUVAL AND JEAN-PIERRE Pécau, drawn by Stevan Subic, and originally published in France by Delcourt, Titan Comics’ new four-issue series MORIARTY: Clockwork Empire transplants Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective duo into a steampunk-style Victorian London.
“We were both great readers of Doyle, so we discussed the story and started to build the project together,” Duval tells Red Alert. “I’ve read The Hound Of The Baskervilles quite a number of times in my life, and it’s such a timeless and brilliantly constructed tale, so adapting it into an alternate history almost felt like a natural thing to do.”
As the title indicates, Holmes’s notorious arch-enemy is a more pervasive presence than usual. “Rather than transporting a Holmes investigation into a steampunk universe, it seemed original to us to confront him with the evil genius of the series, Professor Moriarty,” explains Pécau, while Duval adds: “The idea that Moriarty was actually an organisation like SPECTRE in James Bond was interesting, so MORIARTY dies but always comes back.”
With Duval noting that “the reflection of the body, on transhumanism in reality, that is built up around Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson went perfectly with MORIARTY’S super-soldier plans,” Holmes and Watson are pitted against Dr Jekyll’s monstrous dark side. “At first, we wanted it to be a bit like The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen and to connect the Holmes myth to all the great authors of the time,” says Pécau. “Not just Stevenson, but also Bram Stoker and even Fantomas.”
Subic is currently illustrating the Paul Dano-penned The Riddler: Year One for DC Comics, and bringing a steampunk Victorian London to life was a very different challenge to depicting the modern-day metropolis of Gotham. “The Riddler is not that common a comic as it’s rare that Hollywood and the comics industry will come together this tightly,” he says. “Working with Paul Dano has been a once in a lifetime experience, as he’s such a wonderful person, intellectual and an amazing actor, and we communicate on a daily basis.
“I’ve just started work on issue three, and can say that The Riddler: Year One is similar to nothing I’ve done before. It’s a comic for itself and I’m enjoying it on every level. Working with Paul and DC is something that will stay with me as a really special period.”
I’ve always loved steampunk and horror as well as Sherlock
Stating that “they left me an empty space and complete freedom,” Subic explains that he was given carte blanche when it came to designing MORIARTY’S retro-futuristic locale. “I’ve always loved steampunk and horror as well as Sherlock, so it wasn’t hard for me to sink into this unusual, fantastical world that we built very quickly and easily,” says Subic.
He didn’t have any particular individuals in mind when it came to Holmes and Watson themselves. “Although most cartoonists rely on references, I don’t do that very often. On the contrary, everything given on the pages is the fruit of how I see that mysterious world of Victorian London, the iconic Sherlock and everything that surrounds him and makes him such a beloved character.” SJ
MORIARTY: Clockwork Empire issue one is out on 24 February.