COMIC: MORIARTY COMING IN MAY 2011 FROM IMAGE

Image Comics Press Release:

IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT SHERLOCK

Moriarty Offers a New Take on Literature’s Original Super-Villain

Berkeley, CA - February 22, 2011 - Image Comics presents another new title as well as some exciting new talent with MORIARTY, a collaboration from the up and coming creative team of writer Daniel Corey and artist Anthony Diecidue. This new series, set to debut in May, will follow the world’s greatest criminal mastermind as he adjusts to life without a foil.

Although the venerable series created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle covered a great deal of ground, it left one question unanswered: What would happen if Professor Moriarty finally achieved mortal victory over his ages old nemesis? With Diecidue's art evoking the dark and foreboding atmosphere of London after dark, Corey will show readers how he imagines the story without a Sherlock Holmes.

“Would Moriarty revel in victory, spend the rest of his life smoking cigars and sleeping on stacks of money?” Daniel Corey wondered. “Probably not. I think he’d fall on hard times, and it would take one heck of an event - say, a World War - to jolt him back to life.”

Corey continued, "Moriarty's not an evil person - not in his own mind. In working with Anthony Diecidue to create this series, I thought we’d take a look at things from Moriarty’s perspective, get to know his thoughts. Along the way, we could see him delve into some mind-blowing deductive reasoning, get into a few sword fights, decipher riddles and discover technology 50 years ahead of its time. Would we expect any less from the original super-villain?"

MORIARTY #1, a 32 page full-color science fiction noir comic book, is in stores in May 2011 for $2.99.

For an interview with writer Daniel Corey, in which he discusses MORIARTY, visit the Unsung Heroes blog by clicking here. Includes background details and page samples from MORIARTY.

BOOK: THE WORLD'S GREATEST SLEUTH - HOLMES ON THE RANGE

Steve Hockensmith's latest Holmes on the Range mystery in stores as of January 18, 2011. Click here to order from Amazon.

THE WORLD'S GREATEST SLEUTH

By Steve Hockensmith

n 1893, the Amlingmeyer boys venture forth from the west in response to a summons from Otto’s (“Big Red”) publisher— they are to come to Chicago immediately, to the World’s Columbian Exposition, and compete with some of the most famous detectives in the world. Set to coincide with the closing days of the first World’s Fair and the publication of the story revealing the death of Sherlock Holmes, Gustav (“Old Red”) will be competing for the title of World’s Greatest Sleuth! Hating train travel and cities, the real draw is the chance to meet up again with the intriguing and elusive Diana Corvus. But the competition has barely begun before there is a murder in “the White City”—the organizer of the contest is discovered face down in the Mammoth Cheese from Canada—and from there, the game is really afoot.

THE WORLD'S GREATEST SLEUTH

By Steve Hockensmith

Hardcover - 336 pages

Minotaur Books

ISBN 10: 0312379439

ISBN 13: 978- 0312379439

 Highly Recommended!

COMIC: VICTORIAN UNDEAD II: SHERLOCK HOLMES VS. DRACULA IN SHOPS NOV. 10

VICTORIAN UNDEAD II: SHERLOCK HOLMES VS. DRACULA #1 (OF 5)

Written by IAN EDGINTON; Art by DAVIDE FABBRI; Cover by RYAN SOOK
A year after the defeat of Professor Moriarty's revenant horde and the fire-bombing of London, restoration is well under way. Yet, from across the sea, ancient eyes cast their hungry gaze upon the still vulnerable capital…Dracula is coming!

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate the wreck of the ship, the Demeter – its crew missing, the corpse of its Captain lashed to the ship's wheel – and soon realize this is merely the opening salvo of war from beyond the grave! Don't miss this start to a bloodthirsty new 5-issue miniseries!

On Sale November 10, 2010

To view preview pages visit the Wildstorm News Blog by clicking here.

COMIC: VICTORIAN UNDEAD SPECIAL JEKYLL AND HYDE

As a lead-in to the forthcoming second series of VICTORIAN UNDEAD (Coming in November) this week sees the release of Wildstorm's VICTORIAN UNDEAD SPECIAL #1.

The critically acclaimed series returns! London is recovering from the frightful destruction at the hands of Moriarty's undead army, and like their neighbors, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson set about rebuilding their lives. But a rash of murders leads them to believe that a zombie might have survived the quarantine and the hunt begins...leading them to the doorstep of one Dr. Jekyll!

Written by IAN EDGINTON
Art by HORACIO DOMINGUES
Cover by ETHAN VAN SCIVER

Size: 40 Pages


Also coming from Wildstorm in November...

VICTORIAN UNDEAD II: SHERLOCK HOLMES VS. DRACULA 

Written by IAN EDGINTON; Art by DAVIDE FABBRI; Cover by RYAN SOOK

A year after the defeat of Professor Moriarty's revenant horde and the fire-bombing of London, restoration is well under way. Yet, from across the sea, ancient eyes cast their hungry gaze upon the still vulnerable capital…Dracula is coming!

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate the wreck of the ship, the Demeter – its crew missing, the corpse of its Captain lashed to the ship's wheel – and soon realize this is merely the opening salvo of war from beyond the grave! Don't miss this start to a bloodthirsty new 5-issue miniseries!

On Sale November 10, 2010

DVD: SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SHADOW WATCHERS TRAILER

Back in January I posted a press release about Anthony D.P. Mann's Canadian indie film project SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SHADOW WATCHERS.

Synopsis:

The sensational details of a gruesome murder in The Daily Gazette have London in a panic, as a blood-thirsty madman - more vicious than Jack the Ripper - preys upon the city. Of greater concern to Scotland Yard, however, is that the account of the murder was published nearly two hours prior to the crime having been committed! 

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson – the Great Detective and his faithful assistant and chronicler – find themselves challenged with one of their most baffling cases - “The Case of the Woman Who Was Murdered Tomorrow”!

Will an innocent man be sent to the gallows?

How much blood will be shed before a scarred fiend is brought to justice? …And who are the mysterious Shadow Watchers, a coven of ominous figures who orchestrate terror from within the darkness?

Starring Anthony D.P. Mann as Holmes and Terry Wade as Dr. Watson, “Sherlock Holmes and the Shadow Watchers” is a horrifying new adventure, produced with the kind permission of the Conan Doyle Estate*.

DVD / Online Release: 2010

Now here's a trailer for it.






For more info on SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SHADOW WATCHERS visit the official site at sherlockholmesadventures.ca/

COMIC: SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS is a series of four graphic novel stories to be released by Franklin Watts / EDGE books, a division of Hachette Children’s Books, in March of 2011.

Written by Tony Lee, with art by Dan Boultwood, these four books are said to chronicle the adventures of the Baker Street Irregulars, Holmes’ street urchin aides, during the period of the Great Hiatus when Holmes was believed dead after his fateful encounter with Professor James Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls. Stories titles are: 'The Adventure Of The Missing Detective’, ‘The Adventure Of The Phantom Of Drury Lane’, ‘The Adventure Of  The Charge Of  The Old Brigade’ and ‘The Adventure Of The Family Reunion.’ In an effort to place the stories in Canonical context, Sherlockian expert Leslie S. Klinger was brought in as a consultant on the project.

For more information on SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS check out the official blog/site at thebakerstreetirregulars.com

You can also find a couple sample pages at BleedingCool.com.

More info here when available.

DVD: 1965 DOUGLAS WILMER SHERLOCK HOLMES SERIES TO DVD SEPTEMBER 2010

According to a BBC America Press release on April 16th, 2010 the BBC and Warner Home Video are planning a release of the 11 surviving complete episodes of the 1965 BBC Television series starring Douglas Wilmer as Sherlock Holmes. Details on the release appear at TVShowsOnDVD.com


The 2-DVD package has a $19.98 SRP, and is expected to include the following:

• Pilot: The Speckled Band
• Episode 1 - The Illustrious Client
• Episode 2 - The Devil's Foot
• Episode 3 - The Copper Beeches
• Episode 4 - The Red-Headed League
• Episode 6 - The Six Napoleons
• Episode 7 - The Man with the Twisted Lip
• Episode 8 - The Beryl Coronet
• Episode 9 - Charles Augustus Milverton
• Epsiode 10 - The Retired Colourman
• Episode 11 - The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax

Note: Two episodes of the Douglas Wilmer series in the BBC archives are believed to be incomplete -"The Abbey Grange" and "The Bruce-Partington Plans" - so are not included in this release.

BOOK: SHERLOCK HOLMES FOR DUMMIES RELEASED

Sherlock Holmes is No Longer a Mystery for Dummies!

You no longer need to be a Sherlock Holmes to discover why the Great Detective has remained popular for over 100 years. It's elementary with Wiley Publishing's brand new Sherlock Holmes for Dummies, by Steven Doyle!

Sherlock Holmes is a classic character that has fascinated readers for decades, and now this indispensable guide explores the enduring detective’s stories like never before. In Sherlock Holmes for Dummies, you'll discover the rich characters, recurring themes, and social context of Arthur Conan Doyle’s
tales; the influence of Holmes on literature and pop culture; and why his stories still offer endless and fascinating new discoveries to readers.

"For over a century, Sherlock Holmes has mesmerized readers,"
comments Steven Doyle, author of Sherlock Holmes for Dummies. "Holmes set
the standard for detective fiction, and has inspired hundreds of fan clubs and
literary societies around the world."

Every aspect of the Sherlockian phenomenon is covered in Sherlock Holmes for Dummies. The reader will meet Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who created the world’s greatest detective, and learn about Victorian London, where the Holmes stories take place.

There's new insight into the classic novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, as well as the forensics and detective work that made Sherlock Holmes famous. You'll discover why Holmes and Watson are such beloved characters, and experience Sherlock Holmes today, from the ever-expanding network of worldwide fans, to story locations that fans can visit. It’s all covered in Sherlock Holmes for Dummies. Nicholas Meyer, movie director, screen writer, and author of the best-selling The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, says that “Sherlock Holmes for Dummies is essential reading."

Steven Doyle is a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, the legendary
Sherlockian literary society founded in 1934, and has written or edited six
previous books on Sherlock Holmes. He is co-founder of Wessex Press, the world’s premier publisher of books on the Great Detective.

Click here to order from Amazon.com

AWARDS: SHERLOCK HOLMES ON THE RONDO HATTON CLASSIC HORROR AWARDS BALLOT

The Eighth Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards are in full swing and surprise, surprise Sherlock Holmes, in a variety of forms (Film, DVD, Comic Book), has landed on the ballot.Voting is open to everyone, so go along to the Rondo Awards website and cast a vote for Sherlock Holmes, along with a slew of other great horror nominees today!

For Best Movie of 2009:
- SHERLOCK HOLMES. The Guy Ritchie directed feature film with Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Watson.

For Best DVD TV Collection:
- BBC SHERLOCK HOLMES. Peter Cushing stars as Sherlock Holmes alongside Nigel Stock as Watson in the North American DVD release of the 5 remaining BBC episodes of the 1968 television series.

For Best Horror Comic Book:
- VICTORIAN UNDEAD. Written by Ian Edginton with art by David Fabbri, this Wildstorm series pits Holmes and Watson against a legion of undead zombies.

AUDIO CD: SHERLOCK HOLMES MOVIE SOUNDTRACK RELEASED

If you enjoyed Hans Zimmer's brilliant score for Guy Ritchie's SHERLOCK HOLMES film you'll be pleased to find that the original soundtrack has now been released to CD and is also available in a variety of MP3 downloads.

To order the soundtrack CD via Amazon USA click here.

Track List:

1. Discombobulate

2. Is It Poison, Nanny

3. I Never Woke Up In Handcuffs Before

4. My Mind Rebels At Stagnation

5. Data, Data, Data

6. He's Killed The Dog Again

7. Marital Sabotage

8. Not In Blood, But In Bond

9. Ah, Purification

10. Panic, Sheer Bloody Panic

11. Psychological Recovery.....6 Months

12. Catatonic

PRESS: FORGET THE PURISTS, CALGARY PUBLISHER KEEPS HOLMES EVOLVING

Back to Baker Street

Forget the purists, Calgary publisher keeps Sherlock Holmes evolving

 

December 21, 2009 

By Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald 

Photograph by: Christina Ryan, Calgary Herald

 

Charles Prepolec did not want to add to the perception that Sherlock Holmes fans, or Sherlockians as they call themselves, are rigid and overly protective of their territory when it comes to interpretations of the famous detective.

But the Calgarian admits he has found it necessary to enforce at least one rule when gathering short stories for collections that mix Arthur Conan Doyle's famous Baker Street investigator with horror scenarios: Do not bring a certain serial killer into the mix.

"No Jack the Ripper stories," says Prepolec, one of the editors of Gaslight Grotesque: Nightmare Tales of Sherlock Holmes (Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, 336 pages,$16.95) "We see him in short stories so often, and novels. No Ripper stories."

After all, having Holmes face the historical slasher isn't exactly a new idea. With an encyclopedic knowledge of all-things Sherlockian, Prepolec and co-editor J.R. Campbell can rhyme off the more notable attempts to bring the two Victorian icons together. The 1979 film, Murder by Decree with Christopher Plummer and 1965's A Study in Terror with John Neville were among the high-profile trips to that particular well.

So if you want to get your story into one of the collections, you will need to find Mr. Holmes a more original opponent.

"There are some things you have to avoid," says Campbell, who also contributed two stories to the book. "Your stories still have to be exciting. There's a lot of pastiche that tends to be more style over storytelling. You have to avoid that. There's a lot of stories that bring in a historical person. Which is fine . . . if they have a place."

With the Christmas Day release of Sherlock Holmes, a high-octane blockbuster featuring smirking Yank Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role, it could be argued that this latest release of short stories is perfectly timed to cash in on what could be a full-blown resurgence.

But Prepolec and Campbell are hardly bandwagon jumpers. Gaslight Grotesque is the fourth book that has been put together featuring creepy Holmes tales and the second to be published by Calgary-based genre kings Edge Publishing. They are working on a fifth. Both are members of Calgary's Singular Society of the Baker Street Dozen, a group that has been getting together in one form or another since 1987 to discuss the constant evolution of Doyle's character in the pop-culture consciousness.

And both have fairly high standards when it comes to what they'll accept as additions to the Holmes legend. The 13 tales come from a wide variety of authors who hail from Canada, the U.K., the U.S. and Australia. The book has gotten some high-profile shout-outs from Canuck sci-fi king Robert J. Sawyer and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola.... (click to read the full article at the Calgary Herald)

 

MOVIE TIE-IN: ROBERT DOWNEY JR VISITS HIS WAX EFFIGY

ROBERT DOWNEY JR MEETS HIS DOUBLE AS MADAME TUSSAUDS LONDON INTRODUCES HIS NEW SHERLOCK HOLMES FIGURE

London, 16^th December 2009 – Robert Downey Jr came face to face with himself when his new Madame Tussauds wax figure paid him a “visit” at Claridges yesterday.  The Hollywood star is portrayed as legendary detective Sherlock Holmes from the new Warner Bros film, Sherlock Holmes, which premiered on Monday.   

The figure depicts Downey Jr in the strikingly modern spirit of the film, dressed in a replica of one of the movie costumes, with penetrating stare and tousled hair.  The figure will star at the world famous attraction in a set inspired by the film – complete with some very contemporary interactive twists for guests to enjoy.

For more on Madame Tussaud's London click here.

AUDIO: AUDIOFILE MAGAZINE LISTENERS' GUIDE TO SHERLOCK HOLMES

AudioFile magazine has put together some interesting material on various audio programmes, largely of the audiobook variety i.e. one person readings,  featuring Sherlock Holmes. The site currently offers some behind the scenes audio interviews  with readers David Timson, Simon Prebble, Ralph Cosham and dramatist Yuri Rasovsky. AudioFile magazine also currently offers a free download of three stories  - Silver Blaze, The Adventure of the Stock-Broker's Clerk, and The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans - courtesy of Naxos AudioBooks. 

To check out the AudioFile Magazine Listeners' Guide visit AudioFile Magazine's site here.

Illustration by Hemesh Alles copyright Naxos AudioBooks 

COMIC: AUSTRALIAN SERIES - DARK DETECTIVE: SHERLOCK HOLMES

Premiering in July 2009, this new on-going series has been chilling readers to the bone for four issues now. Beginning with the free preview The Ghost of Mary Shelley, the series most recently featured Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart companion John Watson tackling the depravities of the Lodge of Bellorophon through the Chimera story arc.

Issue 4 is due in January 2010 and will bring a slight detour for the avid reader, focusing for a while on the mysterious office occupied by Mycroft Holmes. Mycroft, the keeper of so many secrets, has some terrible things to tell you – so listen closely.

While Dark Detective has largely been available only through Australian newsagents, that is about to change in January 2010 when interested readers will be able to order the printed comics directly from Australian publisher Black House Comics. In the meantime, you can download the preview issue The Ghost of Mary Shelley as a PDF file by clicking here.


The creative team behind Dark Detective: Sherlock Holmes features:

Christopher Sequeira has written for Marvel, DC, BOOM! Studios as well as being responsible for numerous independent titles. His Holmes work has been featured in Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherlock Holmes ("His Last Arrow") and he is a member of the Sydney Passengers. Check out his blog at www.comicbookwriter.blogspot.com.

Phil Cornell is a commercial artist who, while never having drawn for comics before, has become well known for his faithful renditions of Arthur Conan Doyle’s world. His fine story illustrations and frontispiece graced the pages Gaslight Grimoire: Fantastic Tales of Sherlock Holmes and he also provided cover art and interior art for Curious Incidents Volumes 1&2.

Dave Elsey is an Oscar nominated special effects artist who has worked on everything from Hellraiser to The Wolfman. His amazing covers bring forth a different side of Holmes and show both the man and monster within. Dave is also co-creator of the title and works the digital magic evident on each and every page. Dave has also provided the cover art for the forthcoming book Gaslight Arcanum: Uncanny Tales of Sherlock Holmes.

A talented team loaded with skill and imagination! These folks know their Sherlock Holmes and bring a wonderfully dark 'classic horror movie' sensibility to this project. If you love Sherlock Holmes, classic Universal monster movies and the output of Hammer Films Studios...this is definitely for you! Visit Black House Comics for more details!

Highly Recommended!

MOVIE TIE-IN: ROBERT DOWNEY JR WAX FIGURE AT MADAME TUSSAUDS

Madame Tussauds Press Release:

 Unsuspecting travellers at one of the UK’s busiest stations were joined by one of the world’s most famous names this morning when Sherlock Holmes came home to Baker Street.   

The Holmes in question was a startlingly lifelike wax figure of Robert Downey Jr in his latest role - on a brief sojourn before taking up residence at Baker Street’s other famous name, Madame Tussauds.    The figure portrays Downey Jr in the strikingly modern spirit of the much anticipated new Warner Bros film, Sherlock Holmes, premiering in London on Monday (14^th December).  Dressed in a replica of one of the movie costumes the figure will be featured at the world famous attraction in a set inspired by the film – complete with some very contemporary interactive twists for guests to enjoy.        Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes will star at Madame Tussauds from 14^th December.   Sherlock Holmes opens in UK cinemas on Boxing Day.

 

TECH: VOOK - THE SHERLOCK HOLMES EXPERIENCE FOR WEB OR iPHONE®

Technology is a wonderful thing, especially when it may have useful applications in a classroom setting, which is what the creators of Vook: The Sherlock Holmes Experience appear to have in mind.

So what is a Vook? Well according to the website:

"A vook is a new innovation in reading that blends a well-written book, high-quality video and the power of the Internet into a single, complete story.
You can read your book, watch videos that enhance the story and connect with authors and your friends through social media all on one screen, without switching between platforms.


Vooks are available in two formats: As a web-based application you can read on your computer and a mobile application for reading on the go. With the web-based application you don't have to download programs or install software. Just open your favorite browser and start reading and watching in an exciting new way. You can also download and install the mobile applications through the Apple iTunes store and sync them with your Apple mobile device."

And specifically about The Sherlock Holmes Experience:

"The Sherlock Holmes Experience vook is a revolutionary new way to read about the exploits of Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary creation: Sherlock Holmes. The vook features two classic stories by Doyle -- The Man with the Twisted Lip and The Adventure of the Speckled Band -- and enhances them with videos that delve into the history and legend surrounding the character of Holmes.

15 compelling videos take you back to the gas-lit London streets where Holmes would pull on his deer stalker, summon Doctor Watson, and set out from 211B Baker Street on another crime solving adventure. The videos help you envision the world of Holmes and highlight details and historical facts that further immerse you in the mystery. Go to London's Baker Street, made famous by Doyle's stories. Visit Holmes' sitting room where so many mysteries were solved. Learn more about Holmes' crime solving techniques from the experts who have studied them. The videos in this vook provide a glimpse into the world of the famous detective and what inspired the innovative crime fighting series written by Conan Doyle.

Readers can also easily access more information on the Web by using the many hyperlinks embedded in this vook."

Sounds good? Well, having gone through the two stories this afternoon, I'm impressed with the results. While some of the video has a goofy 'man on the street' Q&A element, the video footage featuring Sherlock Holmes Society of London members Catherine Cooke and Nick Utechin are really quite well done. Largely, the video material provides context for the modern reader and works rather well.  The classroom applications are strong, but this is also useful material for the casual reader too.

Will this catch on as the best way to bring classic fiction to the internet generation? Hard to say, but it's certainly worth a look, particularly as the folks behind The Sherlock Holmes Experience have said "...we’re giving one copy of the Sherlock Holmes Experience free to every accredited educator in the UK and the US. The vook is going to bring the world of Holmes to a new generation of readers in an intelligent and useful manner." Check it out.

For more info or for educators to request a copy, visit the Vook website.

TECH: SHERLOCK HOLMES LONDON LOCATIONS MAPPED ON NEW iPHONE® App

Sherlock Holmes Guide To London iphone app includes more than 60 locations connected to the great detective. Use it as a walking tour or simply browse the information as a fact-packed guide to houses, hotels, railway stations, pubs, plaques and statues. The app includes more than 100 photographs and easy-to-use mapping to transport you back to a time when London was a city of fog, hansom cabs and a network of crime to stimulate the mind of the world's most famous consulting detective. The first 40 locations from Baker Street to Leicester Square can be used as a four mile walk or split up as the user wishes. A second set of extra locations further afield are conveniently grouped near to London's tube stations.

Written and created by David Roberts and designed by Clay Interactive, The Sherlock Holmes Guide to London can be downloaded for just £1.79 at the App store:

http://www.itunes.com/app/TheSherlockHolmesGuidetoLondon

COMIC: WILDSTORM'S VICTORIAN UNDEAD #1 UNLEASHED THIS WEEK

The first issue of Wildstorm Comics new Sherlock Holmes series - Victorian Undead - was unleashed to comic shops this past week, and happily, it is a fine and extremely fun read.

Written by Ian Edginton, with art by Davide Fabbri and a cover by Tony Moore, the book kicks off with a strange and ominous meteor shower in 1854 then jumps ahead to 1898 where workers in the Underground make a deadly and gruesome discovery. Soon after, when faced with a snarling and rabid corpse that won't stay still, Lestrade summons Sherlock Holmes for assistance, only to be warned off by ominous men in black - agents of Her Majesty's Secret Service. So begins the first issue in this exciting new six issue series pitting Holmes against a Zombie plague!

Ian Edginton (also doing a great job of adapting Conan Doyle's Holmes novels, with art by I.N.J Culbard, for Sterling's Illustrated Classics graphic novel series) does a marvelous job of presenting us with a highly intriguing, and so far mysterious, start to this challenging concept, with a hint that there will be far more to this series than simply pitting Holmes against a mindless zombie horde. Dialogue and story are both very convincing and his presentation of Holmes as an energetic,  curious and driven individual works extremely well. The proceedings are complemented by the beautifully rendered artwork of Davide Fabbri, whose character design for Holmes is, if perhaps a bit too handsome and super-heroic in proportions, a perfectly acceptable and appealing creation. Watson fares a little less well and is presented as a slightly stocky, gray-haired gent, sporting spectacles. The zombies are suitably ghastly and actually fairly disgusting to look upon, which is as it should be! Perhaps my only complaint about the look of the book is the somewhat over-lit and vivid colouring applied to the artwork, but it's a minor quibble. On the whole, this is a terrific read in every way and provides a great deal of fun for the imaginative reader, if not for the Sherlockian purist. Get out to your local comic shop and pick this one up! Highly Recommended.

For more info on the series, including cover art for upcoming issues, visit the Wildstorm Comics site.

AUDIO CD: THE BIG FINISH SHERLOCK HOLMES TEASER PODCAST

As a teaser to their Sherlock Holmes range, Big Finish Audio profiles the Holmes programs in a fun podcast with guests Nicholas Briggs (the voice of Sherlock Holmes in Holmes and the Ripper), Roger Llewellyn (star of Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act  and Sherlock Holmes: The Death and Life) as well as Sherlockian author and playwright David Stuart Davies. To listen to the podcast go to the Big Finish site or for direct play/download click here (this will launch your media player).

The first of the Big Finish audio programs - SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE LAST ACT is scheduled to be released this month (November 2009).To order or for further info visit the Big Finish site.

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE DEATH AND LIFE, with Roger Llewellyn, will be released in December. HOLMES AND THE RIPPER with Nicholas Briggs will be available in January, 2010.

EPHEMERA: ALA SHERLOCK HOLMES MOVIE TIE-IN READ POSTER

As part of their READ promotion the American Library Association has produced a 22 x 34 inch poster featuring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson. The sharp looking poster features the tradtitional quote:

"When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

The $16.00 poster is available to order through the American Library Association online shop