Booknote: Watson and Holmes

Karl Bollers, et.al., Watson and Holmes, Volume 1: A Study in Black. New Jersey: New Paradigm Studios, 2013. ISBN: 9781939516015. 

This is a new adaptation of Sherlock Holmes from New Paradigm Studios. The main characters are re-imagined as African Americans in contemporary New York City's Harlem district. Watson, a veteran of the Afghanistan campaign, is a doctor working in an inner city clinic. Holmes is a very eccentric private investigator who takes strange and unusual cases. The mysterious death of a baby girl brings them together in a case that is soon revealed to have layers of conspiracy and danger from a ruthless group of ex-military mercenaries.

The adaptation is excellent. The authors do keep many of the classic details, but the setting, the characters, and the story add a new hip freshness that makes this a great comic. You don't have to have read Conan Doyle's classic tales to enjoy this. However, if you have read Conan Doyle's work, like I have, you can appreciate the craft in this new version. The volume, which covers issues 1-5 of the comic, features solid, colorful, and gritty art that reflects the setting very well.

This is is one that I definitely enjoyed. I highly recommend it, especially to fans of some of the other modern adaptations of Sherlock Holmes such as Elementary and Sherlock. Fans of the classic Sherlock Holmes tales will probably enjoy it as well. It makes a good purchase for libraries with graphic novel collections.

I am giving this the full 5 out of 5 stars. I borrowed it from my local public library, but this is one I would add to my personal collection.