Sherlock Holmes vs. Harry Houdini #1 introduces the two proud, stubborn men who will be the heroes(at least title-wise) of the Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery’s upcoming miniseries. Harry Houdini stages one of his famous escapes while Sherlock Holmes watching from a jail cell, deduces his means of escape and tells the crowd, leaving an irritated Houdini to challenge him to figure out his later tricks on stage. It also introduces someone who apparently controls the supernatural spirits Houdini denies and who threatens to kill if Houdini does not acknowledge his superiority, setting the stage for the mystery to come.
The interactions between the two men are a delight to read, as are the observations made by Bess, Houdini’s wife, and John Watson, Holmes’ long-time friend. Both men have companions willing to make taut, ego-deflating observations as needed–and both men have egos that need deflating, probably more than they get. Here, Del Col and McCreery set the two in opposition while confronting them with a puzzle that might well require their cooperation. I, for one, cannot wait to see how the mystery unfolds.
Carlos Furuzono shows the glamour of Houdini’s performing world and the deliberate disrepair of Holmes’ current state in this introduction. He gives both men a similar look—strong jawed and determined. Mostly, this works well as it highlights the similarities of their personalities, but there were occasions when I wished that he and or Aikau Olivia had chosen to give more of the men different hair colors as there was at least one other strong-jawed, dark haired male to confuse matters. Furuzono knows how to zoom in on different aspects of Houdini’s tricks to keep them interesting and lively for people who are not, after all, at the event, and Olivia’s strong, clear colors help give it the air of a show both men are putting on, as they act even when not on stage.
If you enjoy mystery or like to watch strong characters clash, then Sherlock Holmes vs. Houdini is one to pick up.
Writers: Anthony Del Col, Conor McCreery
Artist: Carlos Furuzono
Colors: Aikau Olivia
Letters: Rob Steen
Covers: John Cassaday, Aaron Campbell, Colton Worley
