Sherlock: The Blind Banker #1
Writer: Stephen Thompson
Co-Creators: Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss
Artist: Jay.
Publisher: Titan Comics
A review by Adrian Hodgkiss
For me, this book arrived at just the right time. It can be no coincidence that in the same week that the hit BBC show Sherlock returned to TV, Titan Comics released the first edition of a new ongoing manga adaptation of one of the super sleuth’s on screen adventures.
It’s been a while since The Blind Banker episode aired, almost six years to be exact, so an adaptation doesn’t seem too soon or too overly familiar. The manga style is not something I am necessarily a fan of ordinarily but in this genre, and with this subject matter, it’s quirks and unusual approach add to the air of mystery. You almost feel like you are decoding the story as you read it. I really liked that.
The fact that this story is presented as a manga and not a traditional comic book makes it feel more unique as apposed to other TV adaptations or licensed property books which can feel at times like a poor facsimile of their TV or film counterpart. None of that here, and the action, humour, and intrigue are all captured wonderfully by Jay. and Stephen Thompson.
It sounds cliche (and it is) but I actually felt like I was watching an episode of the show as I read it. In a world where there is a comic book for almost every pop culture entity it pays to stand out and I think this book shows how much Titan are willing to try to do that. It would be easy to play safe and give the avid fan a paint by numbers copy of the TV episode shot for shot. By transforming this into a manga and drawing it in traditional style, complete with sound affects in Japanese and translated in the gutters between panels, Titan have published a book that stands out from it’s peers.
The story is one I’ve seen before on TV but it didn’t feel like it. Sherlock: The Blind Banker #1 felt like something new. The art by Jay. is at times stunning, kinetic, architectural, and humorous. I was really struck by how accomplished the manga was, even down to the character likenesses. He even manages to make Benedict Cumberbatch look like a manga character and the man we all know well, all at the same time. Really accomplished work here.
The Verdict
Buy it! Sherlock: The Blind Banker #1 is a wonderful book for the avid fan or the new reader. It even includes an explanation page of how to read the manga which I think many will find helpful. This is a really good and clever adaptation that has enough charm to stand out in the crowd.
