SHERLOCK FRANKENSTEIN & THE LEGION OF EVIL #1 REVIEW
Summary: The hunt for Sherlock Frankenstein begins.
5
A fantastic introduction!
Whatever happened to Sherlock Frankenstein?
The hunt for Sherlock Frankenstein begins, as a young, ambitious Lucy Weber, the daughter of the legendary Black Hammer, desperately searches for him, hoping to find answers connecting him to her father’s disappearance. The first piece to this puzzle leads her to the infamous Spiral Asylum, where the most dangerous villains are imprisoned.
We begin this issue in the Hall of Hammer, where we see Lucy Weber searching for clues that may reveal the whereabouts of her father, explaining his sudden disappearance from Spiral City ten years ago. Sitting there surrounded by the ephemera of his life, Lucy comes to the conclusion that if she can’t find any leads or clues here, that she must seek them out, refusing to stop until she unlocks this mysterious puzzle. Lucy decides that if you want to find a bunch of missing superheroes, that the best place to start is with their supervillains, and who better than the biggest and baddest of them all, Sherlock Frankenstein! The only problem is that no one has seen or heard from Sherlock in ten years. So, she decides to head to the last place where he was seen, the Spiral Asylum for the Criminally Insane; a notorious prison that houses the scourge of Spiral City. Once there, Lucy comes face-to-face with some of the most dangerous villains of Spiral City, with one of them giving her a revealing piece of information that will send her in a new and unexpected direction.
Here we are, issue one of Sherlock Frankenstein, with a new and exciting story focusing on the big, bad guy himself. Previously, we have only seen or heard of Sherlock through Golden Gail’s flashbacks in Black Hammer, where it is revealed to us that she was once his lover. From the first time I saw this undead ghoul, I immediately wanted to know more about him, so it’s great that Jeff Lemire and David Rubin have teamed up to bring us this new story focusing on him. However, this is also a story about Lucy and the investigations she undertakes, as she searches for her father. For Black Hammer fans, this is like being told a story in reverse, as we know where all of this investigation leads her. The only thing missing is the fact that Lucy has no memory of her time before arriving on Black Hammer farm, so this story reveals those missing pieces. I also like how this whole universe feels well-rounded and solid, with a balanced history that is filled with interconnecting events and characters. I also enjoy how these characters all possess dualistic characteristics, making them neither bad or good. We often see “bad” characters having reasons and motivations that are good, and “good” characters being massively flawed and corrupt. I find it to be clever character development, and smart way of making them all that little bit more relatable. The sad story of Mectoplasm comes to mind in this issue.
David Rubin once again teams up with Lemire, lending his animated illustrations to bring this world to life. I’ve always loved how Rubin effortlessly creates a feeling of vibrant energy on each page, with a combination of creative character designs, expressive details and beautiful colours. It all comes together to create an enjoyable visual narrative, that is both engaging and fun to look at. I particularly loved seeing the diverse array of vile and twisted villains. We get to see Rubin flex his artistic muscle here, as he comes up with some awesome and eclectic designs. There is also a panel, where we get to see a flashback of the Wingman and his crew punching Nazi’s and saving the world…I liked this very much. I’ll also mention the fun I had at spotting some small details in the background, like advertising for the Ether motion picture and the Black Hammer TV series. These small details gave me a giggle when I spotted them. The colour palette is beautiful and vibrant, bringing a wonderful array of lively colours and tones. Seeing this bleak world awash in vivid colours, contrasts nicely, and I find that the use of deep purples fosters a somewhat ominous and dangerous tone.
Overall, I though this to be a strong and engaging introduction to Sherlock Frankenstein. I’m looking forward to diving straight into this adventure with Lucy, as she probes for answers concerning the whereabouts of Sherlock and ultimately her father. I find it hard to say anything negative about this world and the stories that come out of it. So, in saying that, do yourself a favour and go grab a copy ASAP!
I’m giving this 5 out of 5 stars!
COMIC DETAILS
CREATIVE TEAM: Jeff Lemire and David Rubin
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PUBLICATION DATE: October 18, 2017
REVIEWER: Dana Folkard
About the Author
Dana Folkard An absolute nerd with a passion for all things sci-fi! Lover of comics, coffee and Geralt of Rivia. Mother of Dragons!
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