Moriarty the Patriot, Volume 2

January 1, 2021
Sherlock Holmes' archnemesis, Professor James Moriarty, appeared in only six of Arthur Conan Doyle's oeuvre, but popular manga-maker Takeuchi--with energetically animated art by Miyoshi--continues to indulge his own empathy for villains in the second volume of many more to come. Here, the James Moriartys are actually three: the eldest, Albert James; and his two adopted brothers, William James (the professor) and Louis James (the family caretaker). Murder's a family act--they see it as an equalizer between the have-way-too-much flaunters and the long-suffering commoners. For now, Lt. Col. (Albert) Moriarty has returned to London's War Office; William and Louis remain based at Moriarty Manor in northeast England. The trio have added two accomplices: ex-soldier Sebastian Moran and master-of-endless-disguises Fred Pollock. The quintet is quite often in the right place at the right time to, for instance, bring down a opium-spreading criminal organization or catch a deer-hunter count scouting bigger game. Meanwhile, a pony-tailed Holmes appears, with plenty of his own Machiavellian manipulations. Despite the ever-rising body count, this dynamic, campy, elementary series should continue to grow fans Stateside.

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