The Baker Street Four, Vol 1

Summary: Often times in a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mystery involving Sherlock Holmes, the protagonist relied on the assistance of individuals that he referred to as the Baker Street Irregulars.  These "irregulars" were the people of the streets or in this case the children.  These kids were more than likely orphaned or abandoned to the streets of London, left to fend for themselves.  Despite their sordid lives, Sherlock saw them as invaluable and would consistently turn to them for help.  In The Baker Street Four, we follow three such children, Tom, Charlie, and Billy, along with their pet cat, Watson, on two of their own personal cases: The Blue Curtain and The Rabúkin Case. The children get to practice the techniques that they most likely learned from associating with Holmes and their own street-wise expertise in order to solve their mysteries, which it turns out to be a great help to those they're aiding.  As we get to know each of these kids, we learn that each one is not necessarily who they pretend to be, which makes their characterization and mysteries all the more interesting.

Reference: J.B. Djian, Olivier Legrand, David Etien (2017). The Baker Street Four, Vol 1. Insight Comics. San Rafael, CA.

Why I Picked It Up: I'm ashamed to admit that I have only read one story from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: The Hound of Baskervilles.  My intrigue for Sherlock Holmes came from the British television series starring Jeremy Brett. Though I knew of the character, I never really appreciated Holmes until I saw Jeremy Brett's interpretation.  From those days on whenever I think of Sherlock Holmes, I think of Brett's version of him.  When I saw the advertisement for The Baker Street Four in a comic book magazine, I knew what the title was referencing, which only naturally piqued my curiosity.

Why I Finished It: Djian and Legrand have put together some great characters, in a fascinating setting, involved in some fantastic mystery adventures.  Black Tom is a hard-boiled, tough as nails Irish lad who is a softy for romance.  Charlie (Charlotte) isn't afraid to mix it up with anyone to show that she as just as rugged as anyone, yet tries to hide the fact that she's a girl.  Billy Fletcher is a silver-tongued, quick-witted young boy who has an obvious reverence for Sherlock Holmes, yet has a past that he likes to keep to himself. Together they make a formidable team and you can easily see why Holmes relies on them.  These characters are products of the English Victorian era, a setting the Djian and Legrand, along with the illustrating talents of David Etien, have done an outstanding job of conveying.  A reader can garner a good sense of the time period's environment, its people, and their lifestyles.  Because of their masterly talents, I was easily drawn in to the graphic novel from the opening pages.

Recommendations: Readers who enjoy Sherlock Holmes and mysteries should get a kick out these young characters.  Djian, Legrand, and Etien have done an excellent homage to the genre and to the Victorian characters.  I savored each panel of the novel as if it was already a classic, as if each panel held something for me to pick up, as well as appreciate. I quickly found myself routing for the young protagonists' success. Currently, I am in the hunt for the follow up graphic novels of The Baker Street Four, so that I can continue reading their exploits. This graphic novel will not disappoint and is most assuredly one to be read on your living room couch.