I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

Stan Lee of Marvel Fame and Sherlock Holmes

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"Compound of the Busy Bee and Excelsior" [CREE]</h4>
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You're probably familiar with Stan Lee's work, as the Marvel universe continues to have its day in the sun. Lee is probably most famous for creating Spider-Man, but he's behind other Marvel wonders such as the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four, X-Men and more.<br />
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In a recent article in the <i>Wall Street Journal</i>, "<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QFjAAahUKEwj3xOX4zObIAhVIcj4KHRFHBpI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fstan-lee-comic-superhero-1445612633&usg=AFQjCNE8HKCLa1Rvua4pvEx_QgETT7lmrg&sig2=fJYISzt-_4K-F-9Epv5nPg" target="_blank">Stan Lee, Comic Superhero</a>" (possible paywall), Lee talked about his life as part of a promotional tour for his latest comic book <i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="1501107720" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="1ec8eec6ff6ae4a0a30f09cac3b17a7b" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="Amazing Fantastic Incredible" href="https://amzn.to/36kyxW1" id="amznPsBmLink_120630" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazing Fantastic Incredible</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_120630" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=thebakerstree-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=1ec8eec6ff6ae4a0a30f09cac3b17a7b&_cb=1446084849279" style="border: none; height: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 0px;" width="0" /></i> — which is actually his biography.<br />
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He talked about his childhood, in which he loved to read. This excerpt particularly struck us:<br />
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"One of his favorite presents was a bookstand he could keep on the table so that he could read during dinner. He was especially inspired by Sherlock Holmes."</b></blockquote>
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How fascinating! It made us want to dig a little deeper and determine where there might have been some overlap between the Marvel universe and Sherlock Holmes. We're not comic book experts, so we may need your help on this one, dear readers.<br />
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The first obvious stop was the Marvel Preview two-part feature of <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>, published in 1976.<br />
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Then, of course, we turned to our old friend Jerry Margolin, the sine qua non of Sherlockian art collectors, has some original Sherlockian artwork of Will Eisner. Stan Lee was the 1994 recipient of the Will Eisner award. But more importantly, Jerry (who was our guest on <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose16" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 16</a>) has this image of Spider-Man in a deerstalker and Inverness cape:<br />
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Now we turn to Sherlock Holmes impersonators. In doing so we find that Robert Downey, Jr. has played Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) in a number of Marvel films and Benedict Cumberbatch is playing Dr. Strange in an upcoming movie.<br />
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And our final connection is a trifling one, but as Sherlock Holmes said, "there is nothing so important as <a href="http://sherlockholmespodcast.com">trifles</a>." [TWIS]  In his monthly column in the 1960s, Lee would sign off with his trademark motto, "Excelsior!" While it is also the New York State motto, we can't deny that the phrase also made its way into the Canon in "The Adventure of the Creeping Man," with this exchange between Holmes and Watson, respectively:<br />
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Have you the effrontery necessary to put it through?"<br />
"We can but try."<br />
"Excellent, Watson! Compound of the Busy Bee and Excelsior. We can but try - the motto of the firm. A friendly native will surely guide us."</blockquote>
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Coincidence?<br />
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Have we missed any Marvel references that may provide more clues to Stan Lee's early inspiration? Do let us know in the comments section.<br />
<br /><br />Also see:</div><div><a href="https://ihose.co/2Q1715W" target="_blank">Remembering Stan Lee</a><br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/9NgD6b" target="_blank">Gage Skidmore (Flickr)</a></i><br />
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Stan Lee of Marvel Fame and Sherlock Holmes

"Compound of the Busy Bee and Excelsior" [CREE] You're probably familiar with Stan Lee's work, as the Marvel universe...

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by Scott Monty

The Horror of Holmes: The House of Pain

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"a story for which the world is not yet prepared" [SUSS] </h4>
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With the Halloween season upon us, it is a perfect time for reading horror stories. Some people forget that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had a rich voice in tales of terror ( I have my own collection of them in <a href="http://amzn.to/1Hhq9xK" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><i>A Study in Terror: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Revolutionary Stories of Fear and the Supernatural</i></a>),but he tended to leave that voice out of his Sherlock Holmes stories. The great detective did have horror elements in some of his adventures, but Doyle, with the exception of "The Creeping Man," always grounded Holmes in reality. Of course, some authors have ignored Holmes rule of "no ghosts nee apply," and have created Sherlock Holmes / horror crossover stories. These are great reads for the month of October, and if you are looking for a fun, new crossover tale of Holmes terror, I highly recommend the new book <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1P1Ta8C" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and the House of Pain</a></i> from author Stephen Seitz.<br />
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I had the opportunity to interview Stephen via email about his new Holmes novel, his other works, and his favorite Holmes tale.<br />
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<b>I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere: <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1P1Ta8C" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and the The House of Pain</a></i> is a rip snorting page turner of a book, part mystery and part gothic horror that blends two of Doyle's creations (Holmes and Challenger) along with one of Wells (Moreau).  How did you devise and create this genre crossover story? </b></h4>
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<b>Stephen Sietz:</b> You can blame my wife. She teaches English at Landmark College (the only college in the U.S. devoted to helping learning disabled students), and she sometimes uses <i>The Island of Dr. Moreau</i> in her science fiction classes. That led me to reading it again for the first time since high school, and I saw its potential right away.</div>
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Several things struck me about Wells’ story. First and foremost, it fits nicely into Sherlockian chronology. Obviously, you can’t date a story when Holmes and Watson are clearly doing something else. The other thing, of course, is that Moreau’s experiments and progress developed over time. Moreau said he’d been betrayed by a lab assistant, and the subject of a sensational pamphlet. Immediately, I realized that Holmes must have been that assistant, and the pamphlet written by Holmes’ sleazeball journalist friend, Langdale Pike. Thus, Holmes encounters Moreau at different stages of his research.<br />
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The young Challenger came into the picture because I needed a worthy conflict. Dr. Moreau may have been a monster, but how different were his goals from those of modern medicine? Challenger sees the possibilities in Moreau’s work, whereas Holmes only remembers the evil. Moreau simply didn’t have the patience for the usual protocols, because they were getting in his way. I also needed to explain how Moreau could even have his own island and all that specialized equipment. Thus, the Moreau family financial empire.<br />
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Finally, everyone likes a good, solid chase, and I’ve never seen one using cargo ships before. What’s the point of writing if you can’t have some fun?<br />
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<b>IHOSE:  You have also made two other Holmes crossover novels. <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1irbEB0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes and the Plague of Dracula</a></i> puts Holmes in Stoker's world. Your novella <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1XFw60K" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Never Meant to Be</a></i> crosses aspects of Wells <i>Time Machine</i> with the Sherlockian universe. What is it that appeals to you about blending Holmes with other characters from Sci-fi and horror literature?</b></h4>
<b>SS:</b> I suppose because I have been reading those genres since high school. I discovered Holmes and Dracula as a high school freshman, and have been hooked on Victorian literature ever since, especially tales of the fantastic. (Thanks for your Conan Doyle <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=conan%20doyle%20supernatural&linkCode=ur2&tag=derrickbelanger-20&linkId=MFZQ2AWD26QZ7PD6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">supernatural books</a>, by the way. The shadow of Sherlock Holmes often obscures too much of ACD's other work. As far as I'm concerned, you've done a great public service.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeFUFi2-FOSYIdUH6Opy4TV_BRejWwlRjM0MQXZmiJUyX5tzHIqz6JpuGUdFbwMmph2Y1C6rq-XJ_vg8mMvwQC1xaSIbxAQcBEV52jCrUWZranFAGkGkRpLK7uPh_2f6L4l8ZAn_9IuOp/s1600/Seitz+-+Draculua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMeFUFi2-FOSYIdUH6Opy4TV_BRejWwlRjM0MQXZmiJUyX5tzHIqz6JpuGUdFbwMmph2Y1C6rq-XJ_vg8mMvwQC1xaSIbxAQcBEV52jCrUWZranFAGkGkRpLK7uPh_2f6L4l8ZAn_9IuOp/s320/Seitz+-+Draculua.jpg" width="206" /></a>I like to think that putting Holmes in a different environment challenges him more as a detective.<br />
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There is also the choice of which universe. <i>Sherlock Holmes and the Plague of Dracula</i> is in the Sherlockian universe. <i>Sherlock Holmes and the The House of Pain</i> in is Wells'.<br />
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My first, <i>Sherlock Holmes and the Plague of Dracula</i>, evolved over 20 years. I first had the idea back in either high school or college (that’s how far back this goes), but then I read Loren Estleman’s and Fred Saberhagen’s takes on the Holmes-Dracula idea, and figured nobody would bother publishing mine. But working on it was a pleasant hobby, and after 250 pages or so piled up, I had it professionally edited.<br />
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The beauty of that story is that Stoker lays the chronology out down to the minute, and all I had to do was fill the gaps in. After nearly 10 years in print, I can say I’ve been successful.<br />
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<i>Never Meant to Be</i> just sort of happened. I love time travel stories, and Cynthia Kenyon showed up and wanted her story to be told. Again, the obvious gateway to the Victorian era was through H.G. Wells’ time machine, and, since we all know that Professor Moriarty was one of the great mathematicians of the Victorian age, why not give him a little more academic credibility and have him develop time theory? I knocked that book off in six weeks. I never do that.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: Out of curiosity, have you ever written a traditional Holmes pastiche?  </b></h4>
<b>SS: </b>The problem with the traditional pastiche is that there’s little room for originality. How many times can Holmes chase Jack the Ripper? How many royal conspiracies can readers stand?<br />
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The only way I know around it is to bring Holmes and Watson into actual historical events. I have a couple of stories I put aside because they just weren’t working. There was an assassination in Ireland in the 1880s, for instance, that should have been ideal, but had there really been a Sherlock Holmes, the outcome might have been far different, and I can’t rewrite history.<br />
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There is also the question of which Holmes do we want to use? The young detective on the rise? The beekeeper called from retirement? (Remember “His Last Bow.”) Or the old man in the twilight of life, his powers fading, but maybe up to one more challenge? (Kudos, incidentally, to<i> Mr. Holmes</i>. Ian McKellan may well be the first actor to be nominated for an Oscar for playing Sherlock Holmes.)<br />
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Were I a better known author, I could get permission from the Dashiell Hammett estate for <i>The Adventure of the Maltese Falcon</i>, which would be terrific, and the James Bond-Holmes novel I outlined long ago will never see the light of day for the same reason.<br />
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What can I say? I love crossovers.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: You have another detective series, <i><a href="http://amzn.to/1P1VcWf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Ace Herron Mysteries</a></i>.  Tell us a little about that contemporary series?  Does Doyle have any influence on your modern detective writing?</b></h4>
<b>SS:</b> Ace came about for several reasons. One thing I can’t stand is that modern writers don’t know how news organizations work. They don’t do the first thing to get the authenticity right, and I am heartily sick of female reporters sleeping with people just to get information for a story. That is one cliche which simply has to be squashed. My colleagues are not rapacious sluts. It is instructive that, in over 100 years of cinema, only two films I know of got it right: <i>All the President’s Men</i>, and Jack Webb’s <i>-30-</i>.<br />
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I've been a journalist for nearly 20 years, and a lot of that is crime reporting. Add that to the fact that newspapers today are being run as profit centers rather than public service organizations, and what you have is the perfect setting for conflict: the reporters want to do their jobs properly, but the only thing management ever cares about is how much something costs. They sure as hell don’t care about their employees, and no one’s job is safe. Thus, The Valentinian combines the worst aspects of every paper where I've worked. I have used real office incidents in the Ace Herron books.<br />
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I decided to write the stories as they would likely play out in real life, so that doesn’t leave much room for Holmes-like deductions. When I follow criminal cases in real life, I do pretty much what the cops do: talk to as many people as I can to get to know the nature of the event and the people involved. I recall one missing persons case (which became a murder case) where the cops actually left the victim’s car unlocked in her garage. I tossed it  for evidence. The difference between fiction and real life is that in fiction, Ace would have found something. I have, in real life, assisted law enforcement and even put a rapist in jail.<br />
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Due to the fact that book publishers put more and more of the burden of sales and promotion on the author, I publish these myself through CreateSpace. That way, I know who to blame for slow sales.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one Sherlock Holmes story, which would it be and why?</b></h4>
<b>SS:</b> <i>The Hound of the Baskervilles</i>, of course. It's my introduction to the Sherlockian universe.<br />
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I was a freshman in high school, and doing homework in the library until I got bored, and so I checked out <i>Hound</i>. I didn’t put it down until 2 a.m. After that I was hooked on Holmes, and then Victorian literature, for life.<br />
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One thing I didn’t know at the time was that Hound represented Holmes’ return from the dead. There is a certain energy and descriptive quality in that novel which makes it stand out. I wonder how Conan Doyle felt as he wrote the story. Did he feel defeat at the fact that he couldn’t keep Holmes dead? Did he feel some elation at being able to write Holmes one more time? Also, 1902, I recall is the year that Conan Doyle became Sir Arthur. I realize the official reason was his writings on the potential of submarines for warfare, but was that the real reason? Could King Edward VII have been a Holmes fan? We’ll probably never know.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: What are your upcoming projects?</b></h4>
<b>SS:</b> I have completed the third Ace Herron book, titled <i>Presumed Dead</i>. This story intertwines the lives of the Valentinian’s reporters with those of the missing persons cases we all have to cover from time to time. I think it’s got my best twist ending, but the manuscript hasn’t been edited yet.<br />
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I hope I will have successfully conveyed the agony of a missing person’s loved ones; these stories are heartbreakers, because as long as someone is missing, there is always an iota of hope that he might come back alive, the war between what the heart wants and what the head knows is probable.<br />
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There are those who will ask if I based the story on the disappearance of Tina and Bethany Sinclair, a mother and daughter who vanished in 2001. I have not. One thing which sets this case apart is that everyone knows the name of the person likely responsible, but there is just no solid evidence tying him to the crime. But there is also no one else who could have done it.<br />
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I am currently writing a time travel tale centered around the Civil War, one of my lifelong fascinations. In it, we ponder what might have happened had the South won the war, and how my protagonist tries to reset the timeline.<br />
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In my dystopia, the Confederate states have evolved into something like South Africa under apartheid; sooner or later, they’d have had to give up slavery just to be able to participate in international commerce. But the South winning was not the way the timeline was supposed to be, and this leads to ruptures in the space time continuum, which leads to many other problems. I am toying with a love triangle across 150 years, but I don’t know how that will go just yet.<br />
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I am also brewing a Sherlock Holmes-themed Ace Herron story, mainly for the purpose of bringing Ace to a wider audience. But that doesn’t mean I’ll do less than my best.<br />
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<b>IHOSE: Any last thoughts?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>SS:</b> Just some advice to aspiring writers: you have to keep putting one word in front of the other until things start making sense. Don’t say “I want to become a writer,” as if all there is to it is soaking your hands in warm water for a while and the words will magically appear. Writing is discipline, writing is hard work, it takes some basic native talent to begin with.<br />
<br />
The two books you need are Stephen King’s <i>On Writing</i>, and the <i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B000F73XSY" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="dbb547c3ad70bed32c18ad947a7b9bdf" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="strunk and white elements of style third" href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-Style-Third-Edition/dp/B000F73XSY/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=dbb547c3ad70bed32c18ad947a7b9bdf&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_5786397" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Strunk and White Elements of Style</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_5786397" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=thebakerstree-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=dbb547c3ad70bed32c18ad947a7b9bdf&_cb=1446238165417" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" />,</i> third edition. (There is one edition that imposes politically correct gender-free thinking on language, a book best left forgotten.)<br />
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Also, read, read, and then read some more. Especially if my name is on the cover.</div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/1XFyXqG" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Stephen Seitz</b></a> is an author, journalist, and talk show host based in Vermont. He has covered news in the upper Connecticut River Valley for nearly 20 years; his journalism and cinema commentary have appeared in a number of northern New England newspapers, including the <i>New Hampshire Union Leader</i>. The better-known people Steve has interviewed include James Earl Jones, Jerry Lewis, an original cast member of every <i>Star Trek</i> series, former presidential candidates Howard Dean, Joe Lieberman and Wesley Clark, Sen. George McGovern, and authors Jodi Picoult and Dennis Lehane, among many others. <br />
<br />
A lifelong Sherlock Holmes enthusiast, <i>Sherlock Holmes and the Plague of Dracula</i>, evolved over a period of more than 20 years and is Steve's first novel. Steve's next Sherlock-themed effort, published by MX Publishing in London, is <i>Never Meant to Be</i>, the story of a 21st century woman who travels to London in the year 1882 and becomes entangled in the world of Sherlock Holmes, not to mention catching the eye of Dr. John Watson. Steve just published <i>Sherlock Holmes and the House of Pain,</i> updating the world on the Giant Rat of Sumatra.<br />
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As a collaborator, Steve worked with the late Oliver Douglas on his posthumous memoir, <i>God Made Me Rich</i>.<br />
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The Horror of Holmes: The House of Pain

"a story for which the world is not yet prepared" [SUSS] With the Halloween season upon us, it is a perfect time for readi...

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by Belanger Books

Episode 83: Art in the Blood

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"the sister of Vernet, the French artist" [GREE]</h4>
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Did you ever have a chance to talk with someone with whom you immediately felt a connection? That's exactly how Bonnie MacBird impressed us when we chatted with her about her new book <b><i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="0008130833" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="b35d3b308d2f0dca5ea392cf0bb7bbc1" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="Art in the Blood" href="http://www.amazon.com/Art-Blood-Sherlock-Adventure-Adventures/dp/0008130833/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=b35d3b308d2f0dca5ea392cf0bb7bbc1&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_9603088" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Art in the Blood</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_9603088" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=thebakerstree-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=b35d3b308d2f0dca5ea392cf0bb7bbc1&_cb=1444871799186" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /></i></b> in this latest interview episode of I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere.</div>
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From her most amazing experience on her recent book tour to her first meeting with Sherlock Holmes (at a remarkable age!), to how she found her inspiration for the novel, Bonnie shares her very considered and unique perspective on the immortal detective. Listen in to hear about an artist's temperament and how it affects the craft, including her other mediums, and how she intended to bring Sherlock Holmes to her readers through her own personal Sherlockian inspirations.</div>
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Our Gas Lamp is inspired by a comment from Nick Martorelli and is taken from <i>The Baker Street Journal</i> Vol. 6, No. 3 (1956), in which Edgar Smith wrote "On Canonicity."</div>
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Listen closely and you may hear who our next interview guest is. And remain on the lookout for our regular Easter Egg feature.<br />
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As a reminder, consider supporting our show through <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Patreon</a>, for as little as $1 per episode.<br />
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And thank you to Mary Miller and Christian Mongaard for your extraordinary support!<br />
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We've been enjoying your photos and plan to post a number of them soon, so if you want to be part of this effort, please purchase as many of of our <a href="http://ihose.co/221Bstickers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">221B or 1895 oval stickers</a> as you like and then <a href="mailto:comment@ihearofsherlock.com" target="_blank">send us a picture</a> of where you've put it.<br />
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Notes:</h3>
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1:33 Hi!<br />
2:32 Revisiting the new show format<br />
3:30 An introduction to Bonnie MacBird<br />
4:37 Beginning our conversation with Bonnie<br />
6:00 Bonnie's favorite moment from the tour<br />
26:35 An important message<br />
37:01 Bonnie's annotations and artwork<br />
46.02 What it means to be a "professional enthusiast"<br />
49:30 Bonnie's next signing at Stanford<br />
51:25 The Editor's Gas Lamp<br />
58:15 A sincere thank you<br />
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<a href="http://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock083.mp3" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size 30.4 MB, 1:05:00</h4>
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Links:</h3>
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<li><a href="http://macbird.com/" target="_blank">Bonnie MacBird's website</a></li>
<li>Follow Bonnie MacBird on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/macbird" target="_blank">@macbird</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2015/10/one-area-in-which-dr-watson-excelled.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The post about Stephen Fry's retirement from QI</a></li>
<li><a href="http://aitbnotes.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bonnie's "Klingeresque" annotations</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mysteriousbookshop.com/products/bonnie-macbird-art-in-the-blood-limited-edition" target="_blank">The limited edition from Otto Penzler</a>, including artwork by Bonnie MacBird </li>
<li>The <a href="http://patreon.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Patreon</a> page</li>
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Many more links, articles and images are available in our Flipboard and Scoop.it sites at <a href="http://ihose.co/flipsherlock" target="_blank">ihose.co/flipsherlock</a> and <a href="http://www.scoop.it/t/sherlock-holmes" target="_blank">ihose.co/scoopsherlock</a>, as well as on the <a href="https://plus.google.com/communities/114565123495685504221" target="_blank">The Sherlock Holmes Community</a> on Google+ (now over 2,800 members), as well as through our accounts on <a href="http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/ihearofsherlock" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://ihearofsherlock.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Tumblr</a>.<br />
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Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email (comment AT ihearofsherlock DOT com), call us at (774) 221-READ (7323).<br />
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Sponsors</h3>
This episode includes our two longtime sponsors that deserve your attention:<br />
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<a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/" target="_blank">Wessex Press</a> (check out the <i><a href="http://wessexpress.com/html/dreams.html" target="_blank">Dreams of Future Past: The Science Fiction Worlds of Arthur Conan Doyle and H.G. Wells</a></i>) and <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/" target="_blank"><i>The Baker Street Journal</i></a>, where you should get <a href="http://www.bakerstreetjournal.com/itemsforsale/subscriptions.html" target="_blank">your annual subscription</a> in now to secure all four issues and a very special Christmas Annual about <i>The Seven Per-Cent Solution</i>.<br />
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Interested in becoming an advertiser? You can find <a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/p/contact.html#.Vc1Qx7JViko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">more information here</a>.</div>
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Episode 83: Art in the Blood

"the sister of Vernet, the French artist" [GREE] Did you ever have a chance to talk with someone with whom you immedi...

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by Scott Monty

ComicFlix Creates a New Take On Old Sherlock Holmes Stories

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"They were converted to this idea" - [VALL]</h4>
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Sherlock Holmes is no stranger to the world of comics, but <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/project-39-world-s-first-video-to-comic-book#/" target="_blank">ComicFlix’s Project 39 on Indiegogo</a> has a new take on the old stories. ComicFlix’s team has developed the technology to take the <a href="http://amzn.to/1MOV6ey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1954 Sherlock Holmes series starring Ronald Howard</a> and convert it to 39 separate graphic novels, one for each episode of the classic show. This isn’t just a simple retelling of the old stories, but the world’s first conversion of film into comics.<br />
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Olyvia Rakshit grew up with a set of 25 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Tintin" target="_blank">Tintin</a> comic books as her most prized possession. Many years later, her seven year-old daughter imagined a way to convert books into movies. Being an engineer, Rakshit’s wheels began to turn, and she imagined doing the opposite of her daughter’s idea: turning movies into books. As an ardent Sherlock Holmes fan, she knew just what she wanted to adapt first.<br />
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She quit her job at a large tech company and created <a href="http://www.comicflix.com/" target="_blank">ComicFlix</a>, a company that now employs engineers in the U.S., India, Canada and throughout Europe. Her team has developed software that creates images that look hand drawn from video frames and puts 100% of the dialog from a film or television show into the appropriate frames with the characters.  A team of editors and illustrators then validate and edit the art and text as needed to put a finishing touch on the pages of the graphic novel.<br />
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ComicFlix named its inaugural endeavor <b>Project 39</b> for the number of episodes there were in the 1954 Sherlock Holmes series with Ronald Howard and Marion Crawford. They plan to convert all 39 episodes into the comic format, each issue running around 50 pages, and have them available for purchase digitally or in book format. Rakshit says that if there are enough orders, they hope to have all 39 issues available within the next 3-4 months, an unheard of feat in the comics industry. <br />
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You can back this project on <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/project-39-world-s-first-video-to-comic-book#/" target="_blank">their Indiegogo page</a> as well as pre-order 1, 5, 10 or even all 39 issues of the new series. Rakshit and her team plan have plans past Sherlock Holmes, with licenses to create video-to-comics for Zorro titles as well as The Three Stooges in the future. But she has a special place in her heart for the great detective.  She wants Sherlock Holmes fans to know that they are onto something big.<br />
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<b>With enough backers, their hero could be the world’s first video-to-comics hero. </b><br />
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What do you say, fellow Sherlockian? Are you in?<br />
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