The world believes him dead. He wants them to.
Well, on the tracks of Forever Evil and just before Sherlock Season 3 (which deals with the aftermath of his and Moriarty's 'deaths'), we get a story of Moriarty as he is able to survive the Reichbach Falls, and makes him way to a mysterious town.
I've never read anything by David Liss, but the most striking feature of this book is the great noir art. Indro is someone I would want to see more of (especially All Star Western seems right up his alley) and he turns every page into a masterpiece.
Liss on the other hand is a little hit and miss. While he gets the behavioral aspects of Moriarty absolutely correctly, some deductions seem contrived. And then there is the villain of the story, who may be a little divergent from the main Holmes mythology (still, I reserve my judgement on that).
SPOILERS FOLLOW...........................
We are first treated to a beautiful landscape of the Reichbach Falls, and then move to the little figure somehow fighting its waves. When one's first page is as good as this, the artist is truly commendable.
Moriarty is able to reach the shores and is certain that Holmes is dead, and wants the world to believe that for a little longer until he recovers his strength.
Wanting to make sure no-one makes a news of 'the man coming out of the river', he coerces a man to give up his clothes by deducing his family members and claiming that he has them hostage. This didn't sit right with me (even though I've read everything of Doyle's Holmes) as he deduced that the man had two daughters from the dolls in his basket and the hairs on his clothes(How did he see that?).
As he re-clothes himself (and leaves the naked man running home), he comes across a deserted street and a strange fog. A little unnerved, he enters the nearest inn and finds a hostile gathering.
While the hostess, recently widowed, lets him stay, the others muse that someone called the 'Baron' wouldn't be happy to know a stranger has entered the village. Just then, a messenger of the Baron comes in wanting some information from the hostess.
Clearing the inn, they come across a resistant Moriarty. The latter shows his physical prowess by killing the entire entourage before the Baron comes in.
Apparently, the Baron knows who Moriarty is and Moriarty attacks him. But the Baron uses a mysterious power (probably electric based) to knock out the Professor. Then we get a graphic scene of the Baron, an old man, reliving himself in front of a beaten down Moriarty.
When the hostess attacks him, he knocks her onto a perched skull, impaling her.
Not wishing to be involved in any police action, the Baron leaves, stating he will collect from the next of kin. After he leaves, Moriarty goes to the dying woman and asks her what the Baron wanted. She is only able to tell him to 'protect Udo'. Moriarty learns that Udo is her son and with the police on their way, decides to leave with him.
This exchange was a little problematic for me, but I reserve judgement. Supernatural abilities are something very much out of Holmes mythology (and Moriarty himself says that near the beginning) so if this devolves into some warlock madness, Moriarty may be done a disservice. Still, what is seen may not always be true, so the future issues will be more enlightening on this aspect.
SPOILERS END........................
With great art, but some questionable plot points, we do get a issue devoted to a very underused character in the Holmes mythology.
It will be interesting to see Moriarty the man but my hope is that they don't make him too grey (a problem Johns currently has with Lex Luthor).
So, I give it 7.5 out of 10
+Some great artwork
+Moriarty as cunning and manipulative as ever
+A good mystery
-Some unusual plot devices
-The villain is divisive
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