MANGA REVIEW | "Moriarty the Patriot" - Volume Five
There is no one smarter than Sherlock Holmes. With that being said, there are those who stand equal footing to him. In the fifth volume of Moriarty the Patriot, Holmes and Watson find themselves in the presence of their fair share of intelligent comrades. William James Moriarty is one, and Mycroft Holmes is another. The third, well, let’s wait to reveal that in just a bit.
First, we have the mess to clean up from the fourth volume, as Watson is framed for murder on a train. With under an hour to solve the crime, Holmes and Moriarty team up to search for clues and possible suspects. As the clock ticks down, the more the truth begins to rear its ugly head. Once the motive has been discovered, it’s no time at all before the real culprit is revealed.
The second half of “The Two Detectives” showcases both Holmes and Moriarty at their wittiest. Despite them being adversaries, it’s clear that they work wonderfully together thanks to their similar ways of thinking outside of the box. It’s how they use their brains where their differences lie, as Holmes uses blunt observations to get his leads, while Moriarty comes up with a cunning trick or two to get a confession out of the true killer. How the story ends is in classic Doyle fashion, with a little wit, wisdom, and hearty reflection that brings Holmes and Watson back on the same page.
“A Scandal in the British Empire” is what takes up the rest of this volume of Moriarty the Patriot. An important document has been stolen from the royal palace, with Mycroft Holmes hot on the case to find it before it causes all Hell to break loose. Meanwhile, the King of Bohemia arrives at Sherlock’s doorstop asking to nab a scandalous picture from the clutches of actress Irene Adler. However, when it’s revealed that Irene is the King in disguise, a means of using Sherlock to her advantage begins to be unveiled.
“Be wary of women,” Mycroft warns his brother. Alas, even the sharp detective couldn’t avoid the chaos Irene Adler brings to the table. Even with a scheme to enter Adler’s premises under false pretenses, the actress stays a few steps ahead thanks to her knowledge of the famed detective. This results in some silly mischief, bad misunderstandings, ladies’ undergarments spring-boarding from drawers, and — worse — a house being burnt down.
It all leads to an unfortunate arrangement, with Adler now living at 221B Baker Street with Sherlock and Watson. The situation has the detective bending over backwards to appease Adler, in ways that are both hilarious and cruel! But Adler’s past struggles with claiming the spotlight are revealed when witnessing an actress being bullied by those in higher society. That moment reveals that despite her rich exterior, she has never once forgotten how long it took to climb towards the stars, despite higher ranked people trying to push her down.
Although Holmes’s greatest opponent only shows a little presence in “A Scandal in the British Empire”, it still gives way to some fun and exciting times with Holmes and Watson. Now with a mysterious letter placed in her bosom, it’s possible that Moriarty is now ready to play his hand in this case. Whatever may be on the horizon of Moriarty the Patriot will certainly lead towards a deep revelation, one that could go directly towards the top chair in all of 19th century England…
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media
