MORIARTY: CLOCKWORK EMPIRE #3, from Titan Comics on 4/19/23, begins a monstrous assault on London when Dr. Jekyll’s stolen formula gives rise to a squad of mindless super soldiers.
The Details
- Written by: Fred Duval, Jean-Pierre Pécau
- Art by: Stevan Subic
- Colors by: Scarlett
- Letters by: Lauren Bowes
- Cover art by: Abigail Jill Harding (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $4.99
- Release date: April 19, 2023
Is It Good?
MORIARTY: CLOCKWORK EMPIRE #3 and BLADE RUNNER 2039 #4 earn Titan Comics the top spot as our publisher of the week for one simple reason. If you’re going to tell fantastical tales, go big or go home, and MORIARTY: CLOCKWORK EMPIRE #3 goes big.
When last we left Sherlock Holmes and his allies, Sherlock was captured by Lady Li Mei, and Watson was left in charge of treating (possibly curing) Dr. Jekyll. Now, Lady Li Mei’s next phase of attack comes to fruition as Hyde soldiers are dropped on London from airships to terrorize, search, and destroy.
Fred Duval and Jean-Pierre Pécau’s script considerably amps up the destructive action when hulking Hyde monsters rampage through the city on an undisclosed mission. The pacing is urgent (as it should be for an attack of this sort), and Holmes’s James Bond-like escape from Lady Li Mei’s clutches cements his reputation as a master detective. And plenty of seeds are planted to imply the criminal plan is bigger and more intricate than anyone suspects. Everything about this latest installment makes the story feel bigger, cinematically, thematically, and energetically.
The excellent story is enhanced by Stevan Subic’s exquisite art delivery. Subic’s stylistic approach to figures bathed in shadow displays a new facet here with big action set pieces when the Hyde soldiers rip, Hulk-like, through buildings to look for their targets. The sprinting monsters are shown doing their worst with a frenetic, chaotic energy that amplifies the urgency in Duval and Pécau’s script.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our MORIARTY: CLOCKWORK EMPIRE #2 review to find out how Sherlock Holmes was captured.
We begin a quiet, uneventful day in the heart of London. Suddenly, a cadre of airships breaks through the clouds and drops a group of men transformed by Dr. Jekyll’s formula onto the city streets. The monsters tear through buildings, walls, gates, and people with orders to seek and destroy.
Soon, Buckingham Palace is under attack, and the Queen’s bodyguards guide her to a secret tunnel for a secure escape. Elsewhere, Sherlock Holmes makes the most of his captivity by studying the guards who bring him food and coaxing information out of Lady Li Mei’s comings and goings.
We conclude the issue with an unusual hunting party, an escape, and bigger “machinations” in the works.
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Final Thoughts
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MORIARTY: CLOCKWORK EMPIRE #3 turns the escalating mystery into an all-out monster assault on London. The story elements tease the possibility of a grand conspiracy, and the action set pieces are big screen worthy.
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