The Gonzo Sherlock Holmes

Is there any cultural icon who has not intersected with Sherlock Holmes at some point?

After seeing a video clip of Frank Sinatra and Basil Rathbone, I think probably not. A great example is a comic book that came my way a few months ago through the generosity of The Tankerville Club’s Unknown Constable (Bill Harris) and Unknown Nurse (Teresa Harris) as a birthday gift for Ann.

The name Muppet Sherlock Holmes says it all. This was the first of four comics issued in 2010 by BOOM Kids. If you know the Muppets, you know all you need to know. Gonzo is Holmes, Fozzy Bear is Watson. And this dialogue goes like this:

Holmes: “Quick! Put on your coat!”

Watson: “But it’s June!”

Holmes: “In London.”

Watson: “Good thinking. I’ll get my galoshes.”

The case is “The Speckled Band.” The snake talks, of course. It’s best to read this quickly, and in the appropriate voices.

Sherlock Holmes appeared in thousands of comic books and graphic novels, both humorous and serious, including the 50^th anniversary issue of Detective Comics where he shared a case with Batman. (I own two copies of that one.) The late Paul Herbert, BSI, collected many such publications. I suspect that even Muppet Sherlock Holmesdid not escape his grasp.