New strip included in The Return of Sexton Blake Special, more Archives on the way

By John Freeman on August 28, 2020

He’s the world’s greatest detective – and now one of the most popular fictional characters of all time, Sexton Blake, is back, not only in Rebellion’s Sexton Blake Archives story collections, but a Comic Special, too!

Part Sherlock Holmes, part action hero, Sexton Blake was created by Harry Blyth in 1893, six years after rival Sherlock Holmes first appeared in print, the character went on to become a publishing phenomenon, appearing in 4000 stories told written and drawn by over 200 different writers and artists.

On sale in newsagents in November and in comic shops from 9th December, The Return of Sexton Blake, award-winning writer Mark Hodder, keeper of the invaluable Blakiania resource online, introduces Blake to a new audience, and George Mann and Jimmy Broxton bring us the first new comic in decades. Plus, Karl Stock interviews the writers and artists.

The Special also includes the Sexton Blake comic strip originally published under the title “Victor Drago” in the short-lived comic, Tornado, written by Chris Lowder (writing as Bill Henry) and featuring art by Mike Dorey.

*Mike Dorey’s “Victor Drago” from* Tornado, written by Chris Lowder. With thanks to David McDonald

As we’ve previously noted, and as documented in Hibernia Comics Beyond 2000AD, Fleetway’s Tornado editor Kelvin Gosnell was forced to change the character’s name to Victor Drago due to confusion over the right to use the name ‘Sexton Blake’, then still owned by IPC. (Today of course that issue is void as Rebellion own both company’s titles and characters).

As Colin Noble mentioned in this article last year, Mike Dorey based the look on the actor David Farrar, who played Sexton Blake in two movies in the 1940s.

Featuring a guide to his adventures alongside just some of his timeless comic book adventures, The Return of Sexton Blake is a collection that will reintroduce the master of mystery and suspense to many.

SEXTON BLAKE ARCHIVES

Earlier this year, Rebellion launched its Sexton Blake Archives series with Sexton Blake and the Great War – a collection comprising three text stories from Union Jack magazine dating from World War One and the lead up to it.

Coming soon, in October, is Sexton Blake versus The Master Crooks, three more tales pitting Blake against bank robbers, impostors and kidnappers, duels with swords, and pursues his foes by any means necessary; and, in December, Sexton Blake’s Allies.

No man is an island, and Sexton Blake is no exception. Since the very first days, he has had much-needed help on his cases: not just from the stalwart Tinker and Pedro, but from a long, distinguished list of reporters, adventurers, private detectives and men of Scotland Yard.

From the Orient Express to a river full of crocodiles, enduring poisoning, kidnapping, revolution and spectral motor-lorries, join Sexton, James ‘Granite’ Grant, Ruff ‘Stuff’ Hanson, Derek ‘Splash’ Page and many more in his adventures across the globe…

• The Return of Sexton Blake features here in the Diamond Previews catalogue for comic shop orders

• Blakiana by Mark Hodder

A celebration of the most-written about British fictional detective of all time, complete with the most complete bibliography ever published, a timeline, and lots of articles and illustrations

• Comics and Graphic Novels on Amazon UK (Affiliate Link)

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.