So often, when we think of comics, we think of superheroes, capes, powers, aliens, and all kinds of other fantastical aspects. It was wonderful over the last few months to escape to 19th century England, and this past week, the final issue of “The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde” brought the story to and end in style.
Throughout the series, writer Cole Haddon took us to the world of Robert Louis Stevenson, and it was very easy to believe that this could have come from the mind of Stevenson himself. He perfectly paired Stevenson’s famous character of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde with the real-life serial killer Jack the Ripper. Combinations such as this do not always work, but Haddon did a nice job blending the various aspects of the fictional story with the real history.
This has been a great mystery, giving the reader clues along the way that never revealed too much or too little. Haddon made a brilliant choice when he made Dr. John Utterson be Jack the Ripper. Utterson was a strong, major character in Stevenson’s original story, but in many adaptations of “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” the character is omitted entirely.
Rather than a simple retelling of Stevenson’s famed short story, Haddon did a tribute that many others have not done. He picked up where Stevenson ended, but gave this sequel the same flavor of the original by incorporating the mystery. Stevenson’s original twist was the identity of Mr. Hyde, while Haddon’s twist involved Jack the Ripper. It was also a bit of a twist to mix the real and the fictional worlds of London.
The characters of Jekyll/Hyde and Inspector Tom Ayde played off of each other very well. Haddon helped the readers to see the conflict that was not only evident in the crimes, but also that between these two men, and even within themselves.
When I first started reading this series, I must admit that I was a bit worried that certain aspects of the story were too much like “Silence of the Lambs” and the relationship between Lecter and Clarice. However, I now realize that while there were nice similarities, it was not overdone, and fit well with the story and the characters.
The art, by M.S. Corley, was a perfect fit for the story. His images of 19th century London were true to both the story and the real history. He captured the heart of the story as well as the heart of the city.
There was another twist at the end, but I won’t ruin that for those who have not read the series. I will say that Haddon has left two avenues through which he can continue to write in this interesting world with these rich characters. Hopefully, Haddon and Dark Horse Comics will bring readers back here in the future.
