The Strange Case Of Mr. Hyde
Script by Cole Haddon
Art by M.S. Corley
Colors by Jim Campbell
Lettering by Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: February 22, 2012
Cover Price: $14.99

I absolutely love classic stories re-imagined and The Strange Case Of Mr. Hyde is better than most. Imagine, if you will, the immortal tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde mashed up and mixed with a little actual history. We get all new characters and plots that extend what Robert Louis Stevenson presented us over a century ago.

Our protagonist on this adventure is Detective Thomas Adye of Scotland Yard. He enters the story on the trail of Jack the Ripper, Victorian England’s most famous serial killer. We are quickly introduced to Dr. Jekyll, a not quite reformed murderer who is literally “off the sauce.” No longer just the brilliant scientist, he is now a man who battles his personal demons in public.

The story is off the beaten path of any Ripper or Hyde stories you might have read, though it mixes enough of the original tales to retain its familiar flair.

I originally started comparing this to another popular Ripper tale brought to life in a graphic novel, but I realized that was unfair on every level. This comic is all original and amazing. I had never heard of Cole Haddon before, but I am eagerly anticipating his next work. I was impressed with the well defined plot and extraordinarily superbly developed dialogue. I actually enjoyed it so much that I reread it again the very next day. The art is reminiscent of the time in which the story is set. M.S. Corley captured the flavor of all things Victorian in perfect fashion. I really cannot say enough good things about this comic. Or the team that put it together, honestly.

Don’t hesitate to grab this one. If you like historical fiction or classic science fiction then you are going to love this one. Put it on your wishlist, trade in some games, do whatever you have to to raise the fifteen bucks to snag this one.