The Trials and Tribulations of Miss Tilney #1
Story by David Doub
Art by Sarah Elkins
Colors and Flashback Art by Danielle Alexis St. Pierre
Letteres by Joamette Gil
Front Cover Line Art by Tony Parker
Back Cover Line Art by Charles Holbert
Additional Illustrations by Kyle Lawler
Dusk Comics
Release Date: April 30, 2012
Cover Price: $4.99

I’ll say this about The Trials and Tribulations of Miss Tilney, it wears its influences thoroughly on its sleeve. Specifically this is heavily inspired by the early volumes of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the latest slew of Guy Ritchie-directed Sherlock Holmes movies, and probably just about any fun, Victorian-era, quasi-steampunkish movie or comic that’s come out in the past ten or twelve years. Is it a good read? Eh, you know exactly what you’re getting in this. Oh, and it moves fast. Possibly too fast, it’s hard to say.

There doesn’t appear to be a straightforward pitch for the series’ premise, but to sum up the first issue: the titular character, a newspaper columnist longing to do real journalism, gets the opportunity to do so. Her editor is looking for someone to investigate The Harwood Murders. Lord Beowolf Harwood, a renowned hunter, was at a party in his honor when he suddenly shot up the guests. After a very Silence of The Lambs-esque build-up, Miss Tilney gets an interview with him only to discover that he’s no Hannibal Lecter. Locked up with his accomplice, Dr. Plum, he manages to convince her of his innocence and suggests that there’s a more sinister plot afoot. Escape plans are quickly enacted and before we know it, the three are secluded in Harwoods Manner where things quickly go violent and grim.