Written by Mark Waid.
Art by Butch Guice; Mike Perkins; Laura DePuy; Dave Lanphear (Issues # 1-5).
Art by Jeff Johnson; Paul Neary; Jason Lambert; & Dave Lanphear (Issue # 6).
Cover Art by Butch Guice & Laura DePuy.
SUMMARY:
Compiling Issues # 1-6, from 2001-02, CrossGeneration Comics (CrossGen Comics) released this 160-page paperback in 2002. Set in the Victorian Age, the fictional English coastal city of Partington is London’s equivalent where pompous master sleuth Simon Archard is its resident Sherlock Holmes. His associate is a glamorous and enigmatic young blonde, Emma Bishop, who possesses supernatural powers (i.e. freezing time) that she must keep secret from Simon. Ruse is told through Emma’s adventurous, down-to-earth narrative.
The first arc (Issues # 1-4) pits the British duo vs. the nefarious Baroness Miranda Cross, as her mind-controlling powers turns the city against its favorite son. Emma ominously discovers that she isn’t Partington’s only witch. Framed for murder, Simon doesn’t realize that Emma’s magic may be his only hope in a fiery showdown.
With Simon unavailable, Issue # 5 has the Partington police calling upon Emma to unmask a Jack the Ripper-like serial killer. Utilizing Simon’s odd assortment of informants, Emma proves her value as a sleuth in her own right. In Issue # 6, while attending a nightclub’s magic act, Simon & Emma discover that his homicidal ex-partner (and master-of-disguise), Malcolm Lightbourne, has returned for some unknown reason.
Note: Ruse ran twenty-six issues. Issues # 7-12 are compiled for Ruse, Volume 2: The Silent Partner.
REVIEW:
The series title is apt. On its surface, Ruse imagines Sean Connery (in his James Bond prime) as an ultra-suave Sherlock Holmes … with some elements of The Avengers’ Mr. Steed and Mrs. Peel included for good measure. Then again, perhaps a comparison to Remington Steele isn’t too far off. Make no mistake, Emma Bishop is Ruse’s real star, as she is both likable and endearing. An aura of mystery shrouding her true nature (not to mention, why she is compelled to protect Simon) is another welcome asset.
In contrast, Simon Archard’s deductive brilliance is no excuse for the insufferable jerk he is, as writer Mark Waid should well know. There lies the gamble of enjoying Ruse: why should readers (let alone Emma Bishop) even care about the condescending Simon Archard? Compensation comes in the form of Emma’s contributions to the storyline (as she is often thinking what the audience likely is). In that sense, Waid’s scripting is often inspired. More so, Ruse’s plot twists hurdling its occasional contrivances are worth the price of admission.
The best component, however, is the art squad’s gorgeous visuals. Though Issue # 6’s artistic quality declines a bit, it’s still on a par with Marvel and DC. As a worthy (and not so stuffy) alternative to reading the traditional Holmes, Ruse: Enter the Detective merits a chance at re-discovery.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The six covers are provided in a full-page format. Guice and DePuy co-created the first five covers. DePuy joined Jeff Johnson & Mark Pennington for Issue # 6’s cover. Starting the first few chapters are front page excerpts from Partington’s The Penny Arcadian newspaper.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
