Watson's Sketchbook

Watson's Sketchbook #1

by Molly Knox Ostertag

The first volume of an ongoing adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, told through comics, sketches, and the occasional essay on late Victorian queerness. 178 pages black and white, softcover, independently printed, signed, extremely gay. Recommended 16+ for smoking, drug use, and allusions to sex.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, LGBT, Queer, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Historical

178 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

I grew up in the forests of upstate New York, where I spent the first half of my childhood reading about fantastical adventures and the second half acting them out with foam swords at a live action roleplaying camp . I graduated in 2014 from the School of Visual Arts, where I studied cartooning and illustration, and I currently live in Los Angeles. My artistic interests include women in fiction, fantasy and sci fi, superheroes, and history.

I illustrate a twice weekly webcomic called Strong Female Protagonist with co-creator Brennan Lee Mulligan, which was listed as one of io9's Best New and Short Webcomics when it launched in 2012. I ran a successful Kickstarter in the summer of 2014 to print the first volume, which was distributed by Top Shelf comics and is now available in stores and online.

I'm currently working on a graphic novel with First Second named Shattered Warrior, coming out in Spring 2017.

Reviews

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best reading experience of this book would be as a companion piece to a re-read of the complete set of Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, as these sketches and short comics weave in between the canon filling in a compelling love story that can be glimpsed between the lines. As a long time Sherlock Holmes AU enjoyer, I am very happy to add this version to my collection! These comics can also be read on tumblr.

[Trin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute illustrated queering of Holmes canon. I thought this would stand on its own a bit more than it does -- really, it would probably work better accompanying a reread, which I don't have in me right now. But if you already know the source material, this is a nostalgic reinterpretation, and I like Ostertag's character design.

[K S · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg binge read this today and now I can't stop remembering how much gay subtext there was in acd sherlock holmes should I reread...

[Jenna-booklooksbyjenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

i loooove queer subtext in classic literature

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is everything I wanted from Sherlock Holmes stories. I should have loved this. I should not be able to stop reading this.
Yet I didn’t. And I don’t know why.

[Fynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms."

I LOVE GAY PEOPLE!!!!!

Seriously, though, I have adored the Sherlock Holmes canon for years now and have always really struggled to find adaptations/retellings that honestly and lovingly portray Holmes and Watson, and their complex, sometimes toxic, but eternally devoted relationship. Adaptations tend to get caught up in how Holmes is perceived, or, rather, how he wants to be perceived, and fall into the trap of showing him as an egotistical jerk with no regard for anyone else's feelings (unless, of course, he's falling in love with Irene Adler! Because I guess women aren't allowed to exist in the same room as men without someone catching feelings, despite Holmes showing little interest in women and Adler herself being MARRIED TO A WHOLE DIFFERENT GUY. Not that I'm bitter or anything! <3). He's certainly not always the most tender or emotionally aware guy in the canon stories, but, seriously, some adaptations really would have you believe that he's Always Serious and Never Whimsical! I mean, come on! He canonically shakes hands with a baby and employs a crowd of kids to find information around London for him! Sherlock Holmes is more than the emotionless machine that Watson sometimes describes him as. (And, to be entirely honest, I think he's probably just autistic. All I'm saying is, I've never met a neurotypical person who talks THAT much about street names or can recognize regional colors of mud at a glance.) To put aside my own Definitely Neurotypical ramblings on Holmes, it's not very often that I read a Holmes-inspired work and don't come away feeling somewhat betrayed.

However, I think Ostertag does a great job with capturing the essence of the canon while also adding a fresh, historically accurate queer perspective! As a queer history nerd, the attention to detail when discussing and portraying queer life in Victorian-era London added an additional layer of depth to the canon and, as the author even says in her notes, fills in some gaps that were originally present.

This novel doesn't necessarily stand on its own, (it's intended rather as a companion to the canon), but I think it's also still enjoyable just to read through! Having these two characters on a physical page in my hands was exhilarating, since I've been following Ostertag's doodles on her tumblr for a while! I'm beyond excited to see where she takes this series, and these two lovable idiots, from here!!

Anyways, RIP Sherlock Holmes, you would have loved Mitski 3

[Finn X · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best Sherlock Holmes adaptions I have ever read. Ostertag does an amazing job of sticking to the canon whilst also creating her own story, one that fills in the spaces between the lines of the canon, telling a love story so many of us knew was there.

[Shane]

I liked this! I don't know that I can rate it fairly because it's meant to be a companion to reading the actual stories and lol, I won't be doing that. As the comics go on, we add more meat to the story that isn't just commentary and then I do get into it more.

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am tired so this will be brief- but this is heartwarming and gutwrenching at times. 100/10 recommend

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never followed this comic online so I was pleasantly surprised by how coherent of a narrative it has (and makes with the ACD canon)! They're such characters 🥹

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait for volume 2 to come out AHHHHHHH

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight! I was laughing throughout but that ending was rather devastating!!

[lev · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the new gold standard for sherlock holmes adaptations

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not crying. you're crying. 🥹❤️❤️❤️❤️

[JJ Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love gay people

[kewynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so peak AAHHHH probably my fav sherlock holmes adaptation ever :'D

[Mimsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic companion to the canon ACD works, best read alongside the original 60 works.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect canon "fix" and not in a forced way, it feels like the author is reading between the lines and uncovering the unsaid things in the original, to bring forth the "true story" that Watson himself alludes to, wishing it would be told someday.