Mycroft Holmes and the Apocalypse Handbook

Mycroft Holmes and the Apocalypse Handbook #1-5

by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Raymond Obstfeld, Joshua Cassara (Illustrator)

All new adventures starring Mycroft Holmes by author of the best-selling  Mycroft  series, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Mycroft Holmes and The Apocalypse Handbook sees the diffident, brilliant Mycroft pulled into a globe-spanning adventure at the behest of Queen Victoria and a secret organization at the heart of the British government. A madman is on the loose with civilization-destroying weapons, each two hundred years in advance of the status quo. Can the smartest man in England set aside his idle, womanizing ways for long enough to track down the foe that may be his match?

This all-new graphic novel collection presents brand new comic adventures set in the world created by the author of the best-selling Mycroft novel series, and is perfect for fans of Mycroft Holmes and Sherlock Holmes.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Mystery, Comics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Steampunk, Adult

128 pages, Paperback

First published August 9, 2017

About the author

As a center for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1975 to 1989, American basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, originally Lew Alcindor, led the all-time scores in history of national basketball association in 1984.

This former professional player current serves as assistant coach. Typically referred to as Lew Alcindor in his younger days, he changed his name when he converted to Islam.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kareem_...

Reviews

[Sean Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s an extensive, and ever-growing, library of Holmesian pastiche that explores the more obscure (or, if not obscure, at least less well trod (trodden?)) corners of 221B Baker Street. James Moriarty and Irene Adler in particular have benefited from this Cumberbatchian upsurge in love of all things Sherlock, as has Sherlock’s not-so-beloved brother, the even more intellectual, less socially capable, and impressively corpulent Mycroft Holmes.

Ah, but wait—Mycroft’s carriage in this adventure, co-written by the man who did for goggles what Kelis did for milkshakes*, is far from portly; he’s a lean, mean, joke-making machine. And therein lies the rub with so many of this recent wave of Doyle derivations—to some degree or other, our hero (or anti-hero), be it Holmes, Watson, or any of the aforementioned trio, has a tendency to crack wise, coolly solve mysteries, and dabble, if not outright engage, in some romantic shenanigans.

Now, it’s not that I’m advocating for slavish devotion to the canon, because there’s only so much you can mine from what is a large, but ultimately finite, body of stories. But, other than sly nods to various Sherlock stories via veiled allusions or character names, this could just as easily have been called Indiana McClane Philanderer and the Action-Packed Mystery Solving Blow-Up Adventure.

So, as an extension of the Holmes universe, it feels a bit forced. As a rip-roaring action yarn with a reasonably clever story and an entertaining lead, it does just fine. We’ll call it just a tick below 3.5 stars.

*That’s just ridiculous—there’s no way Kareem Abdul-Jabbar** did for goggles with Kelis did for milkshakes.

**But, for those of you who don’t know, he remains the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, once featured the most unstoppable shot in the game (the sky hook), and is a versatile and intellectual writer and commentator. So there’s that.***

***Pretty sure Daniel Day Lewis could totally drink his milkshake, though.

[CS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bullet Review:

Mycroft Holmes is an insufferable prick, who asspulls explanations in major infodumps and beds married women. I can't say he's clever because an author that has a character make up an explanation and infodump at a crucial time (after a bunch of needless action) isn't being clever. And if you go back to try to look at all the supposed details and can't find them in the panels, well, how am I the reader supposed to be expected to solve the case alongside the "hero"?

What makes this fail is Holmes. He's an awful, awful character, all horrible antihero without a shred of likability (though the way he acts, it's as if he's God's gift to mankind - and women). I mean, it doesn't make Lark a complete walking cliche (though her backstory is interesting) better nor the fact Queen Victoria flounces to meet him, arms akimbo, more tolerable, but if there would have been one shred of redemption in Holmes, it would have made this at least not as awful. Honestly, I don't even see why Mycroft Holmes needed to be in this - most of it is set in the US (!!!), which seems a stupid call for a beloved ENGLISH icon.

To throw a bone at this: The art was okay.

Sorry NBA star, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Better luck next time?

Post Script: Can anyone explain why Kareem Abdul-Jabbar chose to write a comic about Mycroft Holmes? Seems the most non-sequitur choice.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun. I know, a book about the apocalypse should not be considered fun, but Mycroft is hilarious. We all know him as Sherlock’s smarter brother but I never thought he would be sexier, too. Great characters, great art.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

actual rating: 2.5

Wow, this literally could not be more different than the Mycroft Holmes prose books that Jabbar has also written. I genuinely find it hard to believe they are written by the same person, and am pretty sure they aren't even meant to take place in the same universe based on a few disparities.

This story features a younger version of Mycroft so I guess some of his juvenile behavior makes a bit of sense, but I cannot in any way see this man who sleeps with his professor's wives and calls Sherlock 'Shitlock' can turn into the nuanced and interesting character that I am enjoying in the prose books. I mean it's basically like if the next season of Archer was set in Victorian England / the Old West and for some reason everyone was calling Archer 'Mycroft'. Oh and there is this ridiculous scene where Sherlock gets flustered seeing a naked woman and she goes 'it's elementary biology' and then there's just a panel of Sherlock going 'elementary ...' which is so godawful that I feel like Moffat must have ghost written it.

The sole reason this is getting three stars instead of two is because I actually like the version of Irene Adler that shows up in issue 3, but she is pretty much the only enjoyable thing here.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, I was largely curious about Mycroft Holmes due to its NBA superstar author. Like, how would that play into the writing? Answer: not at all. Which, in all honesty, is for the best here, since Mycroft Holmes takes place in Victorian times, well before basketball broke through.

Abdul-Jabbar's version of Mycroft plays off the line from the original Sherlock Holmes that Mycroft is the older, far more intelligent brother who works for the UK government. Naturally, this just means that Mycroft is even more perceptive than Sherlock - not to mention sexually adventurous, liberal-minded, and nearly suicidal in his exploits. This volume follows Mycroft from Oxford classroom to a meeting with Queen Victoria in a storehouse of futuristic weapons to America, where he clashes with Jesse James, a female bounty hunter, and some anonymous guy who's trying to sell said weapons (and take over the world? I don't know. The antagonist was a mess).

Overall, it's fast-paced and intermittently fascinating. Abdul-Jabbar does a good job of explaining how Mycroft is able to use tiny details to come to broad conclusions, but he also uses this crutch almost every other page. Like, I get that Mycroft is smart, but maybe let him fail once? As a result of the main character being mostly superhuman, there wasn't a whole lot of tension. But the story still hums along nicely. And the art is quite good, especially the settings and color. Character designs beyond the main characters were a little same-same - I guess all Victoria era men (aside from Mycroft) had brown hair, medium builds, and voluminous mustaches.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book more than justifies my recent foray into the graphic novel.
It is smart, it is clever, it is funny, it is well drawn AND it is original!
It is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sky hooking another amazing credit in his
wonder-filled careers!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Holmesian tale with the older brother as an edgier, less staid version of his more famous sibling. Heavy on the Steapunk, light on the detection and mystery, but still a quick, fun read.

[Darnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonably fun adventure, but barely identifiable as a Holmes story. If the protagonist had been Sherlock instead of Mycroft, or a generic action hero instead of either, it would change nothing. Moriarty having a niece was a neat thought, but went unused.

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Interesting artwork, but the story is cliched and choppy.

[LBK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ehhhh

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 5 out of 5]

More tea. Ha ha.

The adventure set mostly in the United States after the initial chapter (or what was the first issue of five) reminds me of Elementary, season one's last three episodes. Here again we see different takes on Adler and Moriarty.

https://pussreboots.com/blog/2024/com...

[Linnea Gelland · Rating 2 out of 5]

***May contain spoilers***

I guess he thinks of himself as a lovable rogue, but he only comes off as the most irritating person you've ever met. He knows he's smarter than everyone else, he patronizes everyone and has no sympathy for anyone. Fine. That's how these Holmes-brothers often are depicted, and that's why we all love them. But the problem is that Mycroft doesn't have any redeemable qualities whatsoever here.

To take examples from a couple of screen adaptations; In "A Game of Shadows" Mycroft is a bit of a pompous weirdo, but still friendly, and in the BBC series he is a control freak of dictatorial magnitudes, and yet his motives are either to protect his brother or to prove that he can do some good too (despite what his parents think).

It is a bit of a problem, as I see it, to make Mycroft an action hero instead of a behind-the-desk, holding the threads in the shadows-sort of person. As soon as he steps out from the Diogenes Club with a gun in his hand, he inevitably has to compete with Sherlock. By being the older "cleverer" brother, he also has to outshine him in his own filed of expertise. Mycroft becomes an exaggerated version of Sherlock (here with the added unlikable characteristic of being a notorious womanizer), instead of being something of his own. And let's face it - Sherlock can be irritating enough as he is...

To me it would have been more interesting had Mycroft been his usual pen-pushing old self, and then been forced to go out on the battlefield against his will. The stakes would certainly have been higher that way. As is, he really doesn't have anything to lose and there is never any doubt of him succeeding in the end.

It irritates me further that Adler puts up with him through the entire adventure (even if she hits him a couple of times, he still ends up having the upper hand). She tells him about her background and having her entire family slaughtered, and Mycroft can't even be bothered to act compassionate. A short while after he tells her about his mother and that Sherlock thinks she was murdered, and to this Adler immediately feels sorry for them. Why? Would she really? How is Mycroft's story sadder than hers?

On a less nitpicky note, I do like the idea of a story about what Mycroft may have been up to in his youth. I also have to say that the artwork is very nice. The movements are vivid and the colours and shadows give great depth to each image.

...Mycroft does have a very punchable face, though...

[Erin O'Riordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mycroft Holmes, in this original story in graphic novel form, is a smug little sh*t. I love him.

He's not quite the same character as in the mystery novel Mycroft Holmes - he has a different back story with a different fiancee - but he's still his annoyingly superior, know-it-all self, and he's still quite competitive with little brother Sherlock.

This is an all-new adventure involving a cache of sci-fi weapons and an evil plan to auction them off to the highest bidder. Queen Victoria wants to be the highest bidder so the British Empire knows these steampunk weapons of mass destruction are in safe hands, and Mycroft has passed enough of her tests to become her agent.

In this he's assisted by Lark Adler, an American bounty hunter. Is she related to Irene? An older cousin, perhaps? We don't know. There is also mention of a respectable maths professor named James Moriarty.

I don't know if any more comics have been written in this series, but these five issues make for one intriguing graphic novel. The art is eye-popping and the story is fast-paced. This is a fine entry into the world of Holmesiana.

[The Cannibal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vous connaissiez Sherlock, le cadet et brillant détective, mais vous connaissiez un peu moins son frère, encore plus brillant que lui.

Vous aviez de Mycroft, l'ainé des Holmes, soit la vision d'un homme débonnaire comme dans la série Granada, ou celle d'un homme froid, appuyé sur son parapluie, dans la série de la BBC.

Ici, vous allez être dépaysé car vous serez face à un perpétuel étudiant de l'Université de Cambridge qui s'amuse à se foutre de la gueule de son prof de philosophie, qui gribouille en classe et qui saute la femme de son prof, en sus !

Peu canonique, le Mycroft de ce comics, de même que son jeune frère, Sherlock, qui est présent mais bien moins que son illustre aîné : normal quand une série se nomme Mycroft Holmes, me direz-vous. Vous êtes brillants…

Leur Mycroft est à baffer tant il est insolent et imbu de lui même et de son talent de déduction, au point de tout calculer lorsqu'il convoque son petit frère, notamment le fait qu'il le surprendra au lit avec la femme de son prof.

Imbu, fat, arrogant, à baffer, je vous dis, mais j'étais tellement plongée dans cette histoire que je me suis rendue compte que j'arrivais à ma gare de destination et que je n'avais rien vu (ok, le changement d'heure avait rendu mon paysage tout noir, mais pas que lui).

Niveau lecture, on en a pour ses sous, on y passe du temps, on découvre les dessins, qui plairont, ou pas, moi, ma seule critique sera pour les parties des joues un peu trop soulignées et pour une reine Victoria un peu trop jeune (alors qu'elle devrait avoir 55 ans) et sexy.

Attention, cette bédé ou ce comics ne révolutionnera pas le genre, mais fera passer un excellent moment à son lecteur/lectrice pour peu que celui-ci aime le fantastique mâtiné de quelques gouttes de steampunk avec quelques morceaux des Mystères de l'Ouest.

Ici, rien n'est sérieux, tout est fait pour s'amuser, rien n'est comme on pourrait le croire et les surprises sont au rendez-vous.

C'est barré, c'est couillu, ça ressemble à un James Bond version western puisque nous poursuivrons la suite de l'enquête sur les terres de l'Oncle Sam et que nous croiserons des terribles desperados (pas les cousins Dalton) et que l'aventure sera au rendez-vous avec un grand A.

Du rythme, de l'action, des gadgets tueurs, des grands méchants vraiment méchants chevronnés, des pays prêts à tout pour posséder l'arme ultime, et un Mycroft dans le style roi fainéant pour résoudre tout ça.

Pas de regret de lecture, un bon moment de passé, une gare que j'ai failli rater et une plongée vertigineuse dans des aventures sentant bon le Bond aux services secrets de sa Majesté la Queen Victoria, le tout avec plus de brio et d'humour que le film avec le non regretté George Lazenby.

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up because Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a cool and interesting dude. It was alright - a steampunk, American-centric envisioning of Mycroft Holmes (although the Holmes brothers hitting up the US is hardly a new idea). I love Sherlock Holmes as a character but think his real weaknesses get revealed when characters try to connect with him emotionally and hit a wall, and Mycroft is the same way. He thrives best in Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, where he usually keeps distance from his clients and uses his deductive powers with a professional remove. Too many people tried to "get" Mycroft in this story and you scrape the bottom of his emotional well so quickly. I get why authors do it - it's a very modern stylization to get into a character's backstory and what matters to them, and the BBC TV show hits the rocks when it tries to do the same thing. The world of Sherlock Holmes is delightful and obviously compelling to writers through the ages, but it made the most sense in its own cultural context.

[Madeline Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely did not know what to expect here but it was very engaging all the way through. Mycroft in the BBC show is one of my fav characters, and it was my first MH exposure in non-ACD fictional fare. However this Mycroft was not like the other.

I thought the version of Mycroft was full of himself and kind of insufferable all the way through. Which is probably a more accurate portrayal that we don't really get from the BBC show. Seems to me that TV!Sherlock is aware of this version of his brother though we never are quite exposed to this side, only ever witnessing the 'resigned brother's keeper' version from John Watson's POV. Anywho, back to the graphic novel

The illustration: Amazing.
Incorporation of our other favorite characters: Amazing.
Recommending reading: It's not a graphic novel for the kids. It's gory and explicit at times in both language and content.
Overall: I enjoyed it and want to check out the other works by the author.

[Dan Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is not a name I expect to see in relation to a comic book, but hey it's a crazy world so why not. No this isn't a basketball story, or a story focused on Abdul-Jabbar more activist causes. No this is a rather fun fictitious romp taking place in a steampunk world full of secret cults and end of the world stakes. To be honest, it took me longer than it should to realize Mycroft Holmes was the old brother of the more infamous Sherlock, but he works as his own character. He is basically a Sherlock with less baggage and a more engaging personality. That is what mainly drives this first volume with a generally engaging story with a blend of classic literary feel with a modern sleekness.

[Ross Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasnt sure what to make when I learned Kareem Abdul Jabbar had written a Holmes novel.
But when l learned it was about Mycroft - the Holmes brother we dont see that often in literary- I figured "what harm could be done?"

WOW- I cant believe how I missed out on this.
I havent read the book from the series - a mistake that will be remedied real soon - but given this first taste, I am sure to make up for that.

If Sherlock Holmes is a man of mystery and action, then Mycroft is a Secret Agent extraordinaire. Whether making out with Queen Victoria, saving the United States Government in Reconstruction, or forming arch-nemesis and his own Adler - Watson, Mycroft isnt one to sit around and put on weight. Not yet, at least.

[George]

I'm glad to hear from Devann at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... that this thing doesn't match the continuity of the prose novels. Because there were so many ugly, confusing panels that I just gave up on this one partway thru, and I'd hate to think I was missing something. I know I'm not as visually literate as the rising generation is, so maybe this is my fault, not the creators; but then again, maybe not.

I do have to mention that, for good or ill, we early on get a gay BDSM sequence--softcore, the participants are only shirt-free with one of them masked and both of them in leather harness. (The previous vanilla het scene has 2 naked bodies, so if I cared I'd feel mildly ill done by. But that wasn't an element that attracted me.)

[Thurston Hunger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe boost it up a star, if like me know you knew Kareem from his court days. He's always been a fascinating person to me, his sports autobio was one of the more enjoyable reads from that often tiring genre. His intro to the NBA during Covid and post George Floyd is highly recommended independent of how you feel about basketball homies or Sherlock Holmes-y.

Ugh sorry...

Anyways as Kareem was (too?) often overlooked for an NBA coaching position, perhaps that led him to a fondness for the also oft overlooked Mycroft. Here Sherlock's older brother is a swashbuckling ne'er-do-well, and his collaborations with Miss Adler make for popcorn on the page entertainment. Hints of cyberpunk, plenty of humor and a fast pace....it all worked fine for me. Even the dash of MacGyver.

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid and enjoyable comic. I mostly picked this up because I was curious to read something Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had written, and I really enjoyed it.

This is a prequel to Sherlock Holmes in a way and mostly focuses on how Mycroft came to join the British secret service. He's a very over the top character and a total philanderer, unlike his brother who is notoriously clueless about women. But that aside, the story does read like you'd expect a Holmes story to read in terms of how Mycroft ties things together and outsmarts his opponents.

If you like Holmes style stories, I definitely think this deserves a read.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it's definitely the best book by an NBA All Star that I've ever read. Not really my cup of tea. I found it rather sloppy in its use of established fictional characters and real people, it was too violent for my personal tastes, and, again because it's not really my thing, I had trouble telling what was going on. (Read Harder challenges that I used this for were to read a graphic novel by an author of color and to read something with less than 100 reviews of Goodreads.

But... it's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I admire people trying new things and have to give him credit. In the abstract, I think it's awesome that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar writes graphic novels about the other Holmes brother.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

True confessions: I am pretty much of a sucker for a Holmsian pastiche. Obviously some are much better than others, but they are generally great fun and I end up liking them all more or less. So what about this one? Well second true confession: I really picked this one up out of curiosity as a authors-better-known-for-other-pursuits specimen. So bring those two things together and...it's OK. Yeah, fun, but the plot is really choppy and just where the bad guy comes from is very unclear. Major problems, but as a graphic novel with enough action sequences, you can kinda go with it and it's still fun. So I liked it well enough, but still can't say it's any better than just OK.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who loved the BBC's/Benedict Cumberbatch's version of Sherlock Holmes, where they would occasionaly show his older brother Mycroft, I was intrigued to see this graphic novel in my college's library. I was especially intrigued because a co-author of the graphic novel was none other than Kareen Abdul-Jabbar! This comic did a fantastic job of showcasing the observational skills the Holmes brothers are known for, as well as name-dropping plenty of familiar characters, either on-panel or off. Enjoyable read! I'll have to check out Abdul-Jabbar's full novel centered around Mycroft as well!

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed Adbul-jabbar's Mycroft Holmes, in which the other Holmes brother is portrayed as a brilliant ass who sometimes shows compassion and regard for those around him, but this depiction is of someone who is smugly condescending to everyone at all times. I don't have to love every main character, but it's exhausting trying to find something redeemable in someone so asinine - I pretty much didn't care what happened to him. The Irene Adler character was the best thing about the book. Thankfully, it was a short, fast read.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sherlock gets all the fame, but this is the extremely adventurous origin story for his smarter and more obnoxious brother Mycroft. The use of color to differentiate flashbacks was well done. Teens will like the adventure, but this is as bloody as The Watchmen, with multiple beheadings, disintegrating living people, and more. Interesting half-black, half-Cherokee gorgeous American sidekick. Given how he is depicted in the Sherlock stories, I wonder how he went from unflappable gambler/womanizer/provocateur in this story to the obese, almost agoraphobic man in the originals.

[Matthew McElroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written and creative book. But I'm not sure that it has enough depth or breadth to merit more stars.
I definitely enjoyed reading it, but the main character is so pompous that he was hard to enjoy. I think this maybe a trait of Sherlock Holmes. I've never read anything about Holmes, but know that he is kind of stuffy and pretentious.
Mycroft is all that AND a womanizer. This comes across as James Bond style graphic novel from the 1880s. You certainly will enjoy it, but it probably wont stick with you.

[Tyler Hetland · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 I liked the way that the explanations were presented for each problem and how Mycroft was able to solve them, after the big reveal. This gave a chance for people to figure it out on their own or, for people like me, a chance to go back and figure it out with help. There was a strange open-ended glaringly obvious plot hole that I'm not sure if it was ever asked...but where is the apocalypse handbook!? I was waiting for this big conspiracy and the explanation for all of the bad stuff that was happening and it's just regular old people? How bizarre.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, okay, I get it, this is not really canon Holmes, but honestly? I wasn't looking for that and I thought it was fun just seeing Sherlock from a different perspective. And, I mean, it's the comic book equivalent of an action movie, so I also wasn't expecting any mind-blowing twists or deep thoughts. It's just "witty" banter and one-upmanship (is that actually a word?) and explosions and ass kicking, which was about all my brain could handle yesterday. I'd read more!

[Mouse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent concept, bad execution! Sherlock Holmes's older brother Mycroft, mixed with James Bondian, and Steampunk? It all makes for a bit of a mess unfortunately.
The worst thing is that in all canonical Holmes books Mycroft is mentioned as being rather plump, out of shape, and not very driven. So seeing him acting like James Bond bedding women, fighting, and jumping off buildings and such, just isn't a good fit. They had a chance to do something fun by using an atypical hero and instead just went for the quick action hero angle...Booooh!