Before Houdini

After Houdini #2

by Jeremy Holt, John Lucas (Illustrator)

The exciting second volume of the After Houdini saga explores the origins of the elusive master of magic, the man who would become…Houdini.

London, 1888. A shadowy killer stalks the streets of London, his appetite for blood unleashed upon the city’s lower classes. To defeat him, MI6 turns to its most top-secret team: four teenage agents with extraordinary gifts—including a young American immigrant with a talent for illusion . . .

After Houdini, Vol. 1 began the story of Josef Houdini, son of the famous Harry Houdini—brillian illusionist, acclaimed escape artist, and top-secret covert operative. Now we turn back the clock and meet Ehrich Weiss, a young man whose skill at picking locks is about to land him the adventure of his dreams, and pull him into a war that will affect his life—and his son’s—for years to come. This is the story of Ehrich’s strange beginnings, from before he was a world-famous magician. Before he was a master of espionage. Before he was...Houdini.

Genres: Graphic Novels

96 pages, Paperback

First published July 10, 2019

About the author

Jeremy Holt is a non-binary author whose works include Gatsby, Made in Korea, Virtually Yours, Before Houdini, After Houdini, and Skip to the End.

An original art page from After Houdini was acquired by The Houdini Museum of NYC, where it now hangs in its permanent collection. And Skip to the End was one of three works of fiction that The New York Times included in an in-depth expose titled Kurt Cobain: What to Read and Watch, 25 Years After the Nirvana Leader’s Death.

They have received high praise from Brian K. Vaughan (Y the Last Man, Saga, Paper Girls) and NYT crossword constructor David Kwong. Originally from no place in particular, they’ve lived in Italy, Singapore, England, Norway, Texas, Vermont, and Brooklyn, before settling in Kingston, New York.

Reviews

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's really strange to read a comic featuring Houdini where magic is part of how he is able to perform his tricks--when debunking fake magic was the man's stock in trade.
That didn't bother me a ton, but the book just moves way too slow to get to the point--Young Houdini working for the Elephant Man along side others with powers to take on what I think is a Rasputin-powered Jack the Ripper, also turned magical. It's not a bad premise, but the execution here didn't quite work for me.
John Lucas' art works well for the period piece, with a nice sense of exaggeration when warranted, but it's also a bit on the stiff side, which didn't help the book's cause with me.
Future stories might build well off this one, but not enough to make me want to keep reading.