Join at Books on the Rise to discuss all things Sherlock Holmes and Joel Meadows' new steampunk graphic novel take on the character!

About Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders:

Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders is an epic alternate world sci-fi adventure featuring The World's Greatest Detective as people have never seen him before.

When Watson leaves Holmes to help Crick unravel the DNA helix and finds himself in the employ of England's most evil man, the Detective is forced to team up with an unlikely group to defeat this monstrous figure and return England to its status quo. Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders: The Gene Genie is perfect for fans of Michael Moorcock (Elric, Jerry Cornelius) and Bryan Talbot (The Adventures Of Luther Arkwright, Grandville). Winning a Comic Scene award for Best Crowdfunder in 2025, it has already garnered quite a following since its debut in 2020 as a short comic story in the pages of Tripwire. In this event we will celebrate

About Joel Meadows:

Joel Meadows is a journalist and writer with over three decades of experience in newspapers, magazines, and books. His CV includes some of the most renowned publications in the world, including Time magazine, the Times, the Telegraph, the Guardian, and the Observer. He has also written extensively about comics, film, TV, and culture for publications such as Variety, Empire, Big Issue in the North, and Comic Heroes. He is the editor-in-chief of Tripwire, a preeminent publication that covers comics, film, TV, and related subjects. He is also one of the producers of the Portsmouth International Comic Con.

About Matthew Booth:

Matthew Booth is a writer of historical crime fiction, as well as being a short story writer and radio scriptwriter. As an expert in crime and supernatural fiction, Matthew has provided a number of academic talks on such subjects as Sherlock Holmes, the works of Agatha Christie, crime fiction, Count Dracula, horror fiction, and the facts and theories concerning the crimes of Jack the Ripper. He is a member of the Crime Writers' Association and is the primary editor of its monthly magazine, Red Herrings. He lives with his wife in Manchester, England.

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