Steampunk’s not dead

Writer Ian Edginton and artist D'Israeli (the British team behind the superb 'Scarlet Traces') continued their exquisite collaboration in the pages of UK comic '2000AD' with the richly evocative "steampunk" adventures of Stickleback – a grotesque, Moriarty-like crime lord in an alternate Victorian London. A vivid mix of Conan Doyle and Lovecraft, Edginton's tale is a fantastic romp, made all the better by D'Israeli's gorgeous monochromatic artwork. It’s achieved by considerable digital manipulation which marks a dramatic departure from the clear-line style of his previous works. The effect - rife with innumerable shades of grey - is both atmospheric and unnerving.