‘Harker: The Book of Solomon – Part Two’ – Final Week Of The Kickstarter – Ends 1 June!

by Richard Bruton

One of the best police procedural comics I’ve ever read hits the final week of its Kickstarter – have you pledged for Harker: The Book Of Solomon – Part Two yet?

Harker, by Roger Gibson and Vincent Danks, has been one of my favourite comics since I first clapped eyes on it when Gibson & Danks self-published 12 issues in black and white starting in 2009.

But now, after too long away, Gibson & Danks have revived the series through Time Bomb Comics, who are re-publishing the first two Harker graphic novels (The Book of Solomon and The Black Hound) in full colour across four volumes and then continuing the series with brand new adventures in at least two further volumes.

Last year, we got the very first full-colour version of this great police procedural after a successful Kickstarter campaign from Time Bomb Comics, republishing the first three issues as The Book Of Solomon – Book One. I reviewed it back here and yes, it’s every bit as great now as it was the very first time I saw it!

It is, to quote me on the back cover: “A great detective thriller with an intriguing story, wonderful art, cracking dialogue and moments of out and out comedy… an absolute triumph of a comic.”

And now, we have the next Harker Kickstarter for Harker: The Book of Solomon Part Two, concluding the first storyline featuring these two great coppers… Detective Chief Inspector Harker and his assistant, DS Critchley.

Like I said in the review – Harker’s your perfect miserable and eccentric detective copper who has a real love of a good sandwich. And Critchley’s a sharper dresser, quick with the good lines, something of the comedy sidekick but also the perfect bagman for his DCI.

They’re multiple murder specialists, called in by the authorities around Britain whenever something strange, gruesome, and deadly crops up. And that’s just what happens, with a series of gruesome murders near the British Museum bringing them onto the case.

Cue Harker and Critchley investigating middle-class Satanists and a museum labyrinth, stopping off every so often for a pint or two, mostly so that Harker can point out where Critchley’s barking up the wrong tree.

“I’m hugely excited by this new ongoing series of full-colour Harker books by Time Bomb Comics. Next up is the conclusion of The Book of Solomon, with ritual killings, spooky Satanists, and a gripping car chase, as Harker fights for his life under the British Museum.

Next up is murder on the Moors in Whitby, and then a case set amongst spies in Portmeirion. It’s all good stuff, and it allows me and artist Vince Danks to indulge our love of old crime shows like Columbo and Morse, and bring them back into fashion!” – Roger Gibson

It really is a perfect thing, full of clever plotting and gorgeous art, featuring two great leads sparking off each other with a sharp sense of sarcastic and witty dialogue. It all makes this one something of a mix of all those classic TV cop procedurals, with touches of all the best – think of it as Morse meets Sherlock meets Columbo meets Christie and then add in wonderful artwork to elevate the great plot.

The Kickstarter for Harker: The Book of Solomon – Part Two ends on 1 June 2021, with a release date scheduled for the summer.

So it’s time to get pledging, there’s plenty of exclusive extras only available through the campaign, including a limited selection of artist Vincent Danks’ original pencilled pages for the series – the very first time in Harker’s long history that any of the original artwork has been made available!