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Rebellion Publishing snaps up new Sexton Blake collection
Rebellion Publishing has snapped up a new collection of stories featuring fictional detective Sexton Blake.
Sexton Blake and the Great War—the first volume in a new collection will be curated by author Mark Hodder and "restore Blake’s place as one of literature’s greatest detectives", said Rebellion.
Created by Harry Blyth (under the pen name of Hal Meredeth) in 1893—six years after Sherlock Holmes first appeared in print—Sexton Blake went on to appear in approximately 4,000 stories told by around 200 different writers, including Michael Moorcock and Flann O’Brien.
"After being largely forgotten for decades, this major new collection heralds a triumphant return for the much-loved detective that not only celebrates Blake, but also serves as the perfect introduction to the charismatic detective for a whole new generation of readers," said Rebellion.
Beginning 16th April 2020 with Sexton Blake and the Great War, volume one features three stories from the First World War and the lead up to it: The Case Of The Naval Manoeuvres by Norman Goddard (1908), On War Service by Cecil Hayter (1916) and Private Tinker by William Murray Graydon (1915).
"Featuring tales of derring-do, espionage and exploration, the stories track Blake’s perilous adventures across Europe as he attempts to solve a host of classic crimes; from an encounter with a duplicitous German Kaiser to escaping a firing squad," said the publisher.
Rebellion will also publish four other volumes in 2020, each with art deco style covers, including: Sexton Blake Versus The Master Crooks (June 2020); Sexton Blake’s Allies (August 2020); Sexton Blake on the Home Front (October 2020) and Sexton Blake’s New Order (December 2020).
Rebellion co-founder and c.e.o. Jason Kingsley said: “We’re delighted to be bringing the greatest of all fictional detectives back for modern readers. Sexton Blake was one of the biggest popular characters of his day, starring in endless stories, radio serials, TV series and movies. We’re looking forward to putting the all-action detective back where he belongs—in the hands of readers.”
It comes after Rebellion secured the complete comics and story paper rights to the archive of TI Media, published when the company was known as IPC. The deal, done in 2018, includes Sexton Blake, Billy Bunter and Comic Cuts.
