Moriarty is a 2011 comic book by Image Comics focusing on the one and only Professor James Moriarty. It's written by Daniel Corey and has art from Anthony Diecidue and Mike Vosburg.
It is 1914 and World War I approaches. Moriarty has survived Reichenbach. Living in a world where Holmes has seemingly passed on, Moriarty feels that his life is empty without his archenemy. Things change, though, when the government asks him to take on the job of finding Mycroft Holmes, leading him to come into contact with the terrorist Tartarus.
The series was followed by Moriarty: Endgame that takes place in the future and Moriarty: The Jade Serpent.
Moriarty provides examples of:
- Adaptational Job Change: Moriarty in the original Conan Doyle novels was a mathematics professor, while in this comic book he's a physics professor.
- Antagonist in Mourning: Moriarty genuinely misses Holmes after he seemingly passes on, as he feels his life is pointless without his Arch-Enemy, and even visits Holmes's apparent grave. When Holmes turns out to be alive, Moriarty seems genuinely thrilled.
- The Chessmaster: Moriarty is a brilliant criminal mind who is able to create complex schemes in order to get ahead.
- Chaos Is Evil: Tartarus is a vile terrorist who worships chaos and believes it to be the natural state of things. He intends to throw all of Europe into chaos so he can rule afterwards as a god.
- Driven to Madness: The Dark Chamber shows people psychoactive visions of the future but the human mind cannot handle the visions, so anyone who sees it is driven insane.
- The Dragon: Colonel Sebastian Moran was Moriarty's right-hand man in his past criminal endeavors and served as his muscle.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Moriarty despises slavery and the idea that anyone can take away someone else's control over their own life. His hatred of the practice leads to him freeing a group being illegally held captive in Jamaica.
- Faux Affably Evil:
- Tartarus speaks in a very smooth and relaxed tone to his opponents. He's also, in truth, a vicious psychopath who intends to rip Europe apart so he can rule the ashes.
- Eustace Morley is a charming plantation owner and ever the gracious host who's also a vile slaver and smug bastard.
- A God Am I: Tartarus intends to level all of Europe so that he can rule the ashes like a god.
- Noble Demon: Moriarty is a crook and admits that he is not above killing people if they get in his way. But he's also genuinely noble and is willing to put his life on the line to help innocents.
