Sexton Blake was originally created to be similar to 19th-century detectives. During the late 1890s, Blake’s authors consciously modelled him on Sherlock Holmes. In 1919, Blake was given a more distinctive personality, becoming much more action-oriented than Holmes, duelling with a variety of memorable enemies. Blake used medical knowledge to solve some cases in the very early years. In “The Tattooed Eye” (21 November 1908), he says he is a duly qualified medical man but has never practised medicine. Blake’s first associate was the Frenchman Jules Gervaise. They soon initiate an investigative company together. In Union Jack #53, in a story titled “Cunning Against Skill”, Blake picked up a wiry street-wise orphan as an assistant, known only as “Tinker” until the 1950s. Other associates included Derek “Splash” Page of the Daily Radio, Ruff Hanson, a tough American investigator, Chief Detective Inspector Lennard, Detective Inspector Coutts, and Superintendent Venner. In 1905, Blake’s bustling housekeeper Mrs. Bardell was introduced, and remained until the end. Her misuse of the English language was legendary in stories. She was a gifted cook and would always be on hand if a client needed food or a cup of tea. Mrs. Bardell even featured as the main character in stories such as “The Mystery Of Mrs Bardell’s Xmas Pudding” in 1925 and “Mrs Bardell’s Xmas Eve” in 1926. Union Jack #100 (9 September 1905) introduced Blake’s faithful, wise, and ferocious bloodhound, Pedro. Pedro tracked many villains to their lairs in subsequent stories. Another notable non-human associate (and almost a character in itself) was Blake’s bullet-proof Rolls-Royce, named The Grey Panther (introduced at a time when most other sleuths were still taking cabs). For a short while, Blake also flew a Moth monoplane (also called The Grey Panther and designed by Blake himself). One of Blake’s friends and professional rivals was detective Nelson Lee. The two first appeared together in Christmas Clues in the 1895 Christmas issue of Pluck. Sexton Blake had a large rogues gallery of supervillains from around the globe. Some of the most famous included: George Marsden Plummer, a dishonest Detective Sergeant at Scotland Yard; Waldo the Wonderman, a circus strongman who had tremendous strength, could contort his body like a rubber man, and was insensitive to pain; Zenith the Albino, the Byronic master thief; Dr. Huxton Rymer, a world renowned surgeon turned master criminal; Prince Wu Ling, a former Chinese royal bent on world domination; The Criminals’ Confederation, an insidious criminal organisation that spanned the globe.
Creators/Key Contributors Harry Blyth (under the pen-name Hal Meredeth)
First Appearance “The Missing Millionaire” in The Halfpenny Marvel #6 (20 December 1893)
First Publisher Alfred Harmsworth
Appearance List Pulps: “The Missing Millionaire” in The Halfpenny Marvel #6 (20 December 1893), followed by more than 4,000 stories and 200 different authors from 1893 to 1978, including stories in The Halfpenny Marvel, Answers Weekly, Illustrated Chips, Union Jack, The Boys’ Friend, The Boy’s Realm, The Boy’s Journal, Pluck, Penny Pictorial, The Sexton Blake Library, Detective Weekly, Super Detective Library. Comic strips: The Knock-Out Comic (later Knock-Out Comic, Magnet, Knockout, The Dreadnought, 1939-1960). Collections: Sexton Blake: Star Of Union Jack And Detective Weekly (1972), Crime At Christmas (1974), Sexton Blake’s Early Cases (1976), Sexton Blake Wins (1986), etc. Silent Film: Sexton Blake (1909), The Council of Three (1909), Lady Candale’s Diamonds (serial, 1910), The Jewel Thieves Run to Earth by Sexton Blake (serial, 1910), Sexton Blake Vs Baron Kettler (1914), The Clue of the Wax Vesta (1914), etc. Sound Film: Sexton Blake and the Bearded Doctor, Sexton Blake and the Mademoiselle, Sexton Blake and the Hooded Terror, Meet Sexton Blake (1945), The Echo Murders (1945). Radio and stage, as well.
Description Sexton Blake was originally created to be similar to 19th-century detectives. During the late 1890s, Blake’s authors consciously modelled him on Sherlock Holmes. In 1919, Blake was given a more distinctive personality, becoming much more action-oriented than Holmes, duelling with a variety of memorable enemies. Blake used medical knowledge to solve some cases in the very early years. In “The Tattooed Eye” (21 November 1908), he says he is a duly qualified medical man but has never practised medicine. Blake’s first associate was the Frenchman Jules Gervaise. They soon initiate an investigative company together. In Union Jack #53, in a story titled “Cunning Against Skill”, Blake picked up a wiry street-wise orphan as an assistant, known only as “Tinker” until the 1950s. Other associates included Derek “Splash” Page of the Daily Radio, Ruff Hanson, a tough American investigator, Chief Detective Inspector Lennard, Detective Inspector Coutts, and Superintendent Venner. In 1905, Blake’s bustling housekeeper Mrs. Bardell was introduced, and remained until the end. Her misuse of the English language was legendary in stories. She was a gifted cook and would always be on hand if a client needed food or a cup of tea. Mrs. Bardell even featured as the main character in stories such as “The Mystery Of Mrs Bardell’s Xmas Pudding” in 1925 and “Mrs Bardell’s Xmas Eve” in 1926. Union Jack #100 (9 September 1905) introduced Blake’s faithful, wise, and ferocious bloodhound, Pedro. Pedro tracked many villains to their lairs in subsequent stories. Another notable non-human associate (and almost a character in itself) was Blake’s bullet-proof Rolls-Royce, named The Grey Panther (introduced at a time when most other sleuths were still taking cabs). For a short while, Blake also flew a Moth monoplane (also called The Grey Panther and designed by Blake himself). One of Blake’s friends and professional rivals was detective Nelson Lee. The two first appeared together in Christmas Clues in the 1895 Christmas issue of Pluck. Sexton Blake had a large rogues gallery of supervillains from around the globe. Some of the most famous included: George Marsden Plummer, a dishonest Detective Sergeant at Scotland Yard; Waldo the Wonderman, a circus strongman who had tremendous strength, could contort his body like a rubber man, and was insensitive to pain; Zenith the Albino, the Byronic master thief; Dr. Huxton Rymer, a world renowned surgeon turned master criminal; Prince Wu Ling, a former Chinese royal bent on world domination; The Criminals’ Confederation, an insidious criminal organisation that spanned the globe.
