Call me squeamish, Doctor, but nosferatu or no, I have shot two women in as many days.. and it does not become easier with practice. 
- — Sherlock Holmes
Victorian Undead: Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula #4 is an issue of the series Victorian Undead: Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula (Volume 1) with a cover date of April, 2011. It was published on February 9, 2011.
Synopsis for the 1st Story
Sherlock Holmes and his company are beset by Lucy Westenra and Dracula's Brides, in which one of the Brides grab John Seward and bites him on the neck and kills him in the process. Quincey Morris then avenges Seward's death by killing the bride with a silver-bladed Bowie knife. The others fend off the other brides which Professor Van Helsing wards them off with a crucifix, and Holmes using his flare gun, loaded with deadly attributes to a vampire, to seriously harm the second Bride who is then finished off by Morris. Van Helsing demands Lucy and the remaining bride on Dracula's whereabouts and gives the chance to end their torment. Lucy retorts to Van Helsing and everyone that she likes the way she is for being outgrown of her weak self, in which she then decides to abandon her loyalty to Dracula and kills the remaining bride for her weakness. She then warns the men to leave her alone before escaping.
Van Helsing vents his frustration that they have achieved nothing from this encounter. But Holmes is on the contrary as he finds a neckerchief underneath one of the coffins which belongs to Dracula's Szgany henchmen. Holmes and Dr. Watson then part from the others as they head to Pinchin Lane to see the animal owner Old Sherman for his tracking dog, Toby, who has been worse for wear from defending his owner during the undead outbreak, to trace the Szgany. Holmes, Watson, and Toby in tow return to Severndroog Castle and find it ablaze by Van Helsing in order to prevent Dracula from using it again. Morris then enters into a tense argument with Van Helsing over leaving Seward's body inside the burning building, which the Professor states was necessary until being broken up by Jonathan Harker. Holmes then has Toby pick up the scent on the neckerchief and begins their search.
The five men and Toby race across London to a builders yard where they infiltrate to find the Szgany, who are the same men who attacked Holmes and Watson at Whitby. Watson then unexpectedly finds a wagon loaded with corpses of the original workmen of the builders yard. The Szgany are then alerted to their presence and a gunfight ensues between them. The Szgany are killed except for one who is to be kept alive for interrogation; however, the man commit suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Despite this, Holmes concentrate for a moment and realises the Szgany are in workmen clothes which he alarmingly learns that the deceased builders are by Royal Appointment. He pulls down a covered wagon which bears the royal seal, as the builders were engaged in the restoration of Buckingham Palace, in which it then transpires that the Szgany had already brought their master inside the Palace.
Appearing in the 1st Story
Featured Characters:
- Sherlock Holmes
- Dr. John Watson
- Professor Abraham Van Helsing
- Dr. John Seward (Dies)
- Quincey Morris
- Jonathan Harker
Supporting Characters:
- Old Sherman
- Toby
Antagonists:
- Lucy Westenra
- Brides of Dracula (Dies)
- Szgany
- Dracula (Behind the scenes)
Other Characters:
Locations:
- London
- Severndroog Castle, Shooters Hill
- Buckingham Palace
Items:
Vehicles:
Trivia
- Old Sherman and Toby were integral characters in the Sherlock Holmes story The Sign of the Four, which is directly mention by Holmes in this issue.
- Holmes mentions Wiggins and the Baker Street Irregulars, who were a group of street urchins who helped Holmes out from time to time and were also in The Sign of the Four, while reassuring to Sherman that they would return Toby.
- The wagon bearing the company name "Farrow and Ball Builder" is a reference to Farrow & Ball, a British manufacturer of paints and wallpapers largely based upon historic colour palettes and archives.
See Also