FAQs (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)

Feld-what?
According to MyDictionary, it's "feld-sher." Feldscher is the Russian term for "barber surgeon," which was derived from German that literally translates it to "field doctor."

So, this story is all about a surgeon?
No, a barber-surgeon, actually. In the past, barbers and surgeons had a merged profession. There were academic surgeons and barber-surgeons. However, in the 17th Century, barber-surgeons in France and England were forbidden from practicing surgery, leaving them as hairdressing barbers, as we generally know them today. A pact was made wherein they are only permitted to cut hair, while modern-day surgeons may cut any part of the body except hair. Regardless, Russia continues to train barber-surgeons at present to aid soldiers in wars.

Since the setting is 19th Century London, your character should only be a barber. Why such a contradictory title?
Our heroine studied to become a barber-surgeon in Russia. After she returned home to London with her fiance (also a barber surgeon), they set up shop as simple hairdressing barbers to make use of their skills. Nobody else knows she has surgical knowledge, but she secretly performs minor operations in their pantry either to cede to her customer's wishes or to make more money.

Okay, what is the plot?
Feldscher is all about searching. Our antagonist, Hugo Baskerville, searches for something concrete: a serial murderer. But what can he do when there are so many serial killers on the loose all over London? Or when hoaxes about the killers are sent to the police? Or when fanatics of these killers admit to the crimes to get the glory?
In contrast, our protagonist, Barbara Baker, searches for something much more deeper than that: purpose. After several encounters with death, she concludes that her life should be spent protecting others from what makes this world evil: killers. As they say, "It takes one to know one," and she becomes The East End Slasher, a serial murderer who only targets her own. Eventually, she picks up a skein of her long-forgotten past, and she is determined to find out who she exactly is. Perhaps, Barbara Baker is not as wicked as many would say. Perhaps, everything is a vicious cycle caused by selfish ambitions.

Was this inspired by Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street?
To some degree, yes. But the movie did remind me of researches I made on Jack the Ripper around five years ago. I was particularly fascinated by one suspect named Vassily Konovalvov who sounded convincing enough to be the killer. He was a feldscher. He's what mainly served as my inspiration.

Does Sweeney Todd exist in your story?
Although my editor laughs at the possibility that he and Barbara could be neighbors; no, he doesn't. He originally came from a penny dreadful called The String of Pearls: A Romance. It was said to have been based off a bunch of murders from the Victorian Era. Could he be linked to Jack the Ripper?

What about Jack the Ripper?
Yup, it'll thicken the plot! There will also be more serial killers, both fictional and based on real-life cases.

Will he be Vassily Konovalvov? Will he be caught by the Metropolitan Police?
Nobody truly knows who The Ripper is, and I'll just leave it at that. Besides, The Casebook claims there's no proof Konovalvov even existed!

What about Sherlock Holmes?
I've no intention of writing him in. Sherlock Holmes is just a fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He's not a real person as many people believe but The Ripper certainly is.

And Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?
Yes, it's official! He has just finished releasing A Study in Scarlet when we get to hear of him. Apparently, Hugo claims to have been the partial inspiration to the world's most famous detective. Though, I'm pretty sure it's the other way around.

Are there any other significant historical figures included in the story?
Ah, Sir Edward Henry, GCVO (Grand Order of the Victorian Cross). He's the man who discovered fingerprinting and who first introduced the use of police dogs in detective work. There's also Commissioner James Monro, the shortest serving commissioner, and Assistant Commissioner Robert Anderson. I'll be playing around a bit with history since this is a fictitious narration of what happened in 1888.

Why, was there anything significant that happened in 1888?
This was the year when the Jack the Ripper murders occurred. As a tribute to the famous serial killer and to present the social unrest within the Victorians, Feldscher was set in the same year.

Are Barbara's clothes really from 19th Century London?
I based it on a gown I saw in Collier's Encyclopedia and modified it to suit her better. I have to admit, though, I'm below an amateur fashion designer...

And her hat? Are those sea urchins?
Oh, that. It was just an experiment with fluffiness. It came with the gown I based Barbara's outfit on but I wasn't sure of what to make of the round things on it. The description just read as "bizarre bonnet" so I just assumed they were balls of fur.

Any recurring characters from your previous series?
Indeed! Their personalities and appearances were changed to suit the times, though but they're still basically the same. A few include Art Short, The Black Ace, and Kate Joss!

Can we expect Feldscher to be comic form?
Most probably, Feldscher will be put into writing, with a few illustrations since I have a difficult time drawing comics and lack the speed.