Sexton Blake

In the Prime Universe, Sexton Blake was an acquaintance of Sherlock Holmes, who seemed to be closer to Doctor Watson than he was to Holmes. Blake was invited to the Christmas party at 221B Baker Street on Christmas Eve, 1895, which was also attended by Watson, Inspector Lestrade, Mrs Hudson, Sherlock's brother, and Jenny Everywhere. (PROSE: The Time of the Toymaker)

Behind the scenes

The character of Sexton Blake was created in 1893 by Harry Blyth. Often used as a less expensive replacement for Sherlock Holmes while both characters were both still in copyright, Blake was also presented as a pipe-smoking, highly intelligent private detective living in Baker Street, although the Sexton Blake stories were “pulpier” than their Doyle counterparts, including such “lurid” recurring villains as the evil scientist Professor Kew, master-criminal Zenith the Albino, or even an ‘Invisible Man’, the Mysterious Mr. Mist. This is presumably the cause for Holmes seemingly having some disdain for Blake in The Time of the Toymaker despite the tw men ultimately being on friendly terms.