After starring in countless books, shows, and films, brilliant fictional detective Sherlock Holmes has become synonymous with intelligence and grace under fire. He's still a famous character inspiring projects in various forms of media today, but in the 19th century he was arguably the greatest action hero in the western world. And he was British, the longtime rivals of the French. Which is why a French magazine, Je Sais Tout ("I know all"), hired noted short story writer Maurice LeBlanc to write a French answer to the wise, wily detective. That answer was Arsene Lupin.
Arsene Lupin wasn't just a copycat. He wasn't even a detective; Lupin was a thief, but he only stole from bad people, making his thefts morally justifiable. In his adventures, Lupin often exposed the seamy underbelly of high society while planning and executing his thefts and bringing some justice into play, ironic for a thief. He relied on his powers of deduction, his charm, and his wits, making him similar to Sherlock. While there were other influences, specifically other famous literary thieves, the Sherlock connection was made obvious when Leblanc wrote a series of stories featuring Holmes with Lupin. However the detective's name was changed in the Lupin stories, if only slightly — likely due to copyright concerns, LeBlanc changed Sherlock Holmes' name to Herlock Sholmes.
