Maurice Leblanc (1864-1941) was the creator of the character of gentleman-burglar Arsène Lupin who, in France, has enjoyed a popularity as long-lasting and considerable as Sherlock Holmes. The character of Lupin was first introduced in a series of short stories in the magazine "Je Sais Tout", starting in 1905. There are twenty volumes in the Lupin series written by Leblanc, of which The Hollow Needle is the most famous. Arsène Lupin has been adapted into films, television, stage plays, anime, etc. Leblanc also penned two science fiction novels, Les Trois Yeux [The Three Eyes] (1919), and Le Formidable Evènement [The Formidable Event] (1920). novels: Arsène Lupin vs Sherlock Holmes 1: The Hollow Needle (2004), Arsène Lupin vs Sherlock Holmes 2: The Blonde Phantom (2005), Arsène Lupin vs Countess Cagliostro (2010) source material: Arsène Lupin vs Sherlock Holmes 3: The Stage Play (2005) more on Leblanc in: Shadowmen 1: Heroes and Villains of French Pulp Fiction (2003)