Who doesn’t like a good mystery!? Okay…most people I know don’t care for reading mysteries, but when Sherlock is in a comic book or movie form who doesn’t want to see how the case gets solved. God knows we love our cop shows that do the same thing. I take a look at issue #3 and ask the question, is it good?
Sherlock: The Seven Per-Cent Solution #3 (IDW Publishing)
The story so far is pretty simple: This is the last true story of Sherlock Holmes. Watson is telling it now because all parties involved are dead. Sherlock, it seems, was addicted to cocaine and Watson brings Sherlock to the only man at the time who understood drug addiction. Sigmund Freud has a cure of sorts, and it requires mesmerization. Last issue Sherlock realized Watson was taking him on false pretenses and met Freud. Will he stick around or refuse help like most drug addicts not ready to change?
Liars!
Why does this comic book matter?
So far writers David and Scott Tipton have told a very well paced story. The reveals haven’t all been fantastic and I even wonder if the story is taking a bit too long, but it’s still compelling to read. This is in large part due to the dialogue. Plus, there isn’t some mastermind afoot but simply a man who can’t help himself with a drug he always assumed he could not conquer. It’s as true of a mystery as Sherlock will ever solve!
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
The dialogue is very good. This is in fact a very wordy comic book, but the dialogue is very natural and effective. There were times I got a little impatient, but that was rare as I wanted to delve more deeply into these characters.
He’s smart eh?
There’s also a surprising tennis sequence that delivers some nice action. It ties nicely into what will soon be the rise of Nazi Germany and Jewish hate, which is interesting. It almost makes this read historical in some sense. Freud was real after all, and he gets lots of play here. The writers have clearly made him out to be a very smart man and he can and will add a new facet to Sherlock’s detective skills when they start working to solve a mystery later on.
Sherlock gets to crack Freud in the opening of the issue too which is quite nice. He comes to many conclusions and they are all correct. To watch Sherlock break down how he came to the conclusions is a fun scene.
I’m also very much liking Ron Joseph’s art. He has an ability to make faces come alive, similar to Richard Corben’s style. Seeing as panels are overflowing with dialogue his style needs to be strong quickly and I think it succeeds in every panel of this issue.
It can’t be perfect, can it?
The dialogue is quite thick at times and slows things down considerably. It can be feel like work to get through scenes too. This makes me think there isn’t enough in each issue with too much feeling like filler. Let’s get Freud and Sherlock onto the mystery already!
Should we trust him?
Is It Good?
You’ll enjoy the dialogue, the character development and the ultimate nemesis of Sherlock—cocaine—finally getting vanquished.
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