We’ve been building up to meeting Dr. Freud for two issues already. The identity of the mysterious doctor that Watson and Mycroft were seeking out to help Sherlock was kept secret until the final panel of the last issue. Although, even if you didn’t pick up on who it was from the hints provided, the cover page of each issue heralds it as “The Astounding Joint Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and Sigmund Freud.” Still, this is the first chance we’ve had to meet the man and see how he and Holmes interact.
Dr. Freud is every bit as smart as Sherlock Holmes—but in a different way. He doesn’t have Holmes’ powers of deduction, but his psychological studies have given him a keen understanding of the human mind. It is through this understanding that he is able to help Holmes through his addiction and, ultimately, embark upon the investigation of a strange and baffling case by the great detective’s side.
We’re over halfway through the five-issue miniseries, and the actual case has only just now been introduced. The details of it seem almost incidental at this point. The real fun, thus far, is the characters: Mr. Holmes and Dr. Freud, side by side, matching wits and helping one another out with their respective problems. It’s exciting, fun, and well written, with great art to match. If you’re a Sherlock Holmes fan, this is definitely a comic you’ll want to read.