So you say you can’t get enough of this modernized take on the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson? We have that and more. Like what? How about an enigmatic figure with a connection to Holmes’ past? Or a mysterious group of mercenaries who move through NYC taking out their targets with ruthless efficiency? When Watson and Holmes find a key figure tied to the conspiracy, they find themselves added to the mercs’ hit list!

Picking up from the previous issue, Holmes invited Watson out to lunch. As I suspected, that little cliffhanger was a lot more relevant that it would seem, as lunch involves going to a fancy restaurant, Club Diogeneses in Manhattan, where Holmes introduces Watson to his brother Mycroft (“Mike”) Holmes. Much like these reinterpretations of Watson and Holmes, this version of Mycroft is interesting enough in his own right that new fans should be impressed, while also being instantly recognizable to longtime Holmes fans. It’s been many years since I’d read the fist story featuring Mycroft, but I found myself remembering certain details as I read the following pages. Mycroft is a big, overweight man, who appears to be even smarter than his brother, he already knows why Sherlock (yes, the is the first time it is confirmed in this series that Holmes’ first name is actually Sherlock) is there to see him, and he already knows exactly who Watson is, and his background (three tours in Afghanistan, and his wife filed for divorce when he got home). Mycroft also refers to himself as “former military”, but gives no further details. And through Mycroft we also learn that Sherlock has no formal investigative training, nor any military or police experience, making Sherlock’s deductive reasoning skills all the more impressive.

I particularly enjoy the banter between Mycroft and Holmes, it’s strikes just the right line between brotherly affection and sibling rivalry. They both call each other by their first names, either neither one likes his first name, Mycroft calls Sherlock his “kid brother” and insists that their mother liked Mycroft best. But Mycroft does make it clear that he’s concerned about his brother’s safety and well being. The introduction of Mycroft into this series is almost enough of a reason for me to recommend this series, because of how well-written he is. I hope we see him more often in future issues of this series. But then the action picks up, as Mycroft’s help, along with a timely call from Lt. Stroud, Holmes and Watson find themselves on the hunt for a local pastor whose been secretly running drugs through his charity, and is now being hunted by professional mercenaries who belong to an organization that Watson had some contact with during his last tour in Afghanistan. Ruthless men who are willing to kill any innocents who get in their way. Soon, Watson and Holmes find themselves in old building in Brooklyn, cornered by by several of those armed mercenaries, with no apparent means of escape…TO BE CONTINUED.

Man, am I loving this series. The dialog, characterization, drama, and action, it’s all there, and keeps you hooked from first page to last page. Writer Karl Bollers (working on a story credited by Paul Mendoza and Brandon Perlow), and artist Rick Leonardi are doing some of their best work here. This issue gets a Chacebook rating of FIVE STARS.

Available digitally via COMIXOLOGY, and in print in comic-book stores.