Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez

Genre: Horror

Publishing Info: IDW Publishing (September 2008)

Film Adaptation: As of the date of this review: Optioned by Dimension for a possible TV or movie deal.

Overview: Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft is the first volume in the tale of the Locke family and the terrible events that drive them to seek solace in their family home, the Lovecraft residence.

Points of Interest: You might be saying to yourself, wait, isn’t this a comic book? That’s kid’s stuff! Well if you are, you wouldn’t be further from the truth. If you are one of those readers who chooses not to read comic books--or graphic novels as the more high minded fans prefer to call them--then you are missing out on some of the hottest talent in storytelling.

Look at the treasure trove of quality stories Hollywood has been plundering lately (although they may not always do the characters and stories justice, but hey, that is a discussion for another day). Every other blockbuster to hit the screen in the past few years has had some or other spandex clad superhero performing feats of daring do. However, super heroes and spandex are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what comic books have to offer. There are titles out there that are sizzling with talent. The medium allows for a greater freedom in the storytelling art than strictly prose stories are capable of. Some of the most complex, challenging and well crafted tales that I have read come in the form of little text bubbles floating in colorful panels.

Locke and Key is one such comic. Collected by IDW in a great hardbound edition, the first volume tells the story of the Locke family and the terrible tragedy that befalls them, driving them to seek sanctuary in their old family home, the Lovecraft residence; which in itself is an homage to the great horror writer H.P.Lovecraft.

The book is written by the extremely talented Joe Hill, which is the pen name of Joseph King, son of the horror writer Stephen King. He appears to have followed in dad’s footsteps by choosing this genre to write in, but he is entirely capable of standing on his own two feet when it comes to talent. The story is incredibly well crafted, and moves at a perfect pace. The characters are beautifully portrayed and are what really took this comic to the next level for me. I found myself truly caring about what happened to them within the first few pages.

The artwork of Gabriel Rodriguez evokes this same empathy for the characters through his attention to detail. The little things the characters do, their facial expressions and mannerisms all bring them to life in a way that a prose novel would be hard pressed to match.

I would love to delve further into the events of the plot itself, but to do so would give too much of it away. I will say this though, if you took a classic ghost story, mixed in a contemporary thriller with a dose of family drama, and presented it in a perfectly polished little gem, you would have Locke and Key. Read it!

Overall Impression: 2 bordering on a 3. This is an amazing comic book, and a wonderful story. It teeters on the brink of greatness and is well worth your hard earned money.

Provoc-O-Meter: 2, there are some scenes of intense violence and adult themes, but they are not gratuitous. They fit within the context of the story well and serve to heighten the tension, which is what these elements should do.

Tylenol Rating: 1, this is a simple, fun ghost story. There are some implied lessons that rest between the lines, but nothing that will hurt your frontal lobes.

Recommended titles if you liked this:

Anything by H.P.Lovecraft

Anything by Stephen King

Fall of Cthulu, by Michael Alan Nelson, Jean-Jacques Dzialowski, Greg Scott, and Mat Santolouco

Other books by this author:

Heart Shaped Box, by Joe Hill

Would you like to learn more about Joe Hill?

His Wiki article.