Locke & Key: My new favorite comic

                                                  

While waiting in never-ending lines at Comic-Con I had some time to catch up on actual comic reading. Locke & Key quickly became my new favorite comic, and I devoured the first two graphic novels, only to become frustrated and unsatisfied when I went to order the third one on Amazon and saw that it's not out yet. I've been thinking about the story and wondering about what's happening to my beloved characters.

I'll be the first to acknowledge that the name of the comic is pretty lame-- it doesn't convey the striking images and gripping story that await in its pages.

Here are some illustrations that blew my mind, especially in the context of the story.

                                                 

                                                   

The story is gripping, sophisticated, and unlike anything I've ever read before. The plot is complicated enough to keep me wondering, but straightforward enough to keep me reading. There's a perfect balance of suspense, dramatic irony, and nonlinear storytelling.

It's about a family that moves to a house and they keep finding keys that do unusual things. As the family falls prey to some pretty twisted people, they try to figure some stuff out-- like ghosts, echoes, and the human mind itself. It sounds innocent enough, but it's a dark story. There's death, murder, manipulation, sinister characters, disturbing images, and a whole lot of "WTF?" moments... but in a good way.