by Punchy » Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:49 pm
Locke & Key: Crown Of Shadows #1 - 'Crown Of Shadows Chapter One: The Haunting Of Keyhouse' - Hill and Rodriguez
Story - Uh.... yeah, so.... um, that was... different. This is a difficult review to write, because I'm really quite lost here. The only previous instalment of Locke & Key I've read is the very first issue, which I picked up when it first came out, and liked it a lot, but my LCS didn't get anymore issues in, and now I pick this up, and while I have a vague idea of what's going on there's this family who's dad was murdered, and they live in a magic house, but I just... I just don't know, I was confused, and while there's obviously a lot of craft and thought here, to someone who hasn't been reading the book, it was a load of guff.
This issue really boils down to a Ghost Fight, as this guy Sam fights this other guy Dodge, and they argue about stuff, and I really have no idea what's going on, there's something about a weird contraption on Dodge's back, and there's some magic keys. Huh? Wha? Meh. Some of the dialogue here was a bit over the top, and you can tell that Hill is chiefly a novelist, but it worked. I just don't have the knowledge to care. But I did enjoy when Sam and Dodge were both inside one body, and punching eachother, it was clever. I did find it interesting too that Sam, who is a serial killer or whatever, has been made into a sympathetic character.
It's clear that this is a pretty unique book, with a lot of ideas, and some truly interesting horror story ideas, but this issue makes no real attempt to appeal to new readers, but hey, this is my fault, I should probably be reading this book, and reviewing this was a reminder to me that I'm missing out on something special, and that I have to go and pick up the trades. Much like with Mice Templar, it's not you, it's me. Maybe I should pick up the trades of volumes 1 and 2, and then come back and Re-review this, because I'm sure I'll like it a whole lot more.
Art - I can properly review the art here, since recognising good art doesn't require me to have read the previous series, and I liked Rodriguez's art a lot. The facial expressions of the characters are strong, and Sam and Dodge were recognisable as Ghosts. The way the Ghosts were portrayed was also interesting, I liked how each of them was a different colour. Good, somewhat cartoony stuff, but surprisingly appropriate for a horror/mystical comic.
Best Line - 'Yeah, sorry on that. I'm not sure Ghosts can. Fuck, I mean. Souls don't even have a gender'
6/10
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