Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them.... and home ...
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Jan 02, 2012
mark
rated it: 
oooooo.... an eerie old mansion on a woody estate, strange mysteries and dangerous secrets, a tangled and forgotten past, a san francisco family of three - father slain - seeking a new life on an island named Lovecraft off the coast of massachusetts, in a place called The Keyhouse. a beautiful girl who lives at the bottom of a well, an insane killer on the hunt for magical keys, doors that open into odd places, walk through one door and change your gender, walk through another door and turn into
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7 comments
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(24 people liked it)
Jan 02, 2012
Michael
rated it: 
The story begins.... hmmm, see that's the thing with this comic - I'm three words into this review and I've already lied to you. I'll try again.
So bad things happen to the Locke family and the survivors move out to a creepy house on an island. Some of the issues focus on one of the kids in particular. They're all traumatised or changed in some way. I think I liked Bode the best. He's the youngest kid.
The opening panel of this book shows a door. There's going to be a lot of doors in More...
So bad things happen to the Locke family and the survivors move out to a creepy house on an island. Some of the issues focus on one of the kids in particular. They're all traumatised or changed in some way. I think I liked Bode the best. He's the youngest kid.
The opening panel of this book shows a door. There's going to be a lot of doors in More...
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(9 people liked it)
Jan 10, 2012
Lou
rated it:
Joe hill does it again, conjuring up another tale of dread, macabre and supernatural goings on with a real gem of a main protagonist in the form of a young kid.
The young boy in question loses someone dear to him and only hopes to be with them. Opportunity presents itself in the form of doors and keys, will he be able to unlock another realm of possibilities. Doors play a key role in the everyday swing of things. Stories have been written involving doors opening up to all kinds of opp More...
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(11 people liked it)
Jan 29, 2012
Trudi
rated it:
This is my second go around with Joe Hill's phenomenal foray into graphic novel territory (to prepare for Volumes 3 and 4). Welcome to Lovecraft is a stunning debut, and I enjoyed it even more this time, so much so that I've bumped it from four to five stars. Yes, it really is that good.
The premise is a fantastic one and you will be totally swept up in the awesome imagination it shows and the mystery and adventure it promises. The character development in just a few short pages is o More...
The premise is a fantastic one and you will be totally swept up in the awesome imagination it shows and the mystery and adventure it promises. The character development in just a few short pages is o More...
8 comments
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(6 people liked it)
Feb 24, 2011
Lyndsey
rated it: 
This book was (I imagine) what it might be like to down a spoonful of sugar that was, unbeknownst to you, laced with Meth.
What is IN this shi-at, Mary?!
The sugary spoonful sounds like a great idea in your head. "A house full of strange locks and doors with many keys that perform different astonishing feats. One door that can force your consciousness out of your body, while your body appears to be dead. A special key that can open any door and take you anywhere." More...
What is IN this shi-at, Mary?!
The sugary spoonful sounds like a great idea in your head. "A house full of strange locks and doors with many keys that perform different astonishing feats. One door that can force your consciousness out of your body, while your body appears to be dead. A special key that can open any door and take you anywhere." More...
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(20 people liked it)
Dec 17, 2008
Terry
rated it:
Easily the best graphic novel I've read this year. Locke & Key is a disturbing tale about three siblings whose lives are thrown into turmoil after a vicious attack on their parents. Sent to live in Keyhouse, the family home in Lovecraft, MA, Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode try to adapt to their new surroundings, but youngest brother Bode won't give up his delusion that some of the doors in Keyhouse are magical portals if you use the right key.
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Dec 28, 2008
Cait
rated it:
Creepy, creepy, gorgeous! The scary parts were all in the little details -- the reflections in the water, the knock-knock jokes, the way Bode's hands curled up when he went through the door.... I would very much like more!
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(3 people liked it)
Feb 16, 2009
Donald
rated it:
I picked this up because after reading 20th Century Ghosts and Heart Shaped Box, I was in for all things Joe. But this is a graphic novel, a comic, a cartoon. Yeah, I know I'm overly pragmatic. Please don't cringe like that, we call 'garbagemen' sanitation engineers in this brave new PC world of ours.
First, as a printer/one who prints, I can appreciate the amount of ink required to put this together. Nice print job (although I'm really upset that it was printed in Korea) and the sati More...
First, as a printer/one who prints, I can appreciate the amount of ink required to put this together. Nice print job (although I'm really upset that it was printed in Korea) and the sati More...
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Oct 10, 2010
± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ±
rated it:
Good story and good art. I like the characters, especially Bode, and am totally intrigued as to the deal with the keys, Echo, and what the he'll is going on. Strong opening, and I'm definitely hooked.
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Jun 21, 2011
Blair
rated it:
I am giving this a temporary rating. I feel kind of re same way after finishing this as I did after my first viewing of Kill Bill volume 1. This has some great ideas, a solid storyline but the non-linear progression is confusing and unless it is tied together neatly with the following volume(s), it may just be potential without any resolution. For a graphic novel, it is beautiful and engaging visually. I could have done without the truck driver part but that is very Stephen King-like in a way. B
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Jan 31, 2012
Jana
rated it:
Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft
After the tragic murder of the father, the remaining members of the Locke family move into a big house (with lots of doors) that is situated on an island – in a town called Lovecraft. A-ha!
Through flashbacks we learn that the father’s killer was one of his charges at the school where he worked a s a counsellor. This deranged young man with a troubled past and present seems to have been drawn into committing this act of violence by something li More...
After the tragic murder of the father, the remaining members of the Locke family move into a big house (with lots of doors) that is situated on an island – in a town called Lovecraft. A-ha!
Through flashbacks we learn that the father’s killer was one of his charges at the school where he worked a s a counsellor. This deranged young man with a troubled past and present seems to have been drawn into committing this act of violence by something li More...
Dec 13, 2011
Shazza
rated it:
Tyler, Kinsey and Bode Locke are kids, taking a break from painting the house, when Sam Lesser and his friend, Al Grubb, show up at their house, knocking on the door to see their mom, Nina, and dad, Rendell. Sam and Al have come up to the house to kill Rendell Locke, because Ren has a set of keys to a house in Massachussetts, in a town called Lovecraft.
After Ren is buried, the rest of the family moves to Lovecraft to live in the family home, Keyhouse, with Ren's brother, Duncan.
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After Ren is buried, the rest of the family moves to Lovecraft to live in the family home, Keyhouse, with Ren's brother, Duncan.
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Nov 09, 2011
Rodrigo
rated it:
La familia Locke sufre un evento catastrófico, que los obliga a moverse a una antigua mansión familiar en Nueva Inglaterra. Una vez allí, la construcción misma se revela como un misterio por resolver. Lo mismo que el origen de la tragedia familiar que les persigue y lo mismo que la tenue (pero insistente) sombra de inquietud que cruza toda esta obra, cual si se viviese en Keyhouse: una pesadez, una presión en la narración que hace enganchar al lector y empatizar a límites de novela rosa con la f
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Nov 01, 2011
Monica!
rated it:
Kids always think they’re coming into a story at the beginning, when usually they’re coming in at the end.
Guys, there is so much happening in this book. It’s only 150 pages long, and there are maybe sixty words per page, but my God the author keeps things moving along. We meet siblings Tyler, Kinsey and Bode as they stand next to a creek in the Mendocino Valley. Tyler is angsty, Kinsey is self-assured, and Bode just had a turtle crap on his hand. So all is well. Only not, because More...
Guys, there is so much happening in this book. It’s only 150 pages long, and there are maybe sixty words per page, but my God the author keeps things moving along. We meet siblings Tyler, Kinsey and Bode as they stand next to a creek in the Mendocino Valley. Tyler is angsty, Kinsey is self-assured, and Bode just had a turtle crap on his hand. So all is well. Only not, because More...
Aug 30, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
The story was darker than I expected, but I really loved the premise: after a striking tragedy, the Locke family moves into the familial residence of Key House and discovers that the house dark holds secrets and enemies that threaten to pull the Lockes further apart. I really liked the premise of Key House and its keys/doors that grant users different abilities. The primary characters, Tyler, Kinsey, and bode Locke, were relatable and accessible and the same is true of the secondary characters.
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Aug 09, 2011
Jason
rated it:
Joe Hill (son of Stephen King) has proven he is a better writer than his father--a more respected writer at that. The fact he didn't use his real last name when publishing his books is a message to his publishers, readers & himself: He wants to prove he can make it as a writer on his own merits without having to resort to using the King family name to get his novels published & for the public to buy them. & he is a success. & he IS a better writer than his father.
With that said, LOCKE More...
With that said, LOCKE More...
Aug 06, 2011
Sam
rated it: 
A family holidaying in a cabin are attacked by a pair of teenage thugs and the father is shot before the thugs are taken down. One of the thugs is killed while the other goes to a juvenile institute. The family relocate to Lovecraft, Massachussetts to the dead father's brother's house for a fresh start. Here they find the place has several mysterious rooms which when opened with several mysterious keys leads to strange and ghostly things. Passing through a certain door turns you into a ghost, wh
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Jul 26, 2011
Leslie
rated it:
The full review can be found here at WorkingfortheMandroid.com
Upon finishing Volume 1 of Locke & Key, I turned to Fernando and said, “I need the next one. Get me the next one.” Too bad we were on an airplane at the time, which makes obtaining a graphic novel slightly more difficult. At least it was an airplane on the way to Comic Con, so I think I’ll be able to find the second volume fairly easily.
This is a great dark fantasy. Not Sandman: The Doll’s House dark, but more More...
Upon finishing Volume 1 of Locke & Key, I turned to Fernando and said, “I need the next one. Get me the next one.” Too bad we were on an airplane at the time, which makes obtaining a graphic novel slightly more difficult. At least it was an airplane on the way to Comic Con, so I think I’ll be able to find the second volume fairly easily.
This is a great dark fantasy. Not Sandman: The Doll’s House dark, but more More...
Jul 11, 2011
Martel
rated it:
Joe Hill is more than a writer. He’s a storyteller and a good one. It’s no wonder that no matter the form, every story is gold. The ability to jump from short stories to novels to comics is something to be admired. There aren’t many writers who can do it and consistently churn out a product that is good.
In Volume One of Locke & Key, Hill introduces readers to the Locke family. Mr. Locke, a high school guidance counselor, is brutally murdered by Sam Lesser, one of his former studen More...
In Volume One of Locke & Key, Hill introduces readers to the Locke family. Mr. Locke, a high school guidance counselor, is brutally murdered by Sam Lesser, one of his former studen More...
Jul 06, 2011
Sara
rated it:
I would not have even thought of this book had I not read American Vampire. In his introduction, Stephen King notes that he used this series to help him figure out how to write a graphic novel.
Joe Hill is an amazing writer and I think I would like anything he has written. I loved Heart Shaped Box and found myself disappointed when there was nothing else of his to read. I remembered him reading Stephen King's notes and went to the library to find they had this book (and another which is pat More...
Joe Hill is an amazing writer and I think I would like anything he has written. I loved Heart Shaped Box and found myself disappointed when there was nothing else of his to read. I remembered him reading Stephen King's notes and went to the library to find they had this book (and another which is pat More...
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Jun 04, 2011
Mark
rated it:
LOCKE & KEY: WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT is a prime example of why I love comic books. Usually when I read a comic book I like to take it slow, break it up over a couple of days. I was to digest the story and the art. Once I opened this book and peered into the first pages I ate up L&K like a t-bone cooked to perfection.
Joe Hill deals a thrill ride from page 1. The story focuses on the Locke kids. They've been through a tragic time in their life and move to Keyhouse on Lovecraft Island just More...
Joe Hill deals a thrill ride from page 1. The story focuses on the Locke kids. They've been through a tragic time in their life and move to Keyhouse on Lovecraft Island just More...
May 05, 2011
Julie
rated it:
Tyler, Kinsey and Bode Locke are ripped from the only home they know and uprooted, along with their mother, to their father’s family home—Keyhouse, in Lovecraft, Massachusetts—following his brutal murder by former guidance counselee Sam Lesser. Sam is locked up in juvie now and the kids are adrift without a paddle. And living in a house that has its own name, how creepy is that?
Rendell Locke had always told his wife that if anything ever happened to him that they needed to go to K More...
Rendell Locke had always told his wife that if anything ever happened to him that they needed to go to K More...
Apr 15, 2011
Dickon
rated it:
I don't watch enough TV fiction - save Doctor Who - but sometimes a comic book series fills that gap. In storytelling terms, this is the comic equivalent of 'Lost' or '24' or any other programme where you just have to tune in - or in this case, get the box set, ie the collected volumes.
Joe Hill, like Brian K Vaughan (who actually did go from comics to writing 'Lost'), is an absolute master of keeping the reader wanting to turn the page, then come back for the next instalment. He has t More...
Joe Hill, like Brian K Vaughan (who actually did go from comics to writing 'Lost'), is an absolute master of keeping the reader wanting to turn the page, then come back for the next instalment. He has t More...
Apr 08, 2011
Michael
rated it:
From Barron Wilderness
When the Locke children move to their dead father’s estate, they discover that hidden among the creaky floorboards and dusty furniture are a collection of keys with magical and surreal powers.
* If you haven’t read Locke and Key, go, right now, to either your local comic book store or library (whichever is closest) and find the first volume, Welcome to Lovecraft. I cannot recommend this series enough.
* On the surface it is just an More...
When the Locke children move to their dead father’s estate, they discover that hidden among the creaky floorboards and dusty furniture are a collection of keys with magical and surreal powers.
* If you haven’t read Locke and Key, go, right now, to either your local comic book store or library (whichever is closest) and find the first volume, Welcome to Lovecraft. I cannot recommend this series enough.
* On the surface it is just an More...
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Mar 06, 2011
Sophie
rated it:
I read this for our comic book club, and while it isn't exactly the kind of book I would have picked up on my own, it was definitely entertaining.
After their father is murdered by a student, the Locke family moves to the Keyhouse in Lovecraft, Massachusets. The three children try to cope with their loss as best as they can, and then the killer escapes from custody - with the help of a strange kind of creature/ghost confined to the well of the Keyhouse.
The teenage serial kil More...
After their father is murdered by a student, the Locke family moves to the Keyhouse in Lovecraft, Massachusets. The three children try to cope with their loss as best as they can, and then the killer escapes from custody - with the help of a strange kind of creature/ghost confined to the well of the Keyhouse.
The teenage serial kil More...
Dec 29, 2010
Karissa
rated it:
This is the first full length graphic novel which contains the first six issues of the Welcome to Lovecraft story arc. It was a really good collection. The drawings are beautiful and in full color and the story is creepy and intricate. There are two more full length graphic novels out already; Head Games and Crown of Shadows. The fourth is being released issue to issue this year and is called Keys to the Kingdom.
After the murder of their father Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode Locke relocat More...
After the murder of their father Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode Locke relocat More...
Apr 17, 2010
Michael
rated it:
Recently I’ve been taking an interest in HP Lovecraft’s writings, especially those of the Cthulhu mythos, so naturally the title of this graphic novel caught my eye. To my surprise though, this comic turned out to be quite different from what I expected. This comic’s story is very well written in that it blends not only the supernatural horror elements that I was expecting but also drama of a family trying to recover from the experience of a horrific crime, suspense, and even a little myst More...
Jan 10, 2010
Jeff
rated it:
After my first read-through found me closing the book at about the half-way mark (the seemingly random brutality of the opening chapter kept distracting me and caused me to miss details like characters' names and relationships), I began to hear a lot more about this story online. Most everyone else loved it. Thinking I missed something, I decided to reread it.
After that first chapter that I found so incredibly tough to get through, the story does get a lot tighter and the storytell More...
After that first chapter that I found so incredibly tough to get through, the story does get a lot tighter and the storytell More...
Feb 02, 2012
Erica
rated it:
Great story, great characters. I didn't find the art amazing right off the bat, but I quickly got used to it, and I've seen a lot worse. By the end of the book I couldn't imagine any other artist presenting these characters in any other style.
The characters don't fit standard stereotypes, and they're all either really likeable or really interesting. The plot isn't predictable, and always keeps you on your toes.
This is a good example of the kind of storytelling that can o More...
The characters don't fit standard stereotypes, and they're all either really likeable or really interesting. The plot isn't predictable, and always keeps you on your toes.
This is a good example of the kind of storytelling that can o More...
Sep 28, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
While putting a fresh color on an old concept, Locke & Key uses horror elements to explore the mysteries of death and the bonds of family ties. The first installment centers around the Locke family's recent move to Keyhouse, a residence filled with dark flavors reminiscent of Barker and Gaiman. At Keyhouse, Bode, the youngest of the Locke's, initiates a sequence of events that begins to expose secrets surrounding the family's past which, I suspect, will ultimately serve as the series' backbone.
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