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House of Mystery (collected editions)
House of Mystery, Volume 2: Love Stories for Dead People
Matthew Sturges, writer of the Eisner-nominated Jack of Fables, and co-writer Bill Willingham, the creator of Fables, proudly unlock the doors to the House of Mystery, a new graphic novel series that reinvents the classic DC Comics concept. It focuses on five characters trapped in a supernatural bar, trying to solve the mystery of how and why they're imprisoned there. Each one has a terrible past they'd like to forget, and with no books, newspapers or TV allowed in the House, they face an eternity of boredom. But stories become the new currency, and fortunately, the House attracts only the finest storytellers.
Collecting: House of Mystery 6-10
Collecting: House of Mystery 6-10
128 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
December 16, 2015
It was okay. The best part was the attempt to leave the house and meeting the nightmare in the basement. I did't love or hate any of it because it didn't fail miserably or stand out spectacularly. There was a bit more character development and I felt some pathos for Melanie. I feel like I need to keep reading to see if this develops into something grand, but after 2 volumes, I usually expect to get blown away at least once. :)
October 9, 2013
This volume was a mix of emotions: "wow", "that's so sad", "I don't get it", and "not so much". I do have to say that Love Stories for Dead People definitely canvasses the theme of this collection. Love is so much more than a four letter word, with infinite potential to shape our lives for the best and worst. This volume delves into that with a dark, twisted, and often gruesome collection of stories.
I loved the backstory on Ann, who was a pirate back in the day. I am all for a kickbutt, take charge, dangerous woman, and that's definitely her. I can see how deeply she was hurt, and why love isn't something she focuses energy on. And of course, I am a pirate theme lover. As far as Miranda, once a waitress in the House and a part of the crew, what was that about??? I didn't get it! The bits about Fig and an important person from her past were interesting. I can see that she has an ability that is going to play a huge role. I didn't understand what Cress did to Simon, but I know it has something to do with her terrible luck with love. Simon reminds me of John Constantine so much, it isn't funny! I loved the fact that Cress's doctor suitor looks exactly like Peter Cushing. Anyone else pick up on that, I wonder?
I feel like I didn't understand a lot of what was going on. The whole Cain/Abel thing and the nightmares that Harry had to battle. I could use some Cliff Notes for this book, but thankfully, I did find a Wiki, and I'll read some of that and hope I don't get too spoiled.
It's hard to give a good analysis of this book because I was feeling so lost for a lot of it. I saw a mix of nightmarish images with some events that had a little more clarity. I think the best part of this book was getting more of a backstory on two of the main characters: Ann and Cress, and finding out about Harry's earlier days in the House and his decision to make it into a bar. Oh and finding more about Fig's relationship with her father.
I hope I don't feel so lost in the next edition of this series.
I loved the backstory on Ann, who was a pirate back in the day. I am all for a kickbutt, take charge, dangerous woman, and that's definitely her. I can see how deeply she was hurt, and why love isn't something she focuses energy on. And of course, I am a pirate theme lover. As far as Miranda, once a waitress in the House and a part of the crew, what was that about??? I didn't get it! The bits about Fig and an important person from her past were interesting. I can see that she has an ability that is going to play a huge role. I didn't understand what Cress did to Simon, but I know it has something to do with her terrible luck with love. Simon reminds me of John Constantine so much, it isn't funny! I loved the fact that Cress's doctor suitor looks exactly like Peter Cushing. Anyone else pick up on that, I wonder?
I feel like I didn't understand a lot of what was going on. The whole Cain/Abel thing and the nightmares that Harry had to battle. I could use some Cliff Notes for this book, but thankfully, I did find a Wiki, and I'll read some of that and hope I don't get too spoiled.
It's hard to give a good analysis of this book because I was feeling so lost for a lot of it. I saw a mix of nightmarish images with some events that had a little more clarity. I think the best part of this book was getting more of a backstory on two of the main characters: Ann and Cress, and finding out about Harry's earlier days in the House and his decision to make it into a bar. Oh and finding more about Fig's relationship with her father.
I hope I don't feel so lost in the next edition of this series.
June 14, 2009
This series continues to be good, but this one just wasn't as good as the first.
The strength of the series lies with the vigniette stories. Some are better than others, but, overall, they are interesting threads with which we weave our tapestry.
The connecting story, however, is disjointed and confusing. I'm thinking that this is done on purpose, at this point. A way to keep us guessing, as little tidbits are handed out bit by bit. Of course since two weeks seem to have passed since the end of volume 1, and we don't know what happened in those two weeks, I keep getting the sense that I was missing an episode, so to speak, and trying to catch up. It was a disconcerting feeling, and sort of soured the overall story.
I'm hoping that as things come together, and the missing time gets revealed, pieces put together, that it'll be worth the disjointed telling for the satisfaction of the conclusion.
The strength of the series lies with the vigniette stories. Some are better than others, but, overall, they are interesting threads with which we weave our tapestry.
The connecting story, however, is disjointed and confusing. I'm thinking that this is done on purpose, at this point. A way to keep us guessing, as little tidbits are handed out bit by bit. Of course since two weeks seem to have passed since the end of volume 1, and we don't know what happened in those two weeks, I keep getting the sense that I was missing an episode, so to speak, and trying to catch up. It was a disconcerting feeling, and sort of soured the overall story.
I'm hoping that as things come together, and the missing time gets revealed, pieces put together, that it'll be worth the disjointed telling for the satisfaction of the conclusion.
April 13, 2020
This review can also be found on my review blog, The Never-Ending TBR Pile: https://wendylohr.wordpress.com/2020/...
Monsters. Nightmares. Relationships.
I've just recently discovered this series and am still trying to wrap my head around everything even though this is the second volume. This probably won't be a long review as this is a comic and I don't want to spoil anything. Let me just say that the different styles of artwork found in these pages are incredible, each in their own way telling the story they were meant to tell while giving off the right vibes through the imagery. And the stories themselves all centered around the main theme of Love, but each had it's own take on what Love means for the various story-tellers.
There was an interesting twist towards the end that I wasn't expecting and more questions that were presented that don't have answers. So it's safe to say I will be continuing on to the next installment, eager to read how these characters' stories will continue to unfold!
If you're looking for a comic-style story that doesn't fall into the DC or Marvel Universe, that has much more mature themes and wickedly amazing drawing styles, then definitely check out House of Mystery! It has already exceeded my expectations and I look forward to spending more time in this fantastical world!
Monsters. Nightmares. Relationships.
I've just recently discovered this series and am still trying to wrap my head around everything even though this is the second volume. This probably won't be a long review as this is a comic and I don't want to spoil anything. Let me just say that the different styles of artwork found in these pages are incredible, each in their own way telling the story they were meant to tell while giving off the right vibes through the imagery. And the stories themselves all centered around the main theme of Love, but each had it's own take on what Love means for the various story-tellers.
There was an interesting twist towards the end that I wasn't expecting and more questions that were presented that don't have answers. So it's safe to say I will be continuing on to the next installment, eager to read how these characters' stories will continue to unfold!
If you're looking for a comic-style story that doesn't fall into the DC or Marvel Universe, that has much more mature themes and wickedly amazing drawing styles, then definitely check out House of Mystery! It has already exceeded my expectations and I look forward to spending more time in this fantastical world!
October 2, 2011
Well this jumped the shark in a hurry. After a solid, intriguing opening volume, Sturges throws all the buildup and character work right out the window with this insane volume. He piles on new plot developments and characters so fast, you can't keep up, and doesn't give any of them enough life for you to give a single damn about any of them. For instance, we get Fig's dad showing up out of nowhere having never been mentioned once in the previous volume, and nobody seems the least bit perplexed by this. He's just there, reveals he can travel between worlds, Fig is not all that surprised, and that's it. Hi. Hello. Nice to meet you.
Additionally, the character work takes a real dive in this volume. For instance, Fig becomes completely infatuated with Harry out of nowhere. He's done nothing to earn this, and yet there's an entire section where Fig just thinks about how much she wants him to hold her. It's weird, empty, and a little sexist, since Fig can't even focus on the terrifying monsters trying to kill her because she's so caught up daydreaming about having sex with Harry, the guy she's talked to about twice.
Even as a standalone story this one doesn't work. There's something called the Bete Noir living in the House of Mystery's basement, and the gang has to go down and face it in an effort to see if there's a way out of the house. The buildup to the Bete Noir is pretty big, continually saying that it's a horrifying monster that traps anyone it touches in an eternal loop which they will never escape. Well, spoiler alert, that never happens. The Bete Noir is a real shitty monster that gets beaten in no time with no effort or logic as to how they manage to defeat it.
I'll stick with this series a bit longer, but it's starting to already feel like it's losing its grip on what made it cool and unique in the first place.
Additionally, the character work takes a real dive in this volume. For instance, Fig becomes completely infatuated with Harry out of nowhere. He's done nothing to earn this, and yet there's an entire section where Fig just thinks about how much she wants him to hold her. It's weird, empty, and a little sexist, since Fig can't even focus on the terrifying monsters trying to kill her because she's so caught up daydreaming about having sex with Harry, the guy she's talked to about twice.
Even as a standalone story this one doesn't work. There's something called the Bete Noir living in the House of Mystery's basement, and the gang has to go down and face it in an effort to see if there's a way out of the house. The buildup to the Bete Noir is pretty big, continually saying that it's a horrifying monster that traps anyone it touches in an eternal loop which they will never escape. Well, spoiler alert, that never happens. The Bete Noir is a real shitty monster that gets beaten in no time with no effort or logic as to how they manage to defeat it.
I'll stick with this series a bit longer, but it's starting to already feel like it's losing its grip on what made it cool and unique in the first place.
August 2, 2010
A loyal follower of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman series back in the 90s, but not one of Vertigo’s current long-running hit Fables (yet, at least), I picked up this latest Vertigo title by the same creators/collaborators of the latter. A bit of Gaiman can be found here – the brotherly rivals Cain and Abel, whose comic book history goes back decades – but with clearly a Willingham-style spin. Think of House of Mystery by way of Steven C. Seagle’s House of Secrets meets World’s End story-arc from Gaiman’s master opus. Wedged in the space between the worlds, the titular House becomes the home of various misfits from out of time and space – each of whom earns their keep by sharing stories. (Which adds a dash of the storytelling technique from The Arabian Nights.)
Stories for Dead People takes our characters deep into the bowels of the House, which is rumored to be even more massive and byzantine that what’s above ground. (An ever-shifting, TARDIS and M. C. Escher-like entity, as I could best describe it.) We witness Fig confront her father, which helps to give some explanation as to why she’s trapped in this House between the worlds. But enough is left unexplained to leave one questioning. As usual, Rossi’s pencils and Marzan’s inks are used to superb effect – reminiscent of Peter Snejbjerg’s work on The Books of Magic and, later, the last half of Starman after Tony Harris left. And the guest artists this time around – Bernie Wrightson, Kyler Baker, and others – provide beautifully delightful mini-stories that round out a clever concept that still works. Where to next, I wonder?
Stories for Dead People takes our characters deep into the bowels of the House, which is rumored to be even more massive and byzantine that what’s above ground. (An ever-shifting, TARDIS and M. C. Escher-like entity, as I could best describe it.) We witness Fig confront her father, which helps to give some explanation as to why she’s trapped in this House between the worlds. But enough is left unexplained to leave one questioning. As usual, Rossi’s pencils and Marzan’s inks are used to superb effect – reminiscent of Peter Snejbjerg’s work on The Books of Magic and, later, the last half of Starman after Tony Harris left. And the guest artists this time around – Bernie Wrightson, Kyler Baker, and others – provide beautifully delightful mini-stories that round out a clever concept that still works. Where to next, I wonder?
June 29, 2010
This is an amazing book. I have no reservations about saying that I love it.
I was skimming the graphic novels shelf in the bookstore and this book, mis-shelved and separated from its fellow House of Mystery volumes caught my eye because of its excellent title. Honestly, the title is worth a star all on its own. Thinking it was a standalone book, I read a bit before I realized it must be part of a series, and I wasn't lost or confused at all. I was really enjoying every aspect of it, the overarching adventure/mystery, the shorter stories within, the writing, the various styles of art...as I said, I was enjoying pretty much everything.
After reading the first volume, House of Mystery Room and Boredom, I went back to this one and I appreciated what I'd already read even more and loved the rest. The story "The War" was especially good, and I made a note that I really loved page 30. The result of the exploration of the basement was wonderfully creepy and surprising, and the little revelations either made me more anxious to get the full story or sometimes created more mystery to solve.
I was skimming the graphic novels shelf in the bookstore and this book, mis-shelved and separated from its fellow House of Mystery volumes caught my eye because of its excellent title. Honestly, the title is worth a star all on its own. Thinking it was a standalone book, I read a bit before I realized it must be part of a series, and I wasn't lost or confused at all. I was really enjoying every aspect of it, the overarching adventure/mystery, the shorter stories within, the writing, the various styles of art...as I said, I was enjoying pretty much everything.
After reading the first volume, House of Mystery Room and Boredom, I went back to this one and I appreciated what I'd already read even more and loved the rest. The story "The War" was especially good, and I made a note that I really loved page 30. The result of the exploration of the basement was wonderfully creepy and surprising, and the little revelations either made me more anxious to get the full story or sometimes created more mystery to solve.
September 29, 2011
Insert all of the cliched comparisons to Fables here.
Insert some of the same comparisons to Sandman here.
Insert some comparisons to the original series here.
Sturges has provided us with something not all together new, but both entertaining and literary nonetheless with this relaunch of the House of Mystery series. It contains elements of Gaiman's Sandman and the better parts of earlier Fables storylines and manages enough horror to make it something partially its own.
The largest complaint I have with the book is that it is completely unsure of what it wants to be- a collection of short stories or an ongoing series. It is trying to be both of these and failing miserably. I understand that the house lives on stories, but that seems to be an afterthought or a contrivance in order to allow for guest writers to interject some snippet or other into the often thin main story.
Pick a side, Sturges. Seriously. Or make it so I can't see the wires, so I can't see the ventriloquist's mouth moving, so I can't see that there's a zipper on the back of Godzilla's neck.
Insert some of the same comparisons to Sandman here.
Insert some comparisons to the original series here.
Sturges has provided us with something not all together new, but both entertaining and literary nonetheless with this relaunch of the House of Mystery series. It contains elements of Gaiman's Sandman and the better parts of earlier Fables storylines and manages enough horror to make it something partially its own.
The largest complaint I have with the book is that it is completely unsure of what it wants to be- a collection of short stories or an ongoing series. It is trying to be both of these and failing miserably. I understand that the house lives on stories, but that seems to be an afterthought or a contrivance in order to allow for guest writers to interject some snippet or other into the often thin main story.
Pick a side, Sturges. Seriously. Or make it so I can't see the wires, so I can't see the ventriloquist's mouth moving, so I can't see that there's a zipper on the back of Godzilla's neck.
September 16, 2009
My review of this is pretty much identical to my review of the first volume. There's a lot of potential here, and a lot of good stuff is happening, but it never really congeals into anything solid enough for me. The art is mostly excellent (though I don't care for the new cover artist) and I really think that Luca Rossi has got a good style for this series, and the Bernie Wrightson short is very cute, but for all the inventiveness and style that's on display here, the end result just isn't for me.
That said, I like the stuff I do like well enough that I'll probably keep dipping back into the well for as long as the series goes on.
That said, I like the stuff I do like well enough that I'll probably keep dipping back into the well for as long as the series goes on.
June 18, 2018
2.5
So here's the thing about House of Mystery, I love the core idea of people from different times and realms being drawn to some otherworldly house and I want to unravel the mystery behind why some of those people can't leave. I also enjoy some of the side characters and look forward to the time's when one of them tells a story as it means a change of artist and writer. However that core idea isn't living up to my expectations as of yet, I'm not a fan of any of the main characters and the main art style is rather uninspiring. I still very much want to know what's going on but I don't want to waste my time on something that's just going to be ok so if volume 3 doesn't offer up something worthwhile I think I'm going to call it quits with this series.
So here's the thing about House of Mystery, I love the core idea of people from different times and realms being drawn to some otherworldly house and I want to unravel the mystery behind why some of those people can't leave. I also enjoy some of the side characters and look forward to the time's when one of them tells a story as it means a change of artist and writer. However that core idea isn't living up to my expectations as of yet, I'm not a fan of any of the main characters and the main art style is rather uninspiring. I still very much want to know what's going on but I don't want to waste my time on something that's just going to be ok so if volume 3 doesn't offer up something worthwhile I think I'm going to call it quits with this series.
February 4, 2018
House of Mystery er en tegneserie i 8 deler som handler om Fig (en jente). Hun er fanget i House of Mystery sammen med en gruppe andre både rare og flotte karakterer. Utover i serien inkluderer de andre hennes oldefar, far og halvbror. Det er en bar i første etasje og hvis du forteller en god historie får du drikke gratis hele kvelden. Slik at denne tegneserien er delt mellom hovedhistorien og de historiene folk forteller. Noen klarer å gå ut og inn av huset slik at det er nye gjester innimellom. Men hvorfor og hvordan vil ta alt for lang tid å forklare!
Hele min omtale finner du på bloggen min Betraktninger
Hele min omtale finner du på bloggen min Betraktninger
November 29, 2015
Really loving this series!
July 25, 2019
I was a bit lost on this one. Probably my fault for reading vol. 2 before vol. 1. But, I came across it at my local library and couldn't resist the promise of Bill Willingham, Bernie Wrightson and Kyle Baker stories within, all of whom did little vignettes for this volume.
The Wrightson story is an amazing, 6-page blast of horror-geek joy, with each panel featuring a different classic movie monster. Willingham's is a poetic parable and Baker's is a bittersweet ode to children's lit. The main story, though, is an eloquent meditation on love and fear.
Even though the title has a publication history stretching back to the early '50s, for readers of my generation, the characters of Cain and Abel (who debuted in the late '60s) will forever be linked to Gaiman's Sandman. As tangential as it is, the book is still in Gaiman's shadow, which can't be a comfortable place to be in as a writer. Sturges, though, handles it with aplomb and pontificates on love and fear with expressive and vivid language, while also giving the scared and confused characters some funny and down-to-earth dialogue.
Rossi and Marzan maintain that delicate tonal balance artistically. Rossi, as evidenced in the character designs included at the back, has a kind-of Mike Dringenberg-meets-Colleen Doran style that evokes the Sandman series while mixing the dark with the cartoonish.
Meanwhile, Marzan's crisp, angular inking style preserves the shadowy aspects with heavy use of blacks, but also imparts a kind of sheen that comes from his years of superhero work (not to mention his award-winning run on Y: The Last Man). He keeps the reader's attention on the characters' facial expressions (and, hence, their emotions) while also setting the mood.
The Wrightson story is an amazing, 6-page blast of horror-geek joy, with each panel featuring a different classic movie monster. Willingham's is a poetic parable and Baker's is a bittersweet ode to children's lit. The main story, though, is an eloquent meditation on love and fear.
Even though the title has a publication history stretching back to the early '50s, for readers of my generation, the characters of Cain and Abel (who debuted in the late '60s) will forever be linked to Gaiman's Sandman. As tangential as it is, the book is still in Gaiman's shadow, which can't be a comfortable place to be in as a writer. Sturges, though, handles it with aplomb and pontificates on love and fear with expressive and vivid language, while also giving the scared and confused characters some funny and down-to-earth dialogue.
Rossi and Marzan maintain that delicate tonal balance artistically. Rossi, as evidenced in the character designs included at the back, has a kind-of Mike Dringenberg-meets-Colleen Doran style that evokes the Sandman series while mixing the dark with the cartoonish.
Meanwhile, Marzan's crisp, angular inking style preserves the shadowy aspects with heavy use of blacks, but also imparts a kind of sheen that comes from his years of superhero work (not to mention his award-winning run on Y: The Last Man). He keeps the reader's attention on the characters' facial expressions (and, hence, their emotions) while also setting the mood.
September 30, 2023
After an impressive first volume, I was excited to see where The House Of Mystery was going. I was even looking forward to the overarching plot being stagnant while Sturges, Willingham and hopefully other writers stepped in to write the stories within stories.
Sadly, that's not what happened.
Instead, we go from volume one's introduction of the characters, the house, and the use of stories as currency, directly to a story about how the characters MUST escape the house. It's entirely too early for this development. There is no real character progression from the first volume, instead the mostly reasonable architect protagonist is suddenly in love with the only guy she's talked to since joining the house. In fact, everyone seems to be in love with someone else despite none of them having any chemistry or backstories that would explain why they were drawn to the characters they're paired up with. We do get some pirate background for the bouncer but it doesn't really connect with anything else that happens in the volume.
Overall, this book was a disappointing mess, and I'm no longer looking forward to what's transpiring in future volumes. It also explains why I never heard anyone discuss this title even though I was working in comic book stores when it was coming out. It's not horrible, it's just not very interesting.
Sadly, that's not what happened.
Instead, we go from volume one's introduction of the characters, the house, and the use of stories as currency, directly to a story about how the characters MUST escape the house. It's entirely too early for this development. There is no real character progression from the first volume, instead the mostly reasonable architect protagonist is suddenly in love with the only guy she's talked to since joining the house. In fact, everyone seems to be in love with someone else despite none of them having any chemistry or backstories that would explain why they were drawn to the characters they're paired up with. We do get some pirate background for the bouncer but it doesn't really connect with anything else that happens in the volume.
Overall, this book was a disappointing mess, and I'm no longer looking forward to what's transpiring in future volumes. It also explains why I never heard anyone discuss this title even though I was working in comic book stores when it was coming out. It's not horrible, it's just not very interesting.
June 18, 2021
This review won't be as long as the last since I don't have as much to say. Continues everything I liked from the first volume and improves on the anthology format. I found the wraparound story to be pretty strong here if only a little long. Definitely a volume packed with reveals and new story threads, don't expect many answers if any.
While I'm still awaiting Cain's arrival, I loved The Caretakers. A story about Harry and Abel capturing stray Nightmares in the House. Another absolute standout was the short and sweet Gothic Romance drawn by one of my favorites Bernie Wrightson. A classic little story about a woman cursed with romances that end in monstrous circumstances. Really stunning art throughout, lovely tribute to both the Universal Classics and the later Hammer pictures.
While I'm still awaiting Cain's arrival, I loved The Caretakers. A story about Harry and Abel capturing stray Nightmares in the House. Another absolute standout was the short and sweet Gothic Romance drawn by one of my favorites Bernie Wrightson. A classic little story about a woman cursed with romances that end in monstrous circumstances. Really stunning art throughout, lovely tribute to both the Universal Classics and the later Hammer pictures.
July 7, 2024
This series doesn't suck, but it isn't my cup of tea, either. I love the original House of Mystery, with the Horror anthology style of storytelling that employs a main character/ narrator ala the Cryptkeeper from EC's Tales From the Crypt. This series falls short in the regard that it has an entire cast that it's trying to build arcs around while interspersing short stories. The only one that even deserves a mention is the one with Bernie Wrightson artwork. The rest of them, while not awful, do not measure up to the original series either. This series seems more like a mediocre cable television series than a comic book.
September 8, 2018
This is one of the best vooulmes I have read in this series. While there are few stories that are pretty tangential, there is a lot of plot development, starting with the unlocking of a door, behind which is a hurge, long spiral staircase leading down into the depths of the house ...
February 3, 2024
Anything with contributions from Bill Willingham, Bernie Wrightson and Kyle Baker deserves a read. This is a mere tranche of a large whole but the characters are likeable and the ideas and entertaining.
June 7, 2018
Such a pretty subtitle, but I’ll need to see where this goes.
August 22, 2019
Really good mix of horror and adventure!!
January 17, 2021
Love this series so much.
Read
June 10, 2021Review withheld until discussed at comic book club.
May 25, 2022
Volume 2 really adds a lot more depth to Fig's back story and yet for everything it explains more mysteries are presented...
November 22, 2022
Still quite the unique story. The mini stories can be distracting and the plot is still a bit muddled, but there's something that keeps drawing me in (not just the drawings 👻)
May 4, 2016
This is a really nice follow up to the first volume in the House of Mystery series by Matt Sturges. Once again, the setting is within the house itself, which exists between dimensions. This allows travelers from very different worlds to visit it from time to time. The format established in the first book is carried over here as well. The primary plotline acts as a frame for stories being told by various characters, so they are woven together.
The first volume introduced the reader to the house, and now the main characters are on a mission to explore the basement. They are hoping to find a way to leave the house. These main characters are permanent residents, but not by choice. Where other people can leave the house whenever they want, there is no path back to their homes for these characters.
The basement is creepy. It reminded me of a horror movie where you just want to tell the characters not to go down there. The creators do a good job of building this up a little bit and the art punches things home once they head down. The bar still needs to be run, so a couple of characters stay behind. This portion of the story balances out the basement portion pretty well.
While the book answers some questions raised in the first volume, there are others that aren't touched or made more confusing. Not to mention new issues that are raised as things are revealed. This is a good continuation of the series and I highly recommend it if you read volume one.
The first volume introduced the reader to the house, and now the main characters are on a mission to explore the basement. They are hoping to find a way to leave the house. These main characters are permanent residents, but not by choice. Where other people can leave the house whenever they want, there is no path back to their homes for these characters.
The basement is creepy. It reminded me of a horror movie where you just want to tell the characters not to go down there. The creators do a good job of building this up a little bit and the art punches things home once they head down. The bar still needs to be run, so a couple of characters stay behind. This portion of the story balances out the basement portion pretty well.
While the book answers some questions raised in the first volume, there are others that aren't touched or made more confusing. Not to mention new issues that are raised as things are revealed. This is a good continuation of the series and I highly recommend it if you read volume one.
March 4, 2010
This collection combines a number of stories (penned and illustrated by several different writers and illustrators). There is Ann Preston’s origin story – she was once a pirate lass whose heart was broken by a musician she captured aboard her ship. Then there is Harry’s story of how he helped rid the House of Nightmares – assisting Abel, whose brother sent the nightmares to torment him. Miranda’s story of how she was lost in the bowels of the House when she and Ann and Harry ventured there before. And interspersed around these tales are scenes from Fig’s adventures in the basement of the House of Mystery, as she, Harry, and Ann attempt to find a way back to their own realities.
This is weird and twisted and delightfully dark. I’m not sure where it’s going, but I love the mishmash of stories and the strange, strange House that keeps some, but not all, of its visitors prisoner. This edition is full-color, but some of the detail and color is lost because of the paper – glossy would have been a better choice. There are still plenty of mysteries that want unraveling – who is/are the Conception, who is the mysterious personage that meets with them, what role does Fig’s father play in all of this (he seems to know something of her traveling powers), and why does Fig seem to know – subconsciously - so much about the House? I eagerly anticipate future collections!
This is weird and twisted and delightfully dark. I’m not sure where it’s going, but I love the mishmash of stories and the strange, strange House that keeps some, but not all, of its visitors prisoner. This edition is full-color, but some of the detail and color is lost because of the paper – glossy would have been a better choice. There are still plenty of mysteries that want unraveling – who is/are the Conception, who is the mysterious personage that meets with them, what role does Fig’s father play in all of this (he seems to know something of her traveling powers), and why does Fig seem to know – subconsciously - so much about the House? I eagerly anticipate future collections!
March 28, 2014
Sturges has taken an interesting approach to the traditional horror anthology comic. In the classic House of Mystery comics, the house was merely a convenient framing device for the various stories. As with all anthologies, the quality was spotty--some stories good and memorable, others best forgotten. With no continuing stories, it can be difficult to build a reader base--it's not as if anyone will lose track of things if they skip buying the comic for a month or two after all. After the title's cancelation, the framing sequence was expanded upon by Alan Moore and, later, Neil Gaiman. So how to satisfy fans of the original series, while also pleasing fans of the House itself? So now we have a continuing storyline, with a short, often unrelated, anthology-style story in each issue. Very neatly handled! I'm liking this series.
March 2, 2009
I read this graphic novel while spending several hours in Borders earlier today. I couldn't find the third volume, unfortunately. :(
It's been a while since I've read the first volume that I had a bit of a fuzzy time remembering who was who, and how the first volume ended. Thankfully midway through the second volume it filled the gap. I thought the time jump I didn't know anything of was from my bad memory! It's interesting what people's choices lead them to do.
We learned a little more about some of the characters' pasts. It still didn't...work for me, though. I know as the second collection of issues, it's still asking more questions than answering them, but it still felt rather disparate.
I did love the cameo by Abel and Goldie! That was rather cute/sweet.
It's been a while since I've read the first volume that I had a bit of a fuzzy time remembering who was who, and how the first volume ended. Thankfully midway through the second volume it filled the gap. I thought the time jump I didn't know anything of was from my bad memory! It's interesting what people's choices lead them to do.
We learned a little more about some of the characters' pasts. It still didn't...work for me, though. I know as the second collection of issues, it's still asking more questions than answering them, but it still felt rather disparate.
I did love the cameo by Abel and Goldie! That was rather cute/sweet.
June 18, 2009
Even though I only get the trades, I think this is my favorite monthly series in comics right now. It's a great mix of weird horror, a little fantasy, and a witty sense of humor...
Rossi's art is some of the best out there today (very similar to Dustin Nguyen -- another one of my favorites) and his heavy, sharped edged shadows and linework really compliment the tone of the book. He's the main artist, but one of best parts of HoM is each issue/chapter there's another short story, each one by a different artist each time. Very cool. I really like getting 'into' the House of Mystery, it's a great world, and I hate having to leave each time I get to the end of an arc or turn to the last page.
Rossi's art is some of the best out there today (very similar to Dustin Nguyen -- another one of my favorites) and his heavy, sharped edged shadows and linework really compliment the tone of the book. He's the main artist, but one of best parts of HoM is each issue/chapter there's another short story, each one by a different artist each time. Very cool. I really like getting 'into' the House of Mystery, it's a great world, and I hate having to leave each time I get to the end of an arc or turn to the last page.
August 14, 2010
Another excellent chapter in the House of Mystery series. We get to know more about the protagonist Fig and her past, mainly her relationship with her father. We also get to meet the long suffering Abel, tasked with getting all of the nightmares out of the House of Mystery by his sadistic brother, Cain. The format of stories within stories continues from the first volume, and it works wonderfully, the highlight being the story of Fig in Stuffyland at the end of the volume.
I know I kind of suck at reviewing coherently, so I'll just say this- If you enjoyed past Vertigo titles such as Sandman and Fables, you really need to be reading House of Mystery..
I know I kind of suck at reviewing coherently, so I'll just say this- If you enjoyed past Vertigo titles such as Sandman and Fables, you really need to be reading House of Mystery..
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