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House of Penance #1-6
Дом Покаяния
1905 год. Молодая вдова Сара Винчестер ведёт масштабную стройку: день и ночь не стихает бой молотков, а новые комнаты, этажи и ложные ходы появляются в её доме один за другим. Злые языки говорят, наследница оружейной империи выжила из ума. Но им невдомёк, что дом Сары — это пристанище заблудших душ. Никто не знает, что лишь звуки инструментов мешают призракам невинных жертв отомстить Саре за грехи её семьи…
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 24, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
February 6, 2017
As a general rule, I don’t seek out stories that primarily classify themselves as horror stories—not, contrary to popular belief, because I’m a giant weenie, nor because I lack a strong stomach (having been on the receiving end—head to toe—of post-yogurt-consumption toddler puke (perhaps the vilest smelling substance in the history of creation) on multiple occasions and managed to hold down my lunch, I think my strength of stomach has proven itself to be sufficient to handle a little cartoon blood and guts); rather, it’s simply the case that I’m not a huge fan of creepy all the time. Still, every once in a while, I like some creepy, and this story sounded suitably interesting beyond the creepy factor (historical context, mysterious goings-on, men in search of redemption) to warrant checking out.
I can’t say this would please hardcore horror aficionados, as the horror elements really do seem to be a secondary focus, but if you’re looking for a fast-moving, engrossing, off-kilter graphic novel that’s got lots of lovingly illustrated tendrils of blood and viscera as an ancillary benefit of reading the tale of a possibly crazy woman trying to protect her dead husband and child from malevolent spirits whilst simultaneously creating a halfway house for reformed murderers, this is the book for you.
Ultimately, it’s more than the sum of its parts—broken down, I’m not sure any individual element recommends it; as a whole, however, it’s a very interesting and macabre narrative (albeit not as scary as yogurt-fueled toddler projectile vomit).
I can’t say this would please hardcore horror aficionados, as the horror elements really do seem to be a secondary focus, but if you’re looking for a fast-moving, engrossing, off-kilter graphic novel that’s got lots of lovingly illustrated tendrils of blood and viscera as an ancillary benefit of reading the tale of a possibly crazy woman trying to protect her dead husband and child from malevolent spirits whilst simultaneously creating a halfway house for reformed murderers, this is the book for you.
Ultimately, it’s more than the sum of its parts—broken down, I’m not sure any individual element recommends it; as a whole, however, it’s a very interesting and macabre narrative (albeit not as scary as yogurt-fueled toddler projectile vomit).
November 15, 2017
The darkest souls are not those which choose to exist within the hell of the abyss, but those which choose to move silently among us.
----------------------- Dr. Samuel Loomis, Halloween (2007)
House of Penance is a fictional account of a non-fictional character, Sarah Winchester, and her rather colorful life as a widowed wealthy mistress who spent a fortune to construct Winchester mystery house.
In this imaginative adaptation, Peter J. Tomasi paints a world which is inches away from forces of hell, and the only thing that is stopping these nefarious gooey tentacle-y things from taking over our plane of existence is Sarah and her house. Yea, I know how it sounds. But the story is written in a way that it's neither too crazy nor too logical, a little cozy purgatory where the story actually works for most of the time.
What makes it stand out is not the storytelling, but the spectacular art by Ian Bertram along with Dave Stewart's coloring. Bertram's character sketches started out weird for me but grew on me like those tentacle-y things in the story. There were parts in the fourth and fifth issue that just took my breath away!
Even though I found the last act not so satisfactory as the rest of the story, this is a solid horror graphic novel that can be read under thick blankets, deep in the night. ( I read it from one to three in the morning. And trust me, it was so much fun)
Wikipedia page of Winchester Mystery House for those who are interested. ------> https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Wincheste...
September 21, 2016
This book was absolutely incredible. A superb piece of psychological horror that takes the reader from reality to the pits of Hell and then back again (and then back again). This may be one of the most disturbing comicbooks I've ever read. I have a feeling it's going to linger in my subconscious for a long time.
Ian Bertram draws things as they feel rather than as they are and the effect is so damned creepy I kept feeling the need to look behind me.
If I had to compare the feeling I got reading this book to something else... Well, it's similar to how I felt when I first read Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth or the first time I watched Alien.
Be warned, though, if you like your artwork 'realistic' or your stories literal, this book's probably not for you. If you're the kind of person who likes to take your mind down to the river Styx, wash it in blood and wring it out once in a while, this book deserves a place in your collection.
Anyway, I'd better go; the walls are starting to bleed again...
Ian Bertram draws things as they feel rather than as they are and the effect is so damned creepy I kept feeling the need to look behind me.
If I had to compare the feeling I got reading this book to something else... Well, it's similar to how I felt when I first read Batman: Arkham Asylum - A Serious House on Serious Earth or the first time I watched Alien.
Be warned, though, if you like your artwork 'realistic' or your stories literal, this book's probably not for you. If you're the kind of person who likes to take your mind down to the river Styx, wash it in blood and wring it out once in a while, this book deserves a place in your collection.
Anyway, I'd better go; the walls are starting to bleed again...
February 6, 2017
House of Penance is loosely based on the life of Sarah Winchester, the 19th century American heiress who went mad after the death of her husband and daughter, and then spent decades and a massive amount of the Winchester fortune on constant work on her San Jose mansion, which is still around and known today as the Winchester Mystery House (the house’s design is mental, full of staircases and doorways to nowhere).
“Loosely” in that Peter J. Tomasi dramatizes Sarah’s life, changing her husband and daughter’s death dates, as well as her own, to suit his narrative. And of course adding vengeful ghosts! I’m not sure whether or not the real Sarah Winchester only hired workers with bloody pasts (hence “penance”) but this book’s Sarah does.
You know what House of Penance needs? A STORY! Crazy old Sarah thinks the house is haunted by the spirits of those killed by her in-laws’ creation the Winchester repeating rifle (fortune linking to misfortune in some yin/yang way) and the constant hammering of workmen somehow keeps them at bay – or something?! Wha - that’s not a story, that’s a premise, and yet that’s basically the entire book!
There’s no sense of forward motion in this book. Sarah’s not really building towards somehow defeating the ghosts and the ghosts are mostly passive, so things remain static for the most part. I guess this was meant to be a portrait of grief and despair – what one woman’s tragedy led to? It’s just not very interesting to read when almost zero happens over the course of 170+ pages! There’s no insight, no emotion, no anything really. If it weren’t for Ian Bertram’s art this would be a total loss.
Bertram’s stylized art is very eye-catching and suitably unsettling. The cross-hatching is effective in lending the book a horror sheen as are his character designs – Sarah’s bug-eyes were very creepy; she reminded me of Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I’m a huge fan of Frank Quitely’s work whose style looks to have heavily influenced Bertram’s, not just with Sarah’s facial structure but with the overall aesthetic, so I especially enjoyed the art on this one. The hallucinatory sequences were nightmarish, the tilting panels pages to highlight Sarah’s total descent into madness were a good choice, and several surreal splash pages stand out. While Tomasi’s narrative was lacking, Bertram’s visuals, aided by Dave Stewart’s dependable and masterful colouring, certainly weren’t.
Maybe it would’ve been better with third-person narrative captions or giving Sarah a first-person overlay to focus things and give it better structure though, as it is, the authorial touch is too soft, especially as there’s barely anything happening besides Sarah hallucinating weird shit over and over. There’s nothing to really latch onto so I felt increasingly detached from the comic until I didn’t care anymore. House of Penance seemed like a promising horror comic but it turned out to be too vague and unimpressive. It looks awesome but a beautiful bore is still a bore.
“Loosely” in that Peter J. Tomasi dramatizes Sarah’s life, changing her husband and daughter’s death dates, as well as her own, to suit his narrative. And of course adding vengeful ghosts! I’m not sure whether or not the real Sarah Winchester only hired workers with bloody pasts (hence “penance”) but this book’s Sarah does.
You know what House of Penance needs? A STORY! Crazy old Sarah thinks the house is haunted by the spirits of those killed by her in-laws’ creation the Winchester repeating rifle (fortune linking to misfortune in some yin/yang way) and the constant hammering of workmen somehow keeps them at bay – or something?! Wha - that’s not a story, that’s a premise, and yet that’s basically the entire book!
There’s no sense of forward motion in this book. Sarah’s not really building towards somehow defeating the ghosts and the ghosts are mostly passive, so things remain static for the most part. I guess this was meant to be a portrait of grief and despair – what one woman’s tragedy led to? It’s just not very interesting to read when almost zero happens over the course of 170+ pages! There’s no insight, no emotion, no anything really. If it weren’t for Ian Bertram’s art this would be a total loss.
Bertram’s stylized art is very eye-catching and suitably unsettling. The cross-hatching is effective in lending the book a horror sheen as are his character designs – Sarah’s bug-eyes were very creepy; she reminded me of Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. I’m a huge fan of Frank Quitely’s work whose style looks to have heavily influenced Bertram’s, not just with Sarah’s facial structure but with the overall aesthetic, so I especially enjoyed the art on this one. The hallucinatory sequences were nightmarish, the tilting panels pages to highlight Sarah’s total descent into madness were a good choice, and several surreal splash pages stand out. While Tomasi’s narrative was lacking, Bertram’s visuals, aided by Dave Stewart’s dependable and masterful colouring, certainly weren’t.
Maybe it would’ve been better with third-person narrative captions or giving Sarah a first-person overlay to focus things and give it better structure though, as it is, the authorial touch is too soft, especially as there’s barely anything happening besides Sarah hallucinating weird shit over and over. There’s nothing to really latch onto so I felt increasingly detached from the comic until I didn’t care anymore. House of Penance seemed like a promising horror comic but it turned out to be too vague and unimpressive. It looks awesome but a beautiful bore is still a bore.
August 26, 2017
Most of you know the name Winchester because you associate it correctly with a particular brand of firearms. Some of you know the story of Sarah Winchester, who thought the family was cursed through the killing her family’s guns brought about. But just in case you don’t know the story, here’s a quick look:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_W...
If you didn’t click on that link I can say Sarah went a tad mad, deciding that the thing she needed to do to make restitution for all the gun murders was to keep adding on constructing the Winchester mansion, taking advice from the ghosts of the murdered and/or murderers. . . There are many interesting books and websites to look at if you are this interested in this story. There’s a staircase going nowhere, and other bizarre aspects to the (yes, actual) house.
THIS version, House of Penance, is very good, beautifully drawn horror with a lot of red (blood) in it, a creepy, fascinating story which adds some interesting dimensions to the original (factual) tale, like vengeful ghosts. It’s obviously a good way to link the horror genre to actual horrific events (killing by guns). In that sense, the story is both horror and (loosely-based) historical fiction! But there's not really that much story here, for a series spanning four issues. It's mainly a visual experience, with images dominating over plot. But I liked it, maybe 3 for what Tomasi does with the story, and 5 for the art.
Alan Moore memorable (also horror) rendition of the story is in Swamp Thing:
http://www.prismcomics.org/the-ultima...
And here’s a Winchester haunted house visit you can take!
http://www.prismcomics.org/the-ultima...
Thanks to sud666 for the rec!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_W...
If you didn’t click on that link I can say Sarah went a tad mad, deciding that the thing she needed to do to make restitution for all the gun murders was to keep adding on constructing the Winchester mansion, taking advice from the ghosts of the murdered and/or murderers. . . There are many interesting books and websites to look at if you are this interested in this story. There’s a staircase going nowhere, and other bizarre aspects to the (yes, actual) house.
THIS version, House of Penance, is very good, beautifully drawn horror with a lot of red (blood) in it, a creepy, fascinating story which adds some interesting dimensions to the original (factual) tale, like vengeful ghosts. It’s obviously a good way to link the horror genre to actual horrific events (killing by guns). In that sense, the story is both horror and (loosely-based) historical fiction! But there's not really that much story here, for a series spanning four issues. It's mainly a visual experience, with images dominating over plot. But I liked it, maybe 3 for what Tomasi does with the story, and 5 for the art.
Alan Moore memorable (also horror) rendition of the story is in Swamp Thing:
http://www.prismcomics.org/the-ultima...
And here’s a Winchester haunted house visit you can take!
http://www.prismcomics.org/the-ultima...
Thanks to sud666 for the rec!
October 16, 2020
A fictional Poe-like take on a historical figure. Sarah Winchester was haunted by all the death and grief caused by the guns her family sold. As heir to the Winchester fortune, she moved to California and started construction on a house that she would continuously modify for 38 years. It contains stairs that go nowhere, doors that open to nowhere from great heights, etc as she tried to confuse the ghosts she believed haunted her. All of this is factual and the Winchester Mystery House can still be toured today.
Tomasi then layers a Poe like bent on top of the story. There's not much plot here other than Bertram illustrating Sarah's visions. Bertram's art is weird and fantastical. His eclectic style actually works very well with the story and is frankly what kept me reading to the end. Peter Tomasi is one of the best writers working in comics today but this failed as a story as there's hardly any plot.
Tomasi then layers a Poe like bent on top of the story. There's not much plot here other than Bertram illustrating Sarah's visions. Bertram's art is weird and fantastical. His eclectic style actually works very well with the story and is frankly what kept me reading to the end. Peter Tomasi is one of the best writers working in comics today but this failed as a story as there's hardly any plot.
May 11, 2017
What if Edgar Allan Poe had written a western? I think I just found out the answer to that question. House of Penance is a strange and macabre horror tale. I didn't not expect to like it as much as I did. The start of the story did not have me convinced, but as the story developed it grew on me. It is a rather original tale.
In the early 1900's Sarah Winchester, wife of the firearms magnate William Winchester, loses her beloved daughter and husband within months of each other. Grief stricken she begins construction of a veritable madhouse of a mansion. All the signs point to her complete break from reality as she struggles against "ghosts" and hires a motley group of ex-killers to work on her house. Into this strange situation stumbles Mr. Peck. Peck is a killer haunted by the people he has sent to the grave. Seriously wounded he stumbles onto the construction site. Once recovered he settles into a job at the strange mansion where construction continues around the clock. He joins the work crew and finds out what exactly is happening inside the Winchester estate.
The rest of the story is quite macabre and grim. A story of ghosts and inner demons, it also brings up interesting questions about morality. It does not do this is preachy or holier-than-thou style. The questions about earning profit from the death or others or by creating weapons that cause the death is an interesting one. The fact that this morality play is also tied up into a strange tale of haunting and the attempts to create a house that serves as a prison for the evil ghosts, a balm for the innocent souls and a chance at redemption for the workers.
I will admit it started out rather slow, but the story did pick up steam. It has some parts that are rather violent and quite grim. But the overall story, far from suffering, is enhanced by this strange supernatural twist to the tale. The artwork is merely ok. I didn't care for it over all. It has an odd style that seems to work in the boundaries of this particular tale-but I can't say that I enjoyed it tremendously. That is a shame, for if the art reached the dark and macabre tone of the plot than this would be a masterpiece. Even without great art, in my humble opinion, this story is well worth your time. The strange mix of horror, angry spirits and a violent Western create a very unique tale. This is one book that will make an worthy addition to my graphic novel library. If you're a fan of Poe or Lovecraftian things that go bump in the night, or even if you like a psychological thriller about guilt and conscience then this is a great graphic novel for you.
In the early 1900's Sarah Winchester, wife of the firearms magnate William Winchester, loses her beloved daughter and husband within months of each other. Grief stricken she begins construction of a veritable madhouse of a mansion. All the signs point to her complete break from reality as she struggles against "ghosts" and hires a motley group of ex-killers to work on her house. Into this strange situation stumbles Mr. Peck. Peck is a killer haunted by the people he has sent to the grave. Seriously wounded he stumbles onto the construction site. Once recovered he settles into a job at the strange mansion where construction continues around the clock. He joins the work crew and finds out what exactly is happening inside the Winchester estate.
The rest of the story is quite macabre and grim. A story of ghosts and inner demons, it also brings up interesting questions about morality. It does not do this is preachy or holier-than-thou style. The questions about earning profit from the death or others or by creating weapons that cause the death is an interesting one. The fact that this morality play is also tied up into a strange tale of haunting and the attempts to create a house that serves as a prison for the evil ghosts, a balm for the innocent souls and a chance at redemption for the workers.
I will admit it started out rather slow, but the story did pick up steam. It has some parts that are rather violent and quite grim. But the overall story, far from suffering, is enhanced by this strange supernatural twist to the tale. The artwork is merely ok. I didn't care for it over all. It has an odd style that seems to work in the boundaries of this particular tale-but I can't say that I enjoyed it tremendously. That is a shame, for if the art reached the dark and macabre tone of the plot than this would be a masterpiece. Even without great art, in my humble opinion, this story is well worth your time. The strange mix of horror, angry spirits and a violent Western create a very unique tale. This is one book that will make an worthy addition to my graphic novel library. If you're a fan of Poe or Lovecraftian things that go bump in the night, or even if you like a psychological thriller about guilt and conscience then this is a great graphic novel for you.
April 5, 2017
I judged this book by its cover and did not get the story I'd expected which turned out to be a good thing.
This isn't really a horror comic, it's more a look at psychological trauma and how it manifests in the physical world. It's actually a terribly sad story about Sarah Winchester and the reason she built the The Winchester Mystery House.
There's been some liberty taken with dates and I don't know if Mrs. Winchester actually watched her neighbors from a bedroom window, but the story checks out, over all, at least according to this and this source.
I found the burden of her guilt to be both fascinating and terrible, especially considering she married into the family and wasn't really aware of all the death for which her husband's family's product was responsible. In this version, it was her grief over losing her daughter and then her husband to illnesses that caused her to believe in a blood curse on her family. That's a lot of additional baggage to take on when you're in the midst of mourning.
Her self-flagellation is compared to that of Warren Peck who has begun to feel the weight of his own misdeeds brought about by being a sharpshooter mercenary. He's killed some bad guys but he's killed more innocents all in the name of a paycheck and those extinguished lives have come back to haunt him.
I was also interested in the redemption message. The reader knows that killers aren't going to find absolution or even peace through house-building but both Sarah and her crew of men who have killed with guns believed that every blow of the hammer helped make up for every blow of a gun's hammer, that the constant racket kept malicious spirits/thoughts at bay.
The art is not pretty, but, then again, neither is the story. The drawings are all skritchy and straight lines only exist in the architecture and the gun barrels. There's a preponderance of red, all the blood and guts that have been spilled to create the need for the Winchester House.
It's a tragic tale but a decent read and so what if your eyes hurt a bit after looking at the pictures.
This isn't really a horror comic, it's more a look at psychological trauma and how it manifests in the physical world. It's actually a terribly sad story about Sarah Winchester and the reason she built the The Winchester Mystery House.
There's been some liberty taken with dates and I don't know if Mrs. Winchester actually watched her neighbors from a bedroom window, but the story checks out, over all, at least according to this and this source.
I found the burden of her guilt to be both fascinating and terrible, especially considering she married into the family and wasn't really aware of all the death for which her husband's family's product was responsible. In this version, it was her grief over losing her daughter and then her husband to illnesses that caused her to believe in a blood curse on her family. That's a lot of additional baggage to take on when you're in the midst of mourning.
Her self-flagellation is compared to that of Warren Peck who has begun to feel the weight of his own misdeeds brought about by being a sharpshooter mercenary. He's killed some bad guys but he's killed more innocents all in the name of a paycheck and those extinguished lives have come back to haunt him.
I was also interested in the redemption message. The reader knows that killers aren't going to find absolution or even peace through house-building but both Sarah and her crew of men who have killed with guns believed that every blow of the hammer helped make up for every blow of a gun's hammer, that the constant racket kept malicious spirits/thoughts at bay.
The art is not pretty, but, then again, neither is the story. The drawings are all skritchy and straight lines only exist in the architecture and the gun barrels. There's a preponderance of red, all the blood and guts that have been spilled to create the need for the Winchester House.
It's a tragic tale but a decent read and so what if your eyes hurt a bit after looking at the pictures.
October 3, 2017
When I started this comic I had no idea about the supposed curse on the Winchester house or Sarah Winchester. I started looking up the legend(s) while reading the comic and it is indeed a fascinating story (the true bits as well as the lore that got added).
The story goes that Sarah Winchester lost first her daughter and then shortly later her husband. Supposedly, she believed to be cursed (many say due to all the death her family's company brought to the world in form of guns/rifles) and thought she could only counteract the curse or maybe even lift it by keeping on constructing the San José home.
This comic, then, tells the story of workers flooding to her (one in particular) to atone for their killings and other sins by building the house around the clock. It also tells the story of what the house was like, what it was to Sarah herself, and how it claimed the lives of some of the workers.
It is a psycho-thriller par excellence and despite the actually hideous art (I could have lived with edgy due to the topic but the art here was much worse than that), I enjoyed it quite a bit as there was a wonderful sense of foreboding as well as the unease that comes with a person and environment of obsession and madness.
There is, of course, quite a lot of social criticism in this one, too, as it deals with how people were "taken care of" if they refused to sell their land to railway companies or what was done to so many Native Americans. To say nothing of the comment on guns themselves. However, I've decided to not read more into this as that is where madness lies (besides, in that case we'd have to have one hell of a lot of knife manufacturers going mad as well). Instead, to me, this is a creepy story of a haunted house that was built by haunted men employed by a woman going mad from grief (she built that house in the course of over 38 years - if that is not mad, I don't know what is) and thus perfect for October/Halloween!
The story goes that Sarah Winchester lost first her daughter and then shortly later her husband. Supposedly, she believed to be cursed (many say due to all the death her family's company brought to the world in form of guns/rifles) and thought she could only counteract the curse or maybe even lift it by keeping on constructing the San José home.
This comic, then, tells the story of workers flooding to her (one in particular) to atone for their killings and other sins by building the house around the clock. It also tells the story of what the house was like, what it was to Sarah herself, and how it claimed the lives of some of the workers.
It is a psycho-thriller par excellence and despite the actually hideous art (I could have lived with edgy due to the topic but the art here was much worse than that), I enjoyed it quite a bit as there was a wonderful sense of foreboding as well as the unease that comes with a person and environment of obsession and madness.
There is, of course, quite a lot of social criticism in this one, too, as it deals with how people were "taken care of" if they refused to sell their land to railway companies or what was done to so many Native Americans. To say nothing of the comment on guns themselves. However, I've decided to not read more into this as that is where madness lies (besides, in that case we'd have to have one hell of a lot of knife manufacturers going mad as well). Instead, to me, this is a creepy story of a haunted house that was built by haunted men employed by a woman going mad from grief (she built that house in the course of over 38 years - if that is not mad, I don't know what is) and thus perfect for October/Halloween!
August 6, 2017
The Fall of the House of Winchester.
Loosely based on stories of the actual Winchester mansion, this tale is the story of Sarah, heiress to the Winchester fortune. She is haunted by the ghosts of everyone killed by Winchester firearms, and has teams working day and night to build her mansion. The house is never completed. Rooms are constantly reworked. There are stairways to nowhere and doors that open onto sheer drops. As long as there is constant hammering and construction, the ghosts can't get to her. Into this mix comes Warren Peck, a sniper on the run from his own memories. They fall in love, banish the ghosts, give her money to charity, and live happily ever after with rainbows and unicorns and all manner of frolicking forest creatures. No, actually that doesn't happen. This is a horror story after all ...
My favorite thing about this book is the artwork. Ian Bertram's pages are deliciously creepy, full of grotesque figures and mad, staring eyes, odd angles and gruesomeness prowling around the edges. Someone needs to set him to adapting Lovecraft, stat! As for the story, it's decent, but nothing special. Tomasi does a good riff on the actual Winchester house, with some nice tie-ins to events of the time period. It's all a touch predictable though. Everything resolves decently enough, and it's not actually a bad story, just ... ordinary. I've read better; I've read worse. The art rocks! The story ... doesn't. Read at your own risk.
Loosely based on stories of the actual Winchester mansion, this tale is the story of Sarah, heiress to the Winchester fortune. She is haunted by the ghosts of everyone killed by Winchester firearms, and has teams working day and night to build her mansion. The house is never completed. Rooms are constantly reworked. There are stairways to nowhere and doors that open onto sheer drops. As long as there is constant hammering and construction, the ghosts can't get to her. Into this mix comes Warren Peck, a sniper on the run from his own memories. They fall in love, banish the ghosts, give her money to charity, and live happily ever after with rainbows and unicorns and all manner of frolicking forest creatures. No, actually that doesn't happen. This is a horror story after all ...
My favorite thing about this book is the artwork. Ian Bertram's pages are deliciously creepy, full of grotesque figures and mad, staring eyes, odd angles and gruesomeness prowling around the edges. Someone needs to set him to adapting Lovecraft, stat! As for the story, it's decent, but nothing special. Tomasi does a good riff on the actual Winchester house, with some nice tie-ins to events of the time period. It's all a touch predictable though. Everything resolves decently enough, and it's not actually a bad story, just ... ordinary. I've read better; I've read worse. The art rocks! The story ... doesn't. Read at your own risk.
March 27, 2018
I'm so glad that I was aware that Sarah Winchester was a real person (who actually built a whacky house after her husband died), otherwise I would have been really bemused by this whole premise.
House of Penance is a re-imagining of Sarah Winchester's life, more specifically focusing on the after her husband (Sam Winchester, the inventor of the Winchest rifle) died. Convinced that the family is cursed, Sarah listens to the ghosts of those who died at the hands of her husband's invention and constructs/adds to the Winchester mansion according to what they tell her.
Tomasi obviously takes some liberties with the facts, but it's kind of freaky how much of this is based on real people and events. However, I thought that Tomasi's writing was the weakest aspect of this work. It's a 4-issue series, but even at such a short length it felt kind of long and like nothing happened.
The high point of this limited series is Bertram and Stewart's beautiful art. There are some horror aspects to the story (the ghosts that haunt Sarah, mostly) and the way they're drawn is chilling and super creepy. Stewart's colour is very subdued, with the exceptions of the bright red that are used to accentuate and add to the atmosphere. It's all very beautiful to look at.
So, 5-stars for the art, but 2-stars for the story for a total of 3-stars. I'd personally recommend borrowing this first before investing in buying a copy, but it's almost worth owning for the amazing art alone.
House of Penance is a re-imagining of Sarah Winchester's life, more specifically focusing on the after her husband (Sam Winchester, the inventor of the Winchest rifle) died. Convinced that the family is cursed, Sarah listens to the ghosts of those who died at the hands of her husband's invention and constructs/adds to the Winchester mansion according to what they tell her.
Tomasi obviously takes some liberties with the facts, but it's kind of freaky how much of this is based on real people and events. However, I thought that Tomasi's writing was the weakest aspect of this work. It's a 4-issue series, but even at such a short length it felt kind of long and like nothing happened.
The high point of this limited series is Bertram and Stewart's beautiful art. There are some horror aspects to the story (the ghosts that haunt Sarah, mostly) and the way they're drawn is chilling and super creepy. Stewart's colour is very subdued, with the exceptions of the bright red that are used to accentuate and add to the atmosphere. It's all very beautiful to look at.
So, 5-stars for the art, but 2-stars for the story for a total of 3-stars. I'd personally recommend borrowing this first before investing in buying a copy, but it's almost worth owning for the amazing art alone.
October 31, 2016
I thought it was horror but it isn't. It's a beautiful story about grief and guilt, and how murders are haunted by the ghosts of their victims. Basically, it displays both grief and guilt as "bloody monsters" to show how real their are to the people who feel them. Very interesting graphic novel.
February 26, 2019
This was interesting and I wonder how much was based on fact and how much was embellished for the book. I did think the art looked wonky and it wasn't really my thing, but I did enjoy the story.
February 25, 2018
This is a good (if exceptionally loose) take on the story of Sarah Winchester, heir to the fortune of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, which was maybe cursed by the ghosts of those killed by the weapons the company manufactured. This seems like a particularly apt moment in our nation's history for the story of the Winchester Mystery House to be told, even in a highly fictionalized form, though those looking for some new insight into gun violence may not find it here.
The "story and words" by Peter J. Tomasi are good, but what really makes House of Penance shine is the art by Ian Bertram (with colors by Dave Stewart). While there's an obvious parallel to the work of James Harren, at a glance, this is more structured than Harren's work, with heavier lines that are often used to reflect the ever-changing architecture of the titular house, as juxtaposed against the book's extremely organic (and gross) spirits.
The "story and words" by Peter J. Tomasi are good, but what really makes House of Penance shine is the art by Ian Bertram (with colors by Dave Stewart). While there's an obvious parallel to the work of James Harren, at a glance, this is more structured than Harren's work, with heavier lines that are often used to reflect the ever-changing architecture of the titular house, as juxtaposed against the book's extremely organic (and gross) spirits.
November 1, 2024
(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
Yet again, the good people of Goodreads have this one very, very wrong. This had been sitting on my shelf for about a year, just waiting to be cracked open. I was keeping it for a rainy day, knowing that this one just wouldn't disappoint, and as usual, I was right. I must admit, I didnt know a thing about it, although a few page sin, and I rightly guessed it was about the Winchester house. I didn't know how to feel about this, expecting some fictional, twisted, macabre tale. Although a few more page sin, and any initial doubts were quickly dispelled. I pretty much loved everything about this. Bertram's art was absolutely jaw dropping. The hardcover library edition is the only way to read this book, with the oversized art and gorgeously thick paper helping these disturbing images come to life. No book is actually scary, but dammit if there aren't some creepy ass images contained within. Tomasi (first story of his I've read) knocked it out of the park. The minimalistic style and simple yet poetic tone were a perfect accompaniment to the art (and stellar colour work from Dave Stewart), with some interesting and engaging to boot. The continual thread of mystery working its way through the story which will keep you on edge, wondering exactly how it will end. And even though the final issue didn't quite live up to what preceded it, this was still a dark and deeply disturbing exploration of human depravity, and the various ways it can manifest. My only real gripe is the bonus material in this deluxe edition, which consisted of half a dozen pages of sketches, which for art this gorgeous, is a crime in itself, although that isn't the story's fault. Highly recommended. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
Yet again, the good people of Goodreads have this one very, very wrong. This had been sitting on my shelf for about a year, just waiting to be cracked open. I was keeping it for a rainy day, knowing that this one just wouldn't disappoint, and as usual, I was right. I must admit, I didnt know a thing about it, although a few page sin, and I rightly guessed it was about the Winchester house. I didn't know how to feel about this, expecting some fictional, twisted, macabre tale. Although a few more page sin, and any initial doubts were quickly dispelled. I pretty much loved everything about this. Bertram's art was absolutely jaw dropping. The hardcover library edition is the only way to read this book, with the oversized art and gorgeously thick paper helping these disturbing images come to life. No book is actually scary, but dammit if there aren't some creepy ass images contained within. Tomasi (first story of his I've read) knocked it out of the park. The minimalistic style and simple yet poetic tone were a perfect accompaniment to the art (and stellar colour work from Dave Stewart), with some interesting and engaging to boot. The continual thread of mystery working its way through the story which will keep you on edge, wondering exactly how it will end. And even though the final issue didn't quite live up to what preceded it, this was still a dark and deeply disturbing exploration of human depravity, and the various ways it can manifest. My only real gripe is the bonus material in this deluxe edition, which consisted of half a dozen pages of sketches, which for art this gorgeous, is a crime in itself, although that isn't the story's fault. Highly recommended. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
December 16, 2021
Komiks zbudowany wokół postaci Sary Lockwood Winchester - kobiety, która oszalała po śmierci męża oraz dziecka i rozbudowywała swą rezydencję, bo traktowała to jako zadośćuczynienie za całe zło, jakie wyrządziła produkowana przez jej rodzinę broń. Plotki o klątwie ciążącej nad całym rodem Winchesterów, a także szaleństwie Sary były świetną bazą do stworzenia wizualnej perełki, w której główną rolę gra obłęd. To jeden z tych komiksów, w których fabuła ma mniejsze znaczenie niż to jak jest opowiedziana. Jej główne założenie nie jest skomplikowane, cho�� jest nietypowe, a to co stanowi o sile tego wydawnictwa to kolejne znaczenia nadawane mu przez fantastyczną kreskę Iana Bertrama i (jak zwykle) kapitalne kolory Dave'a Stewarta. Mam skojarzenia z rysunkami Moebiusa czy Cazy, więc francuską klasyką, co by się nawet spinało z surrealistycznym wydźwiękiem całości. Spora niespodzianka
June 22, 2018
Based on the real house of the real Sarah Winchester-Tomasi takes some liberties with the actual facts though-House of penance is a weird book indeed.
Weird and fascinating. What is the plot... Sarah W. is convinced her family is cursed after the death of her daughter and husband. Because of death. Death dealt with guns. Winchester guns of course. So she has this huge house built, 24h/day, in order to prevent ghosts from getting around. That's her penance, and her employees', all former death dealers. Enters a newcomer, no stranger to killing innocents. A strange attraction occurs between the 2 lost souls.
And that's about it. Not bad but hothing to get too stirred up.The story's more in the characters, their sadness, obsessions and melancholy than in anything else.
Then there's the art.
Ian Bertram does an amazing job on the book. Let loose by Tomasi, he does his own narration from the script and gives way to a very european sensibility- his style has a strong vibe of French author Joann Sfarr. Some panels are silent, contemplative. Others are dark, gothic. All are impregnated with the aforementioned melancholy and obsessions. I'm certain Bertram's style is divisive and won't please everyone. This is NOT your average caped hero style, it's more indie on the sides, but from where I stand it's impressive and totally upgraded the plot.
I would be a fool if I forgot the ultra-talented Dave Stewart. His extraordinary colors are as amazing as Bertram's pencils. The 2 put together just rock.
I'm not sure I would recommend this book to everybody. The story's weird and the art's uncommon. But if you're looking for something different just try it.
Weird and fascinating. What is the plot... Sarah W. is convinced her family is cursed after the death of her daughter and husband. Because of death. Death dealt with guns. Winchester guns of course. So she has this huge house built, 24h/day, in order to prevent ghosts from getting around. That's her penance, and her employees', all former death dealers. Enters a newcomer, no stranger to killing innocents. A strange attraction occurs between the 2 lost souls.
And that's about it. Not bad but hothing to get too stirred up.The story's more in the characters, their sadness, obsessions and melancholy than in anything else.
Then there's the art.
Ian Bertram does an amazing job on the book. Let loose by Tomasi, he does his own narration from the script and gives way to a very european sensibility- his style has a strong vibe of French author Joann Sfarr. Some panels are silent, contemplative. Others are dark, gothic. All are impregnated with the aforementioned melancholy and obsessions. I'm certain Bertram's style is divisive and won't please everyone. This is NOT your average caped hero style, it's more indie on the sides, but from where I stand it's impressive and totally upgraded the plot.
I would be a fool if I forgot the ultra-talented Dave Stewart. His extraordinary colors are as amazing as Bertram's pencils. The 2 put together just rock.
I'm not sure I would recommend this book to everybody. The story's weird and the art's uncommon. But if you're looking for something different just try it.
November 2, 2020
Цілком імовірно, що ви знайомі з легендою про «загадковий» будинок Вінчестера, який побудований у 1884 році й розкинувся аж на 6 акрів, містив 160 кімнат та височів у 7 поверхів. Цей будинок був побудований за наказом Сари Вінчестер, вдови магната Вільяма Вірта Вінчестера (так, той самий, хто придумав однойменну гвинтівку). Історія його незрозумілого, здавалося б безсистемного дизайну, і нібито безперервного будівництва до її смерті 5 вересня 1922 року, дала плідне натхнення для написання і створення романів, фільмів та ігор. Подейкували, що будівництво було спричинено відвідуванням вдови медіума, який виявив кровне прокляття сім’ї Вінчестер, що призвело до неспокійного духу її чоловіка, маленької дочки та всіх, хто загинув від рушниці Вінчестера. Це такий собі будинок покути, який потрібний для заспокоєння злих духів, які зможуть знайти тут собі пристанище.
Звісно, що ця легенда не оминула й таке мистецтво, як мальовані історії, де Пітер Томасі зумів розказати про горе Сари Вінчестер, підкреслюючи драматизм історії та розкриваючи мотивацію самотньої дружини.
⠀
Комікс переносить нас на початок 19 століття, коли мертвих чоловіка та дочку Сари перепоховали зі штату Коннектикут на територію особняка в Сан Хосе. Будівництво кипить повним ходом, і життя мешканців будинку повільно розкривається читачеві завдяки появі нового працівника Уоррена Пека, який приєднався до команди будівельників. Будинок має власні правила, такі собі ритуали постійного руху, розбиті дзеркала, сходи і двері, які ведуть у нікуди та шум, що є засобом утримання червоних мацаків (прокляття крові) від поглинання його мешканців.
⠀
У будівлі, яка постійно будується звучить шалена поезія, де звук молотків ніколи не може затихнути. А все тому, що це допомагає утримати привидів Сари під будинком. Це зображується не тільки на самих кадрах, але і звуками «Blam», «Blam», «Blam» на всіх сторінках. Для мене це відмінний приклад ономатопеї, коли вона є невід’ємним елементом формування атмосфери.
⠀
«Прокляття крові» зображується візуально, як зловмисні, звивисті мацаки чи такі собі вусики багряного кольору, які вдираються й переповнюють будинок повсюду. Але їх має можливість бачити тільки Сара, бо це є така собі метафорична паралель боротьби жінки із травмами та депресією. Малюнок Яна Бертрама — це те, заради чого я придбав цей мальопис після прочитання «Маленької пташки». І після прочитання, я узагалі не уявляю, який художник справився б краще зі створенням правильного тону, атмосфери та характерів героїв.
⠀
Під час читання не відпускає відчуття чогось, що чекає десь збоку, для того, щоб у відповідний момент вирватися назовні. Так само Ян Бертрам (не без допомоги колориста Дейва Стюарта) чудово грається із переданням емоцій та атмосфери різних сцен. Маленькі квадратні панелі розтягують та підкреслюють драматичність моменту, довгі чи великі панелі навпаки зменшують напругу. Але тут теж усе цікаво, бо чим чистіший та чіткіший малюнок, без великої кількості мацаків, то формується відчуття утримання цих злих духів. А коли художник переходить до величезних панелей із Сарою в чорноті її ліжка й кімнати, то підкреслюється самотність та горе загубленої жінки.
⠀
Наостанок скажу, що це був незвичний та водночас цікавий досвід, особливо із художнього боку. А великий формат видання ще підсилював задоволення під час читання. Звісно, що побачити цей мальопис українською мовою дуже мало шансів, але дуже хотілося б, щоб українська спільнота познайомилася з цією історією. Дуже атмосферно.
Звісно, що ця легенда не оминула й таке мистецтво, як мальовані історії, де Пітер Томасі зумів розказати про горе Сари Вінчестер, підкреслюючи драматизм історії та розкриваючи мотивацію самотньої дружини.
⠀
Комікс переносить нас на початок 19 століття, коли мертвих чоловіка та дочку Сари перепоховали зі штату Коннектикут на територію особняка в Сан Хосе. Будівництво кипить повним ходом, і життя мешканців будинку повільно розкривається читачеві завдяки появі нового працівника Уоррена Пека, який приєднався до команди будівельників. Будинок має власні правила, такі собі ритуали постійного руху, розбиті дзеркала, сходи і двері, які ведуть у нікуди та шум, що є засобом утримання червоних мацаків (прокляття крові) від поглинання його мешканців.
⠀
У будівлі, яка постійно будується звучить шалена поезія, де звук молотків ніколи не може затихнути. А все тому, що це допомагає утримати привидів Сари під будинком. Це зображується не тільки на самих кадрах, але і звуками «Blam», «Blam», «Blam» на всіх сторінках. Для мене це відмінний приклад ономатопеї, коли вона є невід’ємним елементом формування атмосфери.
⠀
«Прокляття крові» зображується візуально, як зловмисні, звивисті мацаки чи такі собі вусики багряного кольору, які вдираються й переповнюють будинок повсюду. Але їх має можливість бачити тільки Сара, бо це є така собі метафорична паралель боротьби жінки із травмами та депресією. Малюнок Яна Бертрама — це те, заради чого я придбав цей мальопис після прочитання «Маленької пташки». І після прочитання, я узагалі не уявляю, який художник справився б краще зі створенням правильного тону, атмосфери та характерів героїв.
⠀
Під час читання не відпускає відчуття чогось, що чекає десь збоку, для того, щоб у відповідний момент вирватися назовні. Так само Ян Бертрам (не без допомоги колориста Дейва Стюарта) чудово грається із переданням емоцій та атмосфери різних сцен. Маленькі квадратні панелі розтягують та підкреслюють драматичність моменту, довгі чи великі панелі навпаки зменшують напругу. Але тут теж усе цікаво, бо чим чистіший та чіткіший малюнок, без великої кількості мацаків, то формується відчуття утримання цих злих духів. А коли художник переходить до величезних панелей із Сарою в чорноті її ліжка й кімнати, то підкреслюється самотність та горе загубленої жінки.
⠀
Наостанок скажу, що це був незвичний та водночас цікавий досвід, особливо із художнього боку. А великий формат видання ще підсилював задоволення під час читання. Звісно, що побачити цей мальопис українською мовою дуже мало шансів, але дуже хотілося б, щоб українська спільнота познайомилася з цією історією. Дуже атмосферно.
October 31, 2020
I saw a movie adaptation before this comics by accident. I looked forward to the story about Sarah Winchester, the heir of Winchester family and shareholder to the Winchester's arms, redeeming the death that their arms provided in a very peculiar way. There is a very complex house, where hammers never got silent, the rebuilding never stops. On one hand with all the quality to comfort the ghost of innocents and on another hand with a constant change of the rooms and the floorplans to confuse the angry evil ghosts who haunt the poor widow Sarah. As the movie was pure ghost story horror, this is a pure expedition to one's insanity. You'll never know how much of it is real. Did the grief over her late husband and daughter broke not only her heart but even her sanity, or are there actually supernatural forces? You can't be sure. There are few viewpoints accompanied to the story: Sarah's, where supernatural is a completely real thing, the workers', where everything is completely natural and have an explanation and one lone killer, who starts on side of workers and works toward the viewpoint of Sarah. But is he only discovering the dark truth, which others don't see, or is he getting insane too for his own reason, is the weird atmosphere of lady Winchesters everchanging manor getting the worst of him? That is, all of it is, only up to you, reader.
I enjoyed this feeling. It was unsettling, uncomfortable and that's a great thing to achieve through comics. The art is interesting, not really to my taste, but it accompanies the story very well, amplifying the unsettling effect. After finishing this book at first I was a bit disappointed. But later I realized how the story made me feel, and I must appreciate that. I know this isn't the thing all readers will appreciate. So I do not recommend this wide and far. But it's really wort the try.
I enjoyed this feeling. It was unsettling, uncomfortable and that's a great thing to achieve through comics. The art is interesting, not really to my taste, but it accompanies the story very well, amplifying the unsettling effect. After finishing this book at first I was a bit disappointed. But later I realized how the story made me feel, and I must appreciate that. I know this isn't the thing all readers will appreciate. So I do not recommend this wide and far. But it's really wort the try.
March 15, 2017
A Winchester Rifle Co. heiress hires gunfighters and murderers to build a crazy mansion 24 hours a day, in perpetuity, in order to keep evil spirits from...doing...presumably bad stuff.
Aimless, muddled, and largely plotless. The wealthy heiress is mad with grief and all of her workers are violent and wracked with guilt. Red tubes are used to represent...I'm not sure what they represent; not everyone can see them, they come and go without warning, and they don't seem to DO anything. There's something about how the bang of the hammers sounds like the bang of guns and this keeps the ghosts away. Ghosts don't like guns, I guess. Perhaps Tomasi was going for a profound meditation on how violence destroys both the victim and the perpetrator? It didn't work.
And the art is ugly as hell, reminiscent of The Head Vanishes. The main character looks like a preying mantis, a full 40% of her head is eyes. In another book that might be symbolic; in this one it's just dumb.
Aimless, muddled, and largely plotless. The wealthy heiress is mad with grief and all of her workers are violent and wracked with guilt. Red tubes are used to represent...I'm not sure what they represent; not everyone can see them, they come and go without warning, and they don't seem to DO anything. There's something about how the bang of the hammers sounds like the bang of guns and this keeps the ghosts away. Ghosts don't like guns, I guess. Perhaps Tomasi was going for a profound meditation on how violence destroys both the victim and the perpetrator? It didn't work.
And the art is ugly as hell, reminiscent of The Head Vanishes. The main character looks like a preying mantis, a full 40% of her head is eyes. In another book that might be symbolic; in this one it's just dumb.
February 17, 2017
Wow! Beautiful and dark fable about a bloodcurse and the quest for redemption. Inspired by true events, this is the tale of the heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune and her mission to stave off a curse through building a labyrinthine mansion that will confuse and placate the dead.
I love the style of this comic. Gorgeously gothic and dripping with blood and poetic compositions that illustrate the minds of our two main characters.
I love the style of this comic. Gorgeously gothic and dripping with blood and poetic compositions that illustrate the minds of our two main characters.
July 6, 2021
An engaging read, worth your time. Writer Peter J Tomasi takes the true history of Winchester House, changes a few dates to suit the narrative, and adds enough supernatural elements to create a fine ghost/horror story with an underlying Lovecraftian threat that may or may not be real.
The story is enhanced and complimented by the fantastic art of Ian Bertram, reminiscent of Edward Gorey's creepy works, that propel the story and thoroughly visualize the Victorian atmosphere.
The story is enhanced and complimented by the fantastic art of Ian Bertram, reminiscent of Edward Gorey's creepy works, that propel the story and thoroughly visualize the Victorian atmosphere.
February 7, 2017
More creepy than outright horrific, this is the engrossing story of the Winchester house and one widow's attempt to keep the spirits of gun victims from robbing her of her soul. Amazingly beautiful artwork throughout. Really well-done.
November 14, 2019
I've been to the Winchester Mystery House once - many years ago, when I was in my early teens. The story has always fascinated me. Tomasi weaves a structure, a mythology into the story that makes sense of the tale, to an extent.
For me, the focus on men and guns made it less interesting than when I associated the house with puzzles and an heiress, and mysterious phenomena, even though the framework totally makes sense of the historical events.
The telling here is gory and blood-filled, twisted, and sad. Bertram's pencils are striking and bold - taken separately, they're beautiful.
Ultimately, I never fully connected with any of the characters or got as much detail about the real world as I wanted, so found myself left slightly dissatisfied.
But I love the concept.
For me, the focus on men and guns made it less interesting than when I associated the house with puzzles and an heiress, and mysterious phenomena, even though the framework totally makes sense of the historical events.
The telling here is gory and blood-filled, twisted, and sad. Bertram's pencils are striking and bold - taken separately, they're beautiful.
Ultimately, I never fully connected with any of the characters or got as much detail about the real world as I wanted, so found myself left slightly dissatisfied.
But I love the concept.
June 5, 2018
It’s great to see the art of an old IG friend starring in a mainstream title. Unfortunately, the story pales in comparison to Ian Bertram’s surreal art style.
The plot just doesn’t develop over the collection of issues. What you are presented early is simply it... Just a feckless route to the predictive end. That art with Dave Stewart colors though...
The plot just doesn’t develop over the collection of issues. What you are presented early is simply it... Just a feckless route to the predictive end. That art with Dave Stewart colors though...
October 29, 2019
There was basically no plot till the very end of the book and by that point, you're almost done. I liked some of the art but a lot of it wasn't my thing. I like the idea behind it but can't say I was a big fan of this one.
March 24, 2018
Odd, dark, and delightful.
October 3, 2019
Bertram's illustrations made this worthy of an additional star.
January 11, 2021
Loved It, but a very weird book. I started to read this without any prior knowledge to the story and was pleasantly surprised to learn this book is loosely based on real facts of Sarah Winchester and the house actually exists.
September 17, 2025
On est accroché immédiatement par l’esthétique du dessin et finalement c’est sans intérêt.
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