Book Review: Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft

So, why a book review? Well, we all love movies, and horror movies especially, here at TWTT, but just like with anything else, you need to mix it up every now and then. I love writing about films. I've always been passionate about it, even to the point where I find it daunting at times. Therefore, I figured why not take a break from film and talk about this fab new graphic novel I picked up today, Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft.

Locke & Key is written by Joe Hill, son of Stephen King and recipient of a shitload of awards, including two Stoker Awards. Now, before I get into the plot I need to issue a warning here. I am a huge fan of the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. He is easily my favorite horror author of all time and one of my favorite authors in general, regardless of genre. If you have no idea who I'm talking about, I would recommend two websites on the man and his writings: The H.P. Lovecraft Archive or, for a quick rundown, there's always Wikipedia. Anyway, the reason I bring all this up is because, the man's name is in the title of this book. But, what you Lovecraft fans need to know is that the story here has little to nothing to do with Lovecraft. Now, after reading this it's pretty clear to me that Joe Hill is well acquainted with both Lovecraft and his father's work, since the spice of both can be found here. So, if your looking for slimy, betentacled horrors, look elsewhere. Lovecraft is simply the name of the Massachusetts town our characters relocate to in the first issue.

The plot is pretty straight forward at first glance. One weekend afternoon, three siblings are out at their neighbors, fooling around. They return home to find their father being murdered by two of their high school classmates. They then must fight to survive themselves. After their terrible ordeal, they all move in with their uncle who owns Key House, a mainstay of the family's past for an undisclosed amount of time. It is here that they find strange creatures, living echoes, and doors that can lead a person in some unexpected directions. Now, I'm being a little vague here because I don't really want to give anything away. Sufficed to say, the tale is not as "magical" as it sounds, and is in reality down right disturbing at times. While I obviously felt the shadows of Lovecraft and King here, the association that I felt the strongest, and that popped into my mind first, was that of Clive Barker. Now, that could be a subconscious reaction on my part. You see, the illustrator of Locke & Key, is the same guy who did the recent Great and Secret Show graphic novel adaptation. That aside, I still think the dark fantasy elements here are reminiscent of the Abarat series, while the serial killer, family dynamic, and sexual elements are strongly influenced by some of Barker's earlier works. Don't get me wrong though; while all of these elements are strongly present, Joe Hill does bring his own distinctive and strong voice to the story. He is simply very adept at taking the mythology and styles of modern horror and drawing from that diverse pool, much like Neil Gaiman does with folklore and mythology.

Now, I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up illustrator Gabriel Rodriguez. I was a little put off by Rodriguez's artistic style. At first glance, his characters are drawn in a very vague, cartoony sort of way, with angular features, and a certain lack of facial definition. As I looked closer though, I realized how wrong I was. What may at first appear generic and caricaturish is in actuality highly detailed, but in an expressionistic style. This is confirmed by the amount of detail that can be found in his seemingly simple backgrounds, and everyday objects like the wood grain on a door, or a piece of jewelery. This combination of subtle expressionistic illustration, combined with Hill's ability to keep the constant danger lurking just beneath the surface is a strong mixture, and one that takes this book up another notch.

So, if any of you out there are getting burnt out on horror films or novels, or are simply looking for a good graphic novel to pass the time, then I couldn't recommend Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft any higher.