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Locke and Key – Welcome To Lovecraft Review

Published

9 years ago

January 3, 2015

Like every other comic book fan in the world I have heard great things about Locke and Key. Today I finally started reading it some time after the final issue was released. I began and finished reading the first volume today, burning through all of the issues in one sitting. It is as good as they say, it’s some of the best writing I have read in comic books and it is done with a truly cinematic flair.

Locke and Key is pure horror genius, there may not be a more frightening comic out there. Locke and Key has a gothic tone that is present in both the writing and the artwork. The art has an odd yet effecting style, I don’t know if are aware of The Uncanny Valley hypothesis or not but it is relevant here. The idea is that humans relate to a character that is artificial only if it is human looking but a little bit off. If an animated character is too human it has an eerie effect and it brings the audience out of the character as their brain looks for the features of it that aren’t like us. Animating a relate able and identifiable character for the audience to empathise with is about getting a balance of human elements and something else that makes it a little bit off. Gabriel Rodriguez has got it right in this one, he doesn’t draw characters perfectly anatomically correct because he doesn’t need to. We don’t notice that we just notice how excellently emotive he makes them. These characters are so easy to connect to because of how well he can draw emotion into the character’s eyes. This is where the Uncanny Valley theory comes in, we don’t notice what is wrong about the characters, because they are a little bit wrong but so human we connect with them.

We have to also talk about Joe Hill, he is a genius. I know I keep using that word but its true, Joe Hill, the son of Stephen King is a master at writing dialogue and an intricate story. These characters were so raw and so real, its amazing to think that a person can have so many real people in his head ready to place into a story. There were times where a character would say something that was like a punch to the gut, or a villain would say something that would send a shiver down your spine. There were even times in this comic where a character would say something that made me laugh which is also amazing given how gothic and glum this story is. Joe Hill also has an excellent writing skill in that he knows how to create a cinematic moment for the artist to create.

The concept of the keys and the locked door leading to endless possibilities is a fascinating one, it is an incredibly unique concept that has a lot of mileage. This premise is amazing, the writer has created a really fascinating mythos that make me want to learn more about this strange back story of dark magic. If you think that so far this doesn’t sound scary you are wrong, trust me. The strong writing making us identify with the characters alone makes this story scary as when the shit goes down you are terrified that these characters that you have come to care about might meet a terrible fate. The visuals pull no punches, not shying away from some quite brutal stuff making the danger of the antagonist very real. Which is why when the villain gets loose again in the final issue, the audience really is afraid of him. There is also a kind of jump scare which is amazing given that the format is that it is a comic book.

The issues are really well paced, building up the tension more and more, issue by issue as the villains get stronger until the shit finally hits the fan in the climactic final issue. I cannot wait to read the other volumes, I might do a review of each volume given how good this series is and how much I enjoy writing about it. The fact that I have got my thoughts on the general stuff such as art and writing style out the way in this review means the review of volume 2 can be more about my thoughts on the events and plot itself of that instalment. So if you are more interested in discussion on the actual story, not just the basic surface level stuff stay tuned for my review of volume 2: Head Games which will be more in depth and will no doubt talk more directly about the story.

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Movies

‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

Published

12 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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Movies

‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

Published

14 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Timothy Rawles

It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

^{Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott}

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

_{Great Movie Ride}

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

_{Alien Romulus}

^{Alien (1979)}

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

Published

16 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Cameron McFarland

Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.