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But not Len Wein's issues, right? It looks like you read his run too? There's lots to discuss!

For example, The Longest Yard!

Nope, haven't read past Conway's run. Still need those Essentials to do so.

Ah. I got confused, for some reason I thought because of the way you listed them that you had read beyond #150.

Def looking forward to your Avengers thoughts!

Last week I read Locke & Key Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. I'd been hearing about this series for years, so I'd been patiently eBay-stalking the entire 6-volume set for a good while. I finally won a lot for a very good price a few weeks ago. Based on this first volume, I'm really glad I did!

Joe Hill has quite the pedigree, him being the son of horror legend Stephen King. To this point he has authored three novels and a number of short stories, including one anthology collection of them. It's hard for any child of a famous person to distinguish him or herself in the same medium that made their parent famous. On top of having the material succeed on its own merits, there's the inevitable comparison to what the parent has done. King has done very little work in comics, so Locke & Key is a fine way for Joe to distinguish himself from his famous dad.

You know, at first blush, there are a lot of elements in this story that seem pretty "been there, done that" especially in the horror genre. Hill uses a lot of familiar horror cliches--a mysterious, supernatural house, a creepy girl in a well, a family stricken by tragedy and unable to run away from it--to name a few that come to mind. Of course, you can argue quite successfully that every basic story has been told before. The difference is the execution, and I feel Hill does so nicely here.

To me, this story is successful for the same reason that I typically find success in stories versus ones I don't care for: Joe makes me care about the characters. A lot. The story features three siblings at its center, and you really get to know a lot about them through the course of the story, especially as you learn how the tragedy that initiates the story has affected each of them. The other characters are well-done as well, even the most monstrous of them.

I'd say that's one strength that Joe shares with his father. As well-hailed as Stephen King is as the master of horror, I've always felt that he would never have attained his success without his gift for crafting memorable, relatable and flawed characters. All of those elements are on full display in Locke & Key. If you can convey all of that with characters, chances are you will win my admiration and devotion as a storyteller.

This is not to say that there is nothing fresh and interesting in Locke & Key. I think the concept of Keyhouse is rife with potential of which the surface is barely scratched here. I can easily see how we will get five more volumes potentially loaded with twists and surprises. And I certainly liked what we saw here.

Even better, though this is part of a longer series, we get a fairly complete and satisfying story that stands alone pretty well, even as it clearly sets up further developments. There's an immediate threat to the volume that echoes some of the more thrilling horror movies, and that threat is more or less resolved by the end. I don't know if subsequent volumes are that satisfying on their own, but I really admired that element in this one.

Locke & Key is blessed in its entirety with the same artist, Gabriel Hernandez, who I felt did a pretty awesome job here. His work reminds me of two other artists I've enjoyed, Steve Dillon and Steve Pugh. And I also perceive a smidge of Kevin Nowlan in there--something about the eyes and the line, I think. But Gabriel is his own artist; those are just the nearest comparisons I can make. He tells the story very effectively and conveys a lot of emotion in those eyes and the body language. Very good job on the design of the house and keys and some very nice special effects when needed. Great job on backgrounds, as well.

So what you can expect from "Welcome to Lovecraft" is a solid, deftly illustrated horror story occupied by believable and sympathetic characters that will draw you in. It is both satisfying on its own and gratifying in that you know there is still much more story to come. Though I have them all, I choose to read each volume intermittently, so that I can savor the experience and look forward to more of the story when the mood strikes for some time. I give this book a very high recommendation!

Lardy, I just finished Locke & Key, Vol 1 about 5 minutes ago. I agree with your notes on Hill's characters. The fact that he develops them so well--makes them so familiar to the reader--heightens the closeness of the horrific action. Bode reminds me so much of a couple of little dudes I know.

I'm not a horror fan and haven't read any Stephen King. So I can't relate this to the genre or make father/son comparisons. I'm still not a horror fan, but this story was engaging and more satisfying than I expected. Maybe I'll have to read the next volumes.

We're discussing it in the local graphic novel group tomorrow night...that's why I read it. I expect it will be a lively conversation.

I'm glad you liked it as well, LT! I was hoping you'd see this as I recalled your mention of this being an upcoming read for your group. I hope you will share some of the feedback from the group afterwards!

Currently waiting to be read:

TWD HC vol 12
All-New X-Men HC vol.2
5th SAGA
2nd OUTCAST
The Drawing of the Three: House of Cards (The latest in Marvel's Dark Tower trades)
The complete NEXTWAVE:Agents of H.A.T.E. collection. ~Forgot how much I loved this series!

Pile UPDATE (11/10/15)

Recently Read
Locke & Key Vol. 2: Head Games
Tales of the Batman: Len Wein


To-Read Pile (new stuff since last time in bold)
Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders Vol. 4
Mage Vol. 2: The Hero Defined
Legion Archives Vol. 11
West Coast Avengers Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2
Goldfish
Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2
Scout Vol. 2
Frank Miller's Ronin Deluxe Edition
Spider-Man by Roger Stern Omnibus
Marvel Masterworks: Silver Surfer Vol. 1
Iron Man by Michelinie, Layton & Romita, Jr. Omnibus
Murder Me Dead (David Lapham)
Stray Bullets Uber Alles Edition
Grimjack Omnibus Vol. 2
Jon Sable: Freelance Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2
Secret Six Vol. 1: Villains United
Underwater Welder
Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol. 6
Flex Mentallo
Nemo: Heart of Ice, Roses of Berlin & River of Ghosts
Orion by Walt Simonson Omnibus
Shaman's Tears (Mike Grell)
Howard the Duck Omnibus
Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 2
Marvel Masterworks: Iron Fist Vol. 2
Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 7 (Englehart)
New Teen Titans Vol. 2
Just the Tips (a Sex Criminals companion by Fraction/Zdarsky)
Thor Omnibus Vol. 2
Marada the She-Wolf
Legends of the Dark Knight: Norm Breyfogle Vol. 1
Bandette Vol. 2
Thor God of Thunder (Jason Aaron) Vol. 1
Amazing Spider-Man: The Original Clone Saga (still have to read the Carrion stuff)
Animal Man (Morrison) Vols. 2 & 3
Locke & Key Vols. 3-6
Swamp Thing (Brian K. Vaughn) Vols. 1 & 2
All-New X-Men Vols. 2-6
Animal Man (Morrison) Vol. 1
Essential Spider-Man Vol. 7
Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 3
X-Men: Battle of the Atom
Power Man & Iron Fist Epic Collection: Heroes for Hire


On the Way
Camelot 3000 Deluxe edition

Pile UPDATE (12/3/15)

Recently Read

Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 2
Animal Man (Morrison) Vol. 1-3
All-New X-Men Vols 2 & 3

To-Read Pile (new stuff since last time in bold)
Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders Vol. 4
Mage Vol. 2: The Hero Defined
Legion Archives Vol. 11
West Coast Avengers Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2
Goldfish
Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2
Scout Vol. 2
Frank Miller's Ronin Deluxe Edition
Spider-Man by Roger Stern Omnibus
Marvel Masterworks: Silver Surfer Vol. 1
Iron Man by Michelinie, Layton & Romita, Jr. Omnibus
Murder Me Dead (David Lapham)
Stray Bullets Uber Alles Edition
Grimjack Omnibus Vol. 2
Jon Sable: Freelance Omnibus Vols. 1 & 2
Secret Six Vol. 1: Villains United
Underwater Welder
Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol. 6
Flex Mentallo
Nemo: Heart of Ice, Roses of Berlin & River of Ghosts
Orion by Walt Simonson Omnibus
Shaman's Tears (Mike Grell)
Howard the Duck Omnibus
Marvel Masterworks: Iron Fist Vol. 2
Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 7 (Englehart)
New Teen Titans Vol. 2
Just the Tips (a Sex Criminals companion by Fraction/Zdarsky)
Thor Omnibus Vol. 2
Marada the She-Wolf
Legends of the Dark Knight: Norm Breyfogle Vol. 1
Bandette Vol. 2
Thor God of Thunder (Jason Aaron) Vol. 1
Amazing Spider-Man: The Original Clone Saga (still have to read the Carrion stuff)
Locke & Key Vols. 3-6
Swamp Thing (Brian K. Vaughn) Vols. 1 & 2
All-New X-Men Vols. 4-6
Essential Spider-Man Vol. 7
Star Wars: The Original Marvel Years Omnibus Vol. 3
X-Men: Battle of the Atom
Power Man & Iron Fist Epic Collection: Heroes for Hire
Pride of Baghdad
Camelot 3000 Deluxe edition
Guardians of Galaxy Vol. 1 (Bendis)
Moon Knight Epic Collection Vols. 1 & 2
Star Wars: Legacy (Ostrander) Vols. 1-5
Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here

On the Way
The Private Eye (Vaughn)
Darth Vader Vol. 1
Descender Vol. 1
Essential Spider-Man Vol. 8

I hope you share your thoughts on Morrison's Animal Man, Lardy. I know we've both been let down by a lot of his work before, especially when the artist is someone other than Frank Quitely.

TBH, even though I'd long considered Animal Man one of his better works despite the merely functional art, the last time I re-read it I thought it didn't hold up very well. It was sort of like a dry run for themes he'd explore more effectively in later works, such as my beloved Flex Mentallo (which I see is still in your to-read pile.)

I actually quite enjoyed it, Ficque! I had read a good chunk of the the last third of his run when it came out but had never read it in its entirety before now. And I'm glad I did at this point in my life because I really don't think it would have had much impact on twenty year-old me. Its themes are much more resonate to me as 45 year-old husband and father of two and as a life-long comic book fan who is nostalgic for the way comics used to be. Obviously, both things are key to the run.

Even better, though, is that it's just awesome to read a Morrison work that remembers to give us both characters we can care about and relate to and a story that is comprehensible. I care about Buddy and his family, so that I feel something when a horrible tragedy happens to them. And even as Morrison slowly unveils one of his trademark Big Ideas, the context and presentation never seem to get out of control. Older Morrison could really learn a lot from younger Morrison, as I've found so little of his work do either of these things, let alone both, over the decades since.

It's not a flawless run. It certainly gets more than a little preachy throughout its course, for example. But I suppose there's no way to portray an activist superhero without it. And for its time, the animal rights themes and graphic portrayals of animal abuse were groundbreaking. There's been a lot more comics exploration of these things since, but I've a strong feeling Morrison was one of the pioneers.

Also, a bit passe now, but groundbreaking then, was the breaking of the fourth wall and the particular approach Morrison took to it, especially in that final issue where Buddy literally meets Morrison. Probably not the first time something like this was done, but as the culmination of a 26-issue run with the groundwork laid for it almost from the beginning, it's pretty damn impressive!

Chas Truog is not the most dynamic artist Morrison's ever worked with, but I did enjoy his work and missed him when there were fill-ins. I liked his expressive faces that helped endear the Bakers to me. I thought he also did a surprisingly good job illustrating some of Morrison's more challenging sequences. I like Quitely, but I don't think his strength is bringing out the warmth and humanity in characters. A book like Morrison's Animal Man needed those qualities in the art, and that's why I like what Truog did.

I'm not calling it a masterpiece, but I think this run will hold a sentimental place in my heart going forward. And at the very least, it will be something I can hold up as an example of what I think is a terrific Morrison story that doesn't sacrifice its humanity or its clarity while still displaying his immense creativity.

Lardy, I think you certainly make a strong case for Animal Man's best qualities, and I can't really argue with any of your points (although I did like Tom Grummett's fill-ins better than Chas Troug.) The flaws I was referring to before were more on a writing technique level, but after reading your review, I think that only underlines how comparatively self-indulgent and incoherent older Morrison can often be, even as his technique has grown smoother than young Morrison's.

Sometimes, a little rough around the edges is a good thing!

BTW, I was woefully remiss in not mentioning Brian Bolland's exquisite covers! Bolland is one of my favorite cover artists ever, and I think it's no stretch to say he's definitely among the best in the business at that particular craft. I think his Animal Man covers rate among his best ever, and that is saying something! I lingered on every single one of them to soak up all of the detail and nuance. If nothing else, I hope someone reading these posts who has never read the run, looks up the covers to issues 1-26. I'd wager that, at the very least, those images would make someone curious about what's inside and more likely to investigate further.

I think Bolland's covers themselves actually represent a bit of thematic deception that plays into the larger part of Morrison's run. Bolland's art is generally very detailed and highly photorealistic. However, the Morrison issues often had very simple and clean artwork on the inside, especially the issues done by Tom Grummet. The reader is deceived into thinking the story inside is your standard comic book fare, unbeknownst that Morrison has much loftier ambitions for the story in mind.

I did think Grummett did a very good job on his fill-ins, and I count myself as a Grummett fan. I was very much in love with Truog's portrayal of the Baker family, though, and it was hard for Grummett to match what Truog was able to do with them month-in and month-out coming off the bench. So this statement...



...was not meant as an indictment of Grummett at all (or of Paris Cullins, for that matter, though his fill-in wasn't as good as Grummett's issues).



Very good points. I remember being disappointed in the interior art because of those great covers when I read those last few issues as a twenty year-old. Now, I feel I can really appreciate it and how it brings Morrison's story down to earth and humanizes everything.

Why did twenty year-old me pick up the last few issues of the book, anyway? Well, I'm ashamed to say I was drawn in by the news of the huge tragedy that struck the storyline in the end run. I think it was referred to in JLE, and I had to see what had happened. It seemed like something on a scale you never saw in a superhero title. Plus, well, death in comics was and still is a bit of a draw for the younger folks. But it was really so much more than a stunt, and that very morbid curiosity played into Morrison's meta themes about comics themselves that would congeal in the last few issues.

I agree with both of you on the subversive use of Bolland's exquisite covers and on how the tragedy was so much more than a stunt like it would be these days. And I have to say, the ending, which today would seem like a cop-out, feels thoroughly sincere and well-earned.

And now I remember what attracted the younger Ficque to the series back in the day -- it was an excellent interview with Morrison circa 1993 (a few years before the commercial success of JLA inflated his ego) where he talked about how the first four-issue arc was very much in the Proto-Vertigo mould of its time, and how he came up with the idea for the coyote issue initially as a way to sustain his own interest, which resulted in the book turning into an exploration of fictional realities.

BTW, I stayed with Animal Man originally well beyond that last third of Morrison's run. Through Peter Milligan, Tom Veitch and Jamie Delano's runs. The book was pretty consistently great throughout until Delano's run lost some steam at the end. I don't think I read much, if any, of Jerry Prosser's run that closed the book's run at issue 89.

Milligan was Milligan at his best, and he had a trippy 6-issue run to follow Morrison. Veitch did a good job of being consistent with Morrison's stories and telling some worthwhile ones of his own. Delano really made the book his own, making it more mystical and gritty. I don't remember many particulars, but the book was consistently a favorite for me for a long time.

I bought the trades collecting the Milligan and Delano stories last year, but still haven't gotten around to reading them. Thanks for the reminder, Lardy.

Hard to go wrong with Peter Milligan in his heyday when he was truly PETER MILLIGAN!

Agreed 100%. I finally read Enigma for the first time last year, and it was awesome.

Milligan in that pre/early Vertigo era could do know wrong! His run on Shade, the Changing Man particularly will always be a personal favorite! Gotta figure out where I've got those issues socked away.....

I also have gotta find my copies of his Animal Man run. I remembering it being one of his more abstract stories of the time--kind of along the lines of Morrison's Doom Patrol--but I remember loving it more than Morrison's final AM storyline that directly preceded it. Of course, it may have appealed more to the me at 20 or 21 who was not completely primed for Morrison's themes at that age. Plus, as a fan already of Milligan's work on Shade at the time, he kind of had me at "hello". I definitely have to dig that story up before too long and see how it rates now!

I also read around the first 10 issues of the New 52 book by Jeff Lemire. I was impressed at first but was soon put off by the glacial pacing, as I also was with Scott Snyder's Swamp Thing. When I dropped the whole line, that problem made it fairly easy to not make it an exception. At the time, I thought I might eventually go back and finish it off in trades. Hearing, though, that Lemire killed off after I dropped the book, has likely dissuaded me from doing so.

Lemire, in hindsight, pretty mercilessly teased death in Buddy's family as a fake-out or cliffhanger during my time reading it. It made me uncomfortable because I'd invested in them personally throughout my lengthy patronage of the prior series and because Morrison had already crossed that bridge and, in a way, made us feel they would be safe from then-on in the undoing. I suppose that was never a promise, but you also don't want to feel that Buddy's family is there just waiting for a writer to 'go there' because it's there for the doing.

I've read some kind reviews of how Lemire handled all of this, but I just don't know if I'll ever see for myself.

Lemire (& Snyder) both ended up doing pastiche's of earlier works on the respective characters, and anything new they brought to the game was derivative and bland. I dropped both runs in disappointment. I'll give Snyder credit for trying to move ST out of Moore's shadow, but his new ideas fell really flat for me.

Yeah, nothing that Lemire or Snyder did was really all that new in hindsight. In fact, in both cases I was a little confused as to whether the pre-New 52 continuities of both characters was still in play somehow. Still not totally sure.

Meanwhile, another thing worth noting about Bolland as cover artist on the previous Animal Man volume is that he actually stayed on for over three years post-Morrison. His last issue as cover artist was issue 63. After Bolland, they pretty much had a different cover artist every issue for the rest of Delano's run before settling on Rick Berry for Prosser's run to close out the book. Bolland's covers were much missed.