Locke and Key, Vol. 3 and 4

Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows, Vol. 4: Keys to the Kingdom

Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, 2009-2011

(December 2014)

Last time I commented on how the slightly childish exaggeration of the visual style in Locke and Key served to exaggerate the horror through the contrast with the gore and anguish it depicted. Little did I know.

Keys to the Kingdom takes that concept and runs with it, offering us a Calvin and Hobbes pastiche pitching Bode and his (un)imaginary animals friends against the Dark Lady. You know that C&H parody doing the rounds where Calvin gets ADHD medication? You know how that was the most childhood destroying thing you could possible see? Now imagine that but featuring a field full of bloodied animal corpses.

FUN.

These two volume comprise the always awkward middle act of the story, so I’ve not got much else to say, apart from it continues to progress in meaningful and suspenseful ways and the characterization is excellent. As an antagonist Dodge is still a little one note and, despite a few slight offerings in that direction, in desperate need of a fuller backstory, but the Locke children are really coming into their own; Tyler is maturing nicely beyond ‘anguished lunkhead’ and I am developing a totally unsuitable crush on Kinsey. The only question now is whether I gorge myself on the last two volumes in the New Year or try to delay gratification for another few months. Oh, the trials of adulthood…