Joe Hill - "Locke & Key"

Horror comics often get over looked in the paper back world, but every now and then one rolls along that demands attention. For "Locke & Key" some of this comes with the author’s pedigree; Joe Hill is the son of novelists Stephen King and Tabitha King. Big shoes to live up to indeed. Having turned in one novel with 2008's "Heart Shaped Box", he's proved he has some horror chops. In "Locke & Key" he takes a stab at the comic medium, and lucky for us, he takes to it pretty well.

"Locke & Key" is a slow burner. The first issue gives us some hints of what is to come. Issue 2 ramps up the mystery effectively sucking you into the story to see just what is going to happen. Issue 3? That's just icing on the cake. The beauty here is that the books promise something sinister without slapping you in the face with it. Starting well like the first season of "Lost", Hill teases you with just enough to pique your interest and make the month long wait for a new issue all the more agonizing. We don't know for sure what is going to be contained within the story, but the first three issues show us a magical house, a curious young child, a few boogiemen on the loose, and hints of much more to come.

Combined with the great art and colors from Gabriel Rodriguez, "Locke & Key" looks to be the next great horror comic to hit shelves providing a nice break from men in tights or the bleak worlds of Warren Ellis and the like. Carving out it's own unique narrative, it's worth checking out because it appears that it's going to be a fun ride.

For more info, check out the IDW page for "Locke & Key".