I'm a little disappointed in myself. Every month, like clockwork, House of Mystery comes out and every month I pick it as my pick of the week. I try to pick other titles. This week, I gave nearly every title I bought a four. It was a good solid week, full of good solid storytelling.
Then there was HoM. Every month this book hits exactly the right notes, for me. Every month, this is exactly the book I want to be reading. The characters are distinct and consistent and include a poet, a pirate and an architect, three professions that are under-represented in comics. The meta-plot is interesting and moves at exactly the right speed: not so fast that I get annoyed at the digression of the story being told in each issue, and not so slow that it never moves.
This issue, in particular, had a number of charming moments. Strange talking creatures in the main story set up the climax. The story-within-a-story wasn't clearly related, as they often are, but was mythical and poetic. House of Mystery is a comic that benefits from repeated readings, which means that I get extra enjoyment from my $2.99. In these hard economic times, a little density of prose is a money-saving measure.
Month after month, this is one of the most enjoyable books on the stands. Last issue started a new arc, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who likes Vertigo books, storytelling or houses.
Story: 5 - Excellent
Art: 5 - Excellent
When is this book expected to start in trade?
Posted by coltrane68 on 11/09/08 at 08:25 PM