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A review by bmaackreadscomics
Locke & Key, Vol. 2: Head Games by Joe Hill
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
About the same as Volume 1. The overarching mystery gets expanded upon but the story feels a little messier because of it. Locke and Key’s best moments are when the characters are given time to actually process their emotions and experiment with the different keys.
I understand that it’s a horror/suspense story, but its incessant need to be edgy keeps pulling me out of the fiction. Something horrible happens in nearly every issue just to supposedly keep the reader interested, but I would have liked to see the more human moments that often get glossed over.
As for the overarching mystery of what the keys are, where they came from, and why Echo/“Zack” really wants them, it typically feels so forced to keep the story going that all of the characters and their arcs suffer because of it.
I didn’t find the art to be as inspired this time around, and although I’ve mentioned it before the edginess really doesn’t age well with this story. From homophobia to killing old people to literally interacting with the fear in one’s head rather than dealing with it emotionally. Just some really messed up stuff in here and I find a good amount of it to be in poor taste.
I understand that it’s a horror/suspense story, but its incessant need to be edgy keeps pulling me out of the fiction. Something horrible happens in nearly every issue just to supposedly keep the reader interested, but I would have liked to see the more human moments that often get glossed over.
As for the overarching mystery of what the keys are, where they came from, and why Echo/“Zack” really wants them, it typically feels so forced to keep the story going that all of the characters and their arcs suffer because of it.
I didn’t find the art to be as inspired this time around, and although I’ve mentioned it before the edginess really doesn’t age well with this story. From homophobia to killing old people to literally interacting with the fear in one’s head rather than dealing with it emotionally. Just some really messed up stuff in here and I find a good amount of it to be in poor taste.