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A review by stephen_arvidson
Locke & Key, Vol. 2: Head Games by Joe Hill
5.0
Heads Games, the second full-length installment of the eerie and engaging Locke & Key series, continues where Volume 1 left off with Kinsey and Tyler Locke adjusting to life in their new high school; however, acclimation is made difficult by the apparent suicide of an aging professor, and Zack Wells—the skeazy new kid on the block who looks strikingly familiar to many of the older members of the island community—pretending to support them but all the while secretly using the magic keys in his possession to his dark whims. Meanwhile, young Bode Locke is keen on solving the secret of the recently unearthed Head Key—a special key that literally opens up people’s heads and allows the keyholder to observe and even manipulate the intimate workings of a person’s psyche.
Heads Games is a solid installment that provides a natural progression for the series and close examinations of many previously introduced characters introduced. Relevant back-story is carefully laid out that plays a vital role in things to come, while simultaneously keeping the present-day story-arc moving forward at a steadfast pace. The palatable storytelling talents of Joe Hill are on full display here, and readers will be duly engrossed in this latest graphic tale from the uber-master of horror.
As with Welcome to Lovecraft, the artwork here is both brilliant and compelling, most especially those phenomenal wide panels offering vicarious peeks inside a character’s wide-open skull. Artist Gabriel Rodriguez employs such intricate detail and ingenuity in fashioning the physical totems of the characters' fears and stigmas. The titular Head Key is such a fascinating idea. Any student readers who'ver wished they could magically absorb the myriad information in their textbooks with lightning speed will appreciate the concept here, much in the same way that anyone who has endured unspeakable tragedy might wish to vanquish their painful memories. Rodriguez showcases his amazing talent for effectively conveying human emotions—particularly in the case of Ellie Whedon, a single mother tormented by both her past and the ubiquitous Dodge/Luke/Zack. There is never any question as to what she is feeling or thinking, and her relationship with her developmentally challenged son, Rufus, will tug at audience's heartstrings. The characters are portrayed in realistic fashion, with even the smallest of details fleshed out so much so that this fictional universe becomes all-too real, even with magic and otherworldly events abound.
With original ideas and increasingly complex story Head Games is not just a five-star collaboration between the Hill-Rodriguez dream team, it’s a beautiful urban fantasy that will school readers in the basic truths of human misery and depravity. Readers will be eager to get their hands on Volume 3.
Heads Games is a solid installment that provides a natural progression for the series and close examinations of many previously introduced characters introduced. Relevant back-story is carefully laid out that plays a vital role in things to come, while simultaneously keeping the present-day story-arc moving forward at a steadfast pace. The palatable storytelling talents of Joe Hill are on full display here, and readers will be duly engrossed in this latest graphic tale from the uber-master of horror.
As with Welcome to Lovecraft, the artwork here is both brilliant and compelling, most especially those phenomenal wide panels offering vicarious peeks inside a character’s wide-open skull. Artist Gabriel Rodriguez employs such intricate detail and ingenuity in fashioning the physical totems of the characters' fears and stigmas. The titular Head Key is such a fascinating idea. Any student readers who'ver wished they could magically absorb the myriad information in their textbooks with lightning speed will appreciate the concept here, much in the same way that anyone who has endured unspeakable tragedy might wish to vanquish their painful memories. Rodriguez showcases his amazing talent for effectively conveying human emotions—particularly in the case of Ellie Whedon, a single mother tormented by both her past and the ubiquitous Dodge/Luke/Zack. There is never any question as to what she is feeling or thinking, and her relationship with her developmentally challenged son, Rufus, will tug at audience's heartstrings. The characters are portrayed in realistic fashion, with even the smallest of details fleshed out so much so that this fictional universe becomes all-too real, even with magic and otherworldly events abound.
With original ideas and increasingly complex story Head Games is not just a five-star collaboration between the Hill-Rodriguez dream team, it’s a beautiful urban fantasy that will school readers in the basic truths of human misery and depravity. Readers will be eager to get their hands on Volume 3.