After the first two pages, the first volume of “House of Mystery: Room and Boredom,†you’ll notice that it has that Neil Gaiman “Preludes and Nocturnes†kind of feel to it. Behind a dark artistic palette and writing that is simultaneously cinematic, charismatic and clever, this trade is a fine example of what DC’s Vertigo imprint is capable of.
In the end however, the creative team have taken a lesson from the characters involved in this story. Stuck in a house they cannot escape from, robbed of all their possessions and loved ones, the inhabitants of the house of mystery use stories as their currency- the only way to drink, eat and socialize. It’s more than a way to pass the time, it’s a way to realize your mistakes and acknowledge the fact that for some crazy reason, you’re still alive.
It’s safe to say that if this creative team were indeed in the same predicament, they’d have their own corner of the bar, telling tales all night long. They’d never have to pay for a drink.
Under the guise of the stylistic devices that made Gaiman one of the world’s best comic book scribes, Matthew Sturges and Bill Willingham captivate throughout. Like Gaiman, they are not the type of comic book writers that depend on action and the BLAM, POW techniques that many who don’t read comics associate with the medium. Instead, they have crafted a far-reaching tale that is epic in size, yet remarkably simple and accessible. The characters in this story come from all corners of the universe and from all different time periods, yet they all share a remarkable trait, loneliness and the need to socialize. Add in the short story formula that makes up the book and you have a contemporary version of the same pulp tales that the comic book industry made famous a half century ago.
If that doesn’t work for you, think “Tales from the Crypt†meets “The Twilight Zone†in comic book form.
Artistically, while Luca Rossi handles most of the art here, several other artist contribute to the trade and stretch the overall focus and themes, yet maintain a similar look, that, like the writing, provide the trade with a beautiful diversity that is bounded in emotion and drama. Throughout the tale, you’ll often feel for the main character Fig, but you won’t be able to tell if your connection has more to do with the way the character is written or the way her expressions are drawn. For the art work of any comic to have this type of effect is something special and for Rossi and the team behind “House of Mystery,†this is something that happens so often it’s commonplace here.
Make no mistake about it however; to have art and writing working together with such passion and synergy is not an everyday happening. With a story that is more than a coming of age tale and is as eerily relatable as it is eclectic, this is a trade any fan of Gaiman should own. With art that brings out these already developed and solidified emotions, it’s a trade that transcends comic books as a medium and is an enjoyable tale that anyone, regardless of their affinity for super hero books, can and will enjoy.
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