Review: LOCK & KEY: HEAD GAMES by Joe Hill

HEAD GAMES expands on the magical keys first introduced in WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT with this later instalment focusing on a key which has the ability open a person’s head, exposing their memories for all to see. It also allows for knowledge to be quickly accumulated (reading a book negated by simply placing the book directly inside a person’s head). This was all a little weird (but I should’ve gathered that from the title) and a little removed from the anywhere key (which allows you to travel through time and place) and the ghost key (which turns you into a ghost) shown in WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT. Joe Hill certainly bumped up the strange in the second instalment.

Where WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT focused on a horrific and violent event, HEAD GAMES moves towards the pure horror and speculative fiction angel. This time round, a mysterious and dangerous man is the centre of the story and his impact on the recovering Locke family is sure to be bloody. His thirst for the keys unrelenting, his menace quiet and unassuming. I like the direction Joe Hill is taking this series.

While HEAD GAMES was an enjoyable and extremely well paced read (even the back-story sequences well executed), this wasn’t as good as WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT, then again, I don’t suspect many graphic novels will be. 3 stars.

My review of WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT can be found here: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/review-locke-and-key-vol1-by-joe-hill.html