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Locke & Key
Locke & Key: The Golden Age
Unlock moments from Keyhouse's long history, expanding the saga of the Locke family in this collection of stories, which includes the epic crossover with DC's The Sandman Universe!
For two hundred years, the Locke family has watched over Keyhouse, a New England mansion where reality has come unhinged and shadows are known to walk on their own. Here they have guarded a collection of impossible keys, instruments capable of unlocking both unparalleled wonder and unimaginable evil.
Take a glimpse into the lives of Chamberlin Locke and his family in the early 20th century as they use the keys to fight battles big and small. From the killing fields of Europe during WWI and the depths of Hell, the Lockes are in a constant struggle to keep the dark forces of their world at bay.
Collects three standalone tales, "Small World," the Eisner-nominated "Open the Moon," and the never-before-seen "Face the Music," along with the 3-part ...In Pale Battalions Go... and the epic 80-page crossover with The Sandman Universe, Hell & Gone all from the co-creators of Locke & Key, Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez!
For two hundred years, the Locke family has watched over Keyhouse, a New England mansion where reality has come unhinged and shadows are known to walk on their own. Here they have guarded a collection of impossible keys, instruments capable of unlocking both unparalleled wonder and unimaginable evil.
Take a glimpse into the lives of Chamberlin Locke and his family in the early 20th century as they use the keys to fight battles big and small. From the killing fields of Europe during WWI and the depths of Hell, the Lockes are in a constant struggle to keep the dark forces of their world at bay.
Collects three standalone tales, "Small World," the Eisner-nominated "Open the Moon," and the never-before-seen "Face the Music," along with the 3-part ...In Pale Battalions Go... and the epic 80-page crossover with The Sandman Universe, Hell & Gone all from the co-creators of Locke & Key, Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez!
264 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2022
49 people are currently reading
1564 people want to read
About the author
Joe Hill
505 books29.9k followersJoe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
July 8, 2022
Collects all of the stories featuring Chamberlin Locke's family from the early 20th century. Small World and Over the Moon have appeared in Locke & Key collections before. However, I do think this is the collection they work best in. The stories are all about this generation of Locke's. This would be the hardcover I'd buy to add to my other Locke & Key hardcovers.
Small World
A new Keyhouse short story featuring the Locke family from 1910. Their dad has created the Small World key which allows them to bring their dollhouse version of Keyhouse to life. The problem is the dollhouse is really just a portal to the actual Keyhouse so anything entering the dollhouse instantly becomes gigantic and real inside the actual Keyhouse. This family has that same magic as the modern day Locke family and the story is a lot of fun. I noticed this time around that their cat has a keyhole on its collar. I wonder if we'll even get to see what it does.
Over the Moon
A bittersweet story of a father and sickly son visiting a dream world the father has told the son about. This has all the feels. "Yeah, I cried. So what!"
Face the Music
A short and darkly funny story about a key used in a phonograph.
...In Pale Battalions Go...
John uses the keys to age himself up so he can fight in World War I before the U.S. even enters the war. At a certain point, it all goes terribly wrong. This gets extremely dark.
Hell and Gone
I can't believe how well they pulled this off. It's the crossover with Sandman. It takes place while Morpheus was still trapped in the glass globe. Mary Locke is now an adult and goes in search of a way to rescue her brother from Hell. She makes her way to the Dreaming and then Hell. It's written in such a way that you can read it without having read either Locke & Key or Sandman before, but at least one of them. However, if you've read both, this thing messes together like it was planned 30 years ago. Neil Gaiman did work with Hill and Rodriguez on the story and I think that made all the difference.
Small World
A new Keyhouse short story featuring the Locke family from 1910. Their dad has created the Small World key which allows them to bring their dollhouse version of Keyhouse to life. The problem is the dollhouse is really just a portal to the actual Keyhouse so anything entering the dollhouse instantly becomes gigantic and real inside the actual Keyhouse. This family has that same magic as the modern day Locke family and the story is a lot of fun. I noticed this time around that their cat has a keyhole on its collar. I wonder if we'll even get to see what it does.
Over the Moon
A bittersweet story of a father and sickly son visiting a dream world the father has told the son about. This has all the feels. "Yeah, I cried. So what!"
Face the Music
A short and darkly funny story about a key used in a phonograph.
...In Pale Battalions Go...
John uses the keys to age himself up so he can fight in World War I before the U.S. even enters the war. At a certain point, it all goes terribly wrong. This gets extremely dark.
Hell and Gone
I can't believe how well they pulled this off. It's the crossover with Sandman. It takes place while Morpheus was still trapped in the glass globe. Mary Locke is now an adult and goes in search of a way to rescue her brother from Hell. She makes her way to the Dreaming and then Hell. It's written in such a way that you can read it without having read either Locke & Key or Sandman before, but at least one of them. However, if you've read both, this thing messes together like it was planned 30 years ago. Neil Gaiman did work with Hill and Rodriguez on the story and I think that made all the difference.
May 30, 2022
Locke & Key: Small World ☆☆☆☆☆
Locke and Key: Open the Moon ☆☆☆☆☆
Locke and Key: Face the Music ☆☆☆☆☆
Locke & Key: ...In Pale Battalions Go… ☆☆☆☆☆
Locke & Key/Sandman: Hell & Gone ☆☆☆☆☆
April 16, 2023
it was a wonderful experience returning to two of my favorite worlds: Joe Hill's Locke & Key and, in the last story, Neil Gaiman's Sandman.
this is an omnibus featuring chapters in the lives of an earlier Locke family from the first half of the 20th century.
"Small World" - into a dollhouse and out as a giant. a giant pencil and a giant booger and a giant spider that captures the entire family and a giant catspaw that saves the day. this was hilarious.
"Open the Moon" - a terminally ill child and the world of wonder his dad makes for him to live out his days, forever. very, very moving.
"Face the Music" - the Locke cat is featured again, but this time its paws don't save the day, they cause a massacre, trauma, and the need to wipe some memories away. this was also hilarious.
"...In Pale Battalions Go..." - the stupidities and horrors of war are detailed. this was DARK. our boy soldier, runaway from the Locke family and turned magically older, is far from a hero; certain of these German enemies are far from villains. it ends in death, death, and more death.
"Hell & Gone" - after the horrors of the prior story, one of the Locke children decides to do what she can to ameliorate the tragedies that have occurred. and so off she goes to the Sandman's land of Dreams, and other places, including Hell. I'm so glad this story exists! the prior tale needed some empathetic resolution. and the melding of Hill's world with Gaiman's world was ingenious.
the art by Gabriel Rodriguez is typically brilliant. what an artist, so much talent
this is an omnibus featuring chapters in the lives of an earlier Locke family from the first half of the 20th century.
"Small World" - into a dollhouse and out as a giant. a giant pencil and a giant booger and a giant spider that captures the entire family and a giant catspaw that saves the day. this was hilarious.
"Open the Moon" - a terminally ill child and the world of wonder his dad makes for him to live out his days, forever. very, very moving.
"Face the Music" - the Locke cat is featured again, but this time its paws don't save the day, they cause a massacre, trauma, and the need to wipe some memories away. this was also hilarious.
"...In Pale Battalions Go..." - the stupidities and horrors of war are detailed. this was DARK. our boy soldier, runaway from the Locke family and turned magically older, is far from a hero; certain of these German enemies are far from villains. it ends in death, death, and more death.
"Hell & Gone" - after the horrors of the prior story, one of the Locke children decides to do what she can to ameliorate the tragedies that have occurred. and so off she goes to the Sandman's land of Dreams, and other places, including Hell. I'm so glad this story exists! the prior tale needed some empathetic resolution. and the melding of Hill's world with Gaiman's world was ingenious.
the art by Gabriel Rodriguez is typically brilliant. what an artist, so much talent
July 21, 2022
When I read the original 6 volumes of Locke & Key, I fell head-over-heels in love with every element of it: the story, the art, the characters, the concepts, the setting, all of it completely enchanted me. I consider it one of my favorite series of all time, and definitely my favorite series of graphic novels I’ve ever read. Every single volume was a 5 star experience. I wouldn’t have changed a single sentence or frame. It’s one of those rare instances where the art and the prose carry equal weight in the story, and something about Rodriguez’s art style stole my heart as surely as Hill’s writing did. I loved every single thing about it.
So when this bind-up of all of the prequel side-stories was released in March of this year, I was both incredibly excited and very, very hesitant. Because the Hill/Rodriguez team were still together for this volume, I knew I would have to read it at some point. But I worried that, if the stories and writing weren’t special enough, The Golden Age would somehow cheapen or lessen my memory of the original series. This fear could not have been further from my actual experience. The stories here, of the Locke family from nearly a century before the characters I came to love so much in the main series, do nothing but strengthen and deepen my love for the series. I have a new slew of characters to love, characters who are flawed but wonderfully real and marked by their love for one another. A love that would venture into hell and back for the sake of any who had lost their way.
Each of these stories, from the shortest to the longest, felt integral to the overarching story being told. Some were heartwarming, some were bittersweet, and some were horrific and traumatic and honestly appalling. But the way everything tied together at the end made even those painful moments so powerful, and so worth suffering, that I again can’t think of a single frame or sentence I would change.
I want to discuss two of the stories in particular. First off, “Open the Moon” was exquisite. The story itself was beautiful, as was the way in which it was told. It made me feel deeply, and I can absolutely see why that standalone issue was nominated for an Eisner. But the star of the show in this collection was “Hell & Gone,” though there is no way it could have stood alone; it builds on every other issue before it in the collection, and ties them all together beautifully. What thrilled me about this part of the story was that it ties in and crosses over with Gaiman’s The Sandman. And it does so profoundly well. Not every crossover is a success, but this one absolutely was. It didn’t ride on the coattails of Gaiman’s story. Instead, it took that mythos and lovingly gave us a completely believable interlude. Hill and Rodriguez re-explained everything readers who had no exposure to Gaiman’s Sandman might need to know, but in ways that didn’t feel redundant to those who have already met and grown to love Dream. And personally, as someone who adores Gaiman’s storytelling but has had a difficult time connecting to the art style in The Sandman comics, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see some of this world through the gifted pen of Rodriguez. The art was exquisite, and the storytelling lived up to it. I loved getting to reacquaint myself with characters from the world of The Sandman, and I loved even more how seamlessly this story worked in conjunction to the rest of Locke & Key.
The Golden Age was a brilliant addition to the Locke & Key series. If you’ve read and loved that series, I strongly suggest picking up this volume. I can’t wait until it’s out in paperback so I can add it to my physical shelf of favorites with the rest of the series. And if you’ve never read Locke & Key but are interested, I think The Golden Age would be a brilliant place to start, as it introduces you to the mythos without giving you any spoilers at all for the main series. So, what I’m saying is, please read this. It’s a beautiful story exquisitely illustrated, and it’s definitely worth your time.
You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.
So when this bind-up of all of the prequel side-stories was released in March of this year, I was both incredibly excited and very, very hesitant. Because the Hill/Rodriguez team were still together for this volume, I knew I would have to read it at some point. But I worried that, if the stories and writing weren’t special enough, The Golden Age would somehow cheapen or lessen my memory of the original series. This fear could not have been further from my actual experience. The stories here, of the Locke family from nearly a century before the characters I came to love so much in the main series, do nothing but strengthen and deepen my love for the series. I have a new slew of characters to love, characters who are flawed but wonderfully real and marked by their love for one another. A love that would venture into hell and back for the sake of any who had lost their way.
Each of these stories, from the shortest to the longest, felt integral to the overarching story being told. Some were heartwarming, some were bittersweet, and some were horrific and traumatic and honestly appalling. But the way everything tied together at the end made even those painful moments so powerful, and so worth suffering, that I again can’t think of a single frame or sentence I would change.
I want to discuss two of the stories in particular. First off, “Open the Moon” was exquisite. The story itself was beautiful, as was the way in which it was told. It made me feel deeply, and I can absolutely see why that standalone issue was nominated for an Eisner. But the star of the show in this collection was “Hell & Gone,” though there is no way it could have stood alone; it builds on every other issue before it in the collection, and ties them all together beautifully. What thrilled me about this part of the story was that it ties in and crosses over with Gaiman’s The Sandman. And it does so profoundly well. Not every crossover is a success, but this one absolutely was. It didn’t ride on the coattails of Gaiman’s story. Instead, it took that mythos and lovingly gave us a completely believable interlude. Hill and Rodriguez re-explained everything readers who had no exposure to Gaiman’s Sandman might need to know, but in ways that didn’t feel redundant to those who have already met and grown to love Dream. And personally, as someone who adores Gaiman’s storytelling but has had a difficult time connecting to the art style in The Sandman comics, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see some of this world through the gifted pen of Rodriguez. The art was exquisite, and the storytelling lived up to it. I loved getting to reacquaint myself with characters from the world of The Sandman, and I loved even more how seamlessly this story worked in conjunction to the rest of Locke & Key.
The Golden Age was a brilliant addition to the Locke & Key series. If you’ve read and loved that series, I strongly suggest picking up this volume. I can’t wait until it’s out in paperback so I can add it to my physical shelf of favorites with the rest of the series. And if you’ve never read Locke & Key but are interested, I think The Golden Age would be a brilliant place to start, as it introduces you to the mythos without giving you any spoilers at all for the main series. So, what I’m saying is, please read this. It’s a beautiful story exquisitely illustrated, and it’s definitely worth your time.
You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.
February 20, 2023
I really enjoyed the main Locke and Key story, but I wasn't too excited to read this one. I was interested in more stories of the previous generations in the Locke family. The Sandman crossover story sounded dumb. But I'm a bit of a completionist... and sometimes that pays off.
Everything here is written by Joe Hill and drawn by Gabriel Rodriguez. So expect the same quality of the original series. Actually I think Rodriquez outdoes himself on a few of these pages.
All 5 stories explore the previous Locke generation during the first half of the 20th century.
Small World - The two Locke girls are playing with a doll house which represents the Locke manor. For example, a hand placed in the doll house will appear as a giant hand in the real house. This of course leads into some pretty fun (and dangerous) hijinks.
Open the Moon (1912) - One of the Locke kids has an illness that the mending cabinet can't cure so the father takes him to the moon to live beyond reality where he'll be healthy. The story is dedicated to Ray Bradbury, but the art style and subject matter reminds me of Nemo.
Face the Music - Very short story about a the family cat accidentally casing mayhem by bumping over a magic record player.
In Pale Battalions Go - 16 year old Jonathan wants to join the military to aid in ww2. Of course his father disapproves of this, but that doesn't stop Jonathan from using a variety of the magic tools on hand to not only appear older and join the military but to use the tools as weapons in combat. This backfires as the kid finds himself in a tricky spot and flees through a doorway back to the Locke manor - bringing a Nazi squad with him.
Hell and Gone - the Locke and Key / Sandman crossover we didn't know we needed - but I'm glad we got it. This takes place 10 years after the previous story during Sandman's imprisonment at the start of the Sandman stories (so Morpheus himself doesn't play much in the story). Johnathan's sister Mary attempts to rescue him from is imprisonment in Hell by using Sandman's tools. There's a few fun references to the Sandman stories but there's some actual substance here too including the origin of Lucifer's key to hell.
The back of the book has many awesome alternative covers including a few by Peach Momoko and JH Williams III.
Everything here is written by Joe Hill and drawn by Gabriel Rodriguez. So expect the same quality of the original series. Actually I think Rodriquez outdoes himself on a few of these pages.
All 5 stories explore the previous Locke generation during the first half of the 20th century.
Small World - The two Locke girls are playing with a doll house which represents the Locke manor. For example, a hand placed in the doll house will appear as a giant hand in the real house. This of course leads into some pretty fun (and dangerous) hijinks.
Open the Moon (1912) - One of the Locke kids has an illness that the mending cabinet can't cure so the father takes him to the moon to live beyond reality where he'll be healthy. The story is dedicated to Ray Bradbury, but the art style and subject matter reminds me of Nemo.
Face the Music - Very short story about a the family cat accidentally casing mayhem by bumping over a magic record player.
In Pale Battalions Go - 16 year old Jonathan wants to join the military to aid in ww2. Of course his father disapproves of this, but that doesn't stop Jonathan from using a variety of the magic tools on hand to not only appear older and join the military but to use the tools as weapons in combat. This backfires as the kid finds himself in a tricky spot and flees through a doorway back to the Locke manor - bringing a Nazi squad with him.
Hell and Gone - the Locke and Key / Sandman crossover we didn't know we needed - but I'm glad we got it. This takes place 10 years after the previous story during Sandman's imprisonment at the start of the Sandman stories (so Morpheus himself doesn't play much in the story). Johnathan's sister Mary attempts to rescue him from is imprisonment in Hell by using Sandman's tools. There's a few fun references to the Sandman stories but there's some actual substance here too including the origin of Lucifer's key to hell.
The back of the book has many awesome alternative covers including a few by Peach Momoko and JH Williams III.
October 12, 2022
. It was a joy, and a dream come true seeing Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez playing in Neil Gaiman’s Sandbox! I loved every page!
“Books are no more than dreams manifested in the page after all. And there is no balm for a troubled mind like a few good dreams.”
“Books are no more than dreams manifested in the page after all. And there is no balm for a troubled mind like a few good dreams.”
December 19, 2022
*3.5 stars*
I guess I haven't been paying as close attention to Joe Hill's graphic novel career as I should have because I wasn't aware that he had written more books in the Locke and Key series. Locke and Key is still my all time favorite graphic novel series, so I was extremely excited to check out Locke and Key: The Golden Age.
And.. it was a fun read for the most part, but since my expectations were so high, it was also a bit of a letdown.
The artwork was absolutely gorgeous, my favorite part of the reading experience. I think it being a collection of short stories didn't work for me. Some of the story plot lines were uninteresting, and other stories just started getting good and then they were over.
Overall, I've learned that I much prefer volumes that contain just a single story.
I guess I haven't been paying as close attention to Joe Hill's graphic novel career as I should have because I wasn't aware that he had written more books in the Locke and Key series. Locke and Key is still my all time favorite graphic novel series, so I was extremely excited to check out Locke and Key: The Golden Age.
And.. it was a fun read for the most part, but since my expectations were so high, it was also a bit of a letdown.
The artwork was absolutely gorgeous, my favorite part of the reading experience. I think it being a collection of short stories didn't work for me. Some of the story plot lines were uninteresting, and other stories just started getting good and then they were over.
Overall, I've learned that I much prefer volumes that contain just a single story.
June 17, 2022
Whimsical and affecting as only Locke & Key can be, I wasn't as much of a fan of the Sandman crossover stuff owing to my lack of familiarity with that universe but Hill's writing coupled with Rodriguez's art is still a graphic novel gold standard for me.
May 30, 2022
A century before Bode, Tyler, and Kinsey Locke unraveled the mysteries of Lovecraft, Massachusetts, the family of great-great-grandfather Chamberlin Locke had their own wondrous and tragic adventures in the Keyhouse. The Lockes' keys take them to the moon, across the battlefields of World War I, and into the Dreaming and Hell itself, starting small and building into an epic tale that crosses over beautifully with Neil Gaiman's Sandman mythos.
Excellent.
Excellent.
July 16, 2025
"Locke & Key" is a series I came to via the Netflix show, though I had wanted to read it for years before that. I enjoy the show a lot (and will be watching the final season soon) but when I started reading the source material I found I loved it even more. It was one of my favourite reading experiences from last year, and I was looking forward to this volume releasing. It was actually learning that there would be a "Locke & Key/Sandman" crossover that motivated me to finally read the two comic book series involved. The wait for this one felt lengthy, though I realise it was nothing compared to people who read both as they were released, rather than in omnibus volumes!
Although it was the crossover that had first caught my imagination, I had a great time with all the issues included here. There is so much potential for these stories, especially since there are multiple generations of the Locke family, and a vast array of Keys that can be used in creative, whimsical or brutal ways.
"Small World," and "Open the Moon," were excellent, and "...In Pale Battalions Go..." was incredible, awful and wonderfully written. By this point, I was just as invested in this long-past generation of the Locke's as I was in their descendants from the original series. And then there is "Hell & Gone" which I thought was handled perfectly, with many lovely (or horrifying!) references to "Sandman", inhabiting that world seamlessly without losing itself as a "Locke & Key" story.
I will be rereading this at some point, I'm sure. Also, if this is the end, it's a great place to leave it - but if not, I hope we find out what the lock on the cat's collar does!
September 17, 2022
I have been following the Locke and Key series for some time however with the main storyline now complete (come on there is no surprise there and certainly no spoilers) we are now looking at the side stories including those of the earlier generations of the Locke family.
Some of the collected stories in this book I have read before but not all of them -so this was real treat.
However there is an additional surprise here - the stories themselves (all of which are pretty much standalone) connect together to create a larger longer running narrative which I feel adds extra depth since the other tales vary in size from a couple of pages to a substantial story.
We also have an intriguing cross over - while not giving anything away anyone who researches this book will very quickly find out about it which in turn opens up all sorts new possibilities. So for any Locke and Key fan I highly recommend this book
Some of the collected stories in this book I have read before but not all of them -so this was real treat.
However there is an additional surprise here - the stories themselves (all of which are pretty much standalone) connect together to create a larger longer running narrative which I feel adds extra depth since the other tales vary in size from a couple of pages to a substantial story.
We also have an intriguing cross over - while not giving anything away anyone who researches this book will very quickly find out about it which in turn opens up all sorts new possibilities. So for any Locke and Key fan I highly recommend this book
April 6, 2025
[ESP/ENG]
Después de acabar la lectura completa de Locke and Key me quedaba este tomo con varias historias cortas, y ha llegado el momento de leerlo, y completar todo Locke and Key. Aquí tenemos 5 historias, todas ellas son consecutivas y siguen a los miembros de la familia Locke de ¿dos? ¿tres? generaciones antes de la aventura principal, con sucesos a partir de 1915, en adelante. Los autores son los mismos de la saga principal, nada nuevo aquí. Por no cargar mucho la reseña, comentaré un poco cada historia:
Mundo pequeño
Conocemos a los miembros de la familia, aparece una nueva llave que permite a la casa de muñecas que recrea La casa de las llaves interactuar con la realidad. Una aventurilla corta de presentación, y poco más.
Abre la luna
Esta es otra historia corta, pero que con sus pocas páginas te toca el corazón, muy bien hecha. Aunque el concepto que usa no me resulta muy creíble, pero funciona. Y además volverá más adelante.
La cara de la música
Apenas 4 páginas, totalmente prescindible. La llave de música permite generar unos seres diminutos que tocan la música del disco que pongas. Algo pasa, se acaba. Esto no merece la pena.
...En pálidos batallones marchar...
Historia ambientada en la primera guerra mundial, que se enfrenta a por qué no habría que usar nunca las llaves para ir a la guerra. Es una historia dura, con mucho gore y tragedia. Aquí los autores demuestran que no les tiembla la mano cuando quieren como sí achaco yo al final de la saga principal.
Viaje al infierno
Esto es un crossover con Sandman, y si bien no esperaba nada porque hacer algo bueno con Sandman fuera de su propia serie es casi imposible, me ha gustado mucho mucho. Es la mejor historia para mí, y me ha parecido redonda.
Un complemento ideal para conocer más cosas de este universo, una pena que con esto se me acabe la familia Locke y sus desventuras.
🔥🔑🔐🗝️💤🔥🔑🔐🗝️💤🔥🔑🔐🗝️💤
After finishing the complete reading of Locke and Key, I was left with this volume with several short stories, and the time has come to read it, and complete all of Locke and Key. Here we have five stories, all of them consecutive and following the members of the Locke family from two? three? generations before the main adventure, with events from 1915 onwards. The authors are the same as those of the main saga, nothing new here. In order not to burden the review too much, I will comment a little on each story:
Small world
We meet the family members, and a new key appears that allows the dollhouse that recreates The House of Keys to interact with reality. A short introductory adventure, and little more.
Open the moon
This is another short story, but with its few pages, it touches your heart, very well done. Although the concept it uses isn't very believable for me, it works. And it will return later.
Face the music
Barely 4 pages, completely dispensable. The music key allows you to generate tiny beings that play the music from the album you put on. Something happens, it ends. This isn't worth it.
...In pale battalions go...
A story set during the First World War, which confronts why keys should never be used to go to war. It's a tough story, with lots of gore and tragedy. Here the authors show that they don't hesitate when they don't want to, as I blame the end of the main saga.
Hell and gone
This is a crossover with Sandman, and while I didn't expect anything because doing something good with Sandman outside of its own series is almost impossible, I really liked it. It's the best story for me, and I thought it was well-rounded.
An ideal addition to learning more about this universe. It's a shame this ends the Locke family and their misadventures.
Después de acabar la lectura completa de Locke and Key me quedaba este tomo con varias historias cortas, y ha llegado el momento de leerlo, y completar todo Locke and Key. Aquí tenemos 5 historias, todas ellas son consecutivas y siguen a los miembros de la familia Locke de ¿dos? ¿tres? generaciones antes de la aventura principal, con sucesos a partir de 1915, en adelante. Los autores son los mismos de la saga principal, nada nuevo aquí. Por no cargar mucho la reseña, comentaré un poco cada historia:
Mundo pequeño
Conocemos a los miembros de la familia, aparece una nueva llave que permite a la casa de muñecas que recrea La casa de las llaves interactuar con la realidad. Una aventurilla corta de presentación, y poco más.
Abre la luna
Esta es otra historia corta, pero que con sus pocas páginas te toca el corazón, muy bien hecha. Aunque el concepto que usa no me resulta muy creíble, pero funciona. Y además volverá más adelante.
La cara de la música
Apenas 4 páginas, totalmente prescindible. La llave de música permite generar unos seres diminutos que tocan la música del disco que pongas. Algo pasa, se acaba. Esto no merece la pena.
...En pálidos batallones marchar...
Historia ambientada en la primera guerra mundial, que se enfrenta a por qué no habría que usar nunca las llaves para ir a la guerra. Es una historia dura, con mucho gore y tragedia. Aquí los autores demuestran que no les tiembla la mano cuando quieren como sí achaco yo al final de la saga principal.
Viaje al infierno
Esto es un crossover con Sandman, y si bien no esperaba nada porque hacer algo bueno con Sandman fuera de su propia serie es casi imposible, me ha gustado mucho mucho. Es la mejor historia para mí, y me ha parecido redonda.
Un complemento ideal para conocer más cosas de este universo, una pena que con esto se me acabe la familia Locke y sus desventuras.
🔥🔑🔐🗝️💤🔥🔑🔐🗝️💤🔥🔑🔐🗝️💤
After finishing the complete reading of Locke and Key, I was left with this volume with several short stories, and the time has come to read it, and complete all of Locke and Key. Here we have five stories, all of them consecutive and following the members of the Locke family from two? three? generations before the main adventure, with events from 1915 onwards. The authors are the same as those of the main saga, nothing new here. In order not to burden the review too much, I will comment a little on each story:
Small world
We meet the family members, and a new key appears that allows the dollhouse that recreates The House of Keys to interact with reality. A short introductory adventure, and little more.
Open the moon
This is another short story, but with its few pages, it touches your heart, very well done. Although the concept it uses isn't very believable for me, it works. And it will return later.
Face the music
Barely 4 pages, completely dispensable. The music key allows you to generate tiny beings that play the music from the album you put on. Something happens, it ends. This isn't worth it.
...In pale battalions go...
A story set during the First World War, which confronts why keys should never be used to go to war. It's a tough story, with lots of gore and tragedy. Here the authors show that they don't hesitate when they don't want to, as I blame the end of the main saga.
Hell and gone
This is a crossover with Sandman, and while I didn't expect anything because doing something good with Sandman outside of its own series is almost impossible, I really liked it. It's the best story for me, and I thought it was well-rounded.
An ideal addition to learning more about this universe. It's a shame this ends the Locke family and their misadventures.
January 5, 2024
The six-volume Locke & Key series is truly magnificent, so I have been eager to read other stories about the Locke family. This prequel includes five stories that span about a dozen years and include a crossover story with The Sandman universe.
Small World
The Locke family has lived on the Keyhouse estate for over 250 years, and this particular story takes place in the early 1900’s. Chamberlin Locke and his wife Fiona give a gift of an ornate doll house which is a replica of their own, to their daughters Mary and Jean. The magic Small World key creates the family in miniature and the girls can watch their family in the doll house. But in this supernatural thriller, things take a sinister turn quickly. Soon the miniature girls and their brothers Ian and John are fighting for their lives when a spider takes up residence in the doll house. The artwork is again superb, with Locke family traits being readily evident, plus the keys we are familiar with are utilized to great effect in the story.
Open the Moon
This bittersweet story centers on the Locke’s sickly son Ian, who is prone to convulsions and can’t be cured by the magical mending cabinet in their home. Ian, his father and family friend Harland board a special hot air balloon to take them to the other side of the moon. This beautiful but melancholy story reunites loved ones, and Ian’s parents make a heart-rending sacrifice for Ian.
Face the Music
In the shortest of all the stories, Chamberlin’s idea of using one of the keys to make music come alive for his children goes spectacularly amiss when the family cat gets involved. How saucy Fiona ever married the uptight Chamberlain, I’ll never know.
…In Pale Battalions Go…
John (aka Jack) questions why his father won’t use the family’s magical keys in WWI to save lives worldwide, so he utilizes a time key to age himself up so he can join the war. He uses yet another key to transport himself to the warfront where he utilizes the evil shadows to defeat the Germans. But his plans end in ruins when some German soldiers slip through the portal and follow John home to deadly results. The family is racked with grief, and John feels so guilty that he does something radical and ends up in Hell. This family of six is now down to three.
Hell & Gone
This is the heralded story that is The Sandman crossover, and it braids together perfectly with the Locke & Key universe. While this is a standalone story, that you can follow no matter if you are a Locke & Key or a Sandman fan, it does help if you know both. Ten years have passed, and Chamberlin is so consumed in grief that he has aged decades. A grownup Mary decides to take matters into her own hands and save her twin Jack from Hell before their father dies. She embarks on a journey that first takes her overseas, then to magical realms, and finally to Hell. Characters from the Sandman universe are utilized, and I noticed a few Easter eggs drawn into some of the scenes, that I knew would hold significance for Neil Gaiman’s fans, but didn’t land for me as I only have read V1 of that series. Not surprisingly, Mary is successful and the reunion scenes with several family members made me tear up.
Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez did it again with the prequel to the original Locke & Key. The art was excellent as always, with beautiful coloring by Jay Fotos. Their collaboration with Gaiman paid off, as the story fit both franchises, and fans were eager to see how the universes would combine. I certainly hope this creative team keeps on sharing more stories about the Locke family!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2024/01/0...
Small World
The Locke family has lived on the Keyhouse estate for over 250 years, and this particular story takes place in the early 1900’s. Chamberlin Locke and his wife Fiona give a gift of an ornate doll house which is a replica of their own, to their daughters Mary and Jean. The magic Small World key creates the family in miniature and the girls can watch their family in the doll house. But in this supernatural thriller, things take a sinister turn quickly. Soon the miniature girls and their brothers Ian and John are fighting for their lives when a spider takes up residence in the doll house. The artwork is again superb, with Locke family traits being readily evident, plus the keys we are familiar with are utilized to great effect in the story.
Open the Moon
This bittersweet story centers on the Locke’s sickly son Ian, who is prone to convulsions and can’t be cured by the magical mending cabinet in their home. Ian, his father and family friend Harland board a special hot air balloon to take them to the other side of the moon. This beautiful but melancholy story reunites loved ones, and Ian’s parents make a heart-rending sacrifice for Ian.
Face the Music
In the shortest of all the stories, Chamberlin’s idea of using one of the keys to make music come alive for his children goes spectacularly amiss when the family cat gets involved. How saucy Fiona ever married the uptight Chamberlain, I’ll never know.
…In Pale Battalions Go…
John (aka Jack) questions why his father won’t use the family’s magical keys in WWI to save lives worldwide, so he utilizes a time key to age himself up so he can join the war. He uses yet another key to transport himself to the warfront where he utilizes the evil shadows to defeat the Germans. But his plans end in ruins when some German soldiers slip through the portal and follow John home to deadly results. The family is racked with grief, and John feels so guilty that he does something radical and ends up in Hell. This family of six is now down to three.
Hell & Gone
This is the heralded story that is The Sandman crossover, and it braids together perfectly with the Locke & Key universe. While this is a standalone story, that you can follow no matter if you are a Locke & Key or a Sandman fan, it does help if you know both. Ten years have passed, and Chamberlin is so consumed in grief that he has aged decades. A grownup Mary decides to take matters into her own hands and save her twin Jack from Hell before their father dies. She embarks on a journey that first takes her overseas, then to magical realms, and finally to Hell. Characters from the Sandman universe are utilized, and I noticed a few Easter eggs drawn into some of the scenes, that I knew would hold significance for Neil Gaiman’s fans, but didn’t land for me as I only have read V1 of that series. Not surprisingly, Mary is successful and the reunion scenes with several family members made me tear up.
Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez did it again with the prequel to the original Locke & Key. The art was excellent as always, with beautiful coloring by Jay Fotos. Their collaboration with Gaiman paid off, as the story fit both franchises, and fans were eager to see how the universes would combine. I certainly hope this creative team keeps on sharing more stories about the Locke family!
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2024/01/0...
April 17, 2022
The latest (and final?) Locke & Key collection devotes all of its time to the decline of Chamberlain Locke and his family, through the loss of family members, the effects of the War, and into the realms of Hell and death themselves.
The opening short stories here are of course, wonderful. Open The Moon is heartbreaking and yet uplifting all at once, while Small World tangles with a strange balance of terrifying and innocent. Neither of these are new stories however, having been collected elsewhere, but their inclusion here makes perfect sense given what else is included. The collection exclusive Face The Music story is actually only four pages long, but manages to be both adorable and horrifying in that space of time.
Then we get into the meat and potatoes of the collection - In Pale Battalions Go has the Lockes fight a war on two fronts, and goes to show that the power of the Keys is never to be trifled with, even when you mean well. The horrors of war and its effects on those left behind has never been more apparent, and you can see from here while Chamberlain felt it necessary to hide the rest of the Keys from his descendants.
Finally, the best for last. Hell & Gone is a two-issue crossover with The Sandman that sees one of the Lockes venture into Hell in order to rescue a lost soul. Joe Hill ably moves his characters through the early days of The Sandman mythos with assistance and blessing from Neil Gaiman, and tells a story that not only captures the same flair and magic of The Sandman itself but still remains true to the characters and story of the Lockes that he has been writing from the start. It's masterful work, tiptoeing through the raindrops of continuity while both enhancing and revering the original source material.
And of course, Gabriel Rodriguez's artwork is nothing to sniff at. His work hits that sweet-spot in the uncanny valley without being disturbing - everyone looks terribly human and fragile, which makes the dangers they face far scarier, and also means that the magical and mysterious aspects of the story really pop off the page. There are few artists who could make me slam a book because of their depicition of a giant spider, but Rodriguez's illustrations in Small World can do it.
Locke & Key may be over for now, but this collection of past stories goes to show that there's always some new stories to unlock, even if they're not necessarily where you'd expect to find them.
The opening short stories here are of course, wonderful. Open The Moon is heartbreaking and yet uplifting all at once, while Small World tangles with a strange balance of terrifying and innocent. Neither of these are new stories however, having been collected elsewhere, but their inclusion here makes perfect sense given what else is included. The collection exclusive Face The Music story is actually only four pages long, but manages to be both adorable and horrifying in that space of time.
Then we get into the meat and potatoes of the collection - In Pale Battalions Go has the Lockes fight a war on two fronts, and goes to show that the power of the Keys is never to be trifled with, even when you mean well. The horrors of war and its effects on those left behind has never been more apparent, and you can see from here while Chamberlain felt it necessary to hide the rest of the Keys from his descendants.
Finally, the best for last. Hell & Gone is a two-issue crossover with The Sandman that sees one of the Lockes venture into Hell in order to rescue a lost soul. Joe Hill ably moves his characters through the early days of The Sandman mythos with assistance and blessing from Neil Gaiman, and tells a story that not only captures the same flair and magic of The Sandman itself but still remains true to the characters and story of the Lockes that he has been writing from the start. It's masterful work, tiptoeing through the raindrops of continuity while both enhancing and revering the original source material.
And of course, Gabriel Rodriguez's artwork is nothing to sniff at. His work hits that sweet-spot in the uncanny valley without being disturbing - everyone looks terribly human and fragile, which makes the dangers they face far scarier, and also means that the magical and mysterious aspects of the story really pop off the page. There are few artists who could make me slam a book because of their depicition of a giant spider, but Rodriguez's illustrations in Small World can do it.
Locke & Key may be over for now, but this collection of past stories goes to show that there's always some new stories to unlock, even if they're not necessarily where you'd expect to find them.
May 16, 2022
Fabulous from start to finish! Such fun to see the Locke ancestors with so many awesome keys. One I didn’t remember from the previous books (and the one I wish I had) is the stamp key! If Fiona Locke could use it to get a book Mark Twain thought about but never wrote, then I should be able to get all the books Jane Austen would have written if she’d lived to old age.
The book gets darker with each chapter, ending with a Sandman crossover that was really well done. It’s been several years since I read that series, but the vibe felt right. Mary was so fearless, and I wondered if she used the head key to get that way. The book didn’t say.
I’m confused about what exactly happened in the “Open the Moon” chapter, so that may need to roll around in my head for a while. I still liked it, and how it tied in later.
This is my favorite graphic novel series, and I was so glad to get more stories with the Lockes and Key House.
The book gets darker with each chapter, ending with a Sandman crossover that was really well done. It’s been several years since I read that series, but the vibe felt right. Mary was so fearless, and I wondered if she used the head key to get that way. The book didn’t say.
I’m confused about what exactly happened in the “Open the Moon” chapter, so that may need to roll around in my head for a while. I still liked it, and how it tied in later.
This is my favorite graphic novel series, and I was so glad to get more stories with the Lockes and Key House.
November 23, 2024
Just as good as the main story. Pale Battalions was just phenomenal.
April 30, 2022
So wonderful to have a new volume of Locke & Key, though it's depressing that it took 10 years to get it.
I've read "Small World" and "Open the Moon" before, and they're that much better read back-to-back. Small World is a fun little romp, while Open the Moon is a beautiful and devastating story that probably remains the best single issue of the whole series (at the least: it's the most moving).
"In Pale Batallions Go" is another devastating story. This poor generations of Lockes! But it's beautiful transposition of the magic of the keys and the cruelty of war, and I presume that's the path in to the long-promised World War Key story.
"Hell & Gone" is probably the least story of the volume, just because it runs long. However, it's a great conclusion to the story of the Golden Age, and it really works hard to fit into the continuity of Sandman in a way that's amusing and interesting. (Can I accept the Lockes as part of the Sandman Universe though? I don't think so.)
Overall, a wonderful volume that just makes me want more, starting with the World War Key that seemed on the verge of publication in 2020. And it'd be great to have a Silver Age volume leading off with the missing Grindhouse and Dog Days, telling an adult Mary's story. (A fan can dream!)
I've read "Small World" and "Open the Moon" before, and they're that much better read back-to-back. Small World is a fun little romp, while Open the Moon is a beautiful and devastating story that probably remains the best single issue of the whole series (at the least: it's the most moving).
"In Pale Batallions Go" is another devastating story. This poor generations of Lockes! But it's beautiful transposition of the magic of the keys and the cruelty of war, and I presume that's the path in to the long-promised World War Key story.
"Hell & Gone" is probably the least story of the volume, just because it runs long. However, it's a great conclusion to the story of the Golden Age, and it really works hard to fit into the continuity of Sandman in a way that's amusing and interesting. (Can I accept the Lockes as part of the Sandman Universe though? I don't think so.)
Overall, a wonderful volume that just makes me want more, starting with the World War Key that seemed on the verge of publication in 2020. And it'd be great to have a Silver Age volume leading off with the missing Grindhouse and Dog Days, telling an adult Mary's story. (A fan can dream!)
May 29, 2022
This gave me a serious itch to re-read the OG story. Joe Hill is such an amazing writer. I always got Sandman vibes while reading this series than to discover in the forward that he and Rodriguez were heavily influenced by Gaiman. Top it off by pulling a crossover. Well done.
Not quite as enthralling as the original story, but a worthwhile dabble for fans of either Sandman or Locke & Key.
Not quite as enthralling as the original story, but a worthwhile dabble for fans of either Sandman or Locke & Key.
April 19, 2023
If it wasn’t for Sandman, I wouldn’t be a reader of comic books. Neil Gaiman was a doorway for me; the lord of stories showed me that comics have such a unique potential for telling the most magical, fantastic, mind-bending stories that are also introspective and ripe with complex characters. After binging my way through Sandman and a good amount of Alan Moore, all signs pointed to Joe Hill.
Locke & Key didn’t land for me the first time I read it. I enjoyed it well enough… but it wasn’t what I thought it would be. After reading the first two volumes, I put it aside… but then I heard something about a Sandman/Locke & Key crossover, so I picked it up again. I’m so glad I returned to Keyhouse.
Lock & Key blew me away with its thrilling emotional heights and devastating depths. The bonds between the characters become so nuanced and storied. The ties to the past so deeply significant to the miseries of the present. Hill builds a world full of wonder and potential, and just like Gaiman in Sandman, never loses sight of the story.
This volume that culminates with the crossover is among the best moments of Lock & Key. It’s no doubt full of nods to the original comics for lovers of the two series. But, it so perfectly blends the art and tone of both, it’s almost like a Locke & Key comic cast in a Sandman mold… but that’s not quite right, because it is a Sandman comic in some pretty significant ways, answering questions that I never thought to ask about the early volumes of Sandman. It’s completely tied in to the key players in the overarching narrative of the Sandman universe.
The beauty of Sandman, the storytelling of L&K, with a good dose of Dante, Milton, and Gustavo Dore. It was a wonderful read.
Locke & Key didn’t land for me the first time I read it. I enjoyed it well enough… but it wasn’t what I thought it would be. After reading the first two volumes, I put it aside… but then I heard something about a Sandman/Locke & Key crossover, so I picked it up again. I’m so glad I returned to Keyhouse.
Lock & Key blew me away with its thrilling emotional heights and devastating depths. The bonds between the characters become so nuanced and storied. The ties to the past so deeply significant to the miseries of the present. Hill builds a world full of wonder and potential, and just like Gaiman in Sandman, never loses sight of the story.
This volume that culminates with the crossover is among the best moments of Lock & Key. It’s no doubt full of nods to the original comics for lovers of the two series. But, it so perfectly blends the art and tone of both, it’s almost like a Locke & Key comic cast in a Sandman mold… but that’s not quite right, because it is a Sandman comic in some pretty significant ways, answering questions that I never thought to ask about the early volumes of Sandman. It’s completely tied in to the key players in the overarching narrative of the Sandman universe.
The beauty of Sandman, the storytelling of L&K, with a good dose of Dante, Milton, and Gustavo Dore. It was a wonderful read.
September 2, 2022
I'd read most of this collection before, likely out of order, so I was surprised to find myself so invested in The Golden Age. Properly ordered, you can see how each little one-off story actually ties together into a coherent and remarkably affecting narrative. This isn't the main Locke & Key storyline, with its dangerous demons and mysterious keys. These are the Lockes of the earlier 21st century who are familiar with the keys and experience few dangers, excepting those of their own making.
And boy howdy do they quickly find themselves in trouble. After the tragically beautiful tale of a young son finding his way to "heaven," we encounter "...In Pale Battalions Go...," which is just gut-wrenching. And then the follow-up Sandman crossover (which I expected to dislike!) somehow builds on that story and ties the entire series in a bow. It's stunning, both in terms of writing and art. The Golden Age might be a better series than the original Locke & Key. So highly recommended, particularly in this collected, ordered format.
And boy howdy do they quickly find themselves in trouble. After the tragically beautiful tale of a young son finding his way to "heaven," we encounter "...In Pale Battalions Go...," which is just gut-wrenching. And then the follow-up Sandman crossover (which I expected to dislike!) somehow builds on that story and ties the entire series in a bow. It's stunning, both in terms of writing and art. The Golden Age might be a better series than the original Locke & Key. So highly recommended, particularly in this collected, ordered format.
October 24, 2023
,,𝐃𝐨𝐛𝐫𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐬̌𝐚𝐨 𝐮 𝐤𝐮𝐜́𝐮 𝐤𝐥𝐣𝐮𝐜̌𝐞𝐯𝐚, 𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐮 𝐭𝐢 𝐣𝐞𝐛𝐞𝐦."
Koliko biste želeli da ovo kažete nacisti (u stvari, bilo kome) i koliko smo srećni mi čiji su omiljeni strip serijali dobili crossover?
✨️🗝✨️🗝✨️🗝✨️
Nisam ni bila svesna koliko mi je nedostajalo da ponovo posetim Lokotov univerzum koji se, kao dodatna nagrada, u poslednjoj i najdužoj priči ukršta sa Sendmenovim.
Iako se u Zlatnom dobu upoznajemo sa nekim novim likovima, tj. precima porodice Lokot koju poznajemo, autori su uspeli da nam daju onaj karakterističan osećaj na koji smo navikli kada je Lokot i Ključ u pitanju, a koji je savršeni miks jeze, horora, tajnovitosti, melanholije, tuge, snevanja i mnogo ljubavi.
Što se tiče susreta sa Sendmenom, Nil Gejmen je bio uključen samo kao "istraživački pomoćnik", ali Džo Hil i Gabrijel Rodrigez su i tu pogodili esenciju. Naročito sam oduševljena kako je ilustrovan Bouvi, pardon, Lucifer i što su u priču uključili Korinćanina i Gilberta.
Malo mi fali da sad uzmem Lokot i čitam sve ispočetka. 🩶
Koliko biste želeli da ovo kažete nacisti (u stvari, bilo kome) i koliko smo srećni mi čiji su omiljeni strip serijali dobili crossover?
✨️🗝✨️🗝✨️🗝✨️
Nisam ni bila svesna koliko mi je nedostajalo da ponovo posetim Lokotov univerzum koji se, kao dodatna nagrada, u poslednjoj i najdužoj priči ukršta sa Sendmenovim.
Iako se u Zlatnom dobu upoznajemo sa nekim novim likovima, tj. precima porodice Lokot koju poznajemo, autori su uspeli da nam daju onaj karakterističan osećaj na koji smo navikli kada je Lokot i Ključ u pitanju, a koji je savršeni miks jeze, horora, tajnovitosti, melanholije, tuge, snevanja i mnogo ljubavi.
Što se tiče susreta sa Sendmenom, Nil Gejmen je bio uključen samo kao "istraživački pomoćnik", ali Džo Hil i Gabrijel Rodrigez su i tu pogodili esenciju. Naročito sam oduševljena kako je ilustrovan Bouvi, pardon, Lucifer i što su u priču uključili Korinćanina i Gilberta.
Malo mi fali da sad uzmem Lokot i čitam sve ispočetka. 🩶
December 24, 2022
In the last year I have watched The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes series on Netflix three times. I have loved that series, in installments, since it was first published, and this is a love letter to that series. Clearly Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez loved it too!
I have been a Gabriel Rodríguez fan since the first page of Locke & Key, Volume 1: Welcome to Lovecraft, and a fan of Joe Hill since Heart-Shaped Box. I collect everything they have ever touched, have signed copies of almost everything and numerous Gabriel Rodríguez prints hang on my walls. I need a signed copy of this.
They perfectly meld the Locke family with the Endless. Hill writes it perfectly, and Rodriguez illustrates it perfectly. I just don't see how anyone could do it better!
I have been a Gabriel Rodríguez fan since the first page of Locke & Key, Volume 1: Welcome to Lovecraft, and a fan of Joe Hill since Heart-Shaped Box. I collect everything they have ever touched, have signed copies of almost everything and numerous Gabriel Rodríguez prints hang on my walls. I need a signed copy of this.
They perfectly meld the Locke family with the Endless. Hill writes it perfectly, and Rodriguez illustrates it perfectly. I just don't see how anyone could do it better!
July 11, 2023
'Books are no more than dreams menifested on the page, after all.'
Wow, what a beautiful line. Just like the whole Golden Age collection itself. ❤️
An absolutely brilliant set of chronologically interconnected 'Locke and Key' stories (that comprise to more or less a novel) centering on 1910-1927 Chamberlin Locke's family residing in the Keyhouse and being Keeper of the Keys, which includes an epic crossover with Neil Gaiman's modern masterpiece The Sandman for journey to literal Hell and back. And even though supposedly its all written by Joe Hill, that above mention quote is such a classic Neil Gaiman line!
I had no expectations from this standalone prequel volume after the main storyline in current times wrapped up so spectacularly by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, still they entranced me all the same with equally stunning quality of new characters, refreshing change of time period, endless unpredictable situations, and above all, unique thrilling tales.
5 out of 5. Obviously.
Wow, what a beautiful line. Just like the whole Golden Age collection itself. ❤️
An absolutely brilliant set of chronologically interconnected 'Locke and Key' stories (that comprise to more or less a novel) centering on 1910-1927 Chamberlin Locke's family residing in the Keyhouse and being Keeper of the Keys, which includes an epic crossover with Neil Gaiman's modern masterpiece The Sandman for journey to literal Hell and back. And even though supposedly its all written by Joe Hill, that above mention quote is such a classic Neil Gaiman line!
I had no expectations from this standalone prequel volume after the main storyline in current times wrapped up so spectacularly by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, still they entranced me all the same with equally stunning quality of new characters, refreshing change of time period, endless unpredictable situations, and above all, unique thrilling tales.
5 out of 5. Obviously.
August 24, 2023
i love the original Locke and Key series so I’ve had my eye on this new one since it’s release. I didn’t read the synopsis so I didn’t know that it’s actually a prequel collection of stories following previous members of the Locke family and their situations at Keyhouse. I liked the first 2 stories but the rest didn’t really do anything for me. I still love seeing the use of all the different keys though, and the art has improved a lot.
September 15, 2024
Wow!
Excellent crossover between the Locke family and the Sandman! Much better than I thought it would be! Such a fun story! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
Excellent crossover between the Locke family and the Sandman! Much better than I thought it would be! Such a fun story! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!
May 22, 2022
It's a narrow thread to write official fan fiction like this - too much focus on the Sandman characters would have drowned it in fanservice, while not enough would raise the question of why even using them. Fortunately, Joe Hill pulls off the balance well, building a story that borrows characters, settings, and situations from Sandman and slipping into the cracks in intelligent and effective ways. While the big reveal of the story feels a little much, everything else works well - Mary serves as an excellent protagonist, and the way she moves through the Sandman world while using the Lock & Key tools is excellent. Rodriguez's art is well done, capturing the look and feel of both series simultaneously. The characters from the Dreaming all feel true to the original series, and manage to move the new story forward without betraying their characters. Some of the Hell section was perhaps a bit too fan-service focused, but that's a minor complaint in a story that had the potential to go so wrong, but definitely sticks the landing. As a bonus, the collection includes some of the Locke & Key standalones; another reason to read "Open the Moon" is always appreciated - it's one of the single best issues of any series, in my opinion. All told this book is a wonder, that will be enjoyed by fans of both series, shedding light on each and working even more so for fans of both.
May 14, 2022
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
Thank you to IDW for sending me an eARC of this graphic novel!
It wasn’t so long ago that I wrapped up my “Locke & Key” re-read, and just as it was finished I was delighted to receive an invitation to read “Locke & Key: The Golden Age”. As someone who had never really gone back to read the expanded Locke Family stories that serve as stand alone prequels of sorts, this was a great opportunity to finally do so, especially since the original story was so fresh in my mind. But what made this all the more tantalizing? “Locke & Key: The Golden Age” not only has the supplemental expansions on this universe, but it also has the “The Sandman” crossover that has been tempting me ever since I heard about it.
I will admit that I read this in the exact wrong order (as the collection was sent to me in their individualized sections), mostly because I was so damn eager to get to “Sandman” that I started there, which was like starting at the end. So I’m going to save that for last and start with the Locke stories that lead up to it, but also stand on their own two feet. We meet the Locke family that is living in Keyhouse at the beginning of the 20th Century. We have patriarch Chamberlain, his wife Fiona, his brother Harland, and his children John, Mary, Ian, and Jean. I liked getting to know this new Locke Family through the stories in this collection, which include “Small World”, where Chamberlain gives his kids the Small World Dollhouse key, which can bring anything into their actual house in scale sized form. Problem is, a black widow spider gets into the house when young Jean isn’t paying attention. This is a nice introductory tale that plays with a generally innocuous key, though clearly it has other issues. The other standalone story I want to mention was the most emotional of the bunch for me, called “Open the Moon”. In this story Chamberlain realizes that son Ian, who has a brain tumor and is getting sicker and sicker, is not long for this world. So he and Harland decide to construct a new kind of key to give him peace, taking him on a hot air balloon journey around the world with a magical conclusion. Hill made this short tale so bittersweet and moving, it had me weeping by the end, while still being full of whimsy and joy. These standalones were a good way to introduce a new Locke Family and to make you understand them with limited pages. Which is essential for the next two sections.
The next tale (and, of course, the one I read last because again, out of order!) was the collection called “In Pale Battalions Go”, which bridges the whimsical stand alone Locke stories with the “Sandman” crossover. I will have to spoil a bit in the next section, as the way this one plays out sets the scene for the “Sandman” story. World War I is raging, and even though Chamberlain has the keys and all the powers that they hold, he refuses to use them to turn the tides of war, as he feels they are too dangerous to wield in such ways. His son John, and idealistic early teenager, thinks that the keys should be used to help defeat the Germans, and uses the Age Key to age himself up, takes the keys, and goes to enlist. So we have a World War I tale, with some good ‘horrors of war’ and ‘great power comes great responsibility’ themes. As one can imagine, it does not go well. I liked this story for the most part, as it’s bleak as hell and it does a great job of showing the dangers of hubris and unintended consequences (something that is seen in other “Locke and Key” arcs). I also liked getting to follow John, even if I didn’t particularly care for him as a character because of his jingoistic zeal and terrible decisions. But at the same time, I think that Hill made him a fully realized and realistic character, being an impatient teenage boy during a World War that was unleashing unspeakable horrors.
And now the big event: “Hell and Gone”, the crossover story with “The Sandman”. Taking place a decade after “Battalions”, John’s twin sister Mary has a mission. Chamberlain is on his deathbed, haunted by the fact John killed himself at the end of “Battalions”. Using the Wellhouse portal, Chamberlain knows that John is in Hell because of his suicide, and Mary is determined to go and find him and bring him peace so that her father can die at peace as well. She hears of rumors that in England there is an otherworldly being that could be the key to getting her answers, and when she arrives to meets a boy with a strange helmet and amulet… You can see where this is going. I went into this thinking that there would be a fair amount of opportunity for Morpheus, but then when I realized the time period was during his capture, I wasn’t certain WHAT this story was going to do. But fear not, because this “Sandman” crossover instead utilizes other well loved “Sandman” characters, as Mary teams up with Lucien and Fiddler’s Green to confront Lucifer in Hell over John’s soul. I actually loved this even more because Fiddler’s Green is such a joy of a character, with his mild anxiety and caring heart. I also really loved Mary, as this is very much her story to shine in and SHINE SHE DOES. Her loyalty to her family and love for her twin means the stakes are VERY high for her, and it makes perfect sense that she would be down for tangling with Lucifer himself. And I believed every bit of it. And look for cameos from other “Sandman” characters, like the Corinthian, and yes, even Morpheus himself. And it’s done in a way that works for the timeline of his story combined with this one. Hill did a great job with the “Sandman” characters and mythos, it all felt like it combined perfectly and that he had true reverence for that comic and its characters.
And yes, Gabriel Rodríguez comes back to illustrate these stories and I still love his style. And he is a great artist to add to the great artists who worked on “Sandman” tales over the years.
Overall, this is a fantastic collection that both “Locke & Key” and “The Sandman” fans really need to check out if they haven’t already. I’m so happy to return to both Keyhouse and The Dreaming in this way. “Locke & Key: The Golden Age” met all my high expectations.
Thank you to IDW for sending me an eARC of this graphic novel!
It wasn’t so long ago that I wrapped up my “Locke & Key” re-read, and just as it was finished I was delighted to receive an invitation to read “Locke & Key: The Golden Age”. As someone who had never really gone back to read the expanded Locke Family stories that serve as stand alone prequels of sorts, this was a great opportunity to finally do so, especially since the original story was so fresh in my mind. But what made this all the more tantalizing? “Locke & Key: The Golden Age” not only has the supplemental expansions on this universe, but it also has the “The Sandman” crossover that has been tempting me ever since I heard about it.
I will admit that I read this in the exact wrong order (as the collection was sent to me in their individualized sections), mostly because I was so damn eager to get to “Sandman” that I started there, which was like starting at the end. So I’m going to save that for last and start with the Locke stories that lead up to it, but also stand on their own two feet. We meet the Locke family that is living in Keyhouse at the beginning of the 20th Century. We have patriarch Chamberlain, his wife Fiona, his brother Harland, and his children John, Mary, Ian, and Jean. I liked getting to know this new Locke Family through the stories in this collection, which include “Small World”, where Chamberlain gives his kids the Small World Dollhouse key, which can bring anything into their actual house in scale sized form. Problem is, a black widow spider gets into the house when young Jean isn’t paying attention. This is a nice introductory tale that plays with a generally innocuous key, though clearly it has other issues. The other standalone story I want to mention was the most emotional of the bunch for me, called “Open the Moon”. In this story Chamberlain realizes that son Ian, who has a brain tumor and is getting sicker and sicker, is not long for this world. So he and Harland decide to construct a new kind of key to give him peace, taking him on a hot air balloon journey around the world with a magical conclusion. Hill made this short tale so bittersweet and moving, it had me weeping by the end, while still being full of whimsy and joy. These standalones were a good way to introduce a new Locke Family and to make you understand them with limited pages. Which is essential for the next two sections.
The next tale (and, of course, the one I read last because again, out of order!) was the collection called “In Pale Battalions Go”, which bridges the whimsical stand alone Locke stories with the “Sandman” crossover. I will have to spoil a bit in the next section, as the way this one plays out sets the scene for the “Sandman” story. World War I is raging, and even though Chamberlain has the keys and all the powers that they hold, he refuses to use them to turn the tides of war, as he feels they are too dangerous to wield in such ways. His son John, and idealistic early teenager, thinks that the keys should be used to help defeat the Germans, and uses the Age Key to age himself up, takes the keys, and goes to enlist. So we have a World War I tale, with some good ‘horrors of war’ and ‘great power comes great responsibility’ themes. As one can imagine, it does not go well. I liked this story for the most part, as it’s bleak as hell and it does a great job of showing the dangers of hubris and unintended consequences (something that is seen in other “Locke and Key” arcs). I also liked getting to follow John, even if I didn’t particularly care for him as a character because of his jingoistic zeal and terrible decisions. But at the same time, I think that Hill made him a fully realized and realistic character, being an impatient teenage boy during a World War that was unleashing unspeakable horrors.
And now the big event: “Hell and Gone”, the crossover story with “The Sandman”. Taking place a decade after “Battalions”, John’s twin sister Mary has a mission. Chamberlain is on his deathbed, haunted by the fact John killed himself at the end of “Battalions”. Using the Wellhouse portal, Chamberlain knows that John is in Hell because of his suicide, and Mary is determined to go and find him and bring him peace so that her father can die at peace as well. She hears of rumors that in England there is an otherworldly being that could be the key to getting her answers, and when she arrives to meets a boy with a strange helmet and amulet… You can see where this is going. I went into this thinking that there would be a fair amount of opportunity for Morpheus, but then when I realized the time period was during his capture, I wasn’t certain WHAT this story was going to do. But fear not, because this “Sandman” crossover instead utilizes other well loved “Sandman” characters, as Mary teams up with Lucien and Fiddler’s Green to confront Lucifer in Hell over John’s soul. I actually loved this even more because Fiddler’s Green is such a joy of a character, with his mild anxiety and caring heart. I also really loved Mary, as this is very much her story to shine in and SHINE SHE DOES. Her loyalty to her family and love for her twin means the stakes are VERY high for her, and it makes perfect sense that she would be down for tangling with Lucifer himself. And I believed every bit of it. And look for cameos from other “Sandman” characters, like the Corinthian, and yes, even Morpheus himself. And it’s done in a way that works for the timeline of his story combined with this one. Hill did a great job with the “Sandman” characters and mythos, it all felt like it combined perfectly and that he had true reverence for that comic and its characters.
And yes, Gabriel Rodríguez comes back to illustrate these stories and I still love his style. And he is a great artist to add to the great artists who worked on “Sandman” tales over the years.
Overall, this is a fantastic collection that both “Locke & Key” and “The Sandman” fans really need to check out if they haven’t already. I’m so happy to return to both Keyhouse and The Dreaming in this way. “Locke & Key: The Golden Age” met all my high expectations.
August 29, 2022
I was worried about this latest volume of Locke & Key. Taking place in the past (without the main cast) and having a crossover event with Sandman seemed like two ways to easily take the series astray. I should have trusted this team. They did an excellent job of expanding the world while finding new ways to use the keys and the house, and the crossover felt completely natural. The writing was sharp and the art was excellent. Hill makes a point that this volume can be enjoyed by newcomers both to Locke & Key and Sandman. Being familiar with the properties certainly adds a richness to the experience, but anyone could jump in and enjoy The Golden Age. I had a minor complaint with the first story being too familiar with a previous tale, but there are enough cool moments within to make up for that.
June 8, 2022
Como fan de la serie creada por Joe Hill y Gabriel Rodríguez me emocionó mucho saber que habría nuevas historias de la familia Locke. Pero al saber que las nuevas aventuras estarían ligadas a Neil Gaiman y su obra maestra SANDMAN (una de mis favoritas) no pude más que esperar ansioso la publicación en español de dichas historias.
¿El resultado? Un tomo titulado LA EDAD DE ORO en el que ambos mundos convergen y algunos misterios son revelados.
¿Es necesario conocer ambas historias para disfrutar de este libro?
Si deseas conocer cada detalle que encierra está historia, definitivamente tienes que leer todos y cada uno de los cómics que forman ambas sagas (algo enteramente disfrutable) pero si solamente quieres leer una historia entretenida entonces cómpralo y léelo tratando de no mirar más allá de lo narrado en las más de 200 páginas que forman este tomo en pasta dura, algo que en mi opinión es casi imposible.
¿Porqué 4 y no 5 estrellas?
El único punto malo que encontré es que una de las mini historias que aparecen en este volumen ya había sido publicada en un tomo anterior de Locke & Key.
¿El resultado? Un tomo titulado LA EDAD DE ORO en el que ambos mundos convergen y algunos misterios son revelados.
¿Es necesario conocer ambas historias para disfrutar de este libro?
Si deseas conocer cada detalle que encierra está historia, definitivamente tienes que leer todos y cada uno de los cómics que forman ambas sagas (algo enteramente disfrutable) pero si solamente quieres leer una historia entretenida entonces cómpralo y léelo tratando de no mirar más allá de lo narrado en las más de 200 páginas que forman este tomo en pasta dura, algo que en mi opinión es casi imposible.
¿Porqué 4 y no 5 estrellas?
El único punto malo que encontré es que una de las mini historias que aparecen en este volumen ya había sido publicada en un tomo anterior de Locke & Key.
October 23, 2022
I am a HUGE fan of Locke & Key. The original comic series from Joe Hill was a phenomenal merger of both fantasy and horror - striking a balance between thrills and fuzzy feelings incredibly well.
That said, I did feel this lacked the usual charm of the main series. Locke & Key was a seemingly slow burn of a series, one that built up it's characterisation and plot secrets over time, which made the impact of its storytelling even more sweeter. With these being shorter stories contained within The Golden Age, that aspect is noticeably absent, and it leaves it feeling like it's all a bit tacked on.
Hell & Gone - the crossover with Neil Gaiman's Sandman series - was incredibly well done and is undoubtedly the highlight of the collected stories found here. This felt like it was really well thought out and the effort to merge these two universes felt justified and natural.
Overall, Locke & Key: The Golden Age is an interesting addition to the Locke & Key cannon. It sadly lacks the level of charm and magic of its parent series, but the Sandman crossover is worth the read alone.
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My Score: 7/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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That said, I did feel this lacked the usual charm of the main series. Locke & Key was a seemingly slow burn of a series, one that built up it's characterisation and plot secrets over time, which made the impact of its storytelling even more sweeter. With these being shorter stories contained within The Golden Age, that aspect is noticeably absent, and it leaves it feeling like it's all a bit tacked on.
Hell & Gone - the crossover with Neil Gaiman's Sandman series - was incredibly well done and is undoubtedly the highlight of the collected stories found here. This felt like it was really well thought out and the effort to merge these two universes felt justified and natural.
Overall, Locke & Key: The Golden Age is an interesting addition to the Locke & Key cannon. It sadly lacks the level of charm and magic of its parent series, but the Sandman crossover is worth the read alone.
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My Score: 7/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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