Locke & Key



Welcome to Locke & Key

If there has been a more clever, more engaging, more scary graphic novel in the past couple of decades I am hard pressed to think of it. The combination of Joe Hill's highly original writing and Gabriel Rodriguez's haunting artwork, Locke & Key is a one of a kind telling of the Locke family's legacy. The six book main series takes us through the tragedy that strikes the Lockes early on and the events leading up to their arrival in Lovecraft, MA. That is one half of the title. The keys, and how the characters interact with them, are the most important players in these stories. Without giving away too much...there are keys that do things and open doors to places you may have never thought of before.

The covers of each book speak to the main key introduced. In Welcome to Lovecraft, the death key plays a central role. One of the things that makes this story line so interesting is that Hill ties in events from the first book to the sixth. The death key is central to that. Head Games introduces the mind key which is also pivotal to the plot of Locke & Key. In both of these books, we start to get a look in the heads of who the Lockes are and how they are going to deal with the crises ahead.

Book three, Crown of Shadows, has the shadow key and brings a new, powerful element into the story. This key certainly has the ability to swing the power in Lovecraft and the Keyhouse (where the Locke's live). Keys to the Kingdom has the music key which, while important, is not nearly as important as the structure in the background. The wellhouse is located on the Locke's property and is connected to the enigmatic and dangerous Dodge, who is working devilishly hard to bring all the keys together to achieve his monstrous goals.

Book five, Clockworks, looks into the history of the Locke family, specifically Tyler, Bode, and Kinsey's dad and his high school friends. The time key is critical to the children understanding how and why the keys were made. More important than that, they learn how their father used the keys and how Dodge came to be who he is. There may even be some answers as to how the family can save themselves.

The final book of the main story is Alpha & Omega. This is what everyone has been fighting for up until this point...the Omega Key and the black door. There are secrets behind the door that may possibly alter the future of humanity. If you look closely at the cover, you may see the only key that can change the direction and impact of the Omega Key. If you want to know what it does, and what happens to the Lockes, you have to read this book.

In fact, you need to read all of these books.

Awards:

Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Adult Literature (2015)

British Fantasy Award for Best Comic/Graphic Novel (2012)

Hugo Award Nominee for Best Graphic Story (2013)

Harvey Awards Nominee for Best Continuing or Limited Series

Eisner Award Winner for Best Writer (Joe Hill) (2013)

Eisner Award Nominee for Best Writer (2011)

Eisner Award Nominee for Best Penciler (2011)

Eisner Award Nominee for Best Inker (2011)

Eisner Award Nominee for Best Continuing Series (2011)

This is Horror Award for Comic (2012)

Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Best Graphic Novel (2011)

Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Best Graphic Novel (2014)

Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics (2010)

Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics (2011)

Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics (2012)

Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Graphic Novels & Comics (2014)

Hill, Joe (author) and Rodriguez, Gabriel (illustrator). (2009). Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft. San DIego: IDW Publishing.

ISBN: 978-1600103841. Paperback: $19.99.

Hill, Joe (author) and Rodriguez, Gabriel (illustrator). (2010). Locke & Key: Head Games. San DIego: IDW Publishing.

ISBN: 1600107610. Paperback: $19.99.

Hill, Joe (author) and Rodriguez, Gabriel (illustrator). (2011). Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows. San DIego: IDW Publishing.

ISBN: 978-1600109539. Paperback: $19.99.

Hill, Joe (author) and Rodriguez, Gabriel (illustrator). (2012). Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom. San DIego: IDW Publishing.

ISBN: 978-1613772072. Paperback: $19.99.

Hill, Joe (author) and Rodriguez, Gabriel (illustrator). (2013). Locke & Key: Clockworks. San DIego: IDW Publishing.

ISBN: 978-1613776995. Paperback: $19.99.

Hill, Joe (author) and Rodriguez, Gabriel (illustrator). (2014). Locke & Key: Welcome to Alpha & Omega. San DIego: IDW Publishing.

ISBN: 978-1631401442. Paperback: $24.99.