Review - House of Mystery vol. 2

House of Mystery : Love Stories for Dead People
Written by Matthew Sturges and Bill Willingham
Art by Luca Rossi, Tony Akins, David Petersen, Henry Flint, Bernie Wrightson and Kyle Baker
Cover by Esao Andrews
Vertigo

This is the second volume of the Vertigo fantasy/horror series consisting of issues 6 though 10 of the ongoing comic series. This story continues where the main character, named Fig, and her companions of the house, looking for an escape from the house, go into the basement to see if they can find a way out. More mysteries are discovered and more stories are told as the reader tries to figure out exactly what might be going on.

This book borrows from the Sandman story lines by using Able (the original owner of the House of Mystery) as part of the back story for this series. The house also doubles as a bar where beings meet and tell stories (kind of like the Inn at Worlds End, also from Sandman) And there is a forward motion to the convoluted main plot line. Fig learns a little about her background and we learn a little more about the other members of the house.

I find this series interesting because it really doesn't answer all the questions it raises. There are many things left unanswered that actually bother me that its left hanging without any resolution or explanation. Hopefully, as the story progresses, all these loose ends will be addressed, but somehow I don't think that's what the creators were thinking of with this series. After all, it is The House of Mystery.

As for the art, what's really cool about this series is the side stories that are interjected periodically in the main story line. Usually these are stories within stories that a patron of the tavern tells to pay their tab. These stories are done by a different artist. And with a a completely different art style, these little gems interspersed through the story break up the strangeness. And with phenomenal talents like Bernie Wrightson, and Kyle Baker, these little interludes are a great way to break up the story.

I purchased this for the library but it will not go into the Teen area. There is some profanity and sexual situations that might be off putting for more sensitive parents. I would not let the mature nature of the title deter any library from selecting this book, but if money is a little tight in the budget this book is certainly not a necessary classic for a well stocked library collection.