ROMANCE

House of Mystery. Vol. 8: Desolation

by Matthew Sturges
& others (text) & Esao Andrews (illus.). Vertigo. 2012. 160p. ISBN 9781401234959. pap. $14.99. F
COPY ISBN
This volume concludes the three-year run of Sturges's House of Mystery. The titular house is the same House of Mystery from a classic DC series that ran from 1951 to 1983. As with the original series, Sturges's work features short stories told by guests gathered in by the supernatural house, but in this new version there is also a richly detailed story that frames all of the individual entries. The short stories are written and drawn by a variety of guest writers, which results in some unevenness. Despite the varying quality of the content, Desolation is an enjoyable read with sharp writing, appealing characters, and big plot ideas. Since it is the final chapter of a long story, readers will strongly benefit from starting with the first volume in the series.
VERDICT The art and storytelling is not quite as good as in Neil Gaiman's Sandman and Bill Willingham's Fables, but fans of those standouts will likely enjoy this similar read (Sandman fans will enjoy seeing some familiar faces). This series will appeal to readers who prefer engaging characters over a pat happy ending.
Reviewed by Tammy Ivins, Francis Marion Univ., Florence, SC , Oct 12, 2012
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