Locke & Key, Vol. 1 Review: Welcome to Lovecraft
Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's brilliant horror-fantasy.
By Web Admin
Great horror comics are surprisingly rare. Great horror comics that are also devastating family dramas are rarer still. Locke & Key is both. Written by Joe Hill and drawn by Gabriel Rodriguez, this IDW series began in 2008 and quickly became a modern classic — a horror-fantasy about grief, trauma, and a New England house full of magical, terrible keys. Volume 1, “Welcome to Lovecraft,” collects the first six issues and sets one of the best-plotted stories in comics into motion. Here’s our full review.
What is Locke & Key?
Locke & Key is a complete, six-volume horror-fantasy series published by IDW between 2008 and 2013. Volume 1, “Welcome to Lovecraft,” gathers the first six issues into roughly 160 pages, priced around US$20. Written by Joe Hill — a bestselling horror novelist (and, not incidentally, the son of Stephen King) — and drawn by Gabriel Rodriguez, it’s one of the most acclaimed and awarded horror comics of the century, winning the British Fantasy Award and multiple Eisner nominations.
The story centers on the three Locke children — teenage Tyler, high-schooler Kinsey, and six-year-old Bode — who move with their mother to their late father’s ancestral family home, Keyhouse, in the fictional town of Lovecraft, Massachusetts, after a horrific tragedy. The house, they slowly discover, is full of magical keys, each granting a strange and dangerous power. And something living in the house wants those keys very badly.
The story: grief, keys, and a house of secrets
What sets Locke & Key apart is how it fuses its supernatural premise with genuine emotional stakes. The book opens with an act of shocking violence — the murder of the children’s father — and the entire series is, at its core, about how a family survives trauma. The magic of Keyhouse is never just spectacle; each key becomes a metaphor for grief, memory, identity, and escape.
Young Bode is the first to start finding the keys, and his discoveries are wondrous and terrifying in equal measure. There’s the Ghost Key, which lets you leave your body; the Anywhere Key, which opens a door to any place; and the Head Key, which does something so clever we won’t spoil it here. Meanwhile, a malevolent entity trapped at the bottom of the Keyhouse well plays a long, patient game to get what it wants — and it’s willing to destroy the Locke family to do it.
The plotting: this is why you’ll re-read it
Joe Hill is a novelist, and it shows in the architecture. Locke & Key is one of the most tightly plotted stories in all of comics — clues planted in Volume 1 pay off volumes later, and the whole six-book arc is constructed with the precision of a great mystery novel. Reading Volume 1 for the first time is thrilling; re-reading it after finishing the series reveals just how much Hill had planned from the start. Few comics reward a second read this generously.
The art: Gabriel Rodriguez’s Keyhouse
Gabriel Rodriguez is the book’s secret weapon. His clean, detailed, slightly cartoony style might sound like an odd fit for horror, but it’s exactly why the scares land — the world feels warm and real, which makes its intrusions of violence and dread genuinely shocking. Rodriguez designs Keyhouse itself as a character, a place you come to know room by room, and his knack for expressive faces gives the family drama real weight. His visual invention with the keys’ powers is a constant delight.
Content warning
Locke & Key is a horror series and it does not pull punches. The very first issue depicts a brutal home invasion and murder, and the series contains graphic violence, disturbing imagery, and themes of trauma and abuse throughout. It’s written for mature readers — powerful and moving, but genuinely frightening and often bleak.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Brilliantly plotted — rewards re-reading enormously
- Real emotional depth beneath the horror
- Gabriel Rodriguez’s art is warm, detailed, and expressive
- A complete story with a definitive, satisfying ending
Cons
- Opens with intense, graphic violence
- Genuinely dark — not a comfort read
- A six-volume commitment to get the full payoff
Locke & Key vs. the Netflix series
Many readers now come to Locke & Key through the Netflix adaptation (2020–2022, three seasons). It’s a decent show, but it made significant changes — softening the horror considerably, aging up and rewriting characters, and altering the plot to fit a broader-audience format. The comic is darker, scarier, and far more tightly constructed. If you enjoyed the show, the source material will feel like a richer, sharper version of the same story; if you found the show a little tame, the comic is the fix.
How it compares to other horror comics
In a crowded field, Locke & Key stands out for its balance of dread and heart. Here’s how it sits against other horror books we recommend.
| Series | Creators | Flavor | Length | Approx. price (Vol. 1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locke & Key, Vol. 1 | Hill & Rodriguez | Family horror-fantasy | 6 vols | ~US$20 |
| Wytches, Vol. 1 | Snyder & Jock | Folk horror | Ongoing | ~US$15 |
| Something is Killing the Children | Tynion & Dell’Edera | Monster horror | Ongoing | ~US$15 |
| Gideon Falls, Vol. 1 | Lemire & Sorrentino | Cosmic horror | 6 vols | ~US$10 |
For the full field, see our roundup of the best horror comics.
Which edition should you buy?
There are a few good ways to read it, depending on how deep you want to go.
| Edition | Collects | Approx. price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1 paperback | Issues #1–6 | ~US$20 | Trying it out |
| Master Edition (HC) | Two volumes each | ~US$50 | Showcasing the art |
| Slipcase / complete sets | The full series | ~US$150+ | Committed fans |
Start with the Volume 1 paperback. If it hooks you — and the cliffhanger will — the oversized Master Editions are a beautiful way to read the rest.
AmazonCheck price on AmazonIs Locke & Key a good first comic?
For horror fans, absolutely — it’s accessible, gripping, and requires no prior comics knowledge. The only caveat is the intensity: this is not a gentle starter book. If you’re new to comics and want something lighter first, browse our best graphic novels list for a broader range, then come back for Locke & Key when you’re ready to be scared. Fans of the Netflix show and of stories heading to screen should also check our guide to comic adaptations coming soon.
The verdict
Locke & Key is a rare thing: a horror comic that’s genuinely frightening and genuinely moving, built with the craft of a great novel. Volume 1 is a perfect entry point, and the complete six-book saga is one of the most satisfying reads in modern comics. It’s a highlight of our Indie hub and a permanent fixture on our list of the best horror comics. Highly recommended for any adult reader who loves a good scare with real heart.
Frequently asked questions
How many volumes of Locke & Key are there?
The main story is complete in six volumes, published by IDW between 2008 and 2013. Volume 1, “Welcome to Lovecraft,” is the starting point.
Is the comic better than the Netflix show?
Most fans think so. The comic is darker, scarier, and far more tightly plotted, while the Netflix series softened the horror and changed significant plot and character details for a broader audience.
Is Locke & Key scary?
Yes. It opens with a graphic murder and contains violence, disturbing imagery, and heavy themes throughout. It’s written for mature readers who enjoy genuine horror.
Do I need to read all six volumes?
Volume 1 tells a satisfying opening chapter, but the series is designed as one long, tightly plotted story — clues planted early pay off later, so the full six-book arc delivers the real reward.
Next, discover more frights in our best horror comics guide, or see what’s heading to screen in our comic adaptations coming roundup.
