A stand-alone story full of magic and wonder set in Keyhouse’s past that any fan of the series will enjoy, and anyone else can jump right in and enjoy it just as much.

I am a new reader of Locke & Key. I just got through the first hardcover and is currently making my way through the second book, and I’ve been loving every step of the way. I like the characters, I like how fresh the book feels, I like the twists the story makes, and the art is beautiful to look at. While this single issue deals with none of the characters that I know, we are introduced to some new faces of the Locke family from 1912 and in the short time we spend with them, Joe Hill was able to make me care about them, even pulling at my heartstrings.

Hill, in my opinion, does some great character work here. From the introduction of father and son, to the tragic yet heartfelt departure, Hill and Rodriguez do here in 16 pages of story what some writes just can’t do with 20. Yes, there are only 16 pages of story in a $3.99 book, but it’s also filled with awesome goodies ,excerpts from different members of the Locke family of known Keys, to funny illustrations by Bode Locke himself of different keys, and finally, pin-ups from a bunch of artists.

Gabriel Rodriguez’s art here is the best I’ve seen so far. Without giving anything away, he is able to switch art styles without a hitch, and it flows so well from one to the other. Jay Fotots, who does the colors, also deserves as much praise for how beautiful this book is. The panel that stands out for me, among the rest, is the bottom panel of page 7, where the color pallet switches in the same panel. It’s such a smooth transition as the night sky goes from dark with clouds like mist to a lighter hue and starts shining bright with puffy clouds floating alongside a big, bright moon.

This is the perfect example as to why I read comics. I’ve recently started reading the Locke & Key series and I am so happy that I am. I love what Hill and Rodriguez are doing in the series proper, but I’d love to see more of single stand-alone issues like this. You’d be doing yourself a huge disservice if you miss out on this. Be a follower of the series or not, this is a book I think everyone deserves to check out.