Monthly Archives: February 2012

Hill’s fluidity of Zack’s gender is once again striking. The issue’s a flashback to before the first series and so Dodge (how many names does the character have, anyway?) is still the female. I wonder how it’ll all play out.

There are no Lockes in this issue (except a cameo from Duncan in the flashback) and instead it’s Ellie’s issue. Hill shows how lousy her life was before Dodge came back into the picture. Of course, having an evil ghost around murdering people should make it worse, but Ellie’s mom is exceptionally evil too so it’s a toss-up.

It’s mostly a talking heads issue, except one of Rodriguez’s amazing double-page spreads of inside Ellie’s head. He does well pacing the confrontations between mother and daughter; Hill strives, once again, to juxtapose mundane evil against the supernatural.

Though Locke-less, it’s Head Games‘s best issue. Hill and Rodriguez excel.

Interesting. Hill completely surprising this issue at every turn. The opening’s a little disjointed, however, as it presents a more genial “hang out” night at the Locke house than Hill’s ever suggested before.

He also starts making Zack a mildly sympathetic character. Maybe mildly is too strong a word. Hill makes sure to show Zack not doing entirely abhorrent things this issue. And the end is a complete surprise.

While it’s a good issue (it really does contain the most unexpected work Hill’s done on Locke & Key so far), the pacing is off. Not much happens. There’s a bunch of exposition at the front and then the ending, which is awesomely unexpected, requires Kinsey to be a moron.

And mom Nina has vanished for the last couple issues.

Rodriguez’s cover plays towards the homoerotic; Hill works directly against it with the soft cliffhanger.

Hill enjoys playing with the reader expectations.

Small big happenings this issue. Hill opens it with Uncle Duncan, who’s starting to remember where he’s seen Zack before. Not to jump around too much, but the next issue’s preview cover suggests Hill’s bringing back the homoeroticism in Zack and Tyler’s friendship. That return should be interesting.

It’s juxtaposed against Duncan’s arc this issue, where he and his boyfriend get assaulted by some crazy redneck women. Props to Hill for confronting homophobia in such a direct manner. Sadly, it’s far more interesting than the main content.

Tyler shows his friends the head key. It freaks out the girl, who’s still just a caricature. Then Kinsey decides she wants her fear extracted. There’s the implication next issue will have some pay-off, but it’s not enough.

Hill’s overstuffing Head Games, especially with Luke/Zack content; Duncan’s story is a relief because it feels organic and not painfully outlined and planned.

With this issue, Head Games finally feels like Locke & Key again. The kids are doing something they probably shouldn’t, while talking about how they’re coping with their tragedies. And Mom isn’t paying enough attention to it. Hill could probably do an entire series around Nina’s days.

The thing they shouldn’t be doing this issue is unlocking their heads (get it, Head Games) with one of the keys. They’re able to extract memories and insert knowledge. It’s a disturbing visual–the opened head–and Rodriguez does a great job of making it infinitely uncomfortable without making it gross.

The idea is one of Hill’s best for the series so far, as one can see the advantages. Bad memories can go away, knowledge can be immediately acquired.

The other reason the issue feels familiar again is because Tyler’s a moron.

If he had an iota of sense, Hill wouldn’t have a comic.

Hill spends a lot of time with deceptive bad ghost guy “Zack” again this issue. It’s a problem not just because it refocuses the series on him–Bode gets some page time, but he’s on a micro-quest; it’s not particularly interesting (until the cliffhanger). But Hill’s emphasis on Zack also cuts down on the expectations for the Locke family’s experiences. If we always know Zack is out to get them and his plans… their success over him isn’t going to be as fresh as it could be.

I’m just assuming there will be success over him, since there’s not much of a story if the bad guy wins.

The issue feels like a lot of water treading. There are the repercussions from the last issue, with Kinsey reacting to her teacher’s death but she’s not the issue’s main character.

The issue’s not weak, it’s just not engaging at all.