Locke and Key, Crown of Shadows#1: The third miniseries by acclaimed writer Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez, this book remains one of the most original ideas out there. The story focuses primarily on the Locke family, whose patriarch was killed by a crazed student. Moving to Key House in the grimly named Lovecraft, they begin to discover magical keys that hold wondrous powers and the evil that was sealed in the house. In this issue, the Locke family hardly appear, leaving the main storyline to follow Dodge- the now freed antagonist, and his interactions with the ghostly Sam Lesser- the now deceased murdering student. Joe Hill uses this issue to expand on Sam's character, one that hasn't really been shown more than the obligatory my parents abused me shtick. Along with that, some clues are given as to who exactly Dodge is and why he does what he does. Although some exclaim that Rodriguez's art is cartoony, I think his style perfectly matches how quickly a familiar scene can turn gruesome. This issue was not without its faults however, the ghost fight was fine and all, but I would have preferred to see more of the Locke family than just a few issues.

Grade: 9.1(out of 10)