House of Mystery Vol. 2: Love Stories for Dead People [Paperback]

Matt Sturges (Author), Luca Rossi (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 2009

Matthew Sturges, writer of the Eisner-nominated JACK OF FABLES, and his JACK co-writer Bill Willingham, the creator of FABLES, proudly unlock the doors to the HOUSE OF MYSTERY, a new graphic novel series that reinvents the classic DC Comics concept. It focuses on five characters trapped in a supernatural bar, trying to solve the mystery of how and why they're imprisoned there. Each one has a terrible past they'd like to forget, and with no books, newspapers or TV allowed in the House, they face an eternity of boredom. But stories become the new currency, and fortunately, the House attracts only the finest storytellers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Disturbing... spooky... the industry needs more comics like this." - WeeklyComicBookReview.com "Sturges is crafting something special with House of Mystery..." - IGN.com" --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Matthew Sturges is the co-writer of Jack of Fables, and recently has taken over Blue Beetle. Bill Willingham is a writer and artist whose work includes Coventry and The Sandman Presents. He is currently writer/artist of Shadowpact and Fables. Also features stories illustrated by David Petersen (Mouse Guard), Henry Flint (Judge Dredd/Aliens), Tony Akins (Papa Midnite). --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo (June 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401222765
• ISBN-13: 978-1401222765
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.3 x 10.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #208,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Matthew Sturges has written a number of comics for DC, including House of Mystery, Justice Society of America, and the Eisner-nominated Jack of Fables (with Bill Willingham). He has also written the novel Midwinter, available from Pyr, and its sequel The Office of Shadow, which will be published summer 2010.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best title ever!, August 31, 2010

By 

Rachel E. Gray "Reg" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: House of Mystery Vol. 2: Love Stories for Dead People (Paperback)

This is an amazing book. I have no reservations about saying that I love it.

I was skimming the graphic novels shelf in the bookstore and this book, mis-shelved and separated from its fellow House of Mystery volumes caught my eye because of its excellent title. Honestly, the title is worth a star all on its own. Thinking it was a standalone book, I read a bit before I realized it must be part of a series, and I wasn't lost or confused at all. I was really enjoying every aspect of it, the overarching adventure/mystery, the shorter stories within, the writing, the various styles of art...as I said, I was enjoying pretty much everything.

After reading the first volume, House of Mystery: Room and Boredom, I went back to this one and I appreciated what I'd already read even more and loved the rest. The story "The War" was especially good, and I made a note that I really loved page 30. The result of the exploration of the basement was wonderfully creepy and surprising, and the little revelations either made me more anxious to get the full story or sometimes created more mystery to solve.

3.0 out of 5 stars The writing is better than the Art, June 9, 2011

By 

Paige Turner "Paige" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: House of Mystery Vol. 2: Love Stories for Dead People (Paperback)

I guess it's obvious that it would be this way, but the quality of the writing surpasses the artwork here. Sturges/Willingham lay out a convincing comic/horror genre story. Call it "Fables meets Horror," it's pretty darn good. The story meanders in typical Sturges fashion, taking us on a few side journeys. The opening tale seems to have the most promise, but ends too fast. I guess you gotta leave 'em wanting more. The concept is cool, a crazy "haunted" house in which the denizens all get stuck in a "groundhog day" type existence that repeats as they tell various tales. In this collection of books, we start to learn that there is something more here than meets the eye.

Speaking of the eyes, what annoyed me about this book is Luca Rossi's drawing style. Maybe some call it "impressionistic" or artistic, but to me, it comes across as "lazy." I love the detail that I just don't get with Rossi. It feels rushed, while others that wrote on "Fables" left their very hearts on the page. I love a detailed comic in which I wonder how they could even draw that small. You won't get that here.

Sloppy artwork mars a solid story here, and because comics are a visual medium, I just can't give it better than three stars.

3.0 out of 5 stars NOT AS GOOD AS VOLUME 1, May 31, 2010

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: House of Mystery Vol. 2: Love Stories for Dead People (Paperback)

I've always loved the way DC Comics is able to take old series and characters and re-invent them for a modern audience. The latest success is the new House of Mystery series. This second volume collects issues #6 - 10 of the monthly series and begins to explore the deeper "Secrets" of the House...if you'll pardon the pun.

We met Fig Keele in the first volume as she escaped the phantasmal Conception and raced headlong into the House. Now, she only has a desire to escape its walls and the crazy inhabitants who seem all too willing to call the place home. Her new friends Bartender Harry and pirate "Bloody Ann" seem to think they know a way out...down a long flight of stairs to a forgotten door. Behind that door they will find a terror greater than all their fears. A terror so great that even Cain's oft-murdered brother Abel shows up to try and tame it. The main story is interspersed with back-stories that feature art by the likes of Berni Wrightson & Kyle Baker.

The problem with the short stories is that they create an uneven tone due to the different writers and artists who worked on them. While some of the back-stories were really good, especially the Wrightson story, I found they distracted rather than enhanced the main story. I love this title and while it will probably never be a huge hit I hope this is one of those Vertigo titles that develops enough of a niche audience to keep it going.