Locke & Key, Vol. 4: Keys to the Kingdom (edition 2011)

"You ever think people would be happier WITHOUT their secrets?"

Of course the answer has to be "no", or there'd be some pretty dull storytelling, and that's not what this series is about: this fourth volume is all plot plot plot.

All of the characters are familiar faces, in whom the readers are invested to varying degrees. Relationships between them have grown more complex and interactions intensify.

One of the reasons that I enjoyed this volume even more than the last, is the humour. Which isn't always laugh-out-loud, but sometimes wry-chuckling, as with the conversation about race, which is not only funny but spot on, in the second installment.

But my favourite installment within this volume is the first, which features Bode (and he's not actually a favourite of mine) in an unexpected role. The artwork in this segment is noteworthy, as there are two contrasting styles which suit the events which unfold (about which I'll say nothing, but they're perfectly matched).

(I also really like the one where the calendar dates are scattered throughout, so that you really get a sense of how topsy-turvy their lives have gotten in just a single month.)

But what happened to the classy presentation, the matte black covers with the single contrast colour imagery, and the satin ribbon? Okay, okay: I get the white/black thing, but where's the ribbon?

Yes, I know this is a quibble: it's a great series. I"m itching for the final volume.

( )

Oh...twist ending. So shocking, so deliciously creepy. Kinda like the entire series. ( )

This series is really wonderful. No surprise there was such an fuss when the TV series didn't go into full production. Although it was very frustrating waiting for these volumes to go through cataloguing in the library and get onto the shelves, it was worth the wait. ( )

In "Keys to the Kingdom," more and more keys are found, and the battle with the Dark Lady continues. Kinsey and Ty continue to grow as characters, and more bad things happen, as they are wont to.

"Locke & Key" is an awesome graphic novel series.

I have ordered my hard copy from Amazon, and they will take pride of place next to the "Sandman" on my shelves. ( )

Well, this series has gotten nothing but better as it has gone along. I've been thoroughly impressed with Hill's writing and Rodriguez's art right along. They haven't lost anything in the storytelling and haven't weakened in their storytelling either. One of the things that I was worried about is that at some point they would lose their momentum, but five volumes in and that hasn't happened yet.

In Volume 2, Head Games, the kids are still recovering from the events at the end of Welcome to Lovecraft, events that may brought back a lot of memories that they were trying to forget. Kinsey and Tyler find some companionship in their new friend Zack, not realizing Zack's dark secret or intentions. Bode finds a new key, and as they start to uncover the secrets of this new game, Zack starts to become a little too recognizable for his liking.

Volume 3, Crown of Shadows, finds more secrets and more revelations in the background about Dodge and more keys. This volume deals a little bit more with the emotional impact prior events have had on each of the members of the Locke family. I really found these issues handled well in this volume, especially watching Kinsey after her change in the previous volume.

Volume 4, Keys to the Kingdom, was a series of shorter stories that all tied into the Key house and what is happening with the various characters. While not necessarily on complete story throughout the entire volume, each of these stories still successfully moves the story along.

I was concerned about going into Volume 5, Clockworks, as I'd heard that this was mostly a background story, and I wasn't exactly sure how a volume dedicated almost entirely to background was going to help move the story along, but holy crap was I wrong! I think this might be the best volume so far. We learn about the history of the Locke family, the Keys, Key house, the purpose of the villain behind everything (SPOILERS! - which ties directly in the title of the first volume). It just all came together amazingly well.

Needless to say, you won't find much about the actual story in this review, because it's almost impossible to talk about the story without giving anything away, as Hill seems to find a way to tie in almost every plot thread one way or another into all of the story. What I can say, is that this is completely worth reading and might be one of the better graphic novels you'll find. If you're not a fan of horror or of violence, this might not be the best series for you, but if you can stomach it, this is a fantastic series. I'll definitely be picking up the final volume when it's released.

Happy (creepy) reading! ( )

This fourth collection of the Locke & Key series is clearly moving into the climax of the entire series arc. (There are two more volumes to go.) The pace is often much faster than in earlier parts of the series; chapter three ("February") in particular barrels through a whole mess of events, often realizing an entire complicated day's adventure in a single panel. Over the course of this collection, six new magic keys are introduced, a pace that more than doubles the rate of the earlier numbers. The graphic violence is probably more extreme than in any of the prior volumes as well.

The motivation of our prime villain Dodge becomes clearer to the reader in these stories, at the same time as his culpability starts to become evident to the Locke family. It appears that the stakes may be far higher than the well-being of the Lockes or Keyhouse. But not all the evil in these comics is supernatural. The commentary on homophobia that had been introduced earlier in the series is supplemented with some candid observations of/on racism. Some readers might find these a little preachy, but I thought they were handled artfully, and they speak to the tenor of the times.

In the first chapter of Keys to the Kingdom Hill and Rodriguez pay very overt tribute to Bill Watterson, with Bode Locke as an obvious stand-in for Calvin. And in "Casualties" (#22 of the original comic) Bode and Rufus Whedon populate another homage to earlier comics in the form of an invented Squadron Strange action adventure. The Locke & Key series has such beautiful art and rich storytelling that I'm sure it will someday be the object of such admirations and acknowledgements from a younger generation of comics creators.

Summary: The Locke kids are never going to recover from the violent death of their father, but they’re slowly starting to adjust to their new life in their father’s childhood home in Lovecraft, and to learn the secrets behind the various magical keys that inhabit their new home.

Keys to the Kingdom introduces a number of new keys, including the Animal Key, the Music Box Key, and the Skin Key. As the Locke siblings use these keys, and the strange and dangerous happenings at Keyhouse continue, Tyler at least begins to suspect that his "friend" Zach Wells might be more than he appears. But can he convince his siblings in time to stop Dodge from getting what he's after?

Review: This series is so, so good. It's crazy good. It's creepy and imaginative and legitimately scary in parts and incredibly creative. It's an interesting and complex world, which is great, and definitely something I look for in fantasy, but what makes it so great are the characters. They're rich and multidimensional and believable and heartbreakingly sympathetic and easy to fall in love with, and as a result, this series strikes the perfect balance between worldbuilding, action, and character development.

Volume 4 picked things up again after Volume 3. First of all, it starts with Bode discovering the Animal Key, and the entire first issue is drawn and written as an homage to Calvin & Hobbes. For C&H fans, it's absolutely brilliant, and the great thing is, it's completely within the scope of Bode's character as previously written. The rest of the volume is also really good, with the action ticking along, and more clues being dropped not only for the readers but also for the characters... plus it's got one hell of an ending. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Fans of darker, more mature comics - like The Unwritten or Sandman - or anyone who likes creepy character-driven fantasy should definitely be reading Locke & Key. ( )

Illustrated Review:
After their family is attacked and their father is brutally murdered, the Locke siblings, Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode, move with their mother to Keyhouse … Continue reading → ( )

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the fourth of a six-volume sequence, itself consisting of six individual issues of which the first three are relatively distinct from each other and the last three more closely linked; but there is a lot of background knowledge for the new reader to pick up. I found the fourth in the sequence, involving a young boy and a ghostly soldier, particularly effective, and there is an excellent twist at the end. But there are some pretty gory moments as well, and the plot is necessarily incomplete. I don't think I'll look out for more of this series as a priority. ( )

Keys to the Kingdom ups the ante once again in this highly addictive graphic novel series. Unlike the preceding three stories this one turns the violence meter up to 11 and the ending will have you salivating for the next book in the series to be released.

Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez have created something special with this series. Between the brilliant storytelling and amazing artwork, this is a series not to be missed. ( )

I don't know really what to say about this except that I absolutely love Locke & Key. I love everything about it, from the drawings to the story to the characters themselves. I will be sad when it's over. ( )

Without getting into the plot -- you really should read this series starting from book one -- I'll just say that the story and art continue to be awesome with an ending to this volume that has me begging to read the next one. ( )

I liked the play of styles and themes in this book, and how effortlessly it blends fantasy and reality, even within the confines of the story. I find myself constantly impressed with the creativity and elegance of this particular comic, and vol 4 steps its usual high standard up even further. ( )

Oh dear it was all going so well, but whilst this may have worked in the original comic format in collected volumes the different stories feel chaotic and the pacing seems way off. Also while it's fun to experiment it doesn't always work which is shame coming from a great third volume. There number of magical keys is exploding and its feeling a bit silly plus on top of that I have my doubts about the end plot twist.. only number 5 is going to let me know whether this is a series worth continuing. Such a shame. ( )

Very excited to come across the fourth volume in this series! Locke and Key has been at the top of my list of recent graphic novels, and this edition did not disappoint. The images are both beautiful and disturbing, and our heroes start to put two and two together about what actually is going on at Keyhouse. The dramatic conclusion has a cliffhanger that leaves me epic excited for the next volume! Highly recommended. ( )

This is the fourth book in the Locke and Key series. It was an excellent book; many more keys are found and things come to a head. Things proceeded a bit too rapidly for my liking, but it was still a very good addition to the series.

In this issue many more keys are found in quick succession. The first chapter focuses on Bode and his finding the Beast Key and becoming a sparrow. The next chapter quickly propels you through a calendar month of craziness at the Locke household. Just when things seem to be going right for the Locke kids they run into a lot of trouble. Dodge gets desperate and things really come to an awful/desperate/surprising conclusion in the final chapter.

I totally agree with other reviews I have read that say the new keys are introduced too quickly. There were so many points where the authors/illustrators had wonderful opportunites to depict shadow battles and beastly transformations, etc. These are breezed through with each one only being given a single scene in the February chapter. The new keys are introduced rapidly and I found myself having to use the index that describes each key at the back of the book to keep track of what was happening. I really do wish they had drawn this out more over a couple of books.

Other than above I really enjoyed this book. The book itself was a beautiful hardcover edition, it is missing the pretty bookmark ribbon that other earlier volumes had...but it still very beautiful and high quality. There are a couple different styles of artwork in this edition; the first chapter featuring Bode has a more cartoony artwork style to it. This new style is well-blended in with the old style. The old style of art is most prevalent and continues to be beautifully done and matches the story very well.

The new keys introduced are all very interesting and I am very attached to all of these emotionally scarred characters. I couldn't believe how things unfolded in the final chapter; I was absolutely rapt and could not put the book down. Now I am dying to know what happens next!

All of our favorite characters from previous volumes appear in this book and the mystery surrounding the Locke family deepens and comes to a climax of sorts. The wait for the next book may just kill me; I have been contemplating buying the comics issue by issue to find out what happens next...

Overall an excellent addition to the Locke and Key series. The introduction of the new keys went too rapidly for me and I wish the story had been drawn out a bit more. Still the new keys are interesting, the mystery is deepening, and the conclusion will leave you riveted and dying to read more. Definitely a book for older teens or adults only; very gorey, bad language, and a number of disturbing scenarios. I can't wait to read the 5th book in this series, Clockworks, due out late spring/early summer of 2012. ( )

As with the previous volumes in this series, this one features vivid characters; a nice blend of humor, horror, and drama; an interesting continuing storyline; and some truly impressive artwork. It also features some fairly clever storytelling choices and a thread of suspense that builds slowly to one heck of a cliffhanger. In other words, it continues to be excellent stuff. I do still wish I'd waited until the whole thing was out to read it, rather than constantly losing momentum and my memories of the story thus far with every wait between releases, but I did find this one easier to pick up with than the last one, despite the publication delays. ( )

The “Keys to the Kingdom” is the fourth installment of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's excellent dark fantasy detailing the adventures of the Locke children as the explore the mysterious powers of the keys that are hidden all around the lovecraft manor and fight a dark force trying to unleash hell. Once again Hill and Rodriquez have managed to find the pitch perfect balance of innovative concepts, character development, and awesome artwork to construct just the right atmosphere for a great ride with a cliff hanger that just begs a great sequel. Told as a series of individual character arcs that form a larger more coherent storyline,allowing the authors to reveal an outstanding number of keys while keeping the overall story intact. It really was an inspired and risky choice to speed the story along that worked.

I think this is the best yet of the Locke & Key Series. From the homage to Calvin and Hobbes in “Sparrow” to the minimalist story telling in “February,” Hill and Rodriguez have not only shown their versatility as story tellers, but have also pushed the envelope for what we as readers can expect from this series in the future. The thing I fear the most about this series is that they have built my expectations up to a level that anything less than spectacular is going to be a let down. I can't shake that feeling that a Star Wars Episode 1-like repeat is just around the corner. ( )