After a months-long break, The Nice House on the Lake, one of the best horror stories in recent history returns for its final act from James Tynion IV, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Jordie Bellaire, and Andworld Design.
The Nice House On The Lake began as one of the most inventive and shocking horror stories in recent memory. It was the latest piece in James Tynion IV’s upward trajectory towards being considered one of the best writers in the comics industry. After a shocking initial run, the series took a break, giving the art team an opportunity to get ahead.
While still an effective horror story, the pacing of the story since hasn’t matched the initial run of issues. That’s been to its detriment as the story approaches its conclusion.
In its initial run, ten of Walter’s friends find themselves isolated as the world outside ends violently. As their bonds as friends are tested, they learn more about themselves and their environment, but virtually nothing about Walter and his definitely supernatural, seemingly extraterrestrial nature. It goes bad for Walter, until he changes the game, altering everyone’s memories and inserting himself into the house. Since that point, Walter has been trying desperately to hold everything together, and it’s all about to go badly.
The first half of the series was incredibly effective at building up both horror and dread. The two-page reveal of the apocalypse via social media is still one of the more terrifying horror moments I can think of in the last few years. The next few issues effectively took that moment and saw the friends unraveling and turning on Walter. He seemed to think he was giving them a gift, and that made his actions even more horrifying. Then he finally had enough, and reset the bubble.
Unfortunately, the new scenario has shifted the sense of unnerving urgency to something else. The character moments are still interesting, and the mystery leaves us wanting more, but the pace has been meandering and slow. With only two issues left, the story still isn’t picking up. Instead of pushing towards a resolution, we’re seeing the characters still playing with their situation, and mostly ignorant that Walter is manipulating them. What we’re seeing is plot points that should probably be the focus of the midpoint of the story, not so close to the resolution.
Regardless, it’s still an absolutely gorgeous book. Martínez Bueno does stunning pencils on each page, ratcheting up the tension that is there. His layouts are always eye-catching, and he plays with geometry in some really fascinating ways as Walter explains his master plans. Bellaire matches him step for step, with dark and moody colors that capture both the beauty of the setting and the bleakness of the situation.
There are only two issues to go in The Nice House on the Lake and the series needs to pick up the pace to cross the finish line. I want it to go out on the same highs that it started on, but there just doesn’t seem to be that sort of denouement in sight. I trust Tynion, but it just doesn’t seem like there’s any way it won’t be at least somewhat rushed. Unless, of course, this is just season one, and there’s more on the way. And if that’s the case, I have trust in the team to get to hell and maybe not bring us back.
Tony Thornley is a geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, X-Men guru, autism daddy, amateur novelist, and all around awesome guy. He’s also very humble.
