Things get a bit trippy
Usually seeing a kid’s opened cranium would be enough raise the ire of the Major Spoilers crew, but in the case of Locke & Key: Head Games #3, Bode’s open head is enough to convince his siblings, that something strange is afoot in Lovecraft.
The cool thing about the brain key is not only does it open your head up for people to look inside, you can also add new information, and take out unwanted memories. The exchange between Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode as they test out what can be done with this key is brilliant, as Bode learns about cooking in terms of “Tees†and “Tisspsâ€. It’s also interesting to see what happens when someone reaches inside the open head and pulls out a memory. It is something that is weighing heavily on Kinsey’s mind, which is understandable, considering the horrors she’s been through recently.
Most of the issue is spent exploring this new toy, with some infighting between the brothers and sister as to who should hold on to the key, and why keeping everything they’ve learned a secret is really important. Unfortunately, Tyler’s feelings toward the hot girl in class gets the better of his promise to keep quiet, which is going to spell trouble when Lucas finds out about the brain key.
In Welcome to Lovecraft, there was enough blood, violence, and strong language used that it was clear the issue should have had a mature rating. Head Games has had some violent moments in the past issues (on panel killing), but except for a single F-bomb and the underwear clad classmate of Tyler’s this issue is rather tame.
Even the inside of the character’s heads are not as grotesque as they could have been drawn. Readers will want to spent a great deal of time analyzing Bode and Tyler’s heads in the scenes as there’s a lot of stuff crammed in those heads. Once again, Gabriel Rodriguez’s art shines, and stands out among all the other artists working today. I particularly like Rodriguez’s homage to EC Comics Crime and Suspense Stories comics from 1953.
Since Lucas is only after one key out of the plethora of keys hidden around the estate, and even though the series has been expanded to 36 issues, I wonder if Joe Hill isn’t holding some of these keys back for another series following the success of Head Games? A smart writer would do just that. Considering how well the first series worked out, and the strong start Head Games has, I could see another series on the way. Of course that is at least three years away, but here’s hoping.
My biggest complaint for the entire issue, is there a lot of time spent exploring the power of the ring, with little action happening. In previous issues, readers were able to at least check in with the goings on of the other characters, but here the only sign of Lucas is in the final page of the book. Granted, a great deal of discussion between Kinsey and Tyler needs to happen as the realization that everything Bode has been saying all this time is finally sinking in.
Once again, Locke & Key #3 is another great installment in this maxi-series. This installment once again answers a few questions, and gets readers psyched about the next. Locke & Key: Head Games #3 earns 4.5 out of 5 Stars.
