House of Mystery

Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges are good writers. They do their best work outside of the superhero sphere, so many of you may never have heard of them, but they're both quite good, most famous for their work on Fables and Jack of Fables.

Recently - as in, this past Wednesday - the two of them together revived the House of Mystery, an old DC horror comic. The two of them have infused the now-Vertigo title with some bizarre Vertigo sensibilities. They tied it in with Sandman, Vertigo's biggest triumph, and set it up as a Worlds' End style storytelling device.

Within the House, a number of people are trapped. Occasionally, one gets to leave, though the residents don't know why. The rest...are trapped. They are bored. They have nothing to do, nothing to pay with, except stories. And so the residents tell stories, some biographical, some fantastical, many both.

The main story of #1 is mostly set-up, and it's interesting set-up, but where the book really shines is the short story told by Hungry Sally. It's one of the most visually horrific comics I've ever seen, but the art is still definitely compelling. If you don't mind being creeped out, definitely check this book out.

Oh, and as a bonus? Check out this absolutely stunning cover.