Locke & Key: The Golden Age

It’s going to be a bit hard to review Locke & Key: The Golden Age without at least discussing the broad strokes of its predecessor, the original Locke & Key. So here’s the broad strokes: there is a house in Massachusetts called Keyhouse, and it’s there that the Locke family has lived for generations. More importantly, it’s there that the family has learned to make keys of incredible power: keys that can change your size or your gender; keys that can transport you around the world; keys that can summon the dead or allow you to see into someone’s mind – and honestly, that’s only the beginning – the power of the keys is only limited by what you can imagine.The Golden Age is a prequel, I suppose; it takes place about a century before the events of the original series, right around the dawn of the 20th century and the beginnings of the First World War. We are with the Locke family still, but it’s the ancestors of those we met, and this family is all too happy to enjoy the fruits of their surreal labors. Maybe that means they design a dollhouse that mimics the reality of Keyhouse in miniature; maybe that means that they use the power of the shadows to make life easier; or maybe that means grappling with the question of whether having the keys gives you a responsibility to use them in the face of something like a world war.Nominally, The Golden Age is made up of several stand-alone issues and small arcs. The series opens with two entries I’d read before: “Small World,” in which that aforementioned dollhouse finds itself inhabited by a suddenly very large spider, and “Open the Moon,” a restrained and beautiful tale about the Locke family’s youngest child, who is facing a sickness that will eventually kill him, and how the keys provide an unusual and moving way out of the situation. Both are fantastic tales, ones that allowed Hill and his artistic collaborator Gabriel Rodriguez to find new wrinkles in the world of the keys.But what really makes The Golden Age worthy of standing alongside the other volumes of the series is the final stretch of the compilation, which covers two small arcs: “…In Pale Battalions Go…” and “Hell and Gone,” which together tell the tale of the Locke family’s involvement with the First World War – and the tragic consequences that arise from it. Essentially one large arc, “Battalions” grapples with a logical question: if you have the power of the keys, what responsibility do you have to use them in a situation where you could help others? In this case, when you combine that sense of obligation with a young man’s desire to fight in the “glory” of war, you can assume where it will go…and you’re right and wrong in those assumptions.Hill’s title here isn’t an off-handed one; this is a story infused with some of the futility and anguish of WWI poetry, about what happens when brave young men believe the “Old Lie” of the glory of dying for one’s country. And while there’s undeniably some exciting sequences revolving around the keys being used in conjunction with each other, as we see the story shifting in new directions, the tragic air is all but inescapable – and when you think Hill and Rodriguez have done their worst, let me tell you, there’s more hits to come, giving the series possibly its most devastating and heartbreaking moments.So why doesn’t the story end there? And how on earth does Neil Gaiman’s Sandman come into the mix? Well, to explain too much here would not only risk giving away the end of “Battalions” but also deprive the reader of some of the pleasures of “Hell and Gone,” which sets an ambitious bar even by the standards of the series. Satisfyingly, though, it feels organic and natural – while a lot of crossovers feel forced and contrived to meet some publisher demands or to justify the conceit, “Hell and Gone” fits in a way that makes it feel natural, planned, and wholly appropriate. Somehow, the sensibilities of the two series even fit together relatively effortlessly; that it all ties together the threads of The Golden Age into such a satisfying bow feels like a minor miracle.Indeed, that’s maybe the most striking thing about The Golden Age; somehow, a story that begins in a few scattered one-shots and includes a wholly unexpected crossover all comes together into a compelling, rich, and powerful arc all of its own. It’s not just a collection of stories about the Locke family; instead, it’s the tale of this family – of the tragedies they face, of the pains inflicted by the world around them, and of the way they struggle to atone and find redemption for their sins. What could have felt like a needless return to Keyhouse instead feels like a wholly satisfying volume of the series, and one that has earned a spot of honor alongside the other books – and given how great the rest of the story is, that’s no small accomplishment.

I had seen this in my list of recommended reading and read a lot of really ringing reviews. I am extremely happy I took the time to read it. Brilliant story telling, interesting stories. There are some writers and graphic novel writers who really know how to squeeze the most out of the least. I wonder about their thought processes, since they have to not only craft engaging stories but envision how to tell them visually. Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, and Joe Hill are definitely masters of this.

I love all of the books in the Locke & Key world, but this is my favorite. Golden Age focuses on previous generations of the Locke family (so no Bode, Kinsey and Tyler here). In my opinion, Mary Locke is the best character in the entire series!

Lock & Key is my favorite series of all time. In this set of stories, having characters from the world of Sandman made it even more special.You will enjoy this story more if you have read the original series so you know the back ground. But even stand alone, it is excellent!

I enjoyed it

I love L&K, and all the content of this book is great, but the binding came with corners torn and it seems like the binding isn't glued completely. It creeks and crackles when moved, opened, or page turned. I pre-ordered this months ago and was pretty disappointed with how it turned out. Still might return it, but dont know if I'll just receive the same thing the 2nd time around.

These interconnected stories are much better than the one shots that did not really add to the history of the Keyhouse.

The book arrived on time and in great conduction.

El séptimo volumen de Locke & Key es una magnífica recopilación de historias cortas (algunas por vez primera), de la última miniserie de tres números, misma que lleva al crossover con el mundo único de The Sandman (de dos números), en colaboración con DC Comics. La producción del tomo es impecable e incluye extras, como portadas variantes. Tanto el arte como la historia son estupendas y un gran complemento para los seguidores de las series. Gabriel Rodríguez es uno de los grandes artistas contemporáneos y esta edición le hace justicia.

I was very wary of this having been a massive fan of the original series (and encouraged others to read it). So glad I waited for this compilation. By joining all the Golden Age stories this helps you understand the characters and feel for them. This is classic Locke & Key - funny, exciting, heartwarming but with moments of true sadness and shock. Never thought I’d say this but I really hope they do more (but no sequels please, as the series ended perfectly).

Joe Hill viene de la realeza literaria de terror, y se nota que lleva la sangre de Stephen King. Excelentes relatos precuela a Locke & Key por el al guión y el inconfundible y estupendo dibujo de Gabriel Rodriguez en una edición genial en tapa dura de IDW.

As someone who has started the sandman series I loved the cross over and yet also found it easy to understand. I love that there is no need to know the series to enjoy it. So much is going on it was well worth the wait. The chaos, self loathing, need to save others and dreams coalesced into a very coherent book with interesting ideas and ramifications. It was an intriguing twist on the key and sandman tales. Another amazing addition to the series. My only gripe is the first two chapters were originally stand alone stories and whilst they make sense was frustrating for me to find here in another collection.

Great to have more stories collected in the Locke and Key universe, however I would have liked it to be as big as the master editions.