The Nice House by the Sea #10 – James Tynion IV, Writer; Alvaro Martinez Bueno, Artist; Jordie Bellaire, Colorist
Ray – 10/10
Ray: As we approach the end of act two of this post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller, things are getting more intense than ever. The civil war between the two houses is over, as the residents of the lake house have turned the tables on their elite counterparts thanks to their deeper knowledge of the house. Norah, who has become one of Walter’s inside women, is able to hold the balance of power and allow her just enough time to negotiate with Max, the mastermind of the second house – and Walter’s bitter ex. Max, who is one of the most fascinating antagonists I’ve seen in a while, has their own plan for the future of humanity, and casts doubt on whether Walter was ever telling the truth about the house. But there’s a horrific twist to this detente. Max only needs ten people to maintain their plan for the future, which puts the two houses against each other in a battle for survival – with Norah holding the balance.
This leads to one of the best scenes of the entire run, as Max starts setting up the face-offs between the people from the two houses, starting by pitting Norah against her fellow writer – a world-famous novelist with a big ego. We know who’s going to win, but the way it plays out is still incredibly satisfying. And all the while, Walter watches this from his new, furry body. He’s ultimately discovered by someone from the other house, who knows just enough to discover his little ruse. The secrets of the houses are being parceled out piece by piece, but this issue raises the stakes in a huge way and sets the stage for a spectacular finale where the entire world or what’s left of it is hanging in the balance. And each scene that peels back the history of Walter’s interaction with these characters is no less compelling than all the complex sci-fi narratives that preceded them.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
