They say don’t judge a book by its cover, but what about when the cover contains a storied comic book imprint, finally returned to its rightful place in the corner box? That’s what happens in — or rather, on — The Nice House By The Sea #4 by James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno, which officially brings back DC’s Vertigo label.
It’s a minor thing all told because the story of Nice House continues apace. After the literal slow burn of the first series (The Nice House by the Lake), the sequel reads like the gloves are off. We know the premise, we know the characters, and we thought we knew what the situation was. Now it’s time to really put everyone through their paces.
Spoilers past this point, but this issue finally delves into the relationship between Walter, the alien who set up the house by the lake; and Oliver, the man he loved who is living by the sea. We don’t know exactly what happened in their past, but this issue amps up the stakes dramatically… Which is a surprising feat given the entire world has been burned, most of the population is dead, and as far as we know there are less than two dozen people left alive.
Yet, that’s what Tynion expertly does here. And Bueno draws the hell out of everything. A security cam scene peppered throughout plays like the most horrifying parts of Paranormal Activity. A relationship explainer cartoon is both funny and helpful for keeping track of the tricky interconnected nature of these characters. Even scenes of characters sitting around and strategizing are dynamic.
But that’s every issue of this fantastic horror/sci-fi comic. It’s always good. But with the Vertigo label on the front, it now feels like the whole project has clicked into place. It never quite made sense as a DC Comics book proper, or a Black Label book (which is mostly about superheroes). It’s always been a Vertigo book, the label that says: quality, care, and originality. There have been numerous pop-up imprints through other publishers since it was sunsetted in 2020. But there’s a distinct flavor to books that should have the Vertigo label, and it’s clear that Nice House was always one of them.
Welcome home, Vertigo.
The Nice House By The Sea #4 Rating:
The Nice House By The Sea #4 Official Synopsis:
The impossible has happened — the House has been invaded from the outside. What does it mean that someone, anyone, out there still exists? And how far will the residents of the House go to protect themselves?
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