Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: dc comics, james tynion iv, nice house on the lake

Walter's Bookshelf In Nice House On The Lake #2 May Need Some Reading

The Nice House On The Lake by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez Bueno reflects all manner of literature and culture. A place that people cannot find a way to leave recalls faerie literature but also the likes of Twin Peaks and Strangehaven. A place where a being is keeping select people trapped for their own concerns smacks of The Twilight Zone, and Isaac Asimov while in title also reflecting The Cabin In The Woods. While apocalyptic literature and prophecy fills the outside world. But with the second issue, and the cast react to their new situation, they start to explore the limited world they have and how it has been designed to fill their needs but also push them in a certain direction.

And that's when we find the bookshelf. With DC Comics titles including Sandman including the inescapable cycle of death and life, Superman For All Seasons with its own cycle, JLA Earth 2 about another world where everything is bad, The Invisibles about this world where everything is bad – but also faked, depending on your perspective and Planetary somewhere inbetween.. We also have From Hell which turns William Gull into a ghostly entity haunting and influencing the century ahead, next to The King In Yellow with its own malevolent supernatural and gothic entity affecting the future. Also what appears to be a different version of David Lapham's Stray Bullets, and is that Love And Rockets recreated as Love And Explosives? It feels like a war of comics IP here. Here by Richard McGuire survived unmolested, showing one location in a house over centuries, jumping from one time period to anotehr.

What else are we meant to take from these? Lots of books that would be at home on any student shelf, and reflecting of the college life Walter shared with some of the survivors. But some like The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz and Neverwhere talk of other worlds to travel to, of Lord Of The Flies about how people fail to survive because of their innate nature, And Then There Were None is about people trapped in a house as they are each murdered in creative ways, The Elementals about families living in remote summer houses, facing their own horrific doom, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline contains dark satire of American survival. There's lots more nihilism from The Conspiracy Against the Human Race, or Everything Matters about how a foreseen inevitable end of the world affects the protagonist. But overall plenty of people trapped in locations, or travelling to other planes of existence, in one way or another. I get the feeling that this bookshelf will be there to reflect much of what has happened – but also what is to come. Oh Walter…

NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE #2 (OF 12) CVR A ALVARO MARTINEZ BUENO (MR)
(W) James Tynion IV (A/CA) Alvaro Martinez Bueno
After the life-changing events of the previous issue, the guests at the nice house on the lake must decide their next steps—but there's not exactly perfect agreement about the situation. Who among them is ready to walk out the door? And who is content to simply…float? Retail: $3.99 In-Store Date: 7/6/2021

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