By Zack Quaintance — So, in order to write about Nice House on the Lake #9, I have to first establish my working theory that this story has a central metaphor around what it feels like to ride out the pandemic (or, really, any big moment of natural disaster/upheaval) in relative comfort. Apologies if you’ve read these thoughts in other pieces about The Nice House on the Lake, but I think about how the people in the house are from generally white collar and creative fields, how they’re safe while the rest of the world burns, and (here’s the kicker) how they an have anything they want easily delivered right to them with no personal risk.

These are all facets of the story established in the first story arc, running from The Nice House on the Lake #1 up through The Nice House on the Lake #6. As I wrote about in my review of The Nice House on the Lake #8, in the second arc, the book is now evolving. The mysterious figure who has gathered the people into the house — Walter — has now tampered with their memories. They don’t remember things as clearly. Sometimes they’re not that upset to be in the house, too. In other words, after so much time encased in relative safety as the world burns, a haze has set in, making reality — as well as their feelings toward it — difficult to parse. Given my reading of the first arc, I found this to speak powerfully to the idea that time is mushy in the pandemic.

And I think The Nice House on the Lake #9 fits well into this metaphor, which I’ll get to in a second, after first noting that I found this to be the strongest issue of the new arc so far. The pace of this book has really been something. Often times when a series hits like this one, it starts fast in order to hook new readers before settling into a cruising narrative altitude so it can sustain a long run as an ongoing series. If The Nice House on the Lake is doing something like that, it’s not evident to me. No, this book is rapidly unspooling its world and all its secrets, and the reading experience is much better for it.

I particularly found the artwork by Álvaro Martínez Bueno and colorist Jordie Bellaire to be stunning in this book. There are quite a few visuals in this comic that simply do not exist in the real world, and the artwork in the issue conveys them with grand imagination. There’s hardly even a hint here of other horror aesthetics or ethereal takes on the non-human world, an impressive feat in a day and age that has become thoroughly saturated with horror in comics, at the movies, and on TV. But really, there have been eight previous issues to suggest this art team is operating on a superior tier to most (if not all) other monthly comics right now.

So, no surprise there. What was surprising to me was the way the plot continued to move ahead. In The Nice House on the Lake #9, the main event here is that Walter, the shadowy being behind all of this, is getting frazzled, is seeming to lose control of the world. This to me was evocative of conspiracy theorist, who in many cases are psychologically unable to grapple with the world being chaotic and random, so they need someone or something in control, a shadowy group pulling the strings, a big corporation, etc. In this book, that would of course be Walter…and so Walter starting to lose control to me speaks to conspiracy culture in an interesting and engaging way, one that well compliments another book James Tynion is writing, The Department of Truth. I could see this ending with Walter not being real, or some other big surprising mushiness about the nature of what’s been happening. And I love of that about this series very much.

But hey, I could (obviously!) be obscenely wrong about all these metaphors. Still, I think they’re worth noting because it speaks to how interesting this book is, how engaging and timely and well-done. Even if I’m wrong, I’m fine with it, because what a ride this series has been and continues to be.

Overall: The Nice House on the Lake #9 is another masterful issue for what is one of the best monthly comics on the shelves. The plot is moving quickly and the artwork is fantastic. 9.8/10

REVIEW: The Nice House on the Lake #9

The Nice House on the Lake #9
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Álvaro Martínez Bueno
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Andworld Design
Publisher: DC Comics - Black Label
All Arturo wants is for his partner, Sam, to be happy-so why isn't he? What is scratching at the edge of Sam's memories that keeps him restless and unsatisfied? As a journalist, nothing can keep Sam from the truth-no matter what that truth could cost the man he loves...
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Digital / First Volume Trade

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Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He has written about comics for The Beat and NPR Books, among others. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.