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The Nice House on the Lake #10
- Writer:
- James Tynion IV
- Artist:
- Álvaro Martínez Bueno
- Letterer:
- Andworld Design
- Cover Artist:
- Álvaro Martínez Bueno
- Publisher:
- DC
- Price:
- $3.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-09-27
- Colorist:
- Jordie Bellaire
DC Black Label's Eisner-award-winning seriesThe Nice House on the Lake returns to comic shops this week for its 10th issue. Created by writer James Tynion IV and artist Álvaro Martínez Bueno alongside colorist Jordie Bellaire and letterer AndWorld Design, the series is back to a monthly release schedule following a brief hiatus. The critically acclaimed horror comic is setting the stage for an epic conclusion in the final three issues, and the stakes have never been higher.
Much like previous issues of the series, The Nice House on the Lake #10 opens with a flash-forward before looping back around to the main arc of the story. In the present, the sprawling main cast discovers more about the nature of the house, and individual characters get closer to the secrets of the house and its owner Walter. As Walter begins to open up, the audience comes closer to fully understanding the mysteries of the house with potentially devastating consequences.
Tynion's gradual erosion of the layers of mystery comes to a head in The Nice House on the Lake #10. The narrative pushes forward into a new phase, made possible by his masterful storytelling. Although some elements of this issue might seem a little cliché, Tynion manages to pull it off without coming across as trite before subtly introducing an in-universe justification for these choices. His non-linear storytelling complements the concentric nature of the complex story, as characters unwittingly follow the same paths they have before. The final pages are remarkably impactful, with Tynion deftly weaving plot threads together to create a crescendo that careens towards a tragic conclusion like a runaway train.
As good as Tynion's writing is, The Nice House on the Lake #10 would be an incredible comic, even without a word of text, thanks to Bueno's stunning art. The comic is a gorgeous miasma reminiscent of watercolors, shifting between expressive figures and surreal impressionistic moments that are unique and unexpectedly eerie. Bueno constantly plays with texture and medium, including blurring and scratching effects that intuit motion and differing perspectives in a creative fashion. His consistent use of soft lines creates a dreamlike effect that defamiliarizes human figures and throws any rigid lines into sharp relief, creating disturbing levels of visual drama in the interplay between the two. This comic is an unbelievable visual experience.
Bellaire's colors are stunning and act as the perfect finishing touch to elevate the art style from unusual to absolutely jaw-dropping. The color palette across The Nice House on the Lake #10 is filled with unexpected contrasts, warm and cool tones frequently intermingling in a single panel to create incredibly stylized moments that pack a huge visual punch. Bellaire also includes smaller touches that add to the atmosphere of the comic. Colors bleed slightly outside their panel borders, adding to the heady, dreamlike feeling that permeates throughout the whole comic. The AndWorld Design team has done excellent work with the letters in The Nice House on the Lake #10, particularly with the sound effects. Said sound effects blend seamlessly with the actions creating them, forming an onomatopoeic effect that many comics reach towards but few actually achieve.
The Nice House on the Lake #10 is a fantastic return for the ongoing series that cements it as a long-term project with serious legs. The comic reads like a menacing dream, fluid and vaporous, constantly teetering between nightmare and fantasy, beauty and terror. A strong contender for the best psychological horror story being produced today, the final three-issue arc of The Nice House on the Lake is off to a great start, confirming the series as an all-time great.