All good things come to an end, but what folks tend to forget is endings are often what make things so good. Such is the case with The Nice House on the Lake. One of the best horror comics in years and maybe even ever, the series comes to a close with its final issue today. A tense psychological horror that delivers a delicious amount of dread, The Nice House on the Lake #12 will surprise you and leave you thirsty for more.
It has all been leading to this: Walter attempted to bring his favorite humans to a nice house where they could want for nothing, but as one of the key characters told him, nobody wants to be a captor against their will. That’s even the case when humanity is dead and Earth is likely a barren wasteland of fire. All the characters know what Walter has done and that he’s a reluctant party of some species or lifeform that put them into this situation. With one of the members of the house, they’re out for blood.
Most of the characters are on their way to killing or questioning Walter, and time is running out. All that tension was built up beautifully in the last issue, allowing writer James Tynion IV and artist Álvaro Martínez Bueno the chance to slow things down. This issue opens with Walter detailing the options the humans have to press on and not be eradicated by his fellow reality-warping entities. Each option is bad in its own right, and it’s fun to mull over what each one could mean and how the group will react.
Walter has incredible power.
Credit: DC Comics
As the story progresses, the characters take some time to discuss their options again, showing how nuanced and well-written this series has been. Each character is going through their stuff or reacting in a different way. It’s easy to relate to them all, even when one brandishes a gun and wants to kill whoever he can for revenge.
Intermixed with the character drama are all the texts and emails sent to Walter when they were offered a getaway to a nice house on a lake. These messages juxtapose nicely with the rage, fear, and disappointment in the now, as these messages are hopeful and bright and show the love they have for Walter. You’ll believe they loved him before this happened, making this ending all the more tragic. These messages are read in a realistic and believable way. They’re genuine and almost moving, as you can read between the lines and see Walter cares for his friends and vice versa.
All this drama, thought-provoking choices to be made, and there’s even a good ending you won’t see coming to an end in the book. I won’t spoil it, but know it’s exciting, and a complete reversal of what you think is going on. At the heart of this ending is the idea that some manipulate for their purposes, and others manipulate for what they believe is the greater good. Once again, this quite enticing book has a psychology behind the things said and done.
Art by Bueno and Jordie Bellaire continues to be exceptional. Walter’s incredible ability to change reality is shown early on as he creates a bar, reminding us he’s in a tight situation making tough choices yet could erase everything in a moment. There’s a dark tone to much of the confrontation scene thanks to the color choices and how Bueno uses shadow on faces. Meanwhile, Bellaire continues to streak color throughout the opening sequence in vivid ways.
The Nice House on the Lake #12 has everything that made this series great, from exceptional writing from multiple points of view and characters, incredible powers from the lake house host, and some deliciously disturbing things to think about once all is said done. Don’t pass on The Nice House on the Lake – there’s nothing else like it, and it’s as cutting-edge and exciting as comics can get.
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