THE NICE HOUSE BY THE SEA #9 (DC COMICS)
With the end of the world on the line, no one is playing fair.
Two houses of survivors look to survive a deadly game. One has just gotten the upper hand. Max’s group is captured and on the verge of being eliminated. It will take a miracle to escape this certain fate. That miracle doesn’t look like its’ arriving anytime soon.
THE NICE HOUSE BY THE SEA #9 by James Tynion IV, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Jordie Bellaire, & AndWorld Design (DC COMICS) delivers on a high-stakes issue.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the games being played here.
THE NICE HOUSE BY THE SEA #9 by James Tynion IV, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Jordie Bellaire, & AndWorld Design (DC COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Tynion leads readers into this issue with a flashback to a more complex situation. The mood is very strained as Norah reflects on Walter’s games. Hidden behind a celebration of Ryan is a crumbling relationship between best friends. The writing shows Walter’s moves are upsetting friends. It moves into a more direct lane in present time. Readers watcha s the dialogue is venomous as events are leveraging towards a monster payback to not only the other house, but Walter’s memory as well.
Events speed up to a more frantic situation. Reg’s play to tap into the unknown leads to painful discoveries. As the other house has taken captives, fear becomes a force in the page. It leads to a surprise member entering the fray. Readers watch as Walter’s house opens up more questions with David’s meddling into the unknown. Even with a possible solution to their captive situation, the friction between members is mounting. Tynion never lets up on this feel heading into the final act. There is an overwhelming sense of mystery as the picture being painted by all involved becomes more blurry. This all caps off with a show-stopping final page. Suffice to say, there is more happening here than anyone can possibly fathom.
Bueno and Bellaire open with a very layered flashback sequence. The series of two page spreads unlock many hidden emotions Norah’s processing of Walter’s schemes enlightens to her jaded persona. The panels flood wit jealousy as Norah’s dialogue runs wild. Bellaire’s use of coloring in the Walter panels in comparison to Norah’s is a nice touch to show the fractures. It leaves readers with a sense of pause before returning to present time. The full image of Reg’s situation proves to be an excellent pivot point.
His struggles with his discoveries convey the painful risks he is taking. The two page spread shows the ultimate gamble work to a certain degree. It is a far cry from the captured fallen house. Their panels are soaked with anger and resentment. This is evened out once David reveals his “new him”. The full page image is a much needed laughable pause to the heavy drama. From here, events speed up slightly as Walter’s house begins to bicker amongst themselves. The reactions on what to to next reflect the sense of doubt connected to this game. Readers get one more exclamation point thrown into the mix before bowing out. The full page parting image will have fans talking until next time without question. Brace for its’ impact!
FINAL GRADE: 9.4
One house is on the verge of winning a deadly game, but is it worth the cost? Tynion dives into that argument with fearless drive . Bueno and Bellaire leverage out the flashback builds to present drama with exceptional work. A true thought-provoking series with no equal.
Let me know your thoughts on THE NICE HOUSE BY THE SEA #9 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
