For fans of “The Beautiful House by the Lake,” “The Beautiful House by the Sea” is a fascinating, if difficult, work to penetrate. That is, until The Nice House by the Sea #4 brought the full horror, melodrama, and sinister core of this great series. Maybe it’s because of DC Vertigo’s rebranding, but this fourth issue is great.
As is customary for the series, this issue begins in the future, where the apocalypse occurs. The common denominator is humanity’s love for Walter, an alien who takes them to the only place where humanity can survive after killing everyone on Earth. Flashbacks reveal Walter’s complicated feelings towards Oliver, one of the new characters who lives with the best humans on the beach. It quickly becomes clear that Oliver is the lynchpin of this series, or at least this issue.
Things begin to unravel in this series as people along the coast learn that people have moved out of their homes. They once thought they were the only ones left alive, but now it’s time to think about what that means if other habitats exist. The common belief is that humans can only survive in one habitat, and survival of the fittest seems to be on the menu.
On the other hand, there are people in the sea who need more information, but Oliver is the only one who knows things. Meanwhile, the people of the lake believe that if they kill Alien Walter, they can return to being Max, an alien of the sea. Does it mean instant death for them or something else? These are the questions the characters try to answer as they consider their next move.
One thing is clear: the “best of the best” sea people are far more immoral than the average lakeside people. This enhances the overall horror atmosphere and reveals their ability to do some scary things.
It’s always about boys.
Credit: DC Comics
In an unexpected turn of events, the Sea People’s ability to expand their bodies is brought into close focus, and it is terrifying. Álvaro Martínez Bueno leans into body horror in this scene, chilling the audience in the best possible way. The horror in this sequel series was light except for the atmosphere, but it hits hard in the final moments.
Bueno and Jordy Bellaire continue to capture the imagination with light and darkness. Close-ups of characters talking are solidified in shadow, as if to convey a dark underbelly, and when light shines through, it conveys a relatable atmosphere. The use of camera footage is also exquisite, creating an eerie atmosphere. This book is horror, and the visuals prove it.
A common complaint about this series is how complicated it is to keep track of the old characters with so many new characters. Here, it softens a bit when a character literally says, “You’ve got to lay out the whole melodrama, right?” I answered clearly, “Thank you!” A clever hand-drawn infographic details how sea and lake aliens are related. This helps piece together the larger drama that unfolds while linking the two habitats.
Another thing that works well in this issue is the reveal that this ensemble are all working for Walter, an alien from a lake habitat. The bigger picture, and the romantic picture, is coming into focus. We’ve always known that Walter’s emotions were the reason the Lake People got into this mess in the first place, but now we see how Walter’s actions affect the Sea People. There’s some fascinating stuff at work here.
The Nice House by the Sea peels back the layers of a compelling onion of horror, romance, and the complex nature of being the last human standing. This series is instantly suspenseful with varying levels of horror, from creepy macabre to body horror.
“The Nice House by the Sea” #4 brings fear and clarity
Lovely house by the sea #4
The Nice House by the Sea peels back the layers of a compelling onion of horror, romance, and the complex nature of being the last human standing. This series is instantly suspenseful with varying levels of horror, from creepy macabre to body horror.
The connection between the people of the sea and the lake becomes clearer
The overall picture of Walter’s intervention is convincing.
The visuals are amazing, gory, and creepy.
A strong ensemble aspect becomes a lesson as the story focuses on the main characters
