House Amok #3 Review

Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: Shawn McManus
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Neil Uyetake
Publisher: Black Crown

House Amok uses it’s third issue to continue it’s run of being one of the most interesting current horror comic book series. I love the premise of this story so much and Christopher Sebela continually unveils more twist and turns with each issue.

I am constantly impressed with this story’s uniqueness and it’s ability to be three issues deep without becoming too predictable. I am genuinely curious to know where Sebela intends on taking these characters because I am on the edge of my seat wondering when the family’s operation is going to come to end.

This third issue contains a few scenes that are especially intense and scary. These moments elevate this series from a really great psychological horror and adds a whole terrifying layer of supernatural horror. Both of these subgenres are scary and Sebela writes this story well within the characteristics of both of those subgenres. Adding them together so seamlessly works tremendously for the story.

The story’s characters are all so interestingly unique and help keep me glued to the pages. The parents and their motivation and belief in this huge conspiracy constantly makes me scared of them while also feeling sympathy for them and their minds which are obviously sick. Of course, Dylan is a wonderful, concrete character that is easy to follow while she tells us this bizarre story.

Ollie, however, may be the most terrifying thing in this entire story. Her refusal to untighten her grip from pushing forward this idea that is causing her family to do these evil things is horrific. This issue’s biggest achievement was showing me just how scared I should be of Ollie.

As with every issue of this series, artist Shawn McManus excels in creating some frightening visuals that help blur the line between what is actually reality and what isn’t. He may have done his absolute best at that in this third issue by illustrating pages that literally made me question who is actually crazy in this story: Dylan, Ollie, their parents, or me. This is all helped by Lee Loughridge’s colors, especially in those scary action-packed scenes. The creatures that McManus and Loughridge create are one of the best parts of this whole series in my opinion.

House Amok adds another entry into it’s extraordinary story with a third issue that is full of action and horror. This issue does a fantastic job of accelerating the story to a speed that has made it even more exciting.