I'm a huge fan of the Brubaker/Phillips collaborations, but this wasn't among their best. HOUSES OF THE UNHOLY is a noir-ish spin on Satanic-panic that doesn't really go anywhere, or should I say, doesn't go anywhere unexpected. The same can be said about ALL of Brubaker's work. The characters and plots are excellent, but he never takes you anywhere new and daring, and the stories always come out pretty much the way you expect they will. This one just fell flatter than most for me, because if you're doing Horror, I expect a horror ending. This was more like a modern-day spin on RACE WITH THE DEVIL, with a much less satisfying climax.

Any collaboration between Brubaker and Phillips is worth a read. I just don't think this was one of their best. It's about the satanic panic that took place in the U.S. in the 80s. (I still remember being forced to watch the videos in church. It introduced me to lots of great music like The Cure which is probably not what they were going for when they made us watch it.)

Natalie Burns rescues people from cults. (The opening is excellent.) But when she was a child, she was part of the Satanic Six, a bunch of school children who faked that they were being taken and molested by a cult. Soon, an FBI agent arrives informing her that someone is murdering the six of them and takes her along on his investigation to protect her.

The premise is good. The execution is bogged down by two many flashbacks that all do the same thing. The ending was also very weak. Even with those caveats though, I felt it was still worth a read.

Yet another team-up from comics superheroes Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips, Houses of the Unholy is a tense, moody horror-thriller that will especially appeal to those who remember the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. Natalie Burns is an adult now, but when she was a child she was abducted by a Satanic cult, and exposed to hellish experiences...or was she? Not long after her rescue, it comes out that she and her friends made up the whole thing, and from then on she and her family are pariahs. But if that's the case, then why are her friends winding up dead 30 years later? Natalie is determined to find out.

The vibes here are perfect. Fans of anything to do with cults or devil worship will find much to interest them here. It reminds me a bit of The FInal Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix mixed in with the darker parts of Stranger Things. Philips' artwork sets the mood perfectly.

I was a bit let down by the ending. It seemed a bit slapdash and left me wanting more. I read this thinking that it would be a standalone story, but it feels very unfinished so I imagine other volumes must be coming.

"Can you ever escape your past, or are all your bad decisions just more ghosts to haunt you, wherever you go?"
I have never read a graphic novel- at least not as an adult. The cover is brilliant! The font is perfect, the title is titillating, the color scheme is classy, and the child pictured leaves so much to the imagination there. I was hoping for this question to be answered, but it didn't really ever achieve that to me. The art was splendid, except for the sexual scenes which didn't really add anything to the plot there. Gratuitous nudity without a connection to artistry is such a red flag for me, personally. Everyone is different, so if this isn't you- ignore me. I like to have a connective sex scene though if I'm gonna have one, or else what's the point?
The Satanic Panic mentions were so intriguing and nostalgic- I was born in the early 90's, but I am also from the Bible Belt so I feel like a lot of these suspicions still exist in my town even to this day. This graphic novel wasn't really for me- I both expected and wanted more from the conclusion, but found the art especially gorgeous and at times gruesome.
Thank you so much to the publisher and authors for allowing me the eARC!

I really wasn't sure if this was going to be my thing, but on a whim I decided to request it. I do love crime fiction, and I'm fascinated by the satanic panic, so what did I have to lose? Oh jeez. The question should've been 'do you realise how much you have to GAIN?' This book was incredible - incredibly dark, incredibly unpredictable, and incredibly enthralling. And it asks a question that is really difficult to sit with: what happens when a child lies about being the victim of a crime? How do you live with that for the rest of your life?

Natalie Burns (unfortunate name for a satanic panic victim but we digress) is one of the Satanic Six, a group of children at the centre of a crime story about demon-worshipping adults. The only issue is that none of it happened. But recounting those stories every day to police, to interviewers, to judges...in a way, it's become Natalie's reality. Regardless of her knowledge it wasn't the truth, regardless of the fact it's been decades, she's still plagued by nightmares of the satanic happenings.

So when a rogue FBI agent tracks her down and lets her know that the Satanic Six are being picked off one by one, Natalie is forced to re-enter a period of her past she'd rather forget about. She knows she's not trustworthy, can never be seen to be truthful again. But surely no one else would lie about something like this?

This book has twists up the wazoo. It's insanely creepy and uncomfortable, and it's a must-read for any true crime or thriller fan. My only minor gripe with it is that it felt somewhat incomplete. The ending is so abrupt and feels too open. Not in a 'it leaves it up to interpretation' way, but more of a 'hey, where'd the rest of my book go?' way. Still, I enjoyed it and after so many twists and turns, the abrupt end felt more like the whiplash-inducing stop of a rollercoaster returning to the start of the track than one breaking down on the very highest point before a big drop. But maybe that's just my distaste for theme park rides talking.

This was a very good read just as I was getting in to it and then it ended 🤦🏼‍♀️ but I loved the graphics and I would definitely recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for the eARC.

Comic style books are new for me, but this one was so enjoyable. It read easily, the pictures were so well done, and overall the concept of the satanic panic in this book made it hard to put down!

Sometimes, you can't escape your past. This graphic novel was a short but good psychological thrill. I didn't know what was real or not. The art was enthralling, and the story leaves you wanting for more. I wish it was a little longer, or if there's a second book, I'm interested in reading what happens next. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this ARC. The book is out now if you want to know what's haunting Natalie Burns.

Firstly thank you to Image comics and net galley for the chance to read this early.

My first read from these authors. What a fantastic story line, I really enjoyed it along aside the characters.
The art work is outstanding.
A great thriller read with horror vibes.
Rated 4 stars.

Brubaker and Phillips are always great and Houses of the Unholy is now one of my favorites by them, a great crime story with a Satanic Panic focus.

Thanks to Image Comics and NetGalley for the ARC.

Unsurprised since it’s Brubaker, but this was fantastic. Dark, depraved, stylish and just plain messed up.

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' "Houses of the Unholy" dives into the murky waters of 80s Satanic Panic with their signature noir flair. The story follows Natalie Burns, a woman haunted by her childhood involvement in false satanic ritual abuse claims, as she's pulled into an FBI investigation concerning her fellow "Satanic Six" survivors. While the premise is intriguing and the artwork captures the gritty atmosphere perfectly, the narrative feels somewhat rushed and familiar. Brubaker's storytelling hits the expected beats, but doesn't quite push beyond the duo's usual formula. It's a solid, quick read for fans of the team, but might leave some wanting more depth in its exploration of conspiracy theories and trauma.

This atmospheric tale finds the team of Brubaker & Phillips examining childhood and religious trauma in the 1980s Satanic Panic and how that has impacted the life of our main character Natalie as an adult. Someone is killing people who were coerced into testifying about their counselors subjecting them to Satanic rituals as kids. Natalie is drawn back in by an FBI agent with demons of his own to track the killer.

This book has the usual dark and gritty atmosphere and dialog that's expected of Brubaker and Phillips. The art and coloring is top notch as usual. My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed and could've wrapped up loose ends a little better. Still a quality read and highly recommended! My thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

I love this team’s work and I was excited for the premise, but I’m not seeing any of the care Brubaker &co usually put into their work, and none of the perfect jigsaw bits, it’s still got the gritty-noir vibe, but I’m just not feeling this one.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

A fun story about the aftermath of the Satanic panic for for a struggling adult named Natalie. It's a good read and I can't wait for the next book to find out what happens in the cabin

What is there not to like about Brubaker? He's the best crime comics writer out there by a mile. Nothing he does is bad.

A fantastic delve into the Satanic Panic, cults, trauma, and conspiracy theories.

Houses of the Unholy is a character-driven piece that tackles everything all at once: childhood trauma, religious trauma, and what happens when people are drawn in the wrong direction. I loved reading the main character's journey as she revisited her past and how it's brought her to the present. The twists were well-executed as always from Brubaker, and I love the atmosphere in the art from Sean and Jacob Phillips.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for access to the eBook!

I really enjoyed the design, imagery, and artwork that went into House of the Unholy, but I have to admit, it felt too short. As I watched the page count dwindle and saw myself nearing the end, it felt like the story wrapped up too quickly. It also left off in a way that seemed to open the door for more. Given its setting during the era of satanic panic and all the real-life chaos of that time, I felt like the graphic novel could have taken so many different directions. There was such rich source material to pull from, but it almost felt like the creators played it safe—understandably so, yet I wish they had pushed the boundaries a bit more and given us a longer, deeper narrative.

That said, it’s still a fun read and a quick one. You get to dive into the characters and their pasts, but some of the twists felt a bit predictable. For example, when the FBI agent picks her up and tells her he’s the only one working the case, it seemed pretty obvious that something was off—yet she didn’t pick up on any of that.

Ultimately, House of the Unholy is a solid recommendation for someone looking to get into a thriller graphic novel without investing too much time. But for me, it left a lot of potential on the table.

I love anything horror so this book really excited me and the plot felt very nostalgic which when coupled with the fantastic illustrations made it a great read

Traumatic. Lovecraftian. Beautiful.

This isn’t something to be scarfed down in one sitting, like a lonely leftover. ‘Houses of the Unholy’ is to be savored, as if it were the last meal. With stark black ink and bright, vivid hues, this “Satanic Panic” noir thriller blends into an amalgam of ‘True Detective’ and ‘Midsommar’ works perfectly.