"Houses of the Unholy is a riveting horror thrill-ride from bestselling creators Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, the award-winning team behind Criminal (soon to be a TV series on Amazon Prime), Reckless, Night Fever, and Where the Body Was.

In this new tale, an FBI agent from the cult crime beat and a woman with a past linked to the Satanic Panic are drawn into a terrifying hunt for an insane killer hiding in the shadows of the underworld.

This pulse-pounding story asks: can you ever escape your past, or are all your bad decisions just more ghosts to haunt you, wherever you go?"

I was going to write something really insightful about the authors but I'm so excited about the Amazon Prime news that I can't contain my joy!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an e-arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is my first horror graphic novel and it was enjoyable. It reminded me of comic books in the way that it was stylised and I do believe the illustration style fits that of the book. I did enjoy the concept of this book and find the unwrapping of religious trauma to be interesting to read about. I do wish that the plot was more than it was. I wanted more from the book and the reasoning behind why the children lied about the demons rather than it being just because they did. Overall a decent read but I wish the storyline was more detailed.

I’ve always enjoyed Brubaker’s work with Marvel writing Capitan American and X-Men, as well as some of his DC featuring Catwoman. Combine his general talents as an author with fantastic artwork from Sean Phillips (colours by Jacob Phillips), this was a lot of fun. It leaned into the adult aged fallout of child victims of adult paranoid and influences from their peers during the Satanic Panic, showing that the trauma continues regardless of “what really happened” to both the alleged victims and the accused. Throw in a nice murder mystery plotline and I think you’ve struck gold. I will say that it did move a little slowly considering the length so I found myself setting it down more than I typically would for a graphic novel but pacing aside, I really had some fun reading this. It reminded me of the excitement that comes from the visual aspect of adult graphic novels, especially for thriller and horror-type stories. If you’re into “true crime adjacent” adult comics, I would recommend this.

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are back with HOUSES OF THE UNHOLY, a story that jumps between modern day and the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. The story follows Natalie Burns, a woman who along with several others, testified in the late 80s that their camp counsellors had been performing demonic rituals upon them. Now, a deranged murderer is knocking them off one-by-one and it’s up to Natalie and an FBI agent to save who is left and put an end to the killing spree.

While I am beyond happy to have been able to get my hands on a Phillips/Brubaker collaboration ahead of its planned release next week (August 14th), it pains me to say that this doesn’t feel as up-to-snuff as the duo’s prior work. That’s not to say it’s “bad”, but if we’re grading their work on a curve, then it suffers just a bit from pretty lofty expectations on my part. The art is gorgeous, as usual, so no complaints there (I loved when the story jumped back and forth in time and the flashbacks stuck with reddish and yellow hues), but it just felt a bit rushed and likely could have benefited from being twice as long to be given a bit more room to breathe. It could have given the twists that happen later in the story a fair bit more weight.

I would love to see the two delve more into horror though as they had with FATALE. I’ll take as many crime novels as they can throw my way, but the wicked and weird can use a bigger space in the pair’s portfolio.

This was an interesting read.
A dark, gritty story about a satanic panic child survivor and an FBI agent teaming up to solve a crime. An interesting duo for sure!

I really enjoyed this comic based around the satanic panic of the 80’s and it’s following into the modern day. I found myself wanting more and more as I turned each page. The artwork really brings the story to life and the dual timelines brings the past into the present at the right times to continue moving the plot. With just the right twists and turns, this thriller comic will keep you on your toes wondering what’s coming next.

This was a thriiling ride! This was a my first Ed Brubaker read for me and it did not disappoint. The title and the cover drew me in and the story was fast paced and engaging. It was bummed it was so short because "what?!" Now I must go find more of his work to indulge in! Thank you for the opportunity.

This was decent and the art was PERFECT but I just wanted MORE.

In the Satanic Panic era, a woman goes on the run with an FBI agent, but her past is catching up fast.

The story is short - too short. There's so much in this that I wanted to explore further and in more detail but there just wasn't time. This was fast-paced and chose action over exposition. Not a bad thing, as it keeps things interesting and dynamic, but I loved the story of it so much and I wanted to really lose myself in it.

This era of history fascinates me, so it was cool to get a story set amongst it all. The protagonist is a badass but she's not without her issues. I liked the team up of her and the cop, too - they worked well together. Some of the other characters were easy to loathe, but they also raised some interesting points amongst their villainy, so it was beautifully muddied waters. Plenty to think about, and a hint as to why the Satanic Panic took off like it did.

The artwork is just incredible - such a great use of colour, in particular, which is something I really like from this duo. The art always complements the story well, and that was no different here.

Another hit from Brubaker and Phillips - I'll definitely be sussing the hardcover in person when it releases!

With thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have built up quite a bit of good will over the years. If you've read the description then you'll already go in knowing more about the plot than I did. All I knew was that I'd be in for a wild ride. "Houses of the Unholy" did not disappoint. What separates this comic from past collaborations is the horror seeping in through the crevices. Here, I'm reminded less of the noir films and crime dramas that typically serve as inspiration for these two, and more of straight-up horror films like "The Exorcist III" and "The Wicker Man". There's a palpable sense of dread that hangs over the protagonist and slowly lowers down, enveloping the world around her. The art of Sean Phillips is as beautiful as ever and the perfect compliment to the words of Brubaker. I couldn't put this comic down until the final page (which I then re-read 2-3 more times).

Houses of the Unholy is a tense, fast-paced horror story shifts back and forth in time as the story of how main character Natalie Burns and a handful of her classmates get caught up in their parents’ obsession with an apparently ubiquitous devil and their false memories ruin lives. The two parallel stories gradually merge into a chilling ending that I had to sit with for a bit. Sean Phillips’s illustration style supports the story with a colour palette that enhances the overarching sense of dread.

I was given an ARC in return for an honest review, and I really enjoyed this story and definitely recommend it!

4 stars.

Natalie, who accused a counselor of preforming satanic rituals when she was 5, has grown up haunted by the what she said during the height of the satanic panic. She has never been able to escape it, and she’s about to get sucked back down deeper.

I wasn’t aware this was a graphic novel going into it, but was pleasantly surprised. The illustrations had a nostalgic vibe I couldn’t quite pinpojnt that I really enjoyed. The whole thing was eerie and captivating. Perfect for refreshing yourself with something creepy but fun.

I absolutely loved this adult comic. I have already recommended it to friends.

The artwork is absolutely amazing and 'traditional' comic book style was nostalgic.

This is a MUST READ adult comic.

Satanic Panic as a subject has always been so fascinating to me, so I was delighted to have been sent an ARC. No matter what kind of story you read about it or what format it's in, there's always a new perspective to be gained and WHAT a wild ride this was.

We follow Natalie Burns, who, as a child, was one of The Satanic Six; a group of kids who all followed one another's lead escalating a made-up story about the devil until fact and fiction, memory and implanted memory, was all too blurred to separate. We all know how harmful misinformation and cultish communities can be, but this graphic novel did an amazing job showing just how potent and ingrained the Satanic Panic was especially during the '80's. We begin with modern day Natalie: an outcast who dedicates her life to saving people (maybe a little unconventionally!) from other, very real, kinds of cults, and everything quickly descends into chaos from there. Now in the custody of FBI Agent West, it seems there is a group modelling themselves after the behaviours of the made-up cult and targeting the members of The Satanic Six.

The art and colouring in this graphic novel were so immersive, and did an incredible job showing more than telling the trauma and decades-long guilt that our main character carries. Throughout this fast-paced story, the commentary on humanity and religion was fascinating. We have characters who are so deep into their beliefs of a satanic cult, that they think the devil is in children's toys, and we have others who spend their lives online convinced that the world is ending and everything is a conspiracy. The way these cult-like behaviours mirror how it's not so very different to how deeply-rooted religious upbringings are, was mixed very well into the overarching plot.

Highly recommend and would love to see some kind of sequel in future!

I'm not a graphic novel person, but the art was so good and the story so compelling that I might just become one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for the ARC.

I was so excited for this read, I was ready to sink my teeth into some horror that would actually scare and creep me out. The cover is so promising and is what initially drew me in, the stylization of the artwork was great, the "beats" of the slowly bleeding pentagram were effective, but the only mildly creepy panel was a guy standing behind a tree. I wouldn't class this as a horror personally, more a thriller + historical fiction than anything.

The story starts out intriguing, I know nothing of the Satanic Panic situation so was interested to learn about it, but the writing is weak, the "twists" so disappointingly predictable, and the motivations of the MC vague. You want me to believe she was so dumb about all the obvious things happening because of... weed?

I wouldn't go into this expecting to be unable to sleep at night from fear, but if you're after a quick and passive read you don't really have to think about, this one's for you.

2/5

A big shout-out to Netgalley and Image Comics, along with Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, for the advanced reading copy. The narrative was captivating, and the illustrations were truly exceptional.

A strong story. Wish it had gone a little further into the backstory of the main character, we get brief flashbacks but I think a dual timeline would have been strong with a story like this. Always enjoy anything by Brubaker so the quality is great as always.

I enjoyed Houses of the Unholy as a reading experience at least as much as Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' last collaboration, Where the Body Was, but ultimately felt that this project didn't come together quite as successfully by the end. I was unconvinced by several characters - worrisome in a cast this small - and unimpressed by the third act climax.

Jacob Phillips' colouring is striking and works impressively well with the vintage-comic art style, especially as a means of visual demarcation (separating the present timeline from flashback scenes), and Houses of the Unholy is still a pacey, satisfying read. It will work particularly well for you if, like me, you're fascinated by the Satanic Panic of the 1980s.

The tight, at times even predictable plotting means that nothing much is left open-ended or up for interpretation in this one, but in a story that's over this fast, I think I prefer that to too many loose ends.

Houses of the Unholy is the first graphic novel I’ve ever read, and I liked it! The story refers back to the Satanic Panic of the 1980’s with tales of mass ritualistic abuse in daycares and Sunday school, of therapists allegedly retrieving repressed memories of abuse by dumbfounded family members and of the lives ruined by false claims (the lives of the children coerced into making these claims and the lives of those falsely accused. There is a reference back to the book “Michelle Remembers”, which I read (and believed) when it first came out.
This tale of fiction tells of one survivor who lied about being abused as a child. Now someone is hunting down all of the adults that were children involved in that case. With the help of an ex-FBI agent she tries to find answers and stay alive. 0ne must keep in mind though….many of those wild tales during the Satanic Panic era were fanciful lies. Many, not all.
“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”—Charles Baudelaire

Another great story from Ed Brubaker. I seem to always enjoy his stories, and this was no exception. I little darker than some of his. Enjoyed the characters, plot, and pacing. Can't wait to read more from Ed Brubaker. #HousesoftheUnholy #NetGalley