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

With past ties to the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, a woman spends her days helping families locate members who have joined cults. She tries to remove and deprogram them from the cult so they can return home. Her past quickly catches up to her when she crosses paths with an FBI agent specializing in cult crimes.

I am perpetually fascinated by the Satanic Panic. It was essentially a modern-day witch hunt in many respects. On the surface, it might seem like older generations were only in a frenzy over kids playing Dungeons and Dragons. In truth, it had devastating real-life consequences for some people. Now, with movements like QAnon stirring up new controversies and outdated traditionalistic sentiments gaining traction in America and Canada, it begs the question if we're on the cusp of another witch hunt. This book delves into the aftermath of the Satanic Panic and its potential implications for the future when similar fear-mongering happens in the modern day.

The story would have benefited from more room to develop. Everything unfolds quickly, which leaves some aspects feeling underexplored. Despite pacing issues, the narrative is compelling, complemented by exceptional artwork. Jacob Phillips, in particular, excels in capturing the moody atmosphere of the book with deep moody colors.
With more fleshing out, this book would have easily earned more than 4 stars from me. I anticipate incredible future works from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. They are certainly talents to watch.

Thank you, NetGalley and Image Comics for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

On Storygraph, this was given 3.75 stars, anywhere else will be rounded to 4.

‘Houses of the Unholy’ follows our protagonist as she is forced to revisit her haunting past as a child at the centre of the Satanic Panic in her home town.

I really enjoyed the jarring style of storytelling, particularly the balance between the Satanic Panic flashbacks and the present day investigation. I found myself being truly sucked into the story, largely due to the illustration style enabling me to play the movie in my head.

My biggest complaint is that I would have loved the story to have been more fleshed out, there were a few details that I personally felt were unresolved by the end.

Overall this was a very entertaining and fun comic and I would recommend it to anyone interested in stories set around the Satanic Panic, particularly if you need a quick read to satiate an appetite for a thrilling story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is not at all my normal choice of reading but the description sounded interesting. This was my first Graphic Novel. It was really good and I really enjoyed it. It was great story and the animation was so good. I’m personally on the fence about graphic novels but this story was a good read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for this advanced copy of Houses of the Unholy. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips will forever be one of the most solid teams in all of comics. Houses of the Unholy is a cult crime noir about belief and the power of suggestion. While it may stay in its story lane it has a lot to say about how our words shape reality and their influence on people and can easily be transferred to modern day media. The satanic panic is just one of many examples of the power of words and our shared reality but it is quite an interesting root for a story such as this. It is rapid paced and bleak with a spark of hope. Overall all I enjoyed it quite a bit, just wished the pacing was a tad slower to really connect with the characters but I understand the choice to run with it.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC!

Houses of the Unholy is a dark, uncompromising fictional narrative of a woman who, as a child, was an accuser in the Satanic Panic trials. As she is pulled back into the world of the occult, she has to reckon with with whether or not truth really matters.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel - it managed to avoid feeling cliche while still crafting a story in well-trodden ground. The characters were believable and empathetic, and the art was perfect for the tone of the story.

My only complaint is that there was a tendency to being abrupt - the sex scene and the ending, in particular, felt like they came out of nowhere to me.

I’m not into comics and I was unsure about this one. The plot sounded interesting so I thought why not take a chance? I’m so happy I did!

I thought this was fantastic and the story was super entertaining and kept you wanting more.
It was creepy and uncomfortable.

I learnt this is going to be a tv series, which I hope does this comic justice.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC.

After recently getting into graphic novels, this looked right up my street and I can confirm it is an absolutely wild ride. I loved the shift from past to present tense as it made the whole graphic novel super engaging. Throughout, there is such an eerie and tense atmosphere and I ended up reading it all in one setting. The artwork is absolutely incredible and feels like a nod to a classic comic book style.

Thank you to NetGalley, Image Comics, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips for granting me advanced digital access.