I liked the general plot of the book but I wish there were more explanation/lore about why this all got started in the first place and why Blake wanted to open the gates of Hell at the end. What’s the motivation? Overall interesting read.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was my first time reading anything from these authors and I will definitely be looking into more of their books.

I would love a sequel to this book.

Houses of the Unholy is a creepy horror graphic novel. It's a real page turner. The plot is really interesting and the artwork is great. I enjoyed reading it and recommend it to all horror fans.

Oh how I raced through this one. Such a page turner with a thrilling, suspense story. I enjoyed the dual narrative with the protagonist’s past flashbacks juxtaposed with her current storyline. There were some intriguing reveals and plot twists. I wished it was longer, I could easily read a novel of this. My only gripe was that some elements are very catered to the male gaze and there is some female nudity which I found gratuitous.

Thansk to NetGalley for the ARC etc etc

This one was fun! I'm a big fan of Satanic Panic stories, I grew up as it started to let up a bit most places but people like my neighbors were still a lot like this. I'm not an avid reader of Brubaker and Phillips, at this point there are so many Criminal books that I'm kind of intimidated... but I appreciate that this was a standalone. I'd definitely recommend it to other fans of the Panic or maybe to Stranger Things fans who want something a bit more realistic.

This was an interesting read and one that picked up for me in the second half. I didn't find the first half great at setting up the back story of the main character, Natalie. The flashbacks helped but if it weren't for them it would have given very little context wise. I also found the sex scene very gratuitous as it added nothing to the plot. Don't get me wrong, gratuitous sex scenes are fine sometimes but, when it is a graphic novel that is under 200 pages they are unnecessary when not adding to the plot.

The second half was better and just as things were starting to pick up and get really interesting it ended. And rather abruptly in my opinion. Maybe there will be more and it will become a series which would explain the ending.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

There’s a lot I liked about this - in particular the bones of its Satanic-Panic-revisited-in-first-person story, which I think is a magnificent jumping-off point for a longer piece of fiction, should this ever get reworked or adapted - but ultimately I didn’t feel it had the time to breathe. Less opaque than some of Brubaker’s other recent work, I think that the straightforward approach works against it - the rhythm became predictable by the midpoint, and I found myself anticipating certain plot beats as they approached. That in and of itself isn’t fundamentally a knock against knowing genre fare like this, but for me, it ultimately stayed Good and never ascended to Triumphant. I like the bleak, intriguing ambiguity (both literal and emotional) of its ending, and while the stark, semi-realistic style Phillips uses here isn’t typically my thing, I found it perfectly suited to this tale.

Ultimately, I’m glad to have read it, and think that despite its occasional forays into cliché, Brubaker and Phillips are titans for a reason, and it’s because what passes for pedestrian in their body of work likely only does so because we’ve come to expect so much of them. It’s not a crime to merely be predictable but good. I’m satisfied.

At this point in their careers a reader usually knows what to expect from a Brubaker and Phillips. As a team they have carved out their own niche of 70’s/80’s influenced noir masterpieces and within that space they do not miss…ever. Still, having read all of their prior collaborations, Houses of the Unholy managed to surprise me quite a few times with its swervy plot and willingness to tread in ambiguity. It’s probably the closest thing to Fatale they’ve done since that breakthrough book, but they’ve learned a lot of new tricks in the intervening years making this one of their stronger efforts, which is really saying something.

A pretty alright horror graphic novel! I enjoyed the setting and the call backs to the Satanic panic of the 80s but I felt like the lack of true resolution at the end made it fall flat for me. The art style isn't bad but certainly not my favorite.

Houses of the Unholy has an interesting plot and cool art style! I really dig cult vibes/satanic panic stories.
The overall story felt a little rushed and could have used some additional detail.
Thanks to Image Comics & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Houses of the Unholy is the first work by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips that I have read and I was blown away by the content material. The story follows Natalie Burns and her involvement in the Satanic Six, in which her and five other children made claims of being forced to engage in satanic rituals by a counselor in the 80s. Now, Natalie has grown up and has tried to put the past behind her, but is found by Agent West and is brought back into the fold by investigating the deaths of other children involved in the Satanic Six However, nothing is what it seems anymore and Natalie is left to wonder if the actions of her childhood have influenced the world in more ways than initially thought.

The artwork was compelling, and the story was a quick and fast paced read. I found myself reading through the pages as if I was living through the Satanic Panic myself. Overall, an interesting and thought provoking read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this comic in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the art style and the story immediately drew me in. Cults and conspiracies that might actually be true? It's a perfect set up.

This story was emotional and heavy, and draws great attention to the vulnerability of children to indoctrination. I'm really fascinated by the past story line here, and wish I would have gotten more.

I'm a little disappointed in the ambiguous ending. I'd like to keep following Natalie.

First and foremost, thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for an honest review!

This is an interesting book, in a number of ways. I love the duo of Brubaker and Phillips, and as a result was expecting a lot from this book. I was marginally disappointed by the end of it, however. I wanted more of this story, more of these characters, and more to chew on. On the plus side, I wanted more because there is so much about the book that I enjoyed and that I found interesting, but it feels the whole time like it is just scratching the surface of the concept.

Basing a story around the Satanic Panic was a good decision, because it is a time that I have seen revisited some, but never with much nuance or depth, and Brubaker and Phillips provide a fair amount of this throughout the book. It is a quick story that tugs on certain threads that indicate a deeper evil, but sometimes it feels as if that tugging is leading to an empty rope, with the philosophical pondering just out of reach of the pace of the story. Don't get me wrong, the pace works well, but it could use a few more moments of slowing down to allow itself to settle.

The art of this book is beautiful and provides a sense of the surreal throughout it, which lends itself well to the feeling of being lost in memory and lost in the past. It adds strong emotions to the already strong story, and heightens the feeling that something is never quite right throughout the duration of the story. I recommend this book if you are interested in a new stab (pun intended) at framing the Satanic Panic through the eyes of the graphic novel, and open to a quick read.

Brubaker/Phillips' new graphic novel follows an FBI agent and Natalie, a woman with a past linked to the Satanic Panic of the 80s. Together they are on the hunt for a killer that may or may not be involved with recent murders of the past children now adults of that same Santanic Six Panic.
It was a quick novel, but still a goodie from the duo. I was wrong almost every step of the way in this murder mystery. It has a old style feel to it. If you are used to Brubaker's work, it is similar. The art was great. It was dark and perfect for the scenes. I hope we get more issues in this series.

I'm going to have to wait for this one to come out in paper format, because the formatting is so bad on my computer and the Kindle. I like their other books, so I'm guessing it's great. Looking forward to this when it comes out and I can actually see/read it!

5 stars because I can't really give it an actual rating or review.

I’ve read everything the Brubaker-Phillips duo had written, and they never disappoint: this one was a fast-paced occult thriller with great atmosphere, I loved the ‘80s satanic panic vibes, and the art is top notch, Phillips always cooks. I’m not really sure about the ending, though: I was a bit disappointed when I finished the book, I found it lackluster, but it kinda grew on me.
Overall, it was great, highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!

2 stars!

This sadly just wasn't for me. I love the art style and how the comic is designed. But as for the story I couldn't be gripped by it. I'm not entirely sure why as the start was quite good and strong but my interest seemed to have grown weak the more I read.

Definitely recommend it for those who like reading about the occult/cults such as myself but not the comic for me.

This book was just ok. Maybe I was expecting more. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book. Receiving the book in this way had no bearing on my review.

I’m a bit bummed about the open ending, but the rest of it was super good. Nothing better than some satanic rituals on a Sunday

“But maybe is the sound of hope in your mind, and hope is for fools.”

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips new graphic novel is about an FBI agent from the cult crime division, he is on the search for a woman named Natalie, a woman with a past linked to the Satanic Panic. They are drawn into a crazy hunt for a killer that is hiding within the shadows of the underworld.

This is set around the era of the satanic panic during the 80s. A group of children who confess to being involved in satanic rituals, later in life come to find their past never truly goes away. A killer is on the loose connected to an infamous cult, Natalie who is trying to change the ramifications of her past is pulled back into this hunt for this killer.

This was a fast paced story. Told through the lens of the 80s, with the matching artwork the disturbing parts of the story were illustrated well in showing that unsettling dark side of this tale.

This was a short but darkly entertaining read.