After issue 6 this month, I'm persuaded that the quality on this book is here to stay for the time being. You should pick it up -- and Issue 6 is not a bad hopping on point. A new arc is starting up.

House of Mystery is both an anthology book and an ongoing story. The writing by Matthews Sturges is consistent and good.

The book is set in a mysterious house, some kind of interdimensional crossroads. All the characters there don't know how they got there.

Each issue, one of them tells a story, and it appears as a separate little mini-story, with a guest artist. The stories can be anything -- fantasy, crime, you name it.

But there's this web that connects the whole thing that's kind of like the TV show Lost. Each issue, they seem to discover a little more about the House, and they continue to look for ways home.

This month's issue 6 was particularly good -- it tells the tale of Ann Preston, a red-headed pirate captain and her lost love. And the key house members believe they've discovered a map that can lead them through the labrynthian basement, and perhaps to another door that leads who knows where?

Hmmm. That does sound like my favorite kind of story telling.

I'm behind on this, like everything else, but I liked the first couple issues I've read.

Tuna, if you're interested, there's a rather inexpensive ($10.00) trade scheduled to ship in December or January.

Here you go:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1401220797/?tag=imwan-20

This sounds interesting ... and also reminds me of the 'World's End' stuff from 'Sandman'. They even had a high seas adventure with Hob, as I recall.

It is very reminiscent of that. First thing I thought of.

To all: I liked this issue a lot, so 6 is good one to try. You may think some of the House stuff is hard to understand, but it's opaque at this point even for those of us who read issues 1-5.

I'll get the first trade.

I'll look for back issues. Sounds good.

That Sandman reference sold it to me. But if it's as meh as FF, then it will be on your head, Lil' Jay!

It could not be as meh as FF, because FF is not meh (at least not the last two issues).

But I know what you mean -- maybe the DC connection will carry the day, Raf. Sturges seems really good to me (in a literary, talky-talky way -- he doesn't really hide the ball like some of your favorites).

I'm enjoying House of Mystery. I picked up the first issue and haven't looked back(kinda like Jonah Hex), and you can jump on with issue 6 without missing too much of what happened in the first 5 issues.

I echo this sentiment.
Which is really just a more sophisticated way of saying ... IAWTP.

I'm very sophisticated. Even though I'm the only one that thinks so. I don't care.

Vertigo trades are by far my favorites. The paper/colors don't make my eyes hurt. So I'm glad to have a new series to adopt ... especially with 'Y' no longer on my reading list.

This sounds good, and Li'l Jay's taste in stuff seems similar to my own, so I'll give it a go.

Ok, I read the first issue and it was indeed very good.

We're even about that FF thing, Jay.

Simon's new avatar makes me happy......

Oooooo, thanks!

You're welcome.

Got the first trade. Agree about the World's End comparison. On the fence about picking up the second trade. Need some feedback as to whether the quality improves.

I will try this one out based on the recommendation.

I can't remember if the quality improves, but I would think not. The back story, the over-arching story about the Conception, moves very slow. It hasn't advanced much at all, and we're at something in the 20's issue-wise.

But I continue to enjoy the "story within a story" every single issue. I'm a writer my own sef, and all things that are "about" storytelling interest me.

Which is why I'm so high on Unwritten right now. Unwritten is much better.

It doesn't.

Not to say it's bad, I actually like it, but the quality of the series is consistent. If the first trade left you ambivalent, the second one is unlikely to change your opinion.