THE WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE #2 – Review

THE WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE #2, available from Source Point Press on November 24th, 2021, leaps ahead in the house’s construction where Mrs. Winchester’s innovative inventions draw admiration and curiosity about who is giving her information.

The Details

• Written By: Joshua Werner
• Art By: Dustin Irvin
• Colors By: Dustin Irvin
• Letters By: Justin Birch
• Cover Art By: Dustin Irvin (cover A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: November 24, 2021

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Was It Good?

I like this entry in the series, and I like the concept of the series as a whole. The subtle horror in this issue focuses on one of the tragic events during the early years of construction and how that event in this fictional retelling are influenced by spirits from beyond the grave.

It’s helpful to understand this isn’t the type of ghost story filled with jump scares or shocking gore. Tension is achieved by placing characters in dark hallways or isolated rooms where they experience sights and sounds from something that may or may not be there. In truth, this is as close as what most people might think of as a real-life ghost story, and it’s that plausibility that makes the spookiness so effective.

That said, the story isn’t all whispers in the dark and the odd bump in the night. We’re treated to a whimsical “What if…?” scenario where we see the sources of the bumps and whispers and it’s as chilling as any campfire ghost story.

However, there is a small kernel of doubt about the direction of the story to keep in mind. In real life, the Winchester House is as mysterious today as it was when under construction, so we know how the story ends. In this comic version, it’s not quite clear if the story is a parallel of reality or if there’s some other direction taking place. In other words, there’s no clear plot yet.

The art here is effectively spooky. One of the workers, Clyde, has an especially bad experience in a lonely section of the house closest to the boiler room, and the art team does a phenomenal time capturing the look of shocked horror on his face for a large section of the issue. There’s only so much horror you can capture with a scary ghost or a grotesque monster, so it helps when you can sympathetically feel the fear through the characters, and the art team pulls it off with Clyde’s wide eyes and unnerved countenance.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

For a little background on the Winchester Mystery House and how this story began first read our THE WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE #1 review.

Several years after the house construction began, we get a glimpse into the workers’ routines. Construction continues 24-hours-a-day, and the schedule ebbs and flows according to Mrs. Winchester’s “rituals”. One ritual in particular requires all work stop precisely at the bell toll of Midnight so that Mrs. Winchester may receive instructions on what to build next. No one know how she’s receiving these instructions… or from where.

Later, Francis Reid arrives to discuss his financial management of Winchester holdings. During the discussion the group is interrupted by one of the workers, Clyde, who claims he was approached by angry ghosts near the boiler room. We never see the encounter directly, but we see and “hear” strange sounds and movements leading up to the encounter. Mrs. Winchester immediately orders that section of the house sealed off, inferring the ghosts are angry because the building instructions were not followed. Clyde is terrified after the ordeal and sent home to rest.

A friend of Clyde’s and a fellow worker is later seen bricking up the entries to the “bad” section when he hears the same noises that first got to Clyde before his encounter. We conclude the issue with a Winchester rifle victim showing his anger, and Clyde lashing out to defend himself with tragic results.

Final Thoughts

THE WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE #2 is a subtle and chilling issue that reminds you why we’re sometimes afraid of little noises in the dark. When workers of the famed Winchester Mystery House find themselves in the wrong part of the house at the wrong time, tragedy is waiting for them. This is the kind of historical fiction that causes you to wonder what’s real and what’s hidden in the shadows.

Score: 8/10

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