The Nice House by the Sea (2024-) #2 (The Nice House on the Lake

The Nice House by the Sea

by James Tynion IV, Álvaro Martínez Bueno (cover_art), Jordie Bellaire (colorist)

Tensions inside the House are rising. Resentments are simmering to the surface. The residents need something to unite around. So an adorable dog is just the thing…right? They can all be trusted to love an innocent animal…right?

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Dc Comics, Queer

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 28, 2024

About the author

Prior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.

Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've completely lost track of anything that's happening in this series.
I'm thinking this one is too complex to read issue by issue, but I keep getting lured in by DC's Ultra offerings and I can't help myself.



One of the houses gets a dog.
I don't remember if these are Walter's friends or what. <--sorry, they all look alike!
Cute dog. But there's something about it that makes me think...

[Ziyad Baksh · Rating 3 out of 5]

catching up

we check on the denizens from the lake as they get an unexpected visitor.

it can be jarring but its a good read.

[Tygrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too much to grasp here (in a good way), especially if you haven't read The Nice House by the Lake.

The meaningful insights of the Artist and the jokes of the Comedian, contrast with a new and unexpected sweet guest at the house, while an controllable electric storm is approaching.

The issue recaps with a tiny bio of each member, to get familiar with the story.

Recommended if you are following this and the previous arch, otherwise you risk to get lost.

[Colin Post · Rating 4 out of 5]

We see what our good friends at the Lake have been up to…they get a dog!!? I like how this series is immediately picking up where NHBTL left off but I do hope we get more of the dynamics at the Sea House. I want them to be more than just bit players in this story.

[Kastie Pavlik · Rating 5 out of 5]

That is exactly what I'd like to know!!

(And...I *knew* it!)

(Seriously, I was wtf is going on from page one. Like did I skip an issue? No. Did I forget something? Likely. But also, it's a wtfigo kind of issue. Says as much itself.)

Love. It

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series so much, and you know what, yeah, screw that other group, they were all jerks anyway, we jump right into this issue and back into the saddle of nice house on the lake as Ryan guides us through this issue and her corner of the post apocalyptic future where she is armed with a spear and a bandage over her eye. She is once again remembering back to Walter, but with the bombshell at the end of the last issue where Ryan, Norah, and Reg entered the world of the nice house by the sea, she is thinking back to the first time she heard about Oliver. She talks about how she was drawn into Walter’s story, even if she wasn’t sure what part she played, and only a little but before they stopped talking did she find out that behind her back his friends were calling her the new Oliver. Walter and her were never together, as much as he wanted that, and Ryan walked up and listened in on a convo between Walter and a friend as he was hurt she was seeing other people even if they weren’t together and isn’t anywhere close to being Oliver. As she journeys through the wasteland, she wonders about everything Walter was too scared to tell her but she also thinks of the things she wished he didn’t tell her. But after that issue we get a proper good morning from David, the comedian, as he gives his morning DJ routine paired with some Weird Al to freshen up the place. He is the only usually at the control panel these days and is planning for a storm later that night. We go through and get a reintroduction to everyone, which I really don’t need lol, but we see how some of their lives have changed as in a recent development it seems that Reg, Arturo, and Sam have started spending some nights together. Reg went out for a morning walk, and to touch the statue out front to get a glimpse back at the world, I really hope he isn’t doing this every morning, but that’s is where he noticed a crate waiting for them…specially a dog crate without anyone’s identifying symbol on the side to show who ordered it.

As we get a glimpse across the house, we hear a monologue from Ryan as she talks to Walter’s grave as she speaks on how much she misses him as without him she really doesn’t fit in here. I am quick to notice how Ryan and Reg still maintain the artist and painter roles, respectively, no one has read any medical books to even try and fill Naya’s role. Ryan is suddenly surprised as Rick comes up to her, he came down to visit Naya’s grave but he also visits Walter’s grave from time to time and didn’t know anyone else did either. They both really miss Naya and Ryan can’t help but blame herself, but Rick knows that if she were here she would tell Ryan to cut that out. Although he isn’t sure if he believes the same thing just yet. But then I am quite shocked to find the house logs are still going, if that’s the case…who is reading the transcripts. Either way, there is a bit of chaos in the house as Reg brought the dog inside and let it loose. Apparently this was an idea floated a while back but they dropped it pretty quick and now some of them are getting annoyed that someone did this without telling the others and some are fascinated that it’s even possible to order a dog and what that could even mean. David rushed over as fast as he could and everyone met to see that he was sure enough a dog, and a little cute one at that, which acts exactly as a dog should. The storm is starting up which could scare the dog, but David really does want to run back over during the storm to turn it off…Sarah is making him do it after dinner anyway. But there is still the question of who ordered the dog, which seems to make Reg question Norah if she is thinking the same thing he is.

After dinner Ryan decided to stay back o. The couch with the dog, only for the storm to crack and send it running to check it out. Reg approached Norah outside to talk further, even though that’s the last thing she wants, but it’s also reached a point for Reg that no talking is no longer an option. Out of everyone they are the two filled with information about this world and everything Walter has done, hell what if this dog is a trigger Walter setup, they should be comparing years worth of notes but instead Norah continues to hide from him and won’t even go into the other house. We all know why Norah doesn’t want to talk about it, she knows Walter is still alive. The dog is currently begging to be let outside, even though Ryan is sure he won’t like all the scary noises…she obliges and the dog goes running and Ryan goes after it. Norah expresses how she isn’t content to move on, maybe the dog was part of Walter’s design to draw them all together. But Reg points out that they both know Walter wasn’t always in control. Suddenly we join David in the control room, the entire console is red and he can’t stop the storm nor can he reach out to warn the others…it’s as if it’s being controlled somewhere else. Suddenly the dog and Ryan run up to Norah and Reg right as a bolt of lighting strikes down on the statue next to the house. It suddenly begins to warp into a frenzy until it opens a door similar to the backstage. Norah and Reg are both keen on walking in and finding out what it is, and Ryan runs after them after ordering the dog to stay and be a good boy. But this may be a very naughty boy as it turns out the dog may be Walter or some other alien like him!! That creep, he was fully cuddling with Ryan on the couch, lol. But that explains the end of the last issue…they came over to the nice house by the sea by mistake. Which may also mean they are falling into someone’s new plan. Maybe that was Max and where they had to be last issue? Maybe they are trying to fast track the lake groups failure?

[James B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I need to read the previous book as I do not know what the heck is happening.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I thought might happen seem to be happening. Lot of the same stuff from the previous series and a new one that seem more of a command from the editor from the previous success than a true creative work. I'm still in and curious to see if something will happen, more my hopes and expectations are down.

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) · Rating 4 out of 5]

To quote this issue, “What the fuck is going on?!” Instead of being by the sea with our new characters we’re back at the lake and things are changing in their static prison. A “dog,” a peak behind the curtain, and an uncontrollable storm. Could the end finally be here?

[Saunter Saunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot got damn

I though naively that this would be a stand alone albeit in the same world but a parallel storyline nonetheless. I did not suspect the crossovers. The richness I’m about to indulge in *chefs kiss* this is the kind of story that made me fall in love with comics.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even with the helpful captions, I have trouble telling people apart.
Story is still fun though!

[Sparkles Fantastic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Mario Pimental · Rating 4 out of 5]

In which too many characters are dropped in at once 🙃