The Nice House By The Sea - tome 1

The Nice House by the Sea #1-6

by James Tynion IV

Aucun des douze convives de cette belle demeure en bord de Méditerranée ne connaissait Max. Elle connaissait pourtant chacun d’entre eux. Experts dans leur domaine, géants de l’industrie et du savoir moderne, chacun d’entre eux est l’excellence personnifiée. Pour échapper à la fin du monde et incarner l’avenir de l’Humanité, tous ont accepté en leur âme et conscience de se réunir dans ce petit paradis créé rien que pour eux, abandonnant vie et proches à leur triste sort. Survivre à la mort programmée de l’humanité ? Vivre éternellement ? Que pourrait-il y avoir de mal à ça ?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Science Fiction, Bande Dessinée, Fiction, Dystopia

200 pages, Hardcover

First published June 10, 2025

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

[Scott Rhee]

The millenial end-of-the-world soap opera continues in "The Nice House By The Sea", James Tynion IV's follow-up to his series "The Nice House on the Lake".

It turns out the survivors of the apocalypse at the lake house aren't the only survivors. The alien overlords who spared them have several other "cells" of humans scattered throughout the world, and it's survival of the fittest to see which cell saves humanity.

It's angsty, emo, and downright annoying at times, but it's intriguing as fuck and I can't stop reading anything by Tynion...

[Oscar]

Thought this was a new series but it's a continuation of House by the Lake. This is a really good series!

[Benji Glaab]

This was way too hard to read in single monthly issues since the cast is huge, and the artwork that I enjoy doesn't really help identify all the different characters. So i waited for the trade to read this volume as one unit. I liked the tone and the overall plot and set up, but man, this is getting confusing for me, and I'm not attaching to any specific characters.

I'll read the next volume, but there needs to be some sort of simplification in the character designs, or let's kill off some of these peeps.

[Paul]

4.9 stars

Brilliantly written SF/horror with stunning artwork. My only complaint is that I found the e-mail text pages blew the build-up of tension in the final issue.

Don’t read this without reading The Nice House on the Lake first, though, as you will be hopelessly lost.

[mark monday]

in the Nice House by the Lake, people are normal. they are an extended group of friends; they have professional identities like Artist or Doctor but those identities don't define them. like any normal person, each person in this house is a mix of identities. this group forms a community to face the end of the world. but how will they survive it?

in the Nice House by the Sea, the people are... not so normal. they are strangers, each at the top of their craft. a professional identity like "Singer" is the most important part about them. that identity defines them. these Very Special People do not form a community, they form individualistic enclaves to live at the end of the world. each of them is a survivor.

Tynion sets up a fascinating elite versus non-elite dynamic in this third book in the series. of course the reader is on the side of the imperfect, emotional normies. the elites by the sea are like supervillains, amoral and powerful and used to getting what they want. so we have our rooting interests defined and the setting of the stage for future conflict...

although not as mindboggling as the first two volumes, this installment takes Tynian's brilliant ideas in an entirely new direction. certain aliens are made human (somewhat) and certain humans are made alien (somewhat). although this volume is all table setting, the story remains compelling. I did not realize this series was moving towards some sort of battle royale. exciting! needless to say, the strengths of the author's dialogue and characterization remain intact.

this is one of the queerest books I've read all year. so much gay. but even more trans, as the trans character who is merely one of a group in the first two books becomes the central character in this third book. this character is very well-done: nuanced, relatable, deeply flawed, occasionally admirable - all the traits that make a character complex. kudos to the author for making trans identity so visible in these books and also - fascinatingly - an underlying theme to the entire narrative.

the art by Álvaro Martínez Bueno is superb.

[Steve Chaput]

A direct sequel to The Nice House by the Lake.

We learn that there is another group, chosen to survive. These folks differ from those we have met before. Also, what happens when the groups suddenly discover the existence of the other. How differently will they react

Tynion is a remarkable writer and each of his characters are so different. I can’t wait to read the final volume. The art work and coloring by Bueno and Bellaire is perfect for the series and very disturbing when it needs to be.

[Marion]

Mais quelle pépite ! Les dessins sont sublimes, et l’histoire… Tous ces rebondissements et cette ambiance ! L’attente du prochain tome va être une vraie torture.

[kookaburra o’clock]

The first half of the SEQUEL to one of my favorite mystery/sci-fi comics ever, “The Nice House by the Lake,” is wonderful stuff.

The cast has expanded significantly in this volume. New house, new body of water, new characters. It’s occasionally more than the book can handle (21 characters are a LOT inside of the confines of 28 page issues), lending this review its four stars, but the artwork, dialogue, and characterization (scant as a few of the House occupants may appear) are as wonderful as ever.

I’m so glad this series exists as the flagship title of the resurrected Vertigo line of DC Comics. Originally, Vertigo was for mature, edgy books like “Preacher” and “Sandman.” The “Nice House” line has kept the former but dropped the juvenile edgelord efforts of the latter, dressing its books in authentic characters with adult-oriented scenarios and dialogue.

Of course, the sci-fi body horror doesn’t hurt, either.

[Vincentimes]

OH PUTAIN ça m’avait trop manqué !
J’avais des attentes tellement hautes pour cette suite et ça va quand même au delà de ce que j’avais espéré ??

Non cette série est incroyable, le scénario est phénoménal, la psychologie de chaque personnage est ultra travaillée et le DESSIN mon DIEU (vous m’arrêtez quand j’en fait trop) (c’est sincère)

J’espère que « The Nice House by the Sea » se fera aussi en deux volumes parce que j’ai hâte de connaître la fin de cet arc.
Impossible de rester sur ce suspense là, d’autant plus que je suis dans une position où je me demande sincèrement ce que j’aurais fait à la place du personnage.

(Il est 3h40.)

[Dakota Morgan]

A continuation of The Nice House on the Lake that only subtly shifts the overarching concepts: new location, new characters, new vibes, but this is a story we're familiar with from the previous two volumes. An alien has hand-picked the most promising humans in a number of areas and kept them alive in a perfect bubble while the rest of the planet falls to the alien apocalypse.

Fortunately, the new location and characters are fascinating, and by the end of the first issue, we're seeing how this all ties back into our familiar friends in the lake house. What started as a "humans vs. aliens" series begins to shift towards "humans vs. humans" as the last remaining remnants of humanity pit themselves against each other.

Within this overarching shift, all the characters (20+ of them now!) have their moments. And Walter's backstory continues to be revealed, especially with the addition of Oliver, who was somehow entirely missing from the first two volumes despite being a key piece of Walter's life. All in all: continues to be wildly engaging and gorgeous to look at. I look forward to re-reading this volume when the back half of this second chapter comes out.

[Michael J.]

I read this in the individual monthly issues, and made copious notes. If you want to skip that, avoid spoilers, and cut to the chase - - I recommend this to every one who enjoyed NICE HOUSE BY THE LAKE. If you are curious about those titles, read that one first.
*******************************************************************************
In the first cycle of this science-fiction/horror series, THE NICE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, there was an element of mystery and discovery that the second cycle doesn’t have since readers know the premise in total. For that reason, Tynion dispenses with the mystery about the end of the world and focuses on characterization, returning to the original cast and what has happened since TNHBTL ended as well as introducing an entire new set of characters.

So far, I’m enjoying this but not quite as much as TNHBTL. There are some interesting plot threads being sewn and I expect them to develop further in engaging ways. However, without the mystery behind the whole set-up - I’m a little less interested in this than the first series. Still, if you are a fan of rich characterization in comics story-telling - then this is worth sticking around for. We shall see.

In the first series, alien Walter brought together the people he loved most to be saved from the end of the world. As the series progressed we learned that Walter broke the rules he was given by his alien supervisors. It was also learned that there were other “nice houses” with other humans who were spared, and that a judgment day would come when those numbers would be whittled down.

In THE NICE HOUSE BY THE SEA we meet alien Max and his group of assembled survivors. Unlike Walter, Max followed the rules and chose people at the top of various professions. Like the first group, there is a Doctor, Writer, and Artist and new skills from a Historian, Actor, Priest, Scientist, Singer, Senator, and Mathematician. Unlike Walter’s group, these individuals are not necessarily friends and may not like each other. Most were total strangers until they assembled together.

In Issue #1, the first spotlight is on House By The Sea member 33-year old Oliver Landon Clay (The Actor). Despite winning Tony and Screen Actors Guild Awards he feels inferior to the other residents, and almost declined Max’s offer to be saved at the end of the world. Unlike the way Walter handled things, Max told all the residents beforehand who he was and what he wanted to do for them. Max also lets some of the residents handle various functions of the control center, like scheduled weather and body modification (a sensitive subject with The Priest).

The weather gets violently out of control, catching Oliver in its grasp as he takes a late night walk, apparently pushing him through a portal where he connects with some wanderers from The Lake House (Reggie, Ryan, Norah) who seem to know him.

Issue #2 takes us back to The Lake House. In the opening spotlight Ryan (The Artist) confides that she felt like a second-placer after learning that she was Walter’s replacement for Oliver (a former friend of Walter’s). In the daily drop-off of supplies, a dog shows up (apparently ordered by David/The Comedian). It soon becomes apparent that the cute and friendly dog (border collie mix) is Walter in disguise.

Issue #3 continues at The Lake House. Norah (The Writer) in her spotlight relates the story of the relationship between Walter and Oliver and her involvement with both.

Oliver brings the three members of The Lake House he ran into in Issue #1 back to a separate building ( a giant pub) created on The Sea House property. He lectures them on their responsibilities, arguments ensue, and Oliver makes the statement that Max is the one controlling all, including Walter.

Max shows up to escort the trio back to their system, stating that he’ll visit soon to meet with Walter and “make certain this sort of thing does’t happen again.” FOUR STARS for now, with the potential to go higher.

ISSUE #4
First thing I noticed was the Vertigo Logo on the cover, presumably since DC started putting out Vertigo titles again. I guess they will reserve the Black Label logo for just superhero mini-series now - when the story gets darker and/or more mature/adult.

So far the action seems to revolve around what is happening at the Lake House rather than the Sea House, but it’s about a 50/50 balance this issue. David (The Comedian) relates a tale of Walter struggling after the break-up with Oliver. Some inserted video testimony shows him having a melt-down when Oliver withdrew from Sarah Lawrence University without notifying him.

In present time, back at the Sea House, Oliver’s inviting Lake House members over (via portal) has been found out by several of his co-residents and they don’t take kindly to it. Oliver is definitely on the hot seat, as back at the Lake House members are talking about how he may be responsible for the separation of alien Walter from alien Max - and they worry that judgement day may be coming now rather than hundreds of years in their future. (I also learn this issue that Max is female - - the way she is drawn by Bueno is not conclusive).

Oliver is brutally punished by a trio of residents at Sea House. Meanwhile at the Lake House - - David believes Walter left the door open between the houses “because he wants us to save Oliver . . . He wants Oliver to finally choose him. To Say that he ws right.” Of course, the adopted dog approves and gratefully licks David.FOUR STARS.

ISSUE 5
Sea House resident Victor Pace/The Writer: “We aren’t the last humans. We still need to prove ourselves exceptional, if we want the eternity we were promised.”

Sea House resident Quinn Thomas/The Scientist: “There ae multiple cells of humanity left, and Oliver may be the key to eliminating some of our rivals. He knows the people in the other house . . . He may have even let them in.”

Sea House resident Cherri Campbell/The Singer: “They were here?”

Sea House resident Henry Allen/The Historian: “Yes, Ms. Campbell. They are already aware of us. They are, no doubt, considering the same course of action we are . . . 
 . . . If we don’t move first, they could return and kill us in our sleep.”

Prior to this scene, I was enjoying TNHBTS but not vested as much as when I read TNHBTL. Since I knew the premise, it was just getting familiar with the new characters, and learning more about the old characters. With this issue, that changed. Things got ‘real’ and the suspense/dread/thrill is back.

In other confessionals from House members, we learn that Walter really didn’t play by the rules. Not only did he tell Oliver in advance of what he was doing, but he also confided in Norman/Norah several times - even enlisting her help in planning the Lake House and then erasing her memories of this.

At the Lake House, Max has been even more permissive as to what he allows the residents to do. We learn that the body modification controls he let them play with can go beyond just making residents fitter and younger in appearance, as Oliver learns to his detriment.

Norah, who seems to have a preference for leaving the Lake House and sitting on shore rocks to vent and rant at Walter (hoping he is listening), gets caught in another manufactured heavy storm just as Max crosses over to have a chat with her.
Back to FIVE STARS. I’m in it now.

ISSUE 6
In the confessional opening scene, we learn that Lake House resident Veronica “Ronnie” Wright/The Scientist also had a previous connection to Sea House resident Oliver Landon Clay/The Actor. They both have connections to Walter and Max.

Lake House resident Norah seems to be even more important regarding events yet to happen, as Max meets her to enlist her help (just as Walter did when she helped fake his death, as well as all their prior collaborations.).They have a moment . . . .

Norah: “Take what seriously, Max? What about this am I supposed to take fucking seriously? . . . . Is it my alien ex-girlfriend telling me I should be dead? . . . Tell me, Max. Tell me what I’m thinking. Explain it to me like I’m the stupid little monkey you clearly think I am.”

Max: “Your species is so tribal, and this is your tribe, and you’ve done your part to protect it - - but you understand that when the time comes, Walter and my Superiors will exterminate you all . . .
And this latest gambit - - leaving the door open between your cells - - It’s going to bring it all to a head much faster than it needed to.”

They do come to an agreement, that may not be good for many others, as the issue and the first story arc ends. FIVE STARS.

[Lola _ddn]

ENCORE UN CHEF-D’ŒUVRE.
Je vais jamais m’en remettre, il faut que je relise tous les tomes d’un coup pour comprendre les tenants et les aboutissants de tout ce bordel.

Très contente de ces nouveaux personnages, qui sont à la hauteur de ce à quoi je m’attendais (j'avoue avoir était un tout petit peu moins entraîner par leur dynamique de groupe, en plus on connaît déjà le fonctionnement du lieu donc bon)

PITIÉ NORAH?¿?¿!?
DONNEZ-MOI LA SUITE

[Audet Maxime]

This new volume is really starting off strong. The story deepens, and the connections between all the characters are better than ever. This feels like a return to form after the ending of the first volume was a bit lacking.

[Nina]

Nu wachten op meerdere issues 🫠

[justhimbo]

Lesbian apocalypse plus toxic yaoi, final combo

[Tay Gibs]

4.5/5

Ughhhhhhhh I love where this is going. I love Norah.

[William O’Pomegranate]

It has all the problems people discussed with the last one.

It has too many characters and a shifting art style, which makes it hard to distinguish anyone.

The characters are off. In the previous series, it never made sense why Walter, who’s portrayed as an obsessive loser, was so magnetic and popular. In this one, all these supposed geniuses immediately jump to psychopathic conclusions when they find out they’re not alone, not to mention they start bringing up Sun Tzu like some pretentious high schooler.

Tynion is fascinated by exploring characters’ backstories and giving them diary room interviews that offer us no deeper insight into their characters and provide nothing interesting.

[Guillaume Sley]

Purée mais quelle claque. Très honnêtement je ne pensais pas que le troisième tome irait jusqu'à surpasser les 2 premiers, pourtant c'est mon préféré des 3. C'est tellement intelligent dans le développement de l'univers et des personnages. Le design reste dingue avec des planches à tomber par terre, et l'histoire prends une direction que j'aime toujours autant.

Gros gros coup de cœur.

Norah <3

[Jacq]

Got busy and overexhausted so took me a few days to finish, but another great installment. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

[Zouabar]

La multiplication des personnages épaissit le récit (ce qui n'est pas un mal) mais j'ai un peu perdu l'attention à la psychologie des personnages et à leurs relations dans ce second cycle où le huis clos s'ouvre. J'espère faire marche arrière avec la sortie du tome 2 de ce second cycle.

Le dessin reste magistral et l'écriture ne perd rien de sa tension. C'est une saga d'une très grande qualité.

[Alexis]

I didn't realize this would be as closely connected to "The Nice House on the Lake" as it is, which is detrimental because my memory is garbage.

I still like the concept a lot. I still like the art, particularly the designs for Max and Walter. I think this is an interesting addition to the original story, and I'd like to see how it all ends.

[Justine Cloarec]

C’est mindfuck, mais dans le bon sens du terme !
J’ai hâte de découvrir la suite !

[Florian]

I couldn't find the first volume of The Nice House on the Lake, Vol. 1, but I heard so many good things about this series, that I decided to try the second "season". Because I also read that the 2 are independent. That is completely false - the Internet is lying and so is chatGPT.

I struggled to understand anything in the first 3 issues of this 6 issue paperback, and that is not a good sign. Partly because [it seems] the story continues from the previous installment, but mostly because there are way too many characters, drawn in a generic manner that makes them hard to distinguish and difficult to remember. There is a character sheet at the end of the volume that should've been at the beginning; there should also have been a "previously on" intro.

The story alludes to a great mystery, but it just follows boring people doing boring stuff and talking about an undefined something that happened in their past. Maybe that thing is known to readers of The Nice House on the Lake, but not to me. Anyway, nothing really happens.

By the end of the volume you understand that there was an apocalypse and powerful aliens decided to save several people and place them in a sort of limbo place. Probably in the first volumes the reader thought there was only one such pocket universe, but now there are at least two and the survivors become aware of the others and have different reactions to the discovery. This is the interesting part. But most of the story is about mopey old teenagers moping about generic teenage drama. A lot of "diversity", but not much plot.

I don't think I'll continue or seek the first volumes. The premise is interesting, but the storytelling is bad, the characters are bland to annoying and the art is generic.

[Lel]

I enjoyed this, I liked meeting a whole new set of characters but also seeing how they tied into the first set. I think this is a really clever concept for a graphic novel series, I love seeing what is going to happen and watching the drama between the characters unfold at the end of the world. The art inside is amazing.

[Mark]

Broadens the mystery, which is no small feet. Still not quite sure what’s going on, but it’s a fun ride

[lil4]

très très bonne suite, j'ai trop hâte de lire la deuxième partie du cycle

[jeanne]

encore un banger qui se prépare
du jamais vu

[Maëch]

J'avais trop hâte, j'ai pas été déçue, et maintenant j'ai de nouveau trop hâte de la suite

[Connor]

Just like the previous serious, this book sucked me in. This book picks up right after The Nice House on the Lake: The Deluxe Edition. Like that series, most of the issues here start with a flash forward to an apocalyptic scene and a flashback to show a character's history. If you thought there were a lot of characters in that book, now there's even more. There's a lot introduced at the beginning, but this volume mostly focuses on a handful. I think the thing that hooks me in this series is the sci-fi mystery mixed with the friend group drama. I'm eagerly awaiting what happens next. I'm going to try to summarize the book so I remember it when the second volume comes out. It turns out there's a second group of 10 humans saved by a different alien named Max. This group are all accomplished in their fields, each with multiple awards and recognitions for their contributions. It seems like there is some tension in the group with all the headstrong geniuses. There was some crossover between the two groups. At one point Max dated Norah from the Lake group, and Norah took the break up really hard. Also it seems like Oliver, a famous actor from the Sea group, hung out with the Lake group and Walter (the alien from the Lake group) had a crush on him. One night when both groups have a lightning storm, a portal opens between the two groups and Reg, Ryan, and Norah from the lake go into Sea area. They meet Oliver, who explains the situation and quietly sends them back. Unfortunately someone else from his cohort sees him, and a group of Sea people torture him until he tells what happens. Meanwhile, most of the Lake people are trying to figure out where a dog came from (it's most likely Walter in a different form). Max comes to the Lake and talks to Norah.
The artwork is really strong.

[Charley]

This was incredibly intriguing and enjoyable to read. I love the art style from a purely visual standpoint but I don’t think the sketchy vibe works when you have a such a large cast of characters. I often found it hard telling who was in a scene.

I must say I am also annoyed to find out that technically this is book 3 in a series. It can be read in its own but there is no mention of the nice house on the lake which I now want to read but feel I have too many spoilers for.