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#3 Houses of the Unholy by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips


Houses of the Unholy is the latest release from the now-classic duo of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. I call them “classic” because they’ve produced so many works together, establishing their presence in the comic book world as a guarantee of quality and deeply engaging storytelling. Personally, these two artists are my anchor in the medium. They’re one of the main reasons I keep investing my time in comics, eagerly awaiting each of their upcoming projects. Their work always feels like home.

These two have delivered exceptional titles in the past, such as Criminal, Sleeper, Fatale, The Fade Out, Reckless, Kill or Be Killed, and many more. If you’ve followed their work, you’ll probably know these titles already. If not, just pick any of the ones I mentioned—or let one catch your eye—and dive in.

This September, they’re set to release The Knives, a return to the Criminal universe, their most iconic series. I’ve deliberately avoided learning anything else about it. I just want to get it in my hands and experience it fresh.

For now, let’s focus on their most recent release: Houses of the Unholy. 

Our protagonist, Natalie Burns, is a private investigator tasked with tracking down a murderer. As she digs deeper, she realizes the case is far more complicated than it seemed. When she was younger, she and a group of peers were accused of false testimony during the height of the Satanic Panic. Now, in the present, the members of that group are being murdered one by one. What that means is left open to interpretation and speculation.

Brubaker often builds his stories around twists, but he never relies solely on them. His narrative focus is always on people—he writes human stories. He invests heavily in the emotional and psychological depth of his cast, giving the reader a clear sense of their motivations and choices, not only for the protagonists but also for supporting figures.

Brubaker’s work is steeped in melancholy and psychological unraveling. His characters often act impulsively, manipulated by others with conflicting agendas and trapped in inescapable circumstances. True to the conventions of noir, neo-noir, and crime fiction—whether or not they carry a supernatural thread—his worlds reject absolutes: nothing is wholly good or purely evil. Everything unfolds in murky shades of gray, and more often than not, the resolutions are bleak. Yet there’s a quiet brilliance to the way he builds these tragedies—each moment rendered with such emotional clarity and grounded intensity that it feels entirely real.

I suggest typing Sean Phillips’ name into a search engine so you can see just what kind of artist we’re talking about. Also, his son, Jacob Phillips, has entered the industry in recent years. He did the coloring for this particular comic and has made a name for himself with notable projects like That Texas Blood and The Enfield Gang Massacre.

That’s all I have for you today.

I hope I’ve convinced you to give Houses of the Unholy a try—or better yet, to explore the work of this incredible creative duo.

Until next time, take care and keep reading.

It’s important!

Accompanying Notes: 

https://open.spotify.com/album/3CrWNG2oqbEBHKAqfZP6CO?si=1I5drq0iRfusx548FK93jw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAgY-Ycp0RI&list=RDEMjpEk5nS4V1RbdOAyFWT-DA&start_radio=1


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