A nod to the satanic scare that gripped parts of the world in the 1980s, Houses of the Unholy finds the winning Brubaker-Phillips tandem in action delivering their fare of gritty real life comics like no other. A troubled woman with a past and a butch cut makes a living as a bounty hunter and at present successfully captures a missing teen for parents who she claims "paid a lot of money to rescue her". Her captive escapes during a struggle and what ensues is a dark descent into cults, conspiracies, childhood, secrets and murder.

In his trademark style Ed Brubaker creates a subtly intense world the lead character inhabits where moody introspection clashes with real life challenges. His direct delivery highlighted by realistic dialogues and slice of life scenarios resonate with an underlying air of familiarity. Sean Phillilps' art work ornaments the sordid tale with its visually appealing world of day to day characters rendered in the rough and grime of life itself. I've never been a big fan of Jacob Phillips' work, his blotchy style of daubings never really being my cup of tea. But it's a grower and his work here adds a colorful and somber tone.

While no classic and somewhat let down by an abrupt and a little too clichéd ending, Houses of the Unholy is perhaps Brubaker and Phillips' best stand alone graphic novel to date and is one for comic fans who like their texts and art devoid of anything that slightly resembles a whiff of superhero and fantasy. Check this out.