As Locke & Key Debuts On Netflix, Creator Reveals A New One-Shot Issue Is Coming

Writer Joe Hill and artist Gabriel Rodriguez's IDW series Locke & Key may have ended in 2013--at least the main story arc did. However, there is still more on the way. Aside from the previously revealed six-issue series "World War Key," the author of the comic has announced a new one-shot called "Pale Battalions."

During an event for the Locke & Key TV series at Netflix headquarters in Los Angeles, the panel of Hill and Rodriguez, alongside executive producers and co-showrunners Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill, spoke about the first season of the original show. However, Hill also revealed a new one-shot issue that he and Rodriguez are currently working on in the Locke & Key universe. "I'm in the midst of writing one called Locke & Key: Pale Battalions, and it's set at the beginning of the 20th century," Hill said. "It will take the comic in a really interesting direction--a direction it's never gone before."

The new one-shot relates to other stories from "The Golden Age" of Locke & Key stories--other one-shots not part of the main Locke family stories. "This is a thing we've been talking about for a little while now," continued Hill. "It involves the characters from 'Open The Moon' and 'Small World.' It's taken us some time to organize it. This next standalone is the gateway to a larger story that we've been dreaming about for years, and it's been a hell of a thing to try and pull together."

• Locke and Key Easter eggs

"Open The Moon" released in 2011, and takes place in Keyhouse's past. The book also featured an expanded guide to the known keys of the world. "Small World" debuted in late 2016, and the story follows two girls who receive a magical birthday gift that leads to a terrifying encounter. Hill stated that we will learn more about this one-shot and where the Locke & Key world is headed soon. The comic is still in the very early phases, so don't expect it to be released anytime soon.

As for the just-debuted Netflix series, in his review of Season 1 of Locke & Key, GameSpot's Mike Rougeau said, "If the Netflix version is your first introduction to Locke and Key and you don't mind some cheesy writing, congratulations--you'll probably enjoy the show just fine, without all the baggage of the high expectations that fans have been lugging around for the decade-plus since Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's masterful horror comics series debuted."

Disclosure: ViacomCBS is GameSpot's parent company.