The following is a list of cultural references in the Locke and Key series.
Welcome to Lovecraft
Edit
Welcome to Lovecraft #2Edit
- Bode references a variant of Whack-a-Mole called Whack-a-Bode, that Tyler used to play with him.
Welcome to Lovecraft #3Edit
- The book Kinsey is reading is The Pride of Baghdad, a graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan.
Welcome to Lovecraft #4Edit
- The graphic on Bode's t-shirt is similar to the Transformers logo.
Welcome to Lovecraft #5Edit
- Bode compares his talks with the Lady in the Well to having his own E.T.
Welcome to Lovecraft #6Edit
- In Kinsey's room, there is a posterd of Bob Marley.
- In Tyler's room, there are posters of the 49ers cheerleaders, and 30 Days of Night.
Head GamesEdit
Head Games #1Edit
- Joe Ridgeway references various Shakespearean works, including The Tempest, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and The Riverside.
- Zack is reading "On Evil", by Thomas Aquinas.
Head Games #2Edit
- Kinsey and Joe Ridgeway reference Hamlet by Shakespeare.
- The comic Kinsey is reading is Tank Girl.
Head Games #3Edit
- In Bode's head, Space Invaders can be seen.
Head Games #4Edit
- Zack and Kinsey reference Doug Henning and Criss Angel's magic.
Head Games #5Edit
- Zack sings "Head Games" by Foreigner.
Head Games #6Edit
Crown of ShadowsEdit
Crown of Shadows #1Edit
- Zack is wearing a t-shirt with Inky the ghost from Pacman.
Crown of Shadows #2Edit
- Jamal References "Life of Samuel Johnson", by James Boswell.
- Scot references James Cameron's "Titanic" after jumping into the cold water.
Crown of Shadows #3Edit
- Tyler reads Peter Pan to Bode.
- Bode's shadow resembles Peter Pan.
- When wearing the shadows, Zack briefly becomes Jughead from Archie Comics.
Crown of Shadows #4Edit
- The radio DJ announces that the next song will be by Elvis Costello.
Crown of Shadows #5Edit
Crown of Shadows #6Edit
Keys to the KingdomEdit
Keys to the Kingdom #1Edit
The art style during the bird segments is an homage to Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson.
Keys to the Kingdom #2Edit
- Tyler says that the Fencing Club is "roughly as cool as being in the World of Warcraft club".
- Tyler tells Kinsey if she wants to investigate Erin Voss, she can play Nancy Drew herself.
- Bode is reading "Yukon, Ho!" a Calvin and Hobbes book.
- The McClellan workers talking in the bar talk about Leatherface and Freddy Kreuger.
- In McClellan's waiting room, Bode reads "Wolves in the Walls" to two patients.
Keys to the Kingdom #3Edit
- Zack drinks from a mug with Pacman on it.
- Jordan complaining about her professor is a (much more profane) reference to Kitty Pryde's, "Professor Xavier is a jerk" from Uncanny X-Men v1 #168.
Keys to the Kingdom #4Edit
- The Squadron Strange cover is done in classic Stan Lee style. It also refers to "Two-Fisted Tales".
- The serial number Sam lists to Rufus, 867-5309, is a reference to the song, 867-5309/Jenny, by Tommy Tutone.
Keys to the Kingdom #5Edit
- Brian references Doctor Phil to Tyler.
- At the fencing tournament, Tyler refers to Zack as Zorro.
- Zack calls Tyler "Sherlock Holmes" when talking about his detective skills.
ClockworksEdit
Clockworks #1Edit
- Harm Timmerman's dying words, "Shub-Niggarauth", is a reference to a deity in the Cthulu Mythos of H.P. Lovecraft.
Clockworks #3Edit
- Naked Gun was a movie.
- O.J. Simpson
- Charlie's Angels
Clockworks #6Edit
- Mark's note to Ellie has an image of Pacman and Ms Pacman on it.
- Among the shadows when Dodge is stripping Erin Voss's memory is a Ninja Turtle.
- Dodge's dying words, "Shub-Niggarauth", is a reference to a deity in the Cthulu Mythos of H.P. Lovecraft.
OmegaEdit
Omega #3Edit
Another Squadron Strange cover, in classic war comic style
Omega #3Edit
- Scot and Jamal re-enact the blood-drop scene from Carrie.
- The Beach Boys song Jordan mentions to Tyler is "Little Deuce Coupe".
AlphaEdit
Alpha #2Edit
The F-Variant cover by Dave Sim is an homage to Amazing Spiderman #29.
