The following is a list of cultural references in the Locke and Key series.
Welcome to Lovecraft
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Welcome to Lovecraft #2
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- Bode references a variant of Whack-a-Mole called Whack-a-Bode, that Tyler used to play with him.
Welcome to Lovecraft #3
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- The book Kinsey is reading is The Pride of Baghdad, a graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan.
Welcome to Lovecraft #4
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- The graphic on Bode's t-shirt is similar to the Transformers logo.
Welcome to Lovecraft #5
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- Bode compares his talks with the Lady in the Well to having his own E.T.
Welcome to Lovecraft #6
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- 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 Games
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Head Games #1
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- 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 #2
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- Kinsey and Joe Ridgeway reference Hamlet by Shakespeare.
- The comic Kinsey is reading is Tank Girl.
Head Games #3
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- In Bode's head, Space Invaders can be seen.
Head Games #4
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- Zack and Kinsey reference Doug Henning and Criss Angel's magic.
Head Games #5
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- Zack sings "Head Games" by Foreigner.
Head Games #6
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Crown of Shadows
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Crown of Shadows #1
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- Zack is wearing a t-shirt with Inky the ghost from Pacman.
Crown of Shadows #2
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- Jamal References "Life of Samuel Johnson", by James Boswell.
- Scot references James Cameron's "Titanic" after jumping into the cold water.
Crown of Shadows #3
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- 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 #4
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- The radio DJ announces that the next song will be by Elvis Costello.
Crown of Shadows #5
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Crown of Shadows #6
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Keys to the Kingdom
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Keys to the Kingdom #1
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The art style during the bird segments is an homage to Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson.
Keys to the Kingdom #2
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- 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 #3
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- 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 #4
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- 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 #5
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- 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.
Clockworks
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Clockworks #1
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- Harm Timmerman's dying words, "Shub-Niggarauth", is a reference to a deity in the Cthulu Mythos of H.P. Lovecraft.
Clockworks #3
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- Naked Gun was a movie.
- O.J. Simpson
- Charlie's Angels
Clockworks #6
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- 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.
Omega
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Omega #3
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Another Squadron Strange cover, in classic war comic style
Omega #3
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- Scot and Jamal re-enact the blood-drop scene from Carrie.
- The Beach Boys song Jordan mentions to Tyler is "Little Deuce Coupe".
Alpha
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Alpha #2
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The F-Variant cover by Dave Sim is an homage to Amazing Spiderman #29.