House of Slaughter #22: Carnage and Carnivals
Reviewed by Seth Adrian Romo
House of Slaughter #22 is an exciting entry in this series as Jace Boucher maneuvers being hunted from all sides. It’s slick and deepens tensions within the Order of St. George for a read that is thrilling.
Exiled and hunting monsters on his own, Jace has done good for the children he has saved while also making a lot of enemies. Like competing currents, the time has come for everything to crash together.
Jace has quickly become a fan favorite and with this latest arc being the conclusion to his story, there is a lot of pressure to do the character justice. Luckily, this entry manages to connect the many characters readers have met for a stand off in an old amusement park of all places. There’s Sunny (one of Jace’s closest kids), Jolie (the multi-colored eyed recruiter), and leaders of other Houses all working together to capture Jace dead or alive.
The House of Slaughter series has alternated writers depending on the arc, and writer Tate Brombal has crafted an entertaining story with Jace while also fleshing out the world of the Slaughterverse. This may be the 12th issue focused on Jace, but there has been such a deep history to him, his family, and his love of Aaron.
Illustrated by Antonio Fuso with colors by Miquel Muerto, the visuals are strong and capture the reader’s attention. With this issue focused on the concept of bait to lure the predator, Fuso and Muerto’s work create dynamic panels that guide readers to a rewarding crescendo in the third act when all the pieces fall into place.
Final Verdict
From betrayal to violent set pieces, there is a lot packed into this issue making this an instant pick up for fans of the series.
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
| Writing | 9.75 |
| Story/Plot | 9.75 |
| Art/Line Work | 9.75 |
| Colors | 9.75 |
| Final Score | 9.75/10 |
Creative Team
writer: TATE BROMBAL
art: ANTONIO FUSO
colors: MIQUEL MUERTO
letterer: ANDWORLD DESIGNS
publisher: BOOM! STUDIOS