House of Slaughter, Vol. 5: The Butcher's War

House of Slaughter (Single Issues) #21-25

by James Tynion IV, Tate Brombal, Antonio Fuso (Artist)

The final fate of fan-favorite hunter Jace Boucher that readers have been waiting for!

After the terrifying conclusion to Bait’s tale, witness the long-awaited conclusion to Jace Boucher’s story in THE BUTCHER’S WAR! Jace has gone rogue, and it will take the scheming and collaboration of rival Houses to track down the cunning hunter, who seems to perpetually hide in the shadows just out of sight. But with House Slaughter and House Boucher’s relentless pursuit keeping them close, will this be the perfect opportunity for Jace to finally get revenge and find the peace he’s looking for? But in the darkness of an abandoned amusement park in the South, someone familiar will prove to be a devil on Jace’s shoulder… Series co-creator James Tynion IV (Department of Truth, The Nice House On The Lake) and highly acclaimed writer Tate Brombal (Behold, Behemoth) are joined by co-creator and artist Werther Dell’Edera (House of Slaughter) and artist Antonio Fuso (Lost Falls, GI Joe: Cobra) return to the hit Slaughterverse spinoff to deliver this epic and bloody conclusion to Jace’s story! Collects House of Slaughter #21-25.

Genres: Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics

144 pages, Paperback

Published November 19, 2024

About the author

Prior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.

Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book continues as a nice supplemental story to the main Something is Killing the Children book, let down (for me anyway) by inferior artwork. I wasn’t that impressed by the ending of this volume, either, although I’d been enjoying the story up until then.

2.8 stars.

[Jim C · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a comic collection of a series that is an off shoot of the series Something is Killing the Children. They must be read in order. In this one we have more machinations to take over control while Jace is still out for revenge.

I feel like I am repeating myself with these reviews but once again I have to go with ho-hum. This collection fits in with the rest of the series. It fits in with the universe but really does not get my blood going. I am not sure why either. Is it the main character? Definitely not as he has a backstory and his backstory might be more interesting than Erica from the main run. This collection has action so that cannot be the reason. I guess it is just the other arc with different houses fighting for control. Honestly I really do not care about it because I believe the writers have not done a good enough job explaining what the results would be if one has control over the other. I will also say the artwork which is similar to the main run lets me down too. Once again not sure why. It just seems not as vivid as the main run and seems muddled with some of its panels.

I love the main run. I am not expecting this run to match the excitement I get while reading those collections. I am expecting from this collection and series to provide some excitement. It really has not yet. The elements are there for it to but it never achieves it. So I guess I have to blame the writing for not hooking me in. I believe this is the penultimate collection for this run. Once again I know I will read it. But once again this collection has not swayed me to jump right into it. It just tells me to read it whenever I get a chance to read it.

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come...

(B) 75% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Review pending re-read. Individual reviews for included issues can be found here:
- House of Slaughter #21
- House of Slaughter #22
- House of Slaughter #23
- House of Slaughter #24
- House of Slaughter #25

[Frédéric · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5*

Conclusion of the Boucher arc. Politics, backstabbing and betrayal at every turn. The Order of St George really isn't as benevolent as they would you believe.

Anyway, the fatalistic conclusion is relatively predictable, overloaded with heavy, pompous dialogue and Fuso's poor-man's Jock style plummets the whole thing.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Do you know the story of St. George and the dragon, son? No, do you really know it? Listened close? Considered all the little details...? In my favoured version, see, there was a dragon poisoning a small village's land and water... the citizens, starved and sick, offered the dragon their livestock and riches, if only he'd stop... the dragon agreed.

But with all that food, the beast only grew bigger, hungrier, and soon the livestock ran out. And the citizens? Did they rethink this extortion? Recalculate the cost of the dragon's greed? No, no. Of course not instead, they established lottery and sacrificed their children.

Years passed. Children died. No knights or heroes had any interest in slaying the beast. And the village found peace. Until the day their little lottery selected the king's daughter, a princess. Royal blood. What a scandal!

Then, and only then, did St. George arrive to slay the dragon."

I adore the ongoing Something is Killing the Children series, which follows the life of monster hunter Erica Strange, from the killing of her parent's by a monster, to her induction into the House of Slaughter.

This spin off series reveals more of the history behind the House of Slaughter, it's relationship with other Houses, and the different approaches they have to monster hunting.

With the two great houses of Slaughter and Boucher having to come together to hunt down the rouge Jace Boucher, a final confrontation looms. Both houses are plotting against each other, despite the temporary truce, and Jace has an inside track which gives him a slight edge. However, there are twists, turns, and betrayals a plenty to keep you guessing.

5 stars for this epic conclusion! I can't wait to see how it impacts Erica's story in the main storyline.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The good: the Houses Slaughter and Buocher teaming up to take down Jace is a fun ride, especially as the dragons attempt to backstab one another. The various battle scenes are decent too. Low brain energy enjoyable.

The bad: I skipped the fourth volume in this series and missed zero beats. That feels like a bad sign. Plus, the art is fairly clumsy, especially in battle scenes (and there are plenty of those). A real distant second to the mainline series.

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Insurrection. Civil War. Buzzy words that always seem to end in fire."

My library had this labeled as Vol 4, & only had 4 volumes, so I'll have to go back & read the individual issues for Bait & the White masks. (Hopefully it doesn't have a huge effect on this part of the story.)

"I was a trifle. Another distraction from your doomed existence, an extra side of collateral to go with your boundless trauma buffet."

My favorite so far from this side series. So much came together here in a culmination. Jace & Aaron's stories, the House of Slaughter & their dragon, everything that has happened with the Butcher Shop, & the monsters in NOLA.

"But I was happy once, & happiness is such a flighty bird...Flightiest of 'em all, real skittish. When you scare that bird off too many times, it don't come back..."

I love Jace & Aaron so much. & idk if I've put this into words in previous reviews, because I didn't want to potentially post a spoiler, but damn...I love them individually, & together, & I may need to reread a few times just for them.

"I've only ever lived for one thing...& I don't even know if I chose it or if it was passed onto me like a disease or a curse, but...What if I die & it's all for nothing?" "Will it kill you to stop?" "What?" "We're all going to die, Jace. Most people don't get a choice how it goes...I think, finding something to live for is easy. Money, family, hunting monsters...But finding something to die for might be the rarest thing in the world."

Representation: MC is a gay Black male with a hand amputation that is clearly depicted. Black supporting characters. Minor Bisexual character. Supporting character with an eye patch due to injury/loss (unclear), & minor character in a wheelchair for unknown reasons.

"Death should never come easy. Fight until your very last breath then die knowing you lived & fought for something so rare & good & beyond you - an entire universe."

[Renato · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

In the Slaughterverse, if the Something Is Killing the Children series is meant to be Humans/Hunters versus monsters, then the House of Slaughter series is mostly Hunter factions politicking and fighting amongst themselves. This is very evident in this volume, where Jace Boucher completes his revenge plot against the Order of St George faction that took him in (after killing his family).

Given that this story arc was meant to be big by design, I expected much more of it in its resolution. Unfortunately, it fell a bit flat in making me care.

[Jake Kilroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire volume was climax. It ripped (and stabbed and cut and sliced and thrashed so on), and I sometimes forget that this series is weaving together bigger, longer narratives, since each one feels like a dashing burst or world-building or a thoughtful short story about a conflicted monster hunter. This delivers from start to finish and I read it one sitting when my intention was simply to start it. Jace is a hero with a variety of flaws, and you're kind of rooting for and against everyone here. Seeing the House of Slaughter and The Boucher Shop come together offers a whole lot of good moments and insights, but, more importantly, the two factions working together presents the dynamic of differences in how they exist in the world. This was a blast and a half, and I can't wait to see how things move forward, whenever this series returns to this particular war-hunt.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oof, what an ending to Jace's story! Or maybe not a full ending, depending on how you look at it. I loved being back in Jace's reality after the side quest that was Vol 4 and you could feel all the ghosts coming back to haunt him. However, this volume also had a lot of lore info dumping that became a little confusing to follow, not to mention the lack of true clarity at the ending. Perhaps that was intentional because I also don't see how HoS will continue given the ending. The new Boucher character just isn't compelling enough to me yet to care about her story. I suppose we'll see.

[Fernan Ayuso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comic series of the year 2024

While it's gotten ups and downs as an overall story this series has kept my attention throughout the whole year, and this latest trade puts the Butcher's War story to a close in a nice ribbon. Luckily it's not the only story in the house.

[Dani V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I miss Aaron every single day. His death still hurts me.

[Yoshiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

POPKULTUROWY KOCIOŁEK: W Wojnie Rzeźnika dochodzi do brutalnego finału historii Jace’a Bouchera – łowcy, który postanowił pójść własną drogą, łamiąc zasady Domu i podążając cienistą ścieżką zemsty. Gdy rywalizujące Domy decydują się na nieoczekiwany sojusz, by schwytać nieuchwytnego buntownika, losy obu frakcji zaczynają splatać się w niebezpieczny sposób. Wśród intryg, zdrad i krwi, Jace zbliża się do rozrachunku, który może przynieść mu zarówno wyzwolenie, jak i zgubę – a wszystko to rozgrywa się w cieniu upiornego parku rozrywki, gdzie przeszłość powraca z zaskakującą siłą.

Głównym tłem wydarzeń jest narastający konflikt pomiędzy dwoma Domami. Dla czytelnika oznacza to nie tylko sporą porcję politycznych zawiłości nadających historii pewnej znaczącej głębi, ale również sporą dawkę widowiskowości.

Scenarzysta tej konkretnej odsłony, Tate Brombal, potrafi perfekcyjnie budować napięcie. Każdy rozdział to kolejna cegła w murze nieuchronności. Konflikt nie wybucha nagle – narasta z każdym kadrem, każdą decyzją, każdą zdradą i cichym buntem. Scenariusz nie idzie na łatwiznę – postaci giną, zdradzają się nawzajem, a wybory moralne są trudne i brzemienne w skutkach.

W Dom Slaughterów tom 5 widać świetne panowanie nad tempem opowieści – dynamiczne sceny walki przeplatane są refleksyjnymi momentami, dzięki czemu czytelnik ma szansę nie tylko poczuć adrenalinę, ale i zrozumieć psychikę bohaterów.

Tom ten to nie tylko rozbudowana historia o polowaniu na potwory, to przede wszystkim przede wszystkim brutalna opowieść o zdradach, bolesnych wspomnieniach i potrzebie przynależności. To historia łowcy, który nigdy nie chciał być bohaterem, i organizacji, która dawno zatraciła swoją misję.

Zaserwowana tu historia ma pewien osobisty i dramatyczny wymiar, co nadaje albumowi troszkę inne klimatu niż we wcześniejszym tomach. Pod powierzchnią akcji toczy się bowiem dyskusja o tym, czym jest prawdziwa misja łowcy i ma to skłonić czytelnika do pewnych osobistych refleksji....

https://popkulturowykociolek.pl/recen...

[Pi]

Ponieważ moje spotkanie ze świtem, w którym COŚ ZABIJA DZIECIAKI było bardzo udane - chętnie sięgnęłam po komiks z serii DOM SLAUGHTERÓW: WOJNA RZEŹNIKA. Jest to to samo uniwersum i podoba mi się sposób, w jaki autorzy, artyści go rozwijają. Nie czytałam wszystkich tomów, znam to bardzo na wyrywki - pojedynczo wręcz, ale doceniam i to pod względem fabularnym, językowym, jak i oczywiście pod znakomitym względem ilustratorskim.
Mamy tu do czynienia z ciekawą koncepcją walki ze... złem. Nie jest to standardowe podejście, a zabijanie potworów łączy się z zabijaniem łowców. Gęsta opowieść i bardzo brutalna, a całość zgrabnie buduje klimat napięcia, oczekiwania i niepokoju.
Wątki duchów z przeszłości, które ruszają do walki - to jest przemocna metafora. Muszę przyznać, że komiks ten powierzchownie jest po prostu pełen akcji, krwi i pościgów, ale to tylko pierwsze spojrzenie. Gdy zagłębimy się w mętne wody tej historii zobaczymy niezwykle silne przesłania i filozoficzne refleksje.
Nie mogę nie wspomnieć o absolutnie genialnej klamrze opowieści o Świętym Jerzym i smoku. Uważam, że autorzy delikatnie mówiąc dali popis talentów. Mamy tutaj eksplozję emocji, cały wachlarz uczuć, rezygnację, smutek, rozpacz, złość, nienawiść, wściekłość, miłość, strach, odwagę... i długo by jeszcze wyliczać. Jest w co wpadać i wpada się w ten świat po uszy.
Szalenie ważnym atutem są ilustracje. Ta kreska ma w sobie życie, ruch. Główny bohater jest już pod względem wizualnym osobowością nie do pominięcia. Bardzo podobają mi się kolory, ale najbardziej podobają mi się klimatyczne obrazy, z głębi lasu, z mroków wyobraźni. Naprawdę to jest fajne!

brutalnie i metaforycznie
DOM SLAUGHTERÓW
tom 5
nonstopcomics
egzemplarz recenzencki

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

"When I was a little girl, much smaller than I am now ...

My Daddy took me here every year, and I had the bestest, most silliest days o'my life. But it wasn't the Tilt-a-Whirl or the cotton candy or the big big puppets that made my days so special, no, no ...

Y'see, those were the only days I ever remember my Daddy not hittin' me long enough to smile. And, ohh, his was the most beautiful smile I ever seen, like partin' clouds ...

Then a big, bad storm came and took Daddy and this Park and EVERYTHING away from little ol' me ...

I forget poor Daddy's face now, I do. I forget his name, his voice, all a blur, Boo-Hoo. But jus' like this spent corpse of an 'ol theme park ...

Daddy's smile remains."


So much good but also, so much bad.

Torn but basically just feel meh.

I want Erica back!

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jace Boucher is done running. He's done hiding. He's done letting other people dictate his fate. So he's going back for revenge. Thus begins the Butcher's War.

Jace's story has hovered around Something Is Killing The Children and the first two years of this book for a while now, and it's nice to see it all come to something of a head. There are some twists and turns, a few shocking deaths and betrayals, all the things you'd expect from a comic book with War in the title.

It's almost a shame that this is the 'end' of Jace's story, at least for now. The alternating Colour stories haven't been quite as good. I'm curious to see what's going to take the place of this narrative in the rotation going forward.

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

EN This spin-off set within the "Something Is Killing the Children" universe fully achieves its purpose, and as a fan of this world, I welcome with great enthusiasm all the content that helps expand it.

From my perspective, there is nothing negative to point out; it is yet another solid and successful step in enriching this universe.

--

PT Este spin-off inserido no universo de "Something Is Killing the Children" cumpre plenamente o seu propósito e, enquanto fã deste mundo, recebo com grande entusiasmo todo o conteúdo que venha a expandi-lo.

Da minha parte, não há qualquer aspecto negativo a apontar: trata-se de mais um passo sólido e bem conseguido no enriquecimento deste universo.

[Dallas Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a peak installment into this world!

We got an excellent character driven follow-up to The Butcher's storyline along with some great fleshing out and raising of stakes of other established characters in this universe!

There is unique new elements added to this universe, especially with Maven, that are really fun!

There's scary and sad moments abound in what I'd say is possibly Brombal's best writing?!

[Elakkiya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before this, I was really enjoying Jace’s story. But this one felt kind of all over the place, drawn out, and not always easy to follow. I didn’t care for most of the side characters so seeing them get so much screen time compared to him was disappointing. I wish we could have learned even more about Jace. The ending most disappointing of all… I hope if there’s a volume after this or another spinoff that the ending will be explained/made clear.

[Tobin Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. Nothing to write home about.

Honestly, if I didn't know the next volume will be the last, I'd have likely just decided to stop right here, but with only five issues (or one last trade paperback) left, I'll see it through, but I'm not expecting much. This one kind of ended with a bit of a twist, but mostly a thud.

[Kaitlyn (ktxx22) Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m really happy to see the conclusion of this story arc. I think it ended the way it was supposed to but the series as a whole really leaves something to be desired. It’s got plot holes through out, and a few seemingly unnecessary storylines. I’m glad I read it and got to see the end of the butcher war.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was always going to end this way, but there’s just enough to make you delude yourself into thinking maybe it won’t. I’m so fucking sad. When we saw that Sunny’s familiar is one of Jace’s old daggers, I wailed.

On a lighter note, René’s whole sickos backstory in issue 24 lit my brain up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

[Micko · Rating 3 out of 5]

A superficial revenge storyline with a lot of deaths but little deeper meaning.

The story ultimately hurts the slaughterverse a bit, because it makes the order seem less competent and less focused on killing monsters in secrecy, but more concerned with internal strife.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jace is back and this is the story I'm here for. The House of Slaughter heads south to team up with the House of Butcher to hunt Jace down. There's some cool twists. The ending was kind of unclear to me though. Partly due to Fuso's art, partly due to muddled storytelling at the end.

[Zumie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aw man I really hoped Jace would break the cycle of vengeance and violence and take the kids and GO but I guess being a gay ghost with his boyfriend is acceptable. I want a full novel about Maven stat.

[Mavis · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
It started good but in the last chapters you could feel that the writers weren't really sure how to end his arc. Hope it's not the last time we hear of Jace, I would love to see a future collab with Erica.

[Bo Dixen Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story that throws doubt about whether the houses are a force for good. It seems the houses are more concerned with external and internal power struggles, than actually saving children.

Butcher's story comes to an end, but new Butchers are always made in the fallout.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather vague and oblique ending to the Jace story.

[Andres Pasten · Rating 3 out of 5]

como que esto se desinfló con el tiempo, y terminó siendo solo lo de Jace Butcher...

[Patricia Q · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.4 I stopped enjoying HOS at issue #6.