
Fall of the House of Slaughter #4 is written by James Tynion IV and published by BOOM! Studios. Artwork is by Sam Wolfe Connelly and Adriano Turtulici.
Fall of the House of Slaughter #4 is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
THE HOUSE WILL FALL… or will it?
It’s the world-altering finale of the high-stakes mini-series set in James Tynion IV & Werther Dell’Edera’s iconic Slaughterverse!
Can new alliances be made between opposing forces in the House of Slaughter? And what last task will the Dragon give Maxine before his final days are up?
Steel yourself for what’s in store for the House of Slaughter in this essential read ahead of Erica Slaughter’s return in the milestone issue Something is Killing the Children #50!
Review
In the latest issue of Fall of the House of Slaughter, things turn up a dial, and it’s EPIC. Cecilia’s life’s work goes up in flames, political angles are coming to light, and the fight for the old dragon’s replacement comes to a searing close. This issue is nothing short of pivotal.
The issue begins with Cecilia and Maxine having a heated conversation, which highlights the stress and tension that have been building. The monster they’re up against, a mytho-duplicitype to be specific, is created out of rumours and lies about another person, which coincides with the letter we come across. Rosewood Academy, addressed to Mr and Mrs Davies. The letter is about Tyler and his experience at school. In such a short letter, we learn so much about Tyler: his experiences and his hardships.
As always, one thing I love about this series is how it weaves in the smaller plots (the monsters, the towns affected, the kids in danger) with the grander, world-building plots. It’s a balancing act that keeps the story grounded while also driving momentum, which makes it fun to read. I also love how the series plays with formatting, and a great example of this is the letters. We get two letters that take over an entire page, which adds some cool depth. That said, minor gripe: there’s a second letter in this issue, and the font was really hard to read. I get going for a calligraphy-style font to sell that “ye olde” effect, but maybe something a bit more accessible would’ve served it better.
That aside, this issue feels monumental. And with issue #50 of Something is Killing the Children right around the corner, the entire landscape of the universe feels on the brink of change. Just when you think it’ll zig, it’s going to zag. Plus, when Cecilia finally goes head-on with said monster, we get a shot of its “den”, and it’s actually quite dark. The issue ends with quite the revelation. It’s a game-changer for the series as a whole, and not to be missed.
Verdict
Overall, Fall of the House of Slaughter #4 is quite the instalment in this ever-growing universe. Cecilia has become quite the character, and having spent more time with her, it’s hard to deny her evil genius. She’s quite something. The pacing in this issue is much stronger than the prior one. The story really comes into its own, finding fun beats, reveals, and playing almost like an episode of House of the Dragon. Lots of moving pieces, political alliances, backstabbing, power plays: it’s all in this issue, and a genuinely fun read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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