FALL OF THE HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER #1 (BOOM! STUDIOS)
Father Time has come for the Old Dragon.
The head of the Order of St. George is dying. With his end looming, Cecilia Slaughter is meeting with the other heads of houses to decide a successor. Who will fill the powerful role?
FALL OF THE HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER #1 by James Tynion lV, Tate Brombal, Adriano Turtulici, Valentina Napolitano and Andworld Design (BOOM! STUDIOS) sees a deadly new story begin in the world of SIKTC.
Let’s take a closer look into what’s happening now.
FALL OF THE HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER #1 by James Tynion lV, Tate Brombal, Adriano Turtulici, Valentina Napolitano and Andworld Design (BOOM! STUDIOS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Brombal is no stranger to this universe. Jumping into Cecilia’s talk with Maxine proves strongly her conviction to take over the void from the Dragon. Their dialogue is cold and sharp. It goes right into the heart of the issue with nothing held back. Placing Maxine with the Dragon keeps anyone from accessing him or swaying any alliances. It is this kind of political strategy that has kept Erica Slaughter on the run for many months.
Readers watch as the meeting carries a heavy sense of dread to the talk. Cecilia’ trying to steer favor her way comes off with some resistance. Knowing she has to win over the crowd, announcing Erica Slaughter’s “death” proves risky. As the attendees make their selections, another side-plot comes into the mix. When white masks are asked to investigate a monster’s single kill, no one is expecting to find out the true discovery. This allows Maxine to take her story to the issue’s finish. Her talk with the Old Dragon is brief but not without impact. His chilling words to her spells much uncertainty amongst the ranks. How this will ultimately play out is anyone’s guess.
Turtulici and Napolitano give a chilling insight into the world of Cecilia Slaughter. Her mannerisms around Maxine never stray too far from someone thinking they’re in total control. Even when interrupted by White masks. her expression doesn’t change. It’s strictly business moving forward. It battles Maxine’s uncertainty of events. Knowing she has a much larger role to play, the art teases the gravity of her situation. It ties up enough points before shifting to a much more impactful event.
A full page shot brings the heads of Houses into the crucial meeting. A great two page spread walks the audience through the political side of events. There is much posturing as proposals are thrown. This gets interrupted by a call Cecilia wants no part of. Readers watch as the simple investigation turns into something more horrifying. A full page image rocks the imagination as Cecilia tries keeping control. This moves events into Maxine’s closing act. The conversation with the Old Dragon debuts in a two page splash. It leads into a more shocking proclamation in the final panel. As much as Maxine has been training, is she ready for the news she heard? Time will tell.
FINAL GRADE: 9
The Order is Dead. Long Live The Order! Brombal navigates the readers through a complicated power struggle via the writing. Turtulici and Napolitano hone on the weight of the Dragon’s passing with strong art. Another excellent insertion of storytelling into one of comics’ finest sagas.
Let me know your thoughts on FALL OF THE HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER #1 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
