The Butcher of Paris #1 is out 12/4/2019. — **The Butcher of Paris #1** is out 12/4/2019.

By Zack Quaintance — The Butcher of Paris is one of those comics that is so in line with my personal tastes, that I can’t help but wonder if I conjured it. Okay, that’s maybe a little solipsistic (maybe!?!), but I did like quite a bit about this book before I’d even read the first page. What hooked me first was the concept. This is a rare monthly comic based on a true story (more of those, please!), and not just any true story, but one from a key moment in world history.

Obviously, as the title implies this book is set in Paris, but it’s Paris at the height of the German occupation during World War II. The Nazis are in full terrifying control of the city, but at the same time, “a serial killer is using the events of this time to cover his activities.” It was a plot line that reminds me of one of my favorite non-fiction books, The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larsen, which tells a similar story about a serial killer only during Chicago’s hosting of the 1893 World’s Fair. It’s a very different setting, obviously, but the central idea is the same — it’s a largely-untold story of a serial killer during a pivotal moment in the history of a people and place.

It’s a bold choice for monthly direct market comic subject matter, given that successful series within that world usually involve pitches that are along the lines of, it’s a pivotal moment in history...but with aliens! In addition, the creative team was very much to my liking, with rising writer Stephanie Phillips doing the scripting for Dean Kotz killer (sorry!) art with Jason Wordie colors and Troy Peteri letters. Oh! And Dave Johnson is doing covers, which is always a big plus...if you don’t believe me just look at the covers for the Greg Rucka run on Detective Comics.

This is all to say that I had lofty expectations going into this series. Now that I’ve read the first issue, it’s safe for me to say that you should have high expectations too. Butcher in Paris #1 is a stunning debut comic that creates a tone both terrifying and realistic. It doesn’t shy away from the real world horrors of its subject matter, nor does it sensationalize them. Both writer and artist are really adept at giving the audience exactly what is called for to serve the momentum of this story. In this first issue, that means incredible feats of pacing that start with Nazi oppression and lead us to a last-page reveal.

Phillips does a wonderful job selecting characters, interactions and situations that speak to the larger events unfolding in the city, while Kotz is a truly gifted artist. In this book, he really lays down some excellent work. I particularly enjoyed the attention to detail paid to Paris’ streets. It’s a lush canvas to work with and Kotz nails it. Also, I’ve written quite a bit about Wordie’s coloring on the sci-fi book Wasted Space, and this comic couldn’t be more different from that one, calling for a much subtler palette that Wordie handles perfectly. Peteri’s lettering meanwhile, expertly guides the eye through the detail-heavy pages, resulting in a comic that flies by and immediately calls for another read.

Overall: Simply put, we need more comics like The Butcher in Paris. I’m a fan of everything from the creative team to the true story historical elements, and this first issue is fantastic. 9.0/10

The Butcher of Paris #1
Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Dean Kotz
Colorist: Jason Wordie
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $3.99

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Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.