Abattoir #5 cover image

Abattoir is a horror comic book miniseries from Radical Publishing and is created by Darren Lynn Bousman, the director of three films in the Saw franchise.  Set in the late 1980s, Abattoir follows real estate agent, Richard Ashwalt, who was struggling to sell a house where a brutal massacre took place.  Richard falls into a murderous conspiracy involving a strange old man named Jebediah Crone who buys the house in spite of Richard’s efforts to stop him.

In Abattoir #5, Richard’s friend and former colleague, police Detective Al Sperry, continues his investigation of Crone.  Sperry receives a visit from a very strange old man with intimate knowledge of just how much darkness is behind Crone.   Meanwhile, Richard finds the horrible mansion Crone has built, or has he?

THE LOWDOWN:  I said before that Abattoir is a comic book that reads like a horror novel or suspense thriller.  I’ve also said that the series improves with each issue, but #5 is the least of the series yet.  The part of #5 that deals with the old man recounting his past with Crone to Detective Sperry is riveting and intriguing, and I wanted more.  The half of the story that belongs to Richard’s surreal journey into manse Crone is part good and part story padding.  Still, it does set up for a potentially great final issue.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for horror comics will want to try Abattoir.

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