Dark Horse has announced a new five-issue miniseries beginning in December, The Butcher of Paris by writer Stephanie Phillips (Descendent, Devil Within), artist Dean Kotz (Mars Attacks), colourist Jason Wordie (Penny Dreadful, Johnny Red), and letterer Troy Peteri (Witchblade, The Darkness), as revealed exclusively by Adventures in Poor Taste.
The comic will explore real-life French serial killer Marcel Petiot, who was active during the Nazi occupation of France during the Second World War. Below is the description of the series from Dark Horse:
In 1944, as Swastikas flew over Paris, one of the most notorious serial killers in history turned the occupied city into his personal hunting ground. Under the guise of opportunity and freedom, Marcel Petiot preys on those desperate to flee… until a gruesome discovery alerts the police. In a city under siege, the hunt for a serial killer begins as a French detective races to bring the heinous villain to justice before the Nazis beat him to it.
This is an angle of the occupation that I’m not familiar with at all, despite having extensively studied it as a student. While I imagine the comic will be quite gruesome, this is a breath of fresh air that should shed some light on a relatively unknown side of the war.
The Butcher of Paris #1 (of 5) is out on December 4, 2019. Check out the cover by series cover artist Dave Johnson below.
