Written by James Tynion IV, Art by Werther Dell’Edera (Illustrator), Color by Miquel Muerto, Lettering by Andworld Design
Thanks to Boom! Studios for providing a review copy of this title!
Synopsis: GLAAD Award-winning writer James Tynion IV (Memetic, Batman: Detective Comics) teams with artist Werther Dell’Edera (Briggs Land) for an all-new limited series about staring into the abyss to find your worst fears staring back. When the children of Archer’s Peak begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. Most children never return, but the ones that do have terrible stories—impossible stories of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to see what they can see. Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. That is all she does, and she bears the cost because it MUST be done.
Review
It is currently early October, making it the perfect time to add some truly scary reads to your graphic novel stack. Something is Killing the Children is a perfect pick for anyone who enjoys the darker side of folklore.
Horror films often teach us how horrible Truth or Dare is. Something begins with such a game that ends in the disappearance of several children. Soon a mysterious girl appears who seems to know exactly what’s going on in the city of Archer’s Peak.
The set up for this story is fairly straightforward. Bad thing happens to children, powerful person shows up to solve the problem, and the problem is eventually solved. Though I feel like this story may wind up feeling overly derivative, I have to say that I found it genuinely chilling! The lead up to the children’s fate carried some great suspenseful moments.
Though the base story is simple, the real interest in the story is the would-be monster hunter. Erica Slaughter seems to have some kind of greater purpose or responsibility. It’s totally unclear who she fights for, or why she takes on the task of killing kid eating monsters. I am interested in continuing the story to learn more about her role in the larger world. She seems like a many-layered individual, and I look forward to seeing where her loyalties lie.
I would recommend this story to any fan of Stranger Things, or Wytches. I’m excited to see if more of the folk-lore aspects play a big role in the world. The vibe is dark and spooky enough for this die-hard horror fan.
The first issue of Something is Killing the Children is now available, the second issue will be released on October 16th.
If you’ve read Something is Killing the Children, talk to me about it on Twitter and Instagram!
