Writer: James Tynion IV / Penciller Werther Dell’Edera / Colour Artist: Miquel Muerto / Letterer: Andworld Design / Collects Something Is Killing The Children #1-#5 / TP / Boom! Studios
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26th May 2020 (Released: 20th May 2020)
The Pitch: When the children of Archer's Peak begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. The few children that return alive have terrible stories. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to be the only one who sees what they can see.
SIKTC is a book that picked up a lot of buzz on the way to a sell-out first issue (I originally read this in singles and had to grab the 2nd print of #1), so I was expecting something pretty good. Glad to see that it didn't disappoint. Starting with a Buffy-Esque teaser, the book drops you right in without overt exposition, something that shows Tynion IV’s skill right off the bat. He writes in a punchy, short aggressive style that's entirely different to other work I've read of his. He gifts you everything you need as fast as possible and gives Dell'Edera room to go to work on his textured pages, making the book look like a manuscript from hell. Muerto's colours manage to be muted when they need to be and lurid when the situation calls, with Andworld's lettering etches the voices clearly and distinctly.
The story itself draws on fairy-tale elements. There are monsters. The Monsters eat children. Only children can see the monsters. Apart from our lead, Erica Slaughter, who makes a living killing the monsters. Within that simple framework, the team weave a rich story with memorable characters and create a sense of building panic and paranoia. You really feel the emotion inherent in the impotence of the surviving child, who wants to avenge his friends. And of the local police force who really have no inkling what they're dealing with. Despite the fantasy elements at play, the book feels convincing. But it also knows when to go weird without over-egging the pudding, giving you just enough to be curious without bludgeoning you with world-building mechanics.
Slaughter is a great lead. Confident, dangerous, assertive, and best of all, capable. Backed up by a shadowy handler whom we learn just enough about to feel the weight of their presence. Slaughter may seem Buffy-like at the story's outset, but if she is, she's the scarred angry Buffy from 'The Wish' episode. War-torn and ruthless. It's not a personal crusade for Erica. It's a job and she's great at it. You almost don't want to know more about her in case the familiarity spoils the saltiness of her character. The ending is left open, teasing a larger world to explore and more bloody adventures to be had. Volume 2 can't come fast enough for me. Pick this up today and you'll be reading and re-reading 'till that second volume hits the shelf. Something will definitely be killing my wallet.
