Out this week from Boom! Studios, Something is Killing the Children, and it’s not just killing them, it is tearing them the @#$% apart.
James Tynion IV, known for his great work on Detective Comics and for being the chosen one to fill in for Scott Snyder in his stories, presents one hell of an opening chapter to his newest release. I have never read a horror title from Tynion, but I will be reading every single one from this day forward. Frightening someone and achieving terror in writing is admittedly a challenging task and done with ease here. Something is Killing the Children is suspenseful, surprising, shocking, terrifying, and drenched in blood.
I’m reading this on labor day with Tom Petty playing through my computer speakers, and I was so entrenched in the story, the music just became a sound barrier. A coworker was able to walk up behind me and make me jump out of my chair by only saying my name. When that happened, I knew I had found an enthralling horror title that people need to be reading.
Werther Dell’edera is an entirely new and unknown artist to me, but the work in this issue is incredible. Together with Miquel Muerto, this team provides an atmosphere of anxiety, distrust, and gloom. From the dark blues and purples of a TV lit sleepover to the bright yet shadowed interrogation room, the story exists in a haze. Avoiding bright colors is paramount to a horror story. The most vivid colors should always be reserved for the blood and gore, and Something is Killing the Children nails it.
AndWorld Design takes care of the lettering and brings a subtlety to the table that works exceptionally well. The lettering designs add an extra attitude to the noises they portray. It appears as if the letter produces the noise without needing to read the word it makes.
Something is Killing the Children began to garner attention when the cover art for the first issue was released. Any new title that gets names like Jae Lee and Jenny Frison to contribute variant covers, deserves at least a look, and SiKtC is a title that promises to deliver on the hype.
I want to keep this review short and sweet and without spoilers because this book is so great and deserves the privilege of unveiling details itself. If you are a horror fan, buy this book. If it’s sold out, reserve a 2nd or 3rd or 4th print. Tynion IV and Dell’edera have created a story destined for the big screen, and I can’t wait to see it in a theater.
What did you think of Something is Killing the Children? Let us know in the comments below.
