Great horror graphic novel! I'm intrigued by the story line and looking forward to vol. 2.
Kids in a small town in Wisconsin are being killed or going missing. A mysterious woman shows up and befriends the only survivor of one of the incidents. As they go hunting for the monster attacking the town, things don't go as Erica though they were going to.

The title alone drew me into this novel but once I saw that James Tynion IV was writing it under Boom!, I was sold.

I love me some good horror, no matter the medium, but there’s something about horror comics that are especially terrifying. The right artist can keep me up at night, and this is definitely one of those times. From the color to the gore to the atmosphere, I had to read this with the lights on.

Central to this story are Daniel, the sole survivor of the most recent child massacre, and Erica Slaughter, here to kill what’s killing the children. The two of them are working through some shit and it’s the worst-best pairing. Tynion spends time setting up the universe but not the motivations of any of the characters, leaving us with questions but not confusion. There are Stranger Things and It call backs, for sure.

The Supernatural fan in me, combined with my childhood fav Are You Afraid of the Dark, loved everything about this graphic novel and I can’t wait to see what happens in volume 2.

A genuinely horrifying graphic novel that will appeal to fans of the genre, "Stranger Things", and badass women. Not for the squeamish, but for those that want it it's a break-neck paced 5 issues in this first trade. The art style is gritty, a perfect match for the tone. Ends abruptly, but not all unsatisfactorily. Definitely recommended.

I like comics, and I like horror stories, and I absolutely love when they come together well. James Tynion IV’s latest project nails that blend. Something is Killing the Children first hit comic shops in single issues starting in the fall of last year, and my attention was immediately drawn to the series. I first discovered Tynion’s writing on Detective Comics back at the beginning of the Rebirth arcs, and quickly shifted to his and Rian Sygh’s Backstagers series. Tynion’s a versatile writer (with series published under BOOM!, BOOM!Box, and DC), with a real skill for subtle, underlying horror themes. Something is Killing the Children is a much more overt horror, and it shines because of that. And unlike Backstagers, Something is Killing the Children is definitely not for the younger readers out there.

Our first chapter opens with a group of four young boys playing truth or dare at a sleepover, and a story about a monster living in a nearby ravine quickly draws scorn. They set out to investigate, just in case. We soon learn that three of those boys are now dead, and the 4th, James, is under suspicion for the deaths. Almost a dozen kids in town have died recently, with another dozen or so missing over the course of the two previous months. James is struggling to understand what happened, because what he saw that night in the ravine should’ve been impossible.

It’s only when Erica Slaughter arrives in town that James finds someone who believes his story. Erica knows that there’s a monster somewhere nearby, and she’s here at the behest of her mysterious boss to kill it before any more kids go missing. As the only known survivor of any encounters with the creature, James is going to be able to provide Erica with some much-needed intel before she sets out after it with a chainsaw.

Who is Erica, and where did she come from? Why does she carry around a stuffed octopus? Why can none of the adults seem to see the monster when it’s right in front of them? Something is Killing the Children is a dark, gory blend of Locke & Key (some bizarre things happening that adults seem weirdly oblivious about) and Stranger Things (monsters chasing teens), and I am 100% here for it. Werther Dell’Edera’s art is beautifully disconcerting, a perfect match for Tynion’s brilliantly paced writing. I’m compelled to track down more of his work now, because he’s crafted images that are going to linger in my head for days after reading this book.

The print version of volume one of Something is Killing the Children is due in stores on May 26th. The book contains the first five chapters of one of the best new horror comics I’ve picked up in years. It’s really no surprise that I loved this first volume, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. If you’re a horror fan, do yourself a favor and give it a read.



Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Something is Killing the Children is both the title and the plot summary of this awful comic to which I would append: - And It’s Not Worth Reading Any Further!

Monsters in a small town are killing children. So some random chick comes to town and starts killing monsters. It really is that simplistically braindead.

Questions like: who are these monsters? Why are they killing children specifically? Why here and now? Who is this girl, the improbably named Erica Slaughter? Why is she killing monsters? Who is she working for? None of those are even posed let alone answered. Well, the latter is hinted at except what we see only raises more questions.

No, instead we need to introduce more forgettable characters to witter on about nothing to one another while monsters kill children and this girl kills monsters. It’s such a boring, uninvolving story.

Werther Dell’Edera’s art is really ugly - Matt Kindt-level trash. Really flat pictures, very pencilly, dull colours - just hard to look at. The monsters are your generic giant bug monsters with glowing eyes - such unimaginative designs.

I should’ve expected this given James Tynion IV is such a poor writer - he’s yet to write anything worth reading and Something is Killing the Children is just more drek to throw on the pile. I’m really worried about the future of Batman now that this guy’s behind the wheel (for now).

This was an engaging story and reminded me of Supernatural in a way. It had pretty cool artwork, which added to the grit of the story. I'm not generally a fan of comics, but this was done very well. The story moved at a decent pace and the cliffhanger did make me wish I could read more. The characters were really fun and I will consider picking up volume 2 when it comes out.

"Something is Killing the Children" is a very unique concept for a comic book. I like the murder mystery vibe attached to what feels like a secret society of the supernatural. The five part story kept me on the edge of my seat and constantly wanting more.

Erica Slaughter is a great lead for this story. I love the unreliability of her character, as the reader is still unsure of if she's good or evil, what her agenda is and who she is working for. She's also super bad ass fighting like Ash from "The Evil Dead" with her chainsaw. She also works very well as a foil in the setting of Wisconsin with small town know-it-alls like Tommy and the sheriff. You get fun back and forth banter between someone who really knows what's going on and people who think they can figure it out.

I'm very curious to see how the rest of this tale unfolds and find out exactly what is killing all of these children, and why. But more importantly, I'm interested in learning about where Erica Slaughter comes from and why she has her possessed octopus. What does all of that symbolize? Who called the sheriff on her behalf? How is everything connected?

This comic gave me true "Stranger Things" and "Dark" vibes but on a far more serious level with a much darker twist. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this first volume and can't wait to read more!

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher BOOM! Studios in exchange for an honest review.

Something is Killing the Children is the story of a small town suffering from a monster attack, and the girl hunting said monster. This is a fairly standard premise but it does a decent enough job with it. Honestly I wasn't really blown away by any aspect of it. The artwork is nice and there are some creepy moments which are illustrated well but it was a little too scratchy for me at times. This is only the first volume so the story is fairly cookie cutter, although there are some cool elements I suspect will expand and improve the plot later on. The characters were decent enough but again, nothing really stood out about them (except the stuffed octopus). I really wish I could give this graphic novel more glowing praise but alas, it just didn't show me anything new.

Overall Rating: 3/5 stars

3.5 out of 5 🌟Dark and gruesome page-turner

The plot of ‘Something is Killing the Children’ is literally written on the front cover. The story is taking place in a small city of Archer’s Peak where a bunch of kids is going missing every day and those founded were not only dead but — literally — in pieces. Following the mystery killer, a mystery woman arrived in the town to stop the killing spree.

The book is dark and grim, it’s a graphic horror with a lot of violence and blood. If that doesn’t bother you, be ready for a great piece of thrilling adventure. This comic is a quick read with a striking cliffhanger that made me search for the next volume. I had a delightful (but frightful!) time reading it.
I’m not a fan of illustrations by Werther Dell’Edera and it was hard for me to immerse into the story. Their aesthetics was throwing me off with chaotic lines and emotionless characters. I believe the book deserved better and I’d love to see it with different graphics.

*Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.*

An intriguing beginning to what is set to be a thrilling supernatural monster hunter tale by the genius that is James Tynion V!

Sorry I wasn't able to go on and finish this book.
I'll try again next time and leave a feedback.
Thank you for the accept

While this series will most likely have cult type following, it wasn’t for me. That’s in no way to say it is not a good book. It is very well done and the illustrations are pretty amazing. For this reader I am too distracted with the abundance of bad language. While I like horror, the illustrations were too gooey for me.

Here’s what’s going on in Archer’s Peak...

The children of Archer’s Peak are going missing, and the whole situation 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.

Their saviour comes with the name of Erica Slaughter. She slays monsters. That is all she does, and she bears the cost because it MUST be done.

If the title wasn't clue enough, this is a strong title in terms of content. I have, of course, been familiar with James Tynion's work from DC Comics. I'm typically not a horror comics fan, but this book was so well done. The art and story are polished and edgy -- definitely a masterful example of graphic novel suspense! Well played!

Something is Killing the Children, Vol 1 is different from my usual reading choices. This comic is definitely dark and keeps your pulse racing in such a thrilling way that I could not put it down until I finished it.

This comic chronicles the tragic experience of one of the main characters, James, who witnessed something truly horrific happen to his friends. Shortly after this event, James is introduced to Erica Slaughter who hopefully proves to be the answer to the disappearances and murders of the children happening in the town.

If gore is not for you then this comic series is probably one to stay away from because there is a lot of that. But, if that doesn’t bother you and you are interested in reading something quick paced, chilling, and suspenseful I highly recommend Something is Killing the Children is the right book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boom! Studios for providing me with this graphic novel.

Something is Killing the Children was a promising first issue. It introduces the reader to a world in which nightmarish events occur and children are the main target. This is not the most original plotline but it's only the beginning. Moreover, the main character is a mysterious badass and you'll want to know more about her. As for the art, it was good, not my favorite but still good.
Excited to read book 2!

What a great book! The only problem I have with it, is that I can't wait for volume 2. I'm seriously tempted to read it monthly.
The blurb compares it to "Stranger Things' and there is some truth to it, but there is also a "Buffy" vibe here with a girl in a role similar to the slayer.
But this is not important. What IS important, is how great both the story and art are.
This is a tale of a strange girl, who comes to a small town, where children are mysteriously dying. I don't want to give out the rest - read it for yourself. You won't regret it.

Thank you Netgally and the publisher for the gifted copy. All thoughts are completely my own.

I love the art style of this first installment. It's fantastic! As for the writing I was left a little confused. I'm not sure if I didn't get the full download or if it's suppose to jump like that. It's definitely a promising start.

My Rating:4.5

The story follows a boy James after a traumatic incident in which all his friends were killed but him. People start gossiping and he ends up being bullied and ostracized. When suddenly Erica Slaughter arrives in town and everyone starts thinking she's the one who has been kidnapping the missing children and killing them in atrocious unthinkable ways.
James decided to join force with Erica and go monster hunting.

This was awesome! I loved the art style and how the drawings were able to expose what the characters were feeling. The plot was interesting and so were the characters. I'll definitely can't wait for the sequel.

I really wanted to like this book but somehow couldn't connect to it.
Avery confusing set up or I didn't get the correct copy I didn't understand it ..Illustrations are well designed.

Wow, I'm just saying. Something is Killing the Children is like Vaughan's Saga, just mind-blowing, disturbing and amazing. James, you surely nailed this! There's a hint of Stranger Things in this, but this is darker and better actually. Archers Peak is a small town, where children go suddenly missing. The few who come back have terrible stories of monsters to tell and bodies are dismantled, blood everywhere. Then comes a weird girl with a stuffed animal, Erica Slaughter. She believes and promises to get rid of the monsters, but the adults cannot see them. This is such a great comic and it's not a hero type of thing as such, but more like the necessity to do what needs to be done. Nothing is explained, which I adored and this was full blast with calm and terrible serenity at the same time. Even the cover is perfect and the atmosphere is out of this world!

The art looks so awesomely fine and works so well with the heavy feelings. The blood and splatter are just enough not to be macabre and the comic is purely beautifully nasty. It's hard to do that well so that the balance stays. The pace is wonderful and suffocating and I cannot wait to read what happens next. This is horror, but not per say really, which is great, since I'm not a fan of horror. It's one of those comics you know are right on the spot and something else. Just wow, try this!