Something Is Killing The Children by James Tynion IV
But it's just a sad “fact of life"
Something Is Killing The Children has become something of a phenomenon in the world of comic books over the past few years. Originally intended to be just a five-issue limited series, it quickly morphed into an ongoing title and has now published 40-plus issues and counting.
It is the rare popular horror comic that has earned its regular seat alongside more recognizable superhero fare.
Created and written by James Tynion IV with art by Werther Dell’edera and coloring by Miquel Muerto, Something Is Killing The Children tells the story of a small town besieged with cases of missing children and no clue of what has happened to them.
As it turns out, there are shadow monsters in the woods that border the town — and at night these creatures have been attacking the town’s innocent youth. And yes, killing them.
To make matters evermore complex, the monsters cannot be seen by the adult townsfolk — only by the children. Because only children believe in monsters, you see.
This technical wrinkle eventually results in a scene where a child surrounded by adults is lifted into the air by a monster the grown-ups can’t see and torn into pieces right in front of their eyes — seemingly by nothing. It is a great horror scene, and certainly one of the standout moments of the book.
Of course, being a comic book, Something Is Killing The Children has its own version of a “superhero” in a mysterious wandering stranger called Erica. She’s an unassuming blonde with an alternative fashion sense, but she’s spent her entire life traveling from town to town and doing battle with killer somethings all over the country.
As the book goes on, more details about Erica’s past are revealed, as well as the shadowy organization to which she belongs and simultaneously rebels against. Their primary goal is to keep secret the existence of real-life monsters that only kids can see, whereas Erica’s more honorable motive is to minimize the deaths these monsters cause.
There is clearly potential for epic scope in this world, but this review is concerned with Something Is Killing The Children Book One Deluxe Edition, which collects the initial 15 issues of the comic’s run.
The central story arc here (which wraps up neatly while setting up expectations for further adventures of Erica) is focused on young James who witnesses three of his friends brutally savaged by one of the monsters when they venture outside during a sleepover. But there are many other kids who’ve mysteriously disappeared and are presumed dead.
The fantastical monsters and the mythology of Erica and her organization sit side-by-side with the mundane conformity of suburban Americana that is schools, hardware stores, and chain restaurants. It’s an interesting juxtaposition and it works well to create an unsettling horror tone that pervades the book.
A comic book or graphic novel is like a movie, and Something Is Killing The Children conveys a style and mood that is gritty and grounded. It is decidedly unfantastical.
These monsters might be the things of children’s nightmares, but in this book, they are horribly real. Just as real as the House Depot or the Applebeams across from the strip mall down the street.
The horror is real here. It’s simply a sad fact of live that no-one can do anything to prevent.
Something is killing the children. And they would keep on killing, there would be no stopping them, were it not for Erica, who rebels against conventional wisdom that says all these dead children are just the price that must be paid to maintain the status quo.
Something Is Killing The Children uses comic book mystery and action to tackle big themes that are highly relevant in today’s real world, and packages it will plenty of specific mythology that it feels like there is a lot more that could happen in this world — so it’s a good job the series continues!