Advance Review: Discovering The Real Monsters In `Something Is Killing The Children’ #25

If there’s one thing that Something is Killing the Children has demonstrated over 25 issues, it’s that as terrifying as monsters are, human beings can be the real terrors.

Yes, we’ve been treated to monsters – which can only be seen by kids – feasting on residents of small towns. But those entrusted to deal with the horrors, the House of Slaughter and its related houses around the world, adhere to a strict code that often sacrifices survivors. The houses aren’t above eliminating wayward family members as well, including heroine Erica Slaughter, who has abandoned her house.

Now Erica is stuck fighting a monster that is terrorizing a small town in New Mexico, battling her own stuff animal octopus that contains the spirit (and bad attitude) of another otherworldly beast as well as Cutter, a rival hunter who is now coming after her. As frightening as the monsters are – and artist Werther Dell-Edera has made them terrifying – the real danger ultimately comes from Cutter. She sees taking down Erica as the ultimate feather in her cap, and gleefully eliminates everyone in her way. To her, it’s all a game.

After a few issues that were light on monsters, Dell-Edera goes no-holds barred in this installment. As drawn by Dell-Edera, the monstrous duplicitype has a human body with a mouth-eye as an abdomen and a massive maw that opens from its head. It’s the stuff of nightmares, and it gives Erica more than she can handle while dealing with distractions all around her.

Fresh off his multiple Eisner Awards wins – including Best Continuing Series for this title, writer James Tynion IV again delivers a tight script full of terror, intrigue and heartbreak. What more could you ask from a comic book series? The answer is clear: more!

Something is Killing the Children #25 will be available for purchase on July 27, 2022.