Advance Review: Nothing Is Working In ‘Something Is Killing The Children’ #32
by Tom Smithyman
When a comic book’s creative team is in sync, it’s truly magic. Amazing visuals drive a compelling story, practically forcing readers to turn to the next page to see what wonders delight them. 
Then there are issues like the current chapter of Something is Killing the Children. The series has been in a slump, from a story perspective, for several issues now. Its bloated narrative is dragging down this arc – and potentially even the entire series. But artist Werther Dell’Edera’s visual eye candy of monsters, including the human ones, has been reliably fantastic. That is, until issue #32.
In it, even Dell’Edera’s illustrations seem off. From a bland cover to some odd shading to some boring character work, there’s nothing that would make someone want to pick up this issue by flipping through the pages.
To add insult to injury, even Miquel Muerto’s colors disappoint. He inexplicably uses shades of purple to indicate the ending’s flashback scene. It’s difficult to make our what’s happening on the page because there’s so little contrast between the colors.
Of course, writer James Tynion IV’s script doesn’t make matters easier for the visual team. Almost nothing happens in the issue. The entire page count is devoted to two people talking. Sometimes they’re outside. Sometimes they’re inside. There’s a flashback. Oh, and a horse! Good luck illustrating that. It’s as if Dell’Edera is trying to show readers that he is as bored as they are with the subject matter.
The sad thing is that this could have been the issue where the team turned things around. A better script could have given us a dramatic showdown between two characters – maybe even with a punch thrown – and a path to the end of this ballooned arc.
The issue ends with a flashback and a character asking the question: “What’s the goddamn point?” It’s a really good question. One that can be asked of the last several issues of this once-great series.
Something is Killing the Children #32 will be available for purchase on August 16, 2023.
Overview
Until now, even when an individual issue’s story has disappointed, readers could rely on great illustrations. In this issue, they get neither. What could have been a pivotal moment in the story arc is now a throwaway issue – literally.
