Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 8

Something is Killing the Children #8

by James Tynion IV (Writer), Werther Dell'Edera (Illustrator), Miquel Muerto (Colorist)

A special standalone of brand new stories set in the award-winning Slaughterverse–a perfect starting place for new readers ahead of the Netflix series!

Journey into Erica Slaughter’s past during her formative years set before the events of the foundational Archer’s Peak saga. This unofficial “Year Zero” style anthology of the hit sensation that has sold over 2 million copies worldwide follows Erica during her journey to various small and remote towns in the American countryside, hunting monsters down before they do the unthinkable to unsuspecting children. A perfect starting point for new readers and die hard Slaughterverse fans alike, each standalone issue from series creators James Tynion IV (Department of Truth, The Nice House On The Lake) and Werther Dell’Edera (House of Slaughter) highlights 5 different hunts that showcase the experiences that started Erica on her journey toward being the nearly unstoppable monster hunter she is today. Collects Something is Killing the Children #36-40.

Genres: Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Supernatural

144 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2024

About the author

Prior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.

Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 80% | Very Good
Notes: Ebbing of activity, action-to-passivity, increasing introspection: monster fighting to reigniting traumatic recollections.

*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #36-38 ◦ Issues #39-40

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can we skip the padding and kill some children, please?
Because this one seemed like filler.



I mean, it's not bad filler, especially if you're a superfan and just want a bit more insight into Erica. But really, there's nothing new here.
Flashbacks of old cases, a reminder that guns and children are a dangerous mix, a puppy-made monster, and a visit with a therapist are some of what you'll get.



Again. Not bad. It just feels like maybe Tynion has too many irons in the fire, so maybe he grabbed some of his old notes and tossed this out there to keep fans of SiKtC happy. But to be honest, instead of spin-off series or fluffed one-shots, I'd really rather we get on with the main storyline.



Not as good, but still good. <--if that makes sense?
Recommended.

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short stories about Erica!

[Jim C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection that is part of a series. I believe that they should be read in order. Even though this is volume eight of a comics run this is a prequel and does not affect the overall arc. Instead we get one shots that explore the present and the past of Erica and how the life of hunting monsters is affecting her.

This was a little different from what we have been getting for this comic. Yes we get the established main character while we get to visit characters in the flashbacks that are not part of the main plot at the moment. Instead of a big bad for an arc this collection is a character study of our protagonist. I was not expecting the change up and I for one enjoyed it. It lets the guard down for Erica and allows for the audience to even connect with her more. The flashbacks were a nice touch as we see Erica's development into the monster hunter and human being that we know in the present. Once again we get the same type of art style that has become a staple of this run. This art style coincides nicely with the dark overall tones of this series. And this collection delves into the dark nature especially the last comic of this collection. I think I read that issue without even breathing as I was absorbed in the moment.

This is not the best collection from this universe. This was different and I applaud the writers for not giving us the same thing over and over. Even with it being different I really enjoyed it and it is a welcome addition to this series. It was like taking a deep breath after a tumultuous adventure. Sometimes you need to take a step back and this collection does that but at the same time exploring our main character.

[La loca de los libros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una serie de fragmentos del pasado de Erica, un dibujo confuso en algunas páginas y con un fondo que hacía difícil la lectura.
Para rematar, lo de seguir la historia donde se quedó el anterior cuando decidan sacar los siguientes 😤

Es el tomo al que le he dado la puntuación más baja, y aunque le tengo cariño a los personajes, odio que me dejen a medias.

Pronto reseña ⤵️

https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 🖤📖

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolutely superb volume of SIKTC. This one collects five standalone stories that were all fantastic. Really moving, emotional, scary, exciting stuff; this may be my favourite volume so far.

4.5 stars.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of flashback stories take us back a few years, when Jessica Slaughter's death is still recent and raw in Erica's mind and her inability to cope affects her monster hunts. Not entirely necessary, but well done.

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of individual stories scrapping Erica’s tough act.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably just what we needed now.

A series of stand alone stories showing incidents from Erica's past.

[Urbon Adamsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

EN I really enjoyed this read. Even though these are five independent stories outside the main storyline, they work very well to enrich the context and, above all, to further develop the character of Erica Slaughter.

--

PT Gostei muito desta leitura. Apesar de serem cinco histórias independentes e fora da linha principal, funcionam muito bem para enriquecer o contexto e, sobretudo, para desenvolver a personagem Erica Slaughter.

[Benji Glaab · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
Lots of one shots. We delve further into Erica Slaughter's psyche and troubled past.

I like Dell'edra's art, but his panel layouts are terrible. This is an ongoing problem I've had with the series. It's hard to tell if you are reading a two page spread or just the 9 panel single page and I caught myself multiple times rereading the panels out of order.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a couple of fantastic one-offs here to balance out some real wheel-spinners (in my view, anyway). Definitely one of the best ongoing new(ish) original universes out there still.


About time Erica discovered how to work smart, not hard.

[M_likes_it · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series continues to build on the complex characters and world building. I can't get enough of this series.

[Frank Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dieses Review bezieht sich auf die deutsche Edition, erschienen im Splitter Verlag unter der ISBN 3987213477

Der achte Band der Reihe enthält die Kapitel 36–40. Die ersten drei Kapitel zeigen Erica in Höchstform und wie sie die Monster bekämpft. Sie führen den Leser also ein wenig nach dem Motto „back to the roots“ hin zur „klassischen Arbeit“ der Monsterjägerin, wobei das Kapitel 38 zeigt, was sie macht, wenn sie ernsthafter verletzt wird.
Ein solches Kapitel lockert die Erzählung deutlich auf, ebenso wie das Kapitel 39, in dem sie sehr intime Einblicke in ihre Gefühlswelt zeigt. Es ist eine ungewöhnliche Einsicht in ihr Leben und ihre Vergangenheitsbewältigung, die Erica deutlich menschlicher werden lassen. Diese aufgewühlte Gefühlswelt wird in Kapitel 40 weiter vertieft.

Ich finde diese Darstellung der empfindsamen Erica sehr gelungen und zeigt dem Leser eine ganz andere Erica. Gleichzeitig ist dieser Band deutlich weniger brutal und auch die Monster werden nur angedeutet. Das zeigt eindeutig, dass es hier weniger um die Gewalt oder die Gesellschaft geht, sondern einzig und allein um die Protagonistin, die durch diese Darstellung deutlich an Sympathie gewonnen hat. Zumindest bei mir.

Die Geschichte endet dezent, aber nicht dramatisch offen und zeigt, dass es Folgebände geben wird. Ein definiertes Ende hat die Reihe allerdings nicht. Am Ende folgen in gewohnter Manier zahlreiche Cover-Variationen der einzelnen Kapitel. Diese sind wie immer großflächig und sehenswert.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the same, a little more contemplative than most, but, still, not one of my favorite issues, and that's OK.

I think I prefer the more common installments in the story arc, but, sure, even though the "short story" format is different, it feels relatively consistent.

I'm guessing I'm not done with the series yet.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

I don't know. I liked these vignettes, but I wanted more. Because they're really just small flashes, and they don't really add much to the overall story. I didn't get any lore drops. I didn't get any character development. And while any time spent in this world, in this art, is a good time, I wanted it to be a great time.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection of standalone stories about Erica traveling from town to town killing monsters. The dog story was my favorite, but they were all really good. I liked seeing Aaron again, especially in the scene with the two of them at the end of the last story.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - I wish more had happened in this Volume. Now I have to wait until July for more action. But, Erica is grieving and I'm glad the author committed to that in the plot.

[Akshay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something Is Killing the Children, Vol. 8 by James Tynion IV

⭐⭐⭐⭐⚝ (4.5 / 5)

If earlier volumes asked who fights monsters and who controls that fight, Volume 8 asks a nastier question: what happens when belief itself is weaponized?

📌 Overall Critical Assessment

Vol. 8 deepens the mythos rather than expanding it laterally. The horror here is quieter, more surgical. There are fewer outright creature attacks and more psychological dismantling, especially of Erica Slaughter and those orbiting her. Tynion leans into trauma as continuity, while Dell’Edera’s art continues to deny the reader comfort through fragmented framing and oppressive negative space.

This volume is less about shock and more about erosion. Trust erodes. Authority erodes. The illusion that the House of Slaughter knows what it is doing erodes fastest of all.

📌 Chapter-by-Chapter Breakdown

Chapter 1 — Arrival and Assessment

The volume opens with the aftermath of the previous arc’s violence. Survivors are present, but emotionally hollowed out.

The House of Slaughter initiates a formal review of the incident. This is not about justice or safety. It is about optics and liability.

Erica is positioned as both asset and risk. Her effectiveness is acknowledged, her independence is not forgiven.

Chapter 2 — The Shape of Control

We see how belief suppression works at scale. Witnesses are discredited, memories reframed, narratives rewritten.

Children are subtly guided away from the truth, not through force, but through comfort and authority.

Monsters appear briefly, almost incidentally, reinforcing that they are no longer the central threat.

Chapter 3 — Masks and Mandates

The House’s internal hierarchy tightens. Masks are emphasized as tools of obedience rather than protection.

Erica is pressured to accept stricter oversight. The implication is clear: autonomy is a privilege, not a right.

Flashbacks suggest how dissenters within the House are quietly erased or reassigned until they break.

Chapter 4 — Consequences

A survivor attempts to speak publicly. The House intervenes swiftly, cleanly, and without visible violence.

Erica confronts the reality that saving lives and preserving truth are no longer aligned goals.

Dell’Edera uses extreme close-ups and empty panels to convey isolation and moral suffocation.

Chapter 5 — The Cost of Staying

Erica is offered a clear bargain: continued support in exchange for silence and compliance.

The House frames this as pragmatism. Erica recognizes it as surrender.

The chapter ends with no triumphant refusal, only weary resistance.

📌 Scene-by-Scene Thematic Breakdown

Rather than traditional action beats, Volume 8 structures itself around administrative horror:

Interviews and Debriefings: Truth is negotiated, not discovered.

Memory Management Scenes: Adults reshape children’s trauma into something socially acceptable.

Private Confrontations: Erica’s isolation is emphasized through spatial framing.

Monster Encounters: Brief, almost mundane, reinforcing that the real danger is systemic.

📌 Full Plot Summary (Spoiler-Filled)

Volume 8 follows the institutional fallout of recent monster incidents rather than the incidents themselves. The House of Slaughter moves in to stabilize the situation, not by eliminating threats, but by managing perception. Survivors are coached, witnesses are dismissed, and belief is methodically dismantled.

Erica Slaughter is subjected to internal scrutiny. While her effectiveness is undeniable, her refusal to fully submit to House doctrine places her at odds with leadership. The House reveals itself as an organization more concerned with continuity than morality.

As Erica navigates investigations and veiled threats, she witnesses firsthand how the House prioritizes secrecy over healing. Children who know the truth are subtly redirected toward disbelief, ensuring monsters lose power but people lose agency.

The volume concludes with Erica accepting that staying within the system means compromising parts of herself, while leaving would abandon those still trapped inside it. No clean resolution is offered, only the acknowledgment that survival within corrupt systems always extracts a price.

📌 Final Verdict

Something Is Killing the Children, Vol. 8 is restrained, bleak, and intellectually cruel in the best way. It trades spectacle for psychological precision and confirms that the series’ true horror lies not in teeth or claws, but in institutions that decide who gets to believe reality.

This volume will disappoint readers seeking constant monster action. It will deeply satisfy anyone interested in horror as a study of power, obedience, and moral exhaustion.

It is not loud. It is not kind. It is very sure of what it wants to say.

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

this series is so good it kills me that I have to wait for the next instalments. Anyway, this volume is a collection of somewhat independent one-issue long stories of various experiences Erica’s had. It adds even more to her character’s complexity and especially adds more to her and Jessica’s backstory which RUINS ME it’s so fucking sad I actually can’t deal. What I would really love for this series though is for Erica to make some meaningful lasting connections in the present but I also recognise it’s gonna take some work to get to that point

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A volume of one-off tales that expands on Erica's character and, in particular, her relationship with her trainer/foster mom, Jessica. Each story features some kind of monstrous scenario, but the focus isn't always on how Erica resolves the matter. Often enough, we see Erica tuckered out mid-fight, interacting with some locals.

It's all beautifully written with classic art. This volume doesn't necessarily add any depth to the lore, which is too bad, but it certainly adds depth to Erica. Looking forward to another longer arc next, though more of these one-offs would not be the worst thing.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel collects five issues that tell some of Erica Slaughter's earlier adventures fighting monsters across the country. After some of the hefty continuing story lines it was nice to go back in time as well as just enjoy one-shots that give you just enough of the story to fully understand what happened in each instance. The art continues to be abstract yet compelling, and leaving some things up to your own imagination. I wouldn't mind seeing more issues like the ones here.

[akacya ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 reads: 257/300

in this eighth volume of something is killing the children, five different stories explaining how erica slaughter came to be are highlighted. this volume was not what i expected (in a good way). i didn’t read the description before diving in, so i didn’t know this would basically be a prequel. also, i never thought i’d see the day erica slaughter went to therapy, but good for her! (though she could definitely use some more…) i can’t wait for volume nine!

[Marina López · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5/5 ⭐️🙄

Cinco historias independientes sobre el pasado de Erica bastante decepcionantes. Sólo logras recopilar algunos detalles para entender mejor el comportamiento de la protagonista.

¿Me esperaba más? Por supuesto. Ni la trama, ni las ilustraciones están a la altura de los volúmenes anteriores.

Como es un volumen totalmente independiente, más vale saltárselo. Espero que la siguiente publicación sea más prometedora…

[Jeff Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 7” collects issues #36-40. These are standalone stories so this functions like a short story collection (which I enjoyed).

#36 - Erica hides in a barn while hunting a monster who has eaten some children and pets.

#37 - Erica hunts a monster in a big box store in front of some clueless employees.

#38 - Erica is found in a tree house by some little girls after a difficult mission.

#39 - Erica goes to therapy. There’s a great little tidbit in here about the utility of sadness. Sadness helps to remember.

#40 - Erica recounts a mission gone wrong and it’s traumatic fallout.

This collection was a nice change of pace from the longer narrative arcs. However, the repetition of our hero finding a monster and killing a monster started to feel like it’s getting a bit stale.

[Snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5/5

[Jake Kilroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One thing I appreciate about this series is that everyone is, by and large, rather sharp. Everyone at the Order has thinned, disparaging eyes for the world, and all the supporting folk who tragically come into contact with any of the Order's members have thinned, discerning eyes for them. While this collection is more or less a collection of vignettes that reveal Erica's reflection after everything's shook down quite bad, the scene with the therapist is one of my favorite of the whole series. It's realistic for both the real world and this extremely insane world, and it does a wonderful job of offering more of our protagonist while sticking to her tight-lipped existential nature. Plus, all the little stories interacting with kids are good, revealing fun too—even if they only happen because, goddamnit, something is killing the children.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love this series. This volume was a bit scattered and all over the place...but the last section was amazing and heartbreaking. I could have really enjoyed a whole volume expanding on that story. Still enjoyed this but it wasn't my favorite volume in the series.

[Jessie (Zombie_likes_cake) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this semi-excited to be back in this world (only 'semi' because I am not a big fan of prequels and looking back volumes, they are essentially filler that tell us things we mostly already know just with more detail. And that is true here.). Anyway, semi-excited I flipped the first couple of pages to come to a moment on page 5 when I shut the book again and threw it away from me to not touch it again for the rest of the morning. You see, a dog appeared in the story. Considering the track record of this series to do the most possible harm and to regularly commit the titular act, I didn't have much faith that the dog would come unscathed out of this story.

But I did continue, of course, and read the whole thing in the same afternoon. I'll stick by it: nobody needs these prequel stories. This wasn't a necessary edition to the universe, I literally didn't learn a thing I wasn't aware of on some level. But I liked it anyway. There's 5 pieces in here, all set at different points in Erica's past. I think what made them so engaging for me was often the framing/ difference to the regular story telling. Like I said, one featured a dog (and I am not going to give away the spoiler of what happens to the dog), the next one is set in a supermarket and in big parts told through the eyes of the present staff, then through kid's POV we find an unconscious Erica. Next Erica attends a therapy session and in the last one we are with her and Aaron on a park bench talking through some painful stuff. This volume anchors itself in emotions and not much in plot. I love this universe, so apparently being back with Erica and her monsters was a huge factor to let me enjoy myself as much as I did, but I do honestly think these were very compelling ways to tell these stories. If we need to go back, at least do it in interesting fashion (and they did)!

A lot of people are saying that this would be a good entry way into the series and besides the fact as to why in hell you wouldn't start at No 1 (?), I also think that would be a disastrous choice because I do think you need the context to actually feel the emotions the writers are trying to evoke. I think without the established universe there would be a lot in here that either wouldn't even make sense or couldn't stand out as meaningful.

Nevertheless I am disappointed that the for July announced Vol 9 seems to be a similar deal, again we will be going into Erica's past. I mean, is this George R.R. Martin? Do they not know how to continue? Honestly, I'd be fine with this having ended with Vol 7, that was banger and while it left the door open I think it could also have been it. But I am not sure I appreciate being strung along with fillers, even enjoyable fillers such a this one. Give me more of a story or let me move on.

[Anna Mick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really really loved this insight into Erica's past and some of her relationships. Normally I'm not someone interested in short vignettes the way this volume is set up but I think after many, many volumes of deliberately shadowy information about Erica's life it was a nice change of pace to get more insight into her history and emotional state.