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Swamp Thing is Killing the Children #1
Not yet published
Expected 24 Feb 27In a world where the fears of children manifest into living, breathing monsters, this crossover brings one of horror’s most iconic characters straight into the Slaughterverse!
James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera, the superstar team behind the smash hit Something is Killing the Children, push the boundaries for the very first crossover story ever told in the fan-favorite Slaughterverse.
Two siblings who are life-long comics fans find their way to horror comics, in spite of the fears they inspire.
As the terrifying visions from the pages of the comics start to come to life, Erica Slaughter will have to hunt down one of horror’s most recognizable figures—Swamp Thing himself!
James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera, the superstar team behind the smash hit Something is Killing the Children, push the boundaries for the very first crossover story ever told in the fan-favorite Slaughterverse.
Two siblings who are life-long comics fans find their way to horror comics, in spite of the fears they inspire.
As the terrifying visions from the pages of the comics start to come to life, Erica Slaughter will have to hunt down one of horror’s most recognizable figures—Swamp Thing himself!
64 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 24, 2027
About the author
James Tynion IV
1,746 books2,233 followersPrior 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.
Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A loving tribute to comic book fans and Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing.
A pair of brothers coping with the recent death of their father are vulnerable prey for one of the monsters hunted by Erica Slaughter, a monster that takes the shape of what one most fears, say a green and looming character from one of the older brother's favorite "Mature Readers" comic books.
As a comic book geek, I was moved by the way comic books brought the family together. I wholeheartedly agreed with the way comic book logic was discussed and used to make perfect sense of this intercompany crossover. And I can't stop tossing chef kisses at the absolutely perfect title mash-up.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
A pair of brothers coping with the recent death of their father are vulnerable prey for one of the monsters hunted by Erica Slaughter, a monster that takes the shape of what one most fears, say a green and looming character from one of the older brother's favorite "Mature Readers" comic books.
As a comic book geek, I was moved by the way comic books brought the family together. I wholeheartedly agreed with the way comic book logic was discussed and used to make perfect sense of this intercompany crossover. And I can't stop tossing chef kisses at the absolutely perfect title mash-up.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This folks is how you do a crossover. It seemlessly fits in two both worlds. It's the creative team of Something Is Killing the Children doing the book and it is set on Erica's world. If you read SIKTC, you are going to want to read this. If you're a Swamp Thing fan, you'll dig this too. Really nicely done.
Read
October 29, 2026Did this crossover start with someone noticing the title pun? Almost certainly. But, providing a potentially dangerous precedent, it absolutely slaps, not least because this bumper one-shot feels like it has as much story as Something Is Killing The Children usually stretches out to...five issues? Ten? Meshing the properties together is easy enough: in SIKTC monsters take the form of things children fear, so all you need is a kid scared by his big brother's love of their dad's old proto-Vertigo comics* and boom**, Erica has the chainsaw out against a nightmare version of the big green lad. And given the way SIKTC can often feel like the moody art is carrying a pretty basic concept, that's where I expected it to end, but no – the team push past that into a love letter to the DCU in general, at least as it was, reminding us of the invaluable lesson that isn't just needed by snotty big brothers, but by far too many writers, editors, directors: yeah, edgy horror comics are cool. But so is Superman wanting to help, OK?
*Yes, these comics I read in singles having been bought by the dead dad is the scariest thing here.
**DYSWIDT?
(Netgalley ARC)
*Yes, these comics I read in singles having been bought by the dead dad is the scariest thing here.
**DYSWIDT?
(Netgalley ARC)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a great crossover, and just fun reading.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to thank netgalley for this ARC
This is such a fun crossover, and honestly, it was a great little read from beginning to end! If you're a fan of both DC and WIKTC, or even just one of them, I would definitely recommend giving this a try. It's a very quick read, coming in at less than 75 pages. My only real complaint is that I wish it had been at least 100 pages, because I think the shorter length made everything feel a little rushed. There was so much potential here, and I would have loved a bit more time with the story and its characters. Still, it's a fun crossover and absolutely worth checking out!
This is such a fun crossover, and honestly, it was a great little read from beginning to end! If you're a fan of both DC and WIKTC, or even just one of them, I would definitely recommend giving this a try. It's a very quick read, coming in at less than 75 pages. My only real complaint is that I wish it had been at least 100 pages, because I think the shorter length made everything feel a little rushed. There was so much potential here, and I would have loved a bit more time with the story and its characters. Still, it's a fun crossover and absolutely worth checking out!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙼! 𝚂𝚝𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚟𝚒𝚊 𝙽𝚎𝚝𝙶𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚢. 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗. This book was marked as Request on NetGalley and I'm so glad that I was able to read this book at the correct time. This book may include spoilers that will be marked with (Spoiler) tag.
𝚆𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔?:
Fans of Swamp Thing. This is a unique take on the beloved plant monster but with a dark twist.
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍:
- I'm so so glad I got approved for this via NetGalley. I watched the 2019 Swamp Thing and I was in love with thile series. I loved it so much that I made a horror Discord server and scheduled a live Halloween watch-a-long in 2025 with another Discord user. We were all Wattpad writers on that server and I was thrilled that the other attendee loved it equally as me. My main aim was to get as many eyes on the series because I like other fans of the show were devastated to see it end abruptly. When I stumbled across this comic on NetGalley old wounds reopened and I was instantly reliving the memories of my favourite DC Comics' superhero. I like how this comic takes a detour of what Swamp Thing actually is. From what I watched in the series, Alec was extremely kind to children— Susie, the fisherman's daughter and they had a supernatural bonding. I was very curious to see that this was taking a dark turn. For good or for worse? That you should read it. So this comic doesn't follow the TV series and actually follows other plotlines that are familiar with the story.
- The illustrations are so vivid and evocative. They are slightly brighter and more yellowish— not like the TV series but on the lines of it.
- Auggie is a yapper when he wants to strike up a conversation and a means donut when he feels like it. Olly, his brother is someone who cannot stop asking questions which angers Auggie. I like the way how the kids personalities shines through their conversations.
- I like how Swamp Thing is depicted here. A full page of his illustration against a lighted background makes him feel very dark and scary.
- I haven't read the comics and I don't know who Erica Slaughter is. But seeing her being badass and trying to provide her own tidbits of wisdom to Auggie was nice to read. Since Auggie and Olly were kids, Erica was the only adult who the siblings would rely on.
- The funny thing was that I love the way how DC Comics was promoted in the story. It was like watching an advertisement and the characters are constantly telling you to buy the same thing.
- I am not a comic book reader but I liked the mentions of Constantine, Batman and Superman in this series. The sibling rivalry around the second and the third characters was comical and well put I feel.
𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛:
The pacing was the only issue I had in this book. I wanted us as readers to sink our roots and absorb what's happening as a slower pace.
𝚆𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔?:
Fans of Swamp Thing. This is a unique take on the beloved plant monster but with a dark twist.
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍:
- I'm so so glad I got approved for this via NetGalley. I watched the 2019 Swamp Thing and I was in love with thile series. I loved it so much that I made a horror Discord server and scheduled a live Halloween watch-a-long in 2025 with another Discord user. We were all Wattpad writers on that server and I was thrilled that the other attendee loved it equally as me. My main aim was to get as many eyes on the series because I like other fans of the show were devastated to see it end abruptly. When I stumbled across this comic on NetGalley old wounds reopened and I was instantly reliving the memories of my favourite DC Comics' superhero. I like how this comic takes a detour of what Swamp Thing actually is. From what I watched in the series, Alec was extremely kind to children— Susie, the fisherman's daughter and they had a supernatural bonding. I was very curious to see that this was taking a dark turn. For good or for worse? That you should read it. So this comic doesn't follow the TV series and actually follows other plotlines that are familiar with the story.
- The illustrations are so vivid and evocative. They are slightly brighter and more yellowish— not like the TV series but on the lines of it.
- Auggie is a yapper when he wants to strike up a conversation and a means donut when he feels like it. Olly, his brother is someone who cannot stop asking questions which angers Auggie. I like the way how the kids personalities shines through their conversations.
- I like how Swamp Thing is depicted here. A full page of his illustration against a lighted background makes him feel very dark and scary.
- I haven't read the comics and I don't know who Erica Slaughter is. But seeing her being badass and trying to provide her own tidbits of wisdom to Auggie was nice to read. Since Auggie and Olly were kids, Erica was the only adult who the siblings would rely on.
- The funny thing was that I love the way how DC Comics was promoted in the story. It was like watching an advertisement and the characters are constantly telling you to buy the same thing.
- I am not a comic book reader but I liked the mentions of Constantine, Batman and Superman in this series. The sibling rivalry around the second and the third characters was comical and well put I feel.
𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛:
The pacing was the only issue I had in this book. I wanted us as readers to sink our roots and absorb what's happening as a slower pace.
October 30, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC!
I honestly do not have enough comic book experience to be taken seriously as a reviewer, but I loved this issue. Dell'Edera's style works so beautifully with Swamp Thing's design, the art itself much sketchier and brighter than the main run of SIKTC. The story gives the two main children space to grow into their grief in a very short amount of time. This is less of an actual crossover than DC giving SIKTC the license to use Swamp Thing's likeness (and maybe the character itself) in the Slaughterverse, which I liked much better than an universal clash.
I honestly do not have enough comic book experience to be taken seriously as a reviewer, but I loved this issue. Dell'Edera's style works so beautifully with Swamp Thing's design, the art itself much sketchier and brighter than the main run of SIKTC. The story gives the two main children space to grow into their grief in a very short amount of time. This is less of an actual crossover than DC giving SIKTC the license to use Swamp Thing's likeness (and maybe the character itself) in the Slaughterverse, which I liked much better than an universal clash.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I only just realised from the reviews that this is a crossover and tbh, I just went in blind like I usually do so don’t know the difference lol. Anyways it seems like a decent comic with an older and younger brother who partner up with the blond badass chick herself Erica. Honestly splitting into a couple of volumes of this kind of story just doesn’t do justice like I think it would be better as a whole story tbh.
Many thanks Netgalley and BOOM Studios for helping me discover this!
Many thanks Netgalley and BOOM Studios for helping me discover this!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a fun little crossover! I love the Slaughterverse so it was nice to get something else to spice it up. A very short story but it had an impact. It’s not easy to do a crossover with well-established series, but this was well done. The set-up was simple and fit well into the usual structure of the series. I’d love to read more creative things Tynion and crew can do with the universe.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Erica Slaughter defends two comic book-loving brothers from a monster that has taken the form of Swamp Thing.
I started this with some trepidation as crossovers can be pretty bad, but Tynion did a great job of showing how Swamp Thing could enter Erica Slaughter's world. And no spoilers, but the ending both surprised and delighted me.
Received via NetGalley.
I started this with some trepidation as crossovers can be pretty bad, but Tynion did a great job of showing how Swamp Thing could enter Erica Slaughter's world. And no spoilers, but the ending both surprised and delighted me.
Received via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for an advance copy of this graphic novel which marks a meeting between characters one would never think would cross paths, a creature of mire in touch with the green, a woman tasked with destroying the unnameable, a meeting that might mean the end of two grieving siblings, or something far worse.
As a long, long time comic book reader I will proudly profess that I hate comic book crossovers. Not the one's in universe, say Fantastic Four meeting the X-Men, in mean inter-company ones. Say Star Trek Meets the Planet of the Apes. For every oh that's cool, I raise you one Superman Vs. Spider-Man from the 1970's. Different universes, different companies have different ways of writing, of making their stories seem alive. Sometimes, unlike Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, two great things, don't go great together. As a long, long time comic reader, I will also proudly profess when I am wrong. I was wrong on this one. I didn't think this would be bad, knowing the creators, but I did not expect a story that touched me in so many ways. And thrilled me completely. Swamp Thing is Killing the Children is written by James Tynion IV with illustrations by Werther Dell'Edera and is a story about monsters, grief, anger, fear, and the power of comic books.
A family is still dealing with the death of their father, and husband. The mother is overwhelmed by sadness, and the paperwork that dying in these United States means. Two brothers, the older one dealing with the fact that he feels responsibility for the father's death can't handle he's younger brother's fear of everything. The youngest knows something is out there, something is watching, and a argument about superhero comics being for babies makes him leave in tears. Tears that call something to him. Something dark and evil. Something that Erica Slaughter has trained to fight, and to destroy. This creature though has guilt, and a power that Erica has never faced. A power of the green, and it might not be from the world that Erica knows.
I thought this would be ok, but more of a cash grab than an actual story. I love being wrong, and I offer my apologies to Tynion for doubting his skill, and more importantly his care about his characters. Tynion and the artist Dell'Edera are the creators of the comic Something is Killing the Children, a dark story about monsters, and a meeting with Swamp Thing makes sense. Tynion has crafted a story that focuses on grief, the guilt of surviving, the feeling of loss, and the fear that that the world is far darker than it appears to be. And how unfair the world is. The story is really good and even though it is short, is really complete and full of emotion. Tynion also shows a love of comics, and the power that these stories can have to help people deal with tragedy, and sadness. The art is excellent, with great clear characters, scary looking creatures, and hyperkinetic fight scenes. With a few panels at the end that pull at the tear ducts.
A really good story, a great comic about loss and dealing with it. A crossover that defies that standard of just making money, and moves the reader in ways they did not expect. I look forward to more by Tynion who is becoming a creator I am really enjoying.
As a long, long time comic book reader I will proudly profess that I hate comic book crossovers. Not the one's in universe, say Fantastic Four meeting the X-Men, in mean inter-company ones. Say Star Trek Meets the Planet of the Apes. For every oh that's cool, I raise you one Superman Vs. Spider-Man from the 1970's. Different universes, different companies have different ways of writing, of making their stories seem alive. Sometimes, unlike Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, two great things, don't go great together. As a long, long time comic reader, I will also proudly profess when I am wrong. I was wrong on this one. I didn't think this would be bad, knowing the creators, but I did not expect a story that touched me in so many ways. And thrilled me completely. Swamp Thing is Killing the Children is written by James Tynion IV with illustrations by Werther Dell'Edera and is a story about monsters, grief, anger, fear, and the power of comic books.
A family is still dealing with the death of their father, and husband. The mother is overwhelmed by sadness, and the paperwork that dying in these United States means. Two brothers, the older one dealing with the fact that he feels responsibility for the father's death can't handle he's younger brother's fear of everything. The youngest knows something is out there, something is watching, and a argument about superhero comics being for babies makes him leave in tears. Tears that call something to him. Something dark and evil. Something that Erica Slaughter has trained to fight, and to destroy. This creature though has guilt, and a power that Erica has never faced. A power of the green, and it might not be from the world that Erica knows.
I thought this would be ok, but more of a cash grab than an actual story. I love being wrong, and I offer my apologies to Tynion for doubting his skill, and more importantly his care about his characters. Tynion and the artist Dell'Edera are the creators of the comic Something is Killing the Children, a dark story about monsters, and a meeting with Swamp Thing makes sense. Tynion has crafted a story that focuses on grief, the guilt of surviving, the feeling of loss, and the fear that that the world is far darker than it appears to be. And how unfair the world is. The story is really good and even though it is short, is really complete and full of emotion. Tynion also shows a love of comics, and the power that these stories can have to help people deal with tragedy, and sadness. The art is excellent, with great clear characters, scary looking creatures, and hyperkinetic fight scenes. With a few panels at the end that pull at the tear ducts.
A really good story, a great comic about loss and dealing with it. A crossover that defies that standard of just making money, and moves the reader in ways they did not expect. I look forward to more by Tynion who is becoming a creator I am really enjoying.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
James Tynion IV could write a grocery list and I’d probably read it, so when I saw Erica Slaughter was going to meet Swamp Thing I literally squealed a little. I’m a huge DC fan and Something is Killing the Children is one of my favorite ongoing series, so this one shot was basically made for people like me. And honestly the title alone deserves an award, whoever came up with that pun should get a raise. The setup is super simple: two brothers are still trying to deal with the death of their dad, and the younger one is scared of pretty much everything, including the creepy old horror comics his big brother loves. In the Slaughterverse, kids’ fears become real monsters, so of course one shows up looking exactly like Swamp Thing, and Erica has to bring out the chainsaw.
Let’s be real though, this doesn’t move the main story forward at all. If you’re waiting for big lore reveals or anything about the Order, you won’t get them here, and that’s why it isn’t higher for me. But I don’t think that’s the point. This is a love letter to DC comics, to the dark Vertigo era stuff and to the hopeful Superman stuff too, and to how comics can bring a family together even when everything is falling apart. The way the brothers argue about whether superheroes are for babies or whether only the edgy horror comics are cool made me smile so much. As a neurodivergent person who has always used comics and books as comfort and as a way to process big scary feelings, that part really got me. The art by Werther Dell’Edera is gorgeous as always, a bit brighter and sketchier than usual, and his Swamp Thing looks amazing.
What surprised me most is how warm it all feels. It’s about grief, guilt and a kid being haunted by a monster, which is super dark, but it ends with this kind of optimistic, cozy aftertaste that I wasn’t expecting at all. There’s a little moment at the end that made me tear up a bit, I won’t spoil it. Is it essential? Nope. Is it a really sweet treat for fans of both worlds? Absolutely. If you love Tynion, Erica or DC in general, grab it, just don’t go in expecting it to change the main series.
Let’s be real though, this doesn’t move the main story forward at all. If you’re waiting for big lore reveals or anything about the Order, you won’t get them here, and that’s why it isn’t higher for me. But I don’t think that’s the point. This is a love letter to DC comics, to the dark Vertigo era stuff and to the hopeful Superman stuff too, and to how comics can bring a family together even when everything is falling apart. The way the brothers argue about whether superheroes are for babies or whether only the edgy horror comics are cool made me smile so much. As a neurodivergent person who has always used comics and books as comfort and as a way to process big scary feelings, that part really got me. The art by Werther Dell’Edera is gorgeous as always, a bit brighter and sketchier than usual, and his Swamp Thing looks amazing.
What surprised me most is how warm it all feels. It’s about grief, guilt and a kid being haunted by a monster, which is super dark, but it ends with this kind of optimistic, cozy aftertaste that I wasn’t expecting at all. There’s a little moment at the end that made me tear up a bit, I won’t spoil it. Is it essential? Nope. Is it a really sweet treat for fans of both worlds? Absolutely. If you love Tynion, Erica or DC in general, grab it, just don’t go in expecting it to change the main series.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I will admit I read this solely for the title, which is great.
Crossovers are hard to pull off. They are often formulaic (two good guys from different universes mistakenly think the other is a bad guy, so they fight for a while until they realize they are on the same side and team up against the true villains, one from each hero's universe, and then they all return home and things return to the status quo), so the story is rarely great. And sadly they often never have any real stakes (except for the WildC.A.T.s/Aliens crossover that featured major character deaths and greatly impacted the storyarcs of Stormwatch and The Authority). Because the companies can't depict the characters from the other company in their own ongoing series, crossover events are never mentioned again by either party, so it's like they never happened.
Swamp Thing Is Killing the Children manages thread the needle on all these common crossover problems. It tells a great story that fits into both universes perfectly (although this story will likely never be referenced again in the standalone universes, easily could be referenced). The plot is grounded in the Something Is Killing the Children universe, but the meta conversations about comics and Swamp Thing's appearance in the story are very much a tribute to the DC Comics universe. Even though you could argue that the good guys seem to fight and everything returns to status quo at the end (never to be mentioned again!) just like every other crossover out there, this story subverts your expectations just enough to make it the best crossover I've read in a long while.
I received a preview copy of this book from NetGalley.
Crossovers are hard to pull off. They are often formulaic (two good guys from different universes mistakenly think the other is a bad guy, so they fight for a while until they realize they are on the same side and team up against the true villains, one from each hero's universe, and then they all return home and things return to the status quo), so the story is rarely great. And sadly they often never have any real stakes (except for the WildC.A.T.s/Aliens crossover that featured major character deaths and greatly impacted the storyarcs of Stormwatch and The Authority). Because the companies can't depict the characters from the other company in their own ongoing series, crossover events are never mentioned again by either party, so it's like they never happened.
Swamp Thing Is Killing the Children manages thread the needle on all these common crossover problems. It tells a great story that fits into both universes perfectly (although this story will likely never be referenced again in the standalone universes, easily could be referenced). The plot is grounded in the Something Is Killing the Children universe, but the meta conversations about comics and Swamp Thing's appearance in the story are very much a tribute to the DC Comics universe. Even though you could argue that the good guys seem to fight and everything returns to status quo at the end (never to be mentioned again!) just like every other crossover out there, this story subverts your expectations just enough to make it the best crossover I've read in a long while.
I received a preview copy of this book from NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Despite that I didn't like Something is Killing the Children, mainly because of the pacing, I still think Tynion is one of the best current comic writers. I also love Swamp Thing, mostly Alan Moore's, and his connection to the Green. So while I'm excited I'm also skeptical how this crossover will handle Swampy.
This is not a multiverse clashing kind of crossover, it's strictly still on the SIKTC and could honestly even be considered canon. SIKTC doesn't really have a strict monster lore, it expands so this one-shot could easily work. There's also some meta about kid-friendly comics like Superman and the grimdark, nihilistic, or simply adult comics like Vertigo *wink wink*.
I got some nitpicks surrounding the DC lore like DC didn't have the "infinite multiverse" thing, it got the iconic 52 one… until quite recently. But it's fine, it's fine. And it doesn't really affect the message this one-shot wanted to say.
It's a great read and well-paced, the two characters in here really got a complete arc. I honestly wished that there's more Swamp Thing. Honestly if you love Swamp Thing or comics in general, I highly recommend reading this one.
This is not a multiverse clashing kind of crossover, it's strictly still on the SIKTC and could honestly even be considered canon. SIKTC doesn't really have a strict monster lore, it expands so this one-shot could easily work. There's also some meta about kid-friendly comics like Superman and the grimdark, nihilistic, or simply adult comics like Vertigo *wink wink*.
I got some nitpicks surrounding the DC lore like DC didn't have the "infinite multiverse" thing, it got the iconic 52 one… until quite recently. But it's fine, it's fine. And it doesn't really affect the message this one-shot wanted to say.
It's a great read and well-paced, the two characters in here really got a complete arc. I honestly wished that there's more Swamp Thing. Honestly if you love Swamp Thing or comics in general, I highly recommend reading this one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Two lifelong comic fans find themselves caught in a nightmare when the horrors from their comics begin manifesting in the real world, drawing the attention of monster hunter Erica Slaughter. In this first-ever Slaughterverse crossover, Erica must confront one of horror’s most iconic figures: Swamp Thing.
Having been a fan of James Tynion IV for a long time (though admittedly, I've fallen behind on a lot of his recent work), I was excited to see this wild crossover come to life. What I enjoyed most is that, at its core, this story feels like a love letter to comics and the hope, inspiration, and comfort they can bring to our everyday lives. Pairing the world of Something Is Killing the Children with one of DC's most recognizable horror icons is such a fun concept, and it's a crossover that comic fans won't want to miss. If you're a fan of Something Is Killing the Children and DC Comics, you'll definitely want to add this one to your pull list!
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studions for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Having been a fan of James Tynion IV for a long time (though admittedly, I've fallen behind on a lot of his recent work), I was excited to see this wild crossover come to life. What I enjoyed most is that, at its core, this story feels like a love letter to comics and the hope, inspiration, and comfort they can bring to our everyday lives. Pairing the world of Something Is Killing the Children with one of DC's most recognizable horror icons is such a fun concept, and it's a crossover that comic fans won't want to miss. If you're a fan of Something Is Killing the Children and DC Comics, you'll definitely want to add this one to your pull list!
Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studions for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In a first for me, I received an ARC for a comic issue. Thank you to NetGalley and Boom! Studios for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.
They finally did it: they did a crossover of two of my favorites: Swamp Thing and Erica Slaughter. And the way Tynion IV did it was pretty ingenious. I'm not going to spoil any of that for you here, but if you're a fan of either of these franchises... strike that... if you're a fan of badass characters, you should read it anyway.
Though this was missing the gruesomeness of Something is Killing the Children, it made up for it with some rather sweet moments.
If you're not on the James Tynion IV hype train yet, hop on, strap in, and hold on to your butts.
They finally did it: they did a crossover of two of my favorites: Swamp Thing and Erica Slaughter. And the way Tynion IV did it was pretty ingenious. I'm not going to spoil any of that for you here, but if you're a fan of either of these franchises... strike that... if you're a fan of badass characters, you should read it anyway.
Though this was missing the gruesomeness of Something is Killing the Children, it made up for it with some rather sweet moments.
If you're not on the James Tynion IV hype train yet, hop on, strap in, and hold on to your butts.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wow, this really did it for me. Swamp Thing is probably my favorite superhero and I've been reading Something is Killing the Children since the beginning, so this is an absolutely ideal crossover for me. The way they got Swamp Thing in there was really clever, too. It was also cool to see a different monster because Erica tends to fight the same type over and over again. There is definitely a big part of me that mostly loved this because of nostalgia, but it really was just a fun, solid one-shot. It even got me choked up, which is impressive because it's only like 50 pages long hah. Great book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was really good. Nice commentary on the importance of comics and why we read them. And the crossover between the DC universe and the Slaughterverse couldn't be much better. One of the usual monsters that Erica Slaughter faces takes the form of Swamp Thing, because a little boy is afraid of ST. Apparently, this is a fairly common thing in the Slaughterverse (though to my knowledge, this is the first time we've seen it--this could open up all sorts of potential crossovers--Aliens, Predators, Godzilla, the sky's the limit). I loved how Erica's handler was all excited ("You met Swamp Thing?!?"). Very fun book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a great crossover. It fits into both comic worlds very well, and the pacing works really well. While being a crossover, it is solidly in the Something is Killing the Children universe, and is probably best read by someone who already understands at least some parts of how things work. It also expands a little on how monsters are understood to work within the universe, or at least on the types of monsters Erica is finding and killing. Overall this was very solid, and I would definitely read future crossovers if any are forthcoming!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
November 1, 2026
In the world of Erica Slaughter monsters conjured by the fear of children can take any form, so it makes sense that they could take the form of something they were exposed to in comics or films, like IT, or, in this case, Swamp Thing. But that is just a cool aside, one that Gary is very jealous of. Yes, this is set before the untimely demise of Gary. Rest in peace Gary. What makes this story special is that it's about two boys who love comics and are coping with the sudden death of their father in a car accident. A car accident they themselves were in. The younger one veers to the more classic superheroes while the older one veers to the darker fare. They connect to their father through these comics, but the younger one's fears are amplified by his brother until Swamp Thing materializes. It's a wonderful story about grief and coping and keeping the memory of those you love alive. But what's more, sharing your pain with another and sharing your love and memories.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have become ADDICTED to Something Is Killing the Children, so you can imagine how excited I was when I saw this version! I LOVE the direction they’ve taken with the monsters in this story and how it opens up so many possibilities for this universe.
I love the storyline and the artwork in these graphic novels. I definitely recommend reading Something Is Killing the Children before jumping into this story so you have some backstory on Erica Slaughter and a better understanding of the world.
I LOVE James Tynion IV, and anything from him is an automatic grab for me. His work is always gold. And anything related to this universe will ALWAYS get 10 stars from me!
October 27, 2026
A Great Crossover!!
I never knew I needed Erica Slaughter and Swamp Thing in the same universe, but James Tynion IV delivered on yet another amazing story. Everyone’s favorite blonde demon hunter is in the hunt for a monster. (The start to many a classic Something Is Killing the Children story). This time however, a missing brother and a monster that seemingly has pulled a DC creature from the comic book pages. This story is a one-shot masterpiece. It fits well in both series either DC or SIKTC. Always excited to see what’s next with this series!
I never knew I needed Erica Slaughter and Swamp Thing in the same universe, but James Tynion IV delivered on yet another amazing story. Everyone’s favorite blonde demon hunter is in the hunt for a monster. (The start to many a classic Something Is Killing the Children story). This time however, a missing brother and a monster that seemingly has pulled a DC creature from the comic book pages. This story is a one-shot masterpiece. It fits well in both series either DC or SIKTC. Always excited to see what’s next with this series!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early access to this!
I liked Something Is Killing The Children (admittedly I haven't read it all the way through) and I like Swamp Thing, so it was fun to see a crossover of these things! Monsters as fears given solidity is a really cool way to incorporate another universe into the Something Is Killing The Children 'verse. The art is gorgeous, and the emotional core of the story about grief and choosing to try anyway despite failures and darkness made me choke up just a tad. Erica gets a chainsaw. Swamp Thing has a weird evening. Nice.
I liked Something Is Killing The Children (admittedly I haven't read it all the way through) and I like Swamp Thing, so it was fun to see a crossover of these things! Monsters as fears given solidity is a really cool way to incorporate another universe into the Something Is Killing The Children 'verse. The art is gorgeous, and the emotional core of the story about grief and choosing to try anyway despite failures and darkness made me choke up just a tad. Erica gets a chainsaw. Swamp Thing has a weird evening. Nice.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a short tale that was so much fun. It’s dark, gritty, and full of heart.
I loved the ending of the situation and the end of the story. Both were full of heart and reminded me of why I love comics.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
I loved the ending of the situation and the end of the story. Both were full of heart and reminded me of why I love comics.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Great read!! I feel like it is super short! Love that in the end the swamp thing come and help out before disappearing!! I wish there more!!
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book~
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book~
November 2, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Such a fun crossover! I love the Something is Killing the Children universe and this fit right in. I did like the extra little something at the end because I did not see that coming. I cannot wait to read more!
Such a fun crossover! I love the Something is Killing the Children universe and this fit right in. I did like the extra little something at the end because I did not see that coming. I cannot wait to read more!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
this was really good. definitely a little more family friendly than the main series (THIS IS STILL NOT FOR KIDS) but i like that it was a little heart warming and would definitely wouldn’t mind more of this swamp thing crossover.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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