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Something is Killing the Children (Single Issues)
Something is Killing the Children #5
The time for investigation is over. The hunt begins, as Erica Slaughter brings her namesake to the monsters of Archer’s Peak.
26 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2020
18 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
James Tynion IV
1,648 books1,997 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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
December 20, 2025
(A-) 81% | Very Good
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #1-5 can be found here: Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 1.
Notes: Read in trade paperback. Collective review for issues #1-5 can be found here: Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 1.
February 5, 2020
This is easily the best series I'm currently reading.
February 3, 2023
Well, this was absolutely excellent.
March 1, 2023
thank GOD tommy got his shit together enough to not make this worse than it was already (though i feel really bad that he had to see his sister all fucked up and ripped in pieces). the octopus is really suspicious, and i have no idea what the fuck is up with that golden room with the people and the face cover and the tattoos as well as the other plushies on the desk.
really, really weird.
also, the monster has babies. god no.
really, really weird.
also, the monster has babies. god no.
August 3, 2020
"This wasn't a food stash, it was a nest".
[Esta edição fecha o Vol.1 (TPB) da série]
Até aqui a história não trai o leitor, se mantendo fiel ao que foi construído.
E agora? Será que Tommy também poderá "ver"?
Quem será o "cara do celular"?
Além destas perguntas, descobertas são feitas, a loira Erica, mais uma vez, mostra ao que veio.
Mais uma boa edição.
Espero que continue assim nos próximos números.
[Esta edição fecha o Vol.1 (TPB) da série]
Até aqui a história não trai o leitor, se mantendo fiel ao que foi construído.
E agora? Será que Tommy também poderá "ver"?
Quem será o "cara do celular"?
Além destas perguntas, descobertas são feitas, a loira Erica, mais uma vez, mostra ao que veio.
Mais uma boa edição.
Espero que continue assim nos próximos números.
February 4, 2023
yessssss YESSSSSSSSSSS
September 3, 2020
Hello! Hi, how is everyone doing this week?
I am so excited for some more reading time this weekend. I am in the middle of some super interesting reads right now (Majesty and The Family Upstairs, which I can not listen to at night) and I can not wait to cozy down with both of those and maybe some of the other new reads I picked up this week! I believe I am almost done with this short graphic novel series and I am so excited to see what is going to happen next. I have been picking these up on Hoopla and I read through them pretty quickly when I am in bed at night or on a break but I am really enjoying this series.
SPOILERS AHEAD
When we left Erica she was in the monster’s den and she had an unexpected visitor. Now that visitor is trying to shoot her and accuse her of killing the missing children. However, things quickly change when the monster shows up and attempts to kill them both and matters only get worse when he actually tries to shoot Erica but misses and someone else who is definitely not supposed to be there gets injured. From there Erica, tries to focus her attention on the monster, however, she has to get the two other people out of here and hopefully all the surprises out of the way. In order to do this she must show the unwelcome visitor what she can see. She must show him the monster.
This was a crazy issue full of action and ups and downs. There was a lot I was not expecting and I want to see so much more of where Erica comes from (we got like the smallest glimpse and I want more). I did not want to give everything away about this issue because it is so far into the series but there was one crazy unexpected twist in here that I am super skeptical about. I honestly am unsure if this is real or if there is a catch to it. Additionally, what Erica said at the end of the issue about the monster has me intrigued and I want to know what this means! I am looking forward to the next issue and maybe some answers to all these questions.
Goodreads Rating: 5 stars
I am so excited for some more reading time this weekend. I am in the middle of some super interesting reads right now (Majesty and The Family Upstairs, which I can not listen to at night) and I can not wait to cozy down with both of those and maybe some of the other new reads I picked up this week! I believe I am almost done with this short graphic novel series and I am so excited to see what is going to happen next. I have been picking these up on Hoopla and I read through them pretty quickly when I am in bed at night or on a break but I am really enjoying this series.
SPOILERS AHEAD
When we left Erica she was in the monster’s den and she had an unexpected visitor. Now that visitor is trying to shoot her and accuse her of killing the missing children. However, things quickly change when the monster shows up and attempts to kill them both and matters only get worse when he actually tries to shoot Erica but misses and someone else who is definitely not supposed to be there gets injured. From there Erica, tries to focus her attention on the monster, however, she has to get the two other people out of here and hopefully all the surprises out of the way. In order to do this she must show the unwelcome visitor what she can see. She must show him the monster.
This was a crazy issue full of action and ups and downs. There was a lot I was not expecting and I want to see so much more of where Erica comes from (we got like the smallest glimpse and I want more). I did not want to give everything away about this issue because it is so far into the series but there was one crazy unexpected twist in here that I am super skeptical about. I honestly am unsure if this is real or if there is a catch to it. Additionally, what Erica said at the end of the issue about the monster has me intrigued and I want to know what this means! I am looking forward to the next issue and maybe some answers to all these questions.
Goodreads Rating: 5 stars
February 23, 2020
This series is so good, can’t believe I slept on it since it began this past fall.
March 28, 2020
Good but I would have like a little more evolution in the main plot.
September 2, 2020
This one was really action packed. I really liked this one!
January 5, 2021
Solid issue.
February 28, 2021
Uhhhh erm.
March 28, 2020
Dónde pago para que el próximo salga más rápido? Necesito la continuación!!!
Este cómic lo voy a usar para completar el reto del mes en el Challenge de la copa de las casas: protagonista femenina fuerte. Definitivamente Erica es una de las protagonistas que más me gustó al menos en esto de las novelas gráficas, que empecé a leer hace relativamente poco.
En el final del issue anterior nos cortan justito antes de toda la acción, algo que quise ver casi desde que Erica apareció por primera vez y es realmente una pelea violenta. Las ilustraciones hicieron de esta batalla contra el monstruo algo casi escalofriante y sin duda detallado, algo que me pareció genial. Tengo muchas dudas de cómo seguirá la historia pero estoy emocionada y quizás más que antes. Este final nos deja con la boca abierta prácticamente, esperando y esperando para ver qué puede pasar! (Y cuándo,pero que sea rápido por favor). Me encanta la valentía que tiene la protagonista, y los demás personajes. Por un lado Tommy,que no podía ver a los monstruos y ahora gracias a la inyección de Erica puede hacerlo. Por otro lado, no sé qué onda con ese pulpo de peluche! Espero que lo averigüemos pronto. Después, el nene se lleva el premio a la valentía, desde el primer momento que empezó la historia quiso involucrarse para descubrir quién está detrás de la muerte de sus amigos, y al final tenemos un súper cliffhanger, qué pasará luego?? Sobrevivirán??? Necesito saberlo ya!
Este cómic lo voy a usar para completar el reto del mes en el Challenge de la copa de las casas: protagonista femenina fuerte. Definitivamente Erica es una de las protagonistas que más me gustó al menos en esto de las novelas gráficas, que empecé a leer hace relativamente poco.
En el final del issue anterior nos cortan justito antes de toda la acción, algo que quise ver casi desde que Erica apareció por primera vez y es realmente una pelea violenta. Las ilustraciones hicieron de esta batalla contra el monstruo algo casi escalofriante y sin duda detallado, algo que me pareció genial. Tengo muchas dudas de cómo seguirá la historia pero estoy emocionada y quizás más que antes. Este final nos deja con la boca abierta prácticamente, esperando y esperando para ver qué puede pasar! (Y cuándo,pero que sea rápido por favor). Me encanta la valentía que tiene la protagonista, y los demás personajes. Por un lado Tommy,que no podía ver a los monstruos y ahora gracias a la inyección de Erica puede hacerlo. Por otro lado, no sé qué onda con ese pulpo de peluche! Espero que lo averigüemos pronto. Después, el nene se lleva el premio a la valentía, desde el primer momento que empezó la historia quiso involucrarse para descubrir quién está detrás de la muerte de sus amigos, y al final tenemos un súper cliffhanger, qué pasará luego?? Sobrevivirán??? Necesito saberlo ya!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2026
Holy bigger picture batman, that was such a crazy issue, and omg that octopus SUCKS! Right as we jump into this issue the focus is shifted to a very scared James waiting for Erica. He can’t help but look at a dead animal nearby and be freaked out with memories of his dead friends…that’s when the octopus, who is somehow out of the backpack, starts talking to James. It begins by calling James a weak child that should run home as the creature they are dealing with eats children. James tries to claim he isn’t afraid and the octopus talking isn’t real, but it leans into that. Claiming that he is right and this is all a nightmare that also gutted his friends, much easier to think that, right? All so he doesn’t have to face the fact that James led them into the woods and it is his fault he is dead. At this point James is crying and confused, how could he have stopped it? The octopus begins to call him weak and helpless again and claiming he has led Erica to her death now. James doesn’t want that, so the octopus tells him to do something about it, to take up some of the weapons she doesn’t have and to help her so she doesn’t die now. That octopus knows damn well she can take care of herself and is a manipulative little asshole.
As we jump back into the cave, with Erica held at gunpoint by Tommy and the monster looming just behind him, she tried to convince him to lower the weapon and walk slowly towards her. When Tommy doesn’t comply she tries to calm him down, but as the monster gets angrier she rips up her chainsaw and walks right towards Tommy, who is now freaked out and in an easy position for Erica to push him out of the way. Erica proceeds to start chopping and slashing at the monster, the only thing Tommy can see is the blood splitting from it as she cuts into it. Tommy can’t believe what he is seeing and suddenly takes the gun and fires it into the air where Erica is swinging. She tackles him, the gun is useless and is only making it angry. He still doesn’t believe it, there’s nothing there. And as Erica tries to get the fun away from him, Tommy knocks her to the ground and attempts to shoot her, accept she knocks his hand out of the way and instead the bullet goes flying right into James…who just walked in to try and help. Tommy’s heart just sank and Erica slammed a fist into his stomach and proceeded to run over to James, rip his jacket off, and tells him to be quiet through all the pain so she can keep him alive. The monster is blind but it can smell him so she threw his jacket off to the side for it to follow. Tommy is getting the wind back in his lungs as he walks over in confusion and duress, as Erica orders him to pull it together or James will die. Suddenly a little voice pops out asking for help, as a little girl with a scar across her face crawls out from the bodies. Her name is Bian and I think she is the girl we saw taken at the start of issue 3, but Erica didn’t know about her and she claims the monster ate her sister and she has been her a long time. Erica full plans on getting both Bian and James out of her alive, but to do it she will need Tommy’s help, which means taking drastic action. Tommy notices the ripped apart body of his dead sister and crawls over to her in tears, right as Erica walks up behind him, pulling out a green vial, that she proceeds to stab into the side of his head. She tries to warn him it will hurt and right before she stabs it, she mentions thats its “horde gold from the house of slaughter.” As it goes into Tommy’s head his eyes suddenly flash with visions of a room full of 5 people sitting at a table, all with similar masks to Erica’s except different colors and all having stuffed animals sitting in front of them. Their eyes gleam gold. And the older one sitting at the end has green eyes with the dragon symbol in his eyes, but his mask doesn’t pull over his face…it looks like the teeth are implanted. But there is a sixth person in the shot, all the people at the table have different colored masks from Erica, except one standing behind the table with a similar black mask. Hmmmm, is this the house of slaughter? Is Tommy now a slaughter? Either temporary or permanent, Tommy is now able to see the monster which means he can avoid it. Erica orders him to his feet and asks if he is strong enough to get James and Bian out of here alive…he can, and Tommy proceeds to carry both of them out with the promise from Erica that she will kill the monster and they can retrieve the body of his sister later. As Tommy runs out, it’s now just Erica against this thing armed with her chainsaw and the thought of burning her octopus the first chance she gets. Tommy is able to make his way to the sheriff’s car just as he was waking up, and he barely asks any questions as Tommy loads up himself and the kids in the car as they race over to the hospital. As the issue comes to an end, Erica walks out of the den alive and the monster dead to find her phone ringing. She opts to not burn the octopus, yet, but the voice on the other end is pissed and she immediately begins to justify her actions or they would have two more deaths. She starts ripping into the voice on the other end, they didn’t classify this correctly. That wasn’t a food stash…it was a nest and what she just killed was a mother. We now have a name to the voice on the other end, Aaron, and Erica informs him that the monster had children and those children are hungry, and of this town is going to survive they have to kill them fast. WOW, what an amazing start to the first volume.
As we jump back into the cave, with Erica held at gunpoint by Tommy and the monster looming just behind him, she tried to convince him to lower the weapon and walk slowly towards her. When Tommy doesn’t comply she tries to calm him down, but as the monster gets angrier she rips up her chainsaw and walks right towards Tommy, who is now freaked out and in an easy position for Erica to push him out of the way. Erica proceeds to start chopping and slashing at the monster, the only thing Tommy can see is the blood splitting from it as she cuts into it. Tommy can’t believe what he is seeing and suddenly takes the gun and fires it into the air where Erica is swinging. She tackles him, the gun is useless and is only making it angry. He still doesn’t believe it, there’s nothing there. And as Erica tries to get the fun away from him, Tommy knocks her to the ground and attempts to shoot her, accept she knocks his hand out of the way and instead the bullet goes flying right into James…who just walked in to try and help. Tommy’s heart just sank and Erica slammed a fist into his stomach and proceeded to run over to James, rip his jacket off, and tells him to be quiet through all the pain so she can keep him alive. The monster is blind but it can smell him so she threw his jacket off to the side for it to follow. Tommy is getting the wind back in his lungs as he walks over in confusion and duress, as Erica orders him to pull it together or James will die. Suddenly a little voice pops out asking for help, as a little girl with a scar across her face crawls out from the bodies. Her name is Bian and I think she is the girl we saw taken at the start of issue 3, but Erica didn’t know about her and she claims the monster ate her sister and she has been her a long time. Erica full plans on getting both Bian and James out of her alive, but to do it she will need Tommy’s help, which means taking drastic action. Tommy notices the ripped apart body of his dead sister and crawls over to her in tears, right as Erica walks up behind him, pulling out a green vial, that she proceeds to stab into the side of his head. She tries to warn him it will hurt and right before she stabs it, she mentions thats its “horde gold from the house of slaughter.” As it goes into Tommy’s head his eyes suddenly flash with visions of a room full of 5 people sitting at a table, all with similar masks to Erica’s except different colors and all having stuffed animals sitting in front of them. Their eyes gleam gold. And the older one sitting at the end has green eyes with the dragon symbol in his eyes, but his mask doesn’t pull over his face…it looks like the teeth are implanted. But there is a sixth person in the shot, all the people at the table have different colored masks from Erica, except one standing behind the table with a similar black mask. Hmmmm, is this the house of slaughter? Is Tommy now a slaughter? Either temporary or permanent, Tommy is now able to see the monster which means he can avoid it. Erica orders him to his feet and asks if he is strong enough to get James and Bian out of here alive…he can, and Tommy proceeds to carry both of them out with the promise from Erica that she will kill the monster and they can retrieve the body of his sister later. As Tommy runs out, it’s now just Erica against this thing armed with her chainsaw and the thought of burning her octopus the first chance she gets. Tommy is able to make his way to the sheriff’s car just as he was waking up, and he barely asks any questions as Tommy loads up himself and the kids in the car as they race over to the hospital. As the issue comes to an end, Erica walks out of the den alive and the monster dead to find her phone ringing. She opts to not burn the octopus, yet, but the voice on the other end is pissed and she immediately begins to justify her actions or they would have two more deaths. She starts ripping into the voice on the other end, they didn’t classify this correctly. That wasn’t a food stash…it was a nest and what she just killed was a mother. We now have a name to the voice on the other end, Aaron, and Erica informs him that the monster had children and those children are hungry, and of this town is going to survive they have to kill them fast. WOW, what an amazing start to the first volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2021
I’m in love with this series!
January 31, 2020
"The chilling and disturbing tale of monsters continues in Something Is Killing the Children #5. Erica Slaughter is good at her job. Her job is hunting and killing monsters. But even an expert such as she cannot plan for every turn of events.
Something Is Killing the Children has been a dark and distressing tale, one in which monsters greedily hunt down children. It’s a horror series through and through, and for many, has been exactly what we’re looking for.
This time around, Erica is hunting the monster that has plagued a small town, but there are a few setbacks. One of them had hoped to help, while the other hoped to hinder. Both added complications to an already dangerous situation. On the bright side, that makes for an interesting read for us fans."
Check out my full review over at Word of the Nerd
Something Is Killing the Children has been a dark and distressing tale, one in which monsters greedily hunt down children. It’s a horror series through and through, and for many, has been exactly what we’re looking for.
This time around, Erica is hunting the monster that has plagued a small town, but there are a few setbacks. One of them had hoped to help, while the other hoped to hinder. Both added complications to an already dangerous situation. On the bright side, that makes for an interesting read for us fans."
Check out my full review over at Word of the Nerd
April 22, 2020
So, despite still liking this I have notice, just with all things good, the plot is starting to unravel, not thicken. I mean, okay, yeah, it *is* technically thickening, but not in a good way? Or maybe it's good, but too played out. Like, I think I get what the author is trying to do and, honestly, I'm still along for the ride, but I also feel like it's getting pretty campy. The thing is, though, that I like campy, so, for me, it works. But I could definitely see how some folks might think this comic is just pure stupidity.
Also, gotta say, when the kid was like, "I'm gonna pass out now if that's okay." And the cop replied, "I mean, yeah, sure, that's fine," or something along those lines, I chuckled. We got award winning writing here, folks.
Also, gotta say, when the kid was like, "I'm gonna pass out now if that's okay." And the cop replied, "I mean, yeah, sure, that's fine," or something along those lines, I chuckled. We got award winning writing here, folks.
July 3, 2020
Did it feel like Godzilla (2000) in that it wasn't an ending and now we know the bigger threat is the children? Yes. Do I hope that it shifts further past this to the mother monster actually still being alive. Yes, but that is beside the point. I really did like this collection of single issues. Unfortunately my library only has up until this issue so I will be ending this series for now. I really do crave more from this story and wish I could know how it moves forward. I want to know more about Erica! I especially want to know more about the annoying nosey guy and what he's going to do now that he is able to see the monsters! I just the love the art of this book and felt that the pacing was really great, it was the right amount of spooky and suspense.
March 8, 2023
Finally got to see Erica in action! I’m excited to see this all animated. The suspense is so exciting and I love how natural everything about it feels. Tommy is now in the mix, whatever this mix might be and I can’t wait to find out more about these stuffed animals and the people with the teeth bandanas!
How do the things speaking through the stuffed animals classify these monsters? How did that knife thing allow Tommy to see the monster? And did it also allow him to see the people sitting at the table?
So glad I picked up this series and love every moment of it! The suspenseful intros still don’t miss a beat and I get so excited and frustrated at the same time every time the issue ends!
How do the things speaking through the stuffed animals classify these monsters? How did that knife thing allow Tommy to see the monster? And did it also allow him to see the people sitting at the table?
So glad I picked up this series and love every moment of it! The suspenseful intros still don’t miss a beat and I get so excited and frustrated at the same time every time the issue ends!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2020
Muito bom! O final teve uma vibe meio Godzilla (2014), mas gostei demais. E, pelo visto, Erica vai se juntar ao Tommy pra lutar com os monstros. Também deu pra ver o motivo dos olhos dela serem tão acesos, porquê quando ela “bateu” nele com aquela coisa os olhos dele ficaram um azul mais claro. Gostei, achei bem legal esse toque sutil pra diferenciar quem consegue ver os monstros.
Espero que a caçada dos monstros-filhotes seja boa, porque na minha mente já tá muito legal.
Espero que a caçada dos monstros-filhotes seja boa, porque na minha mente já tá muito legal.
May 3, 2020
Erica has her first encounter with the monster and we see it up close for the first time. It has abducted and murdered several children, but apparently the adults can't see it. James is guiltily following along, as he initially dared his friends to go out into the forest where they were abducted. Erica uses a chainsaw for her work, and communicates with a stuffed octopus. They are also shadowy figures guiding her whom we have not yet met.
February 8, 2020
We get to see Erica Slaughter woop some monster butt in this issue. Awesome!! Also Tommy can’t see the monster ( explained why in earlier issue) so Erica pokes him with something so he can. The glimpse of what we saw right after she does it was very interesting. Anyway, the revelation Erica made at the end has me excited. Can’t wait for the next issue.
March 9, 2020
Without question there hasn’t been a book this year that I’ve torn through more voraciously than Tynion’s horror masterpiece.
My only point of regret is that now I have to wait months on end for it to come back! :(
Good show, James. You’ve managed to crank out a truly unforgettable, original, and SCARY comic!
My only point of regret is that now I have to wait months on end for it to come back! :(
Good show, James. You’ve managed to crank out a truly unforgettable, original, and SCARY comic!
September 15, 2020
''I'm going to pass out now, if that’s okay.'' ''I mean, yeah. Okay.''
this comic has NO business being this good. it's so well written. every moment is perfect, the tension, the characters, the comedic timing... no single issue has been a miss so far. hope it continues like this.
brb changing my last name to 'slaughter'
this comic has NO business being this good. it's so well written. every moment is perfect, the tension, the characters, the comedic timing... no single issue has been a miss so far. hope it continues like this.
brb changing my last name to 'slaughter'
April 17, 2023
Erica finds the monsters; and the battle begins! This book keeps you on your feet, wondering where the next turn is coming - wondering what is waiting around the corner ready to grab you. James Tynion IV is taking time to lay down a nightmare 'foundation' to this story that I am sure is going to gain momentum and hit me hard!
June 3, 2023
2023 - 365 Days of Horror
Day 154: Okay, Tynion, you have my attention. It doesn’t seem like this is the end of an arc but I do see the story taking a turn to a bigger threat. I want to jump into the next issue but I have to read W0rldtr33 #2 and Monomyth #1 first so I can focus on the next five issues. I will be back!
Day 154: Okay, Tynion, you have my attention. It doesn’t seem like this is the end of an arc but I do see the story taking a turn to a bigger threat. I want to jump into the next issue but I have to read W0rldtr33 #2 and Monomyth #1 first so I can focus on the next five issues. I will be back!
July 9, 2020
Ohh I really love the art for this series, the chaos of this issue is strong but we got more insight to who knows what because those insights are still not fully explained. But I enjoy the mystery, although I would like for some small answers here and there to be thrown my way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews