Something Is Killing the Children
A woman with a machete standing in the wilderness with orange eyes peering at her in the darkness
Cover to Something Is Killing the Children #1 by Werther Dell'Edera (art) & Giovanna Niro (colors).
Publication information
PublisherBoom! Studios
ScheduleMonthly
No. of issues35 (as of December 3rd, 2023)
Main character(s)Erica Slaughter
Creative team
Created by
Written byJames Tynion IV
Artist(s)
  • Werther Dell'Edera
  • Giovanna Niro (covers only)
Colorist(s)Miquel Muerto
Editor(s)
  • Eric Harburn
  • Gwen Waller (assistant)

Something Is Killing the Children is an ongoing comic book series created by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell'Edera, published monthly by Boom! Studios beginning in September 2019.[1]

Publication history

Something Is Killing the Children was announced as a five-issue limited series by BOOM! Studios in June 2019.[2] In August 2019, ahead of the release of its first issue, it was announced that the series had been promoted to ongoing due to "overwhelming early support from retailers and fans".[3] In June 2020, Something Is Killing the Children was nominated for Best New Series at the 2020 Eisner Awards, Tynion's first nomination.[4][5]

Plot summary

Series synopsis from BOOM! Studios:[1]

"When the children of Archer's Peak begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. Most children never return, but the ones that do have terrible stories—impossible stories of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to see what they can see. Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. That is all she does, and she bears the cost because it MUST be done."

Spin-off series

House of Slaughter[6] is an original series set in the world of Something is Killing the Children, exploring the secret history of the Order that forged Erica Slaughter into a monster hunter.[7]

Book of Butcher is another series set in the same world, exploring Maxine Slaughter's journey from white to black mask. It was released on December 27th, 2023.[8]

Awards and nominations

Award nominations for Something Is Killing the Children
Year Organization Award Result
2020 Eisner Awards[4] Best New Series Nominated
2020 Harvey Awards[9] Book of the Year Nominated
2021 Eisner Awards[10] Best Writer Won
2022 Eisner Awards[11] Best Writer Won
2022 Eisner Awards[11] Best Continuing Series Won
2022 Bram Stoker Awards[12] Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel Nominated
2022 Ringo Awards[13] Best Series Won
2022 Ringo Awards[13] Best Single Issue (#20) Won

Reception and sales

Reception and sales for issues of Something Is Killing the Children
Issue Publication date Writer Artist Colorist Letterer Comic Book Roundup rating[14] North American retailer sales (first month)
#1 September 4, 2019 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.3 by 19 professional critics 33,648[15]
#2 October 16, 2019 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.8 by 13 professional critics 24,644[16]
#3 November 20, 2019 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.5 by 9 professional critics 17,353[17]
#4 December 11, 2019 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.8 by 7 professional critics 16,079[18]
#5 January 29, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.4 by 9 professional critics 14,047[19]
#6 March 18, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.5 by 6 professional critics 14,365[20]
#7 June 10, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.9 by 6 professional critics Data not yet available
#8 July 8, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.8 by 10 professional critics
#9 August 12, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.0 by 7 professional critics
#10 September 9, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.2 by 5 professional critics 20,000–25,000[21]
#11 October 21, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.7 by 5 professional critics 39,000–47,000[22]
#12 November 18, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.8 by 7 professional critics Data not yet available
#13 December 23, 2020 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.1 by 3 professional critics
#14 January 27, 2021 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.2 by 5 professional critics
#15 February 24, 2021 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.8 by 7 professional critics
#16 May 26, 2021 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.1 by 7 professional critics
#17 June 23, 2021 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.2 by 5 professional critics
#18 July 28, 2021 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.1 by 5 professional critics
#19 August 25, 2021 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.2 by 4 professional critics
#20 September 22, 2021 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.4 by 4 professional critics 57,097[23]
#21 March 30, 2022 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.6 by 4 professional critics 124,002[24][a]
#22 April 27, 2022 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.2 by 4 professional critics 63,473[25][a]
#23 May 25, 2022 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.3 by 3 professional critics Data not yet available
#24 June 22, 2022 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.3 by 5 professional critics Data not yet available
#25 July 27, 2022 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.3 by 4 professional critics Data not yet available
#26 November 16, 2022 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 7.8 by 4 professional critics
#27 December 21, 2022 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.5 by 5 professional critics
#28 January 11, 2023 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.1 by 5 professional critics
#29 February 22, 2023 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.2 by 4 professional critics
#30 March 29, 2023 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.7 by 5 professional critics
#31 July 19, 2023 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.5 by 7 professional critics
#32 August 16, 2023 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.9 by 5 professional critics
#33 September 20, 2023 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 8.5 by 5 professional critics
#34 October 25, 2023 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.8 by 3 professional critics
#35 November 29, 2023 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design 9.2 by 3 professional critics
#36 April 24, 2024 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design
#37 May 22, 2024 James Tynion IV Werther Dell'Edera Miquel Muerto Andworld Design

Collected editions

Collected editions of Something Is Killing the Children
Title Material collected Format Publication date ISBN
Something Is Killing the Children: Volume 1 Something Is Killing the Children #1–5 Trade paperback June 25, 2020 ISBN 978-1684155583
Something Is Killing the Children: Volume 2 Something Is Killing the Children #6–10 December 1, 2020 ISBN 978-1684156498
Something Is Killing the Children: Volume 3 Something Is Killing the Children #11–15 June 15, 2021 ISBN 978-1684157075
Something Is Killing the Children: Volume 4 Something Is Killing the Children #16–20 January 11, 2022 ISBN 978-1684158041
Something Is Killing the Children: Volume 5 Something Is Killing the Children #21–25 October 18, 2022 ISBN 978-1684158539
Something Is Killing the Children: Volume 6 Something Is Killing the Children #26–30 June 14, 2023 ISBN 978-1684159031
Something Is Killing the Children: Volume 7 Something Is Killing the Children #31–35 February 14, 2024[26] ISBN 978-1608861484
Something Is Killing the Children Deluxe Edition Book One Something Is Killing the Children #1–15 Deluxe hardcover November 16, 2021 ISBN 978-1684157648
Something Is Killing the Children Deluxe Edition Book Two Something Is Killing the Children #21–35 Deluxe hardcover May 21, 2024 ISBN 978-1608862184

Adaptation

In 2021, a TV series adaptation was announced to be in development for Netflix with the same name.[27][28] In February 2023 it was announced that Dark and 1899 creators Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese had been hired to develop the adaptation after Mike Flanagan had departed due to creative differences.[29]

Notes

  1. ^ a b The sale numbers are the sum of two different cover versions of the comic.

References

  1. ^ a b "SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN". BOOM! Studios. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  2. ^ "BOOM! Announces New James Tynion IV Series Something Is Killing The Children with Artist Werther Dell'Edera". comicbook.com. June 18, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  3. ^ "Something is Killing the Children is Now an Ongoing Series". previewsworld.com. August 20, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "2020 Eisner Awards Nominations". San Diego Comic-Con. 2 June 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  5. ^ "James Tynion IV on Twitter: "This is my first nomination ever at the Eisners. Some really nice news on a rough week."". Twitter. June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  6. ^ "House of Slaughter". BOOM! Studios. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  7. ^ "Something Is Killing The Children Spinoff Series House of Slaughter Revealed (Exclusive)". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
  8. ^ "BOOK OF BUTCHER #1 First Look". BOOM! Studios. 2023-11-22. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  9. ^ "Harvey Awards Reveal 2020 Nominees". Harvey Awards. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  10. ^ "2021 Eisner Award Winners Announced at Comic-Con". Comic Book Resources. 24 July 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "2022 Eisner Award Winners Include Multiple Wins for James Tynion IV, Barry Windsor-Smith". ComicBook.com. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  12. ^ "The 2022 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot – The Bram Stoker Awards". Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  13. ^ a b "2022 Ringo Awards – Ringo Awards". Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  14. ^ "Something is Killing the Children (2019) Comic Series Reviews at ComicBookRoundUp.com". Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  15. ^ "September 2019 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  16. ^ "October 2019 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  17. ^ "November 2019 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  18. ^ "December 2019 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  19. ^ "January 2020 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  20. ^ "March 2020 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  21. ^ "September 2020 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  22. ^ "October 2020 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  23. ^ "September 2021 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  24. ^ "March 2022 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  25. ^ "April 2022 Comic Book Sales to Comics Shops". Comichron. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  26. ^ Announced upcoming release date.
  27. ^ "'Doctor Sleep' Filmmakers Tackling Hot Comic 'Something is Killing the Children' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2022-04-26.
  28. ^ "Mike Flanagan No Longer Involved in Something Is Killing the Children Netflix Series". 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2022-11-27.
  29. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (2023-02-23). "Netflix Re-Ups Overall Deal With 'Dark' Creators, Duo Board James Tynion Comic Series 'Something Is Killing The Children' With Boom! Studios". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
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