# Something Is Killing the Children

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

## Publication history

Something Is Killing the Children was announced as a five-issue limited series by BOOM! Studios in June 2019. 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". In June 2020, the series was nominated for Best New Series at the 2020 Eisner Awards, which was Tynion's first nomination.

### Spinoff titles

In May 2021, BOOM! Studios released the one-shot Enter the House of Slaughter as a part of Free Comic Book Day. It functioned as an introduction to the series House of Slaughter, which explores the secret Order of St. George that forged Erica Slaughter into a monster hunter.
On December 28, 2022, the oversized one-shot Book of Slaughter was published. This was the first in the Books of Slaughter series, which focuses on Maxine Slaughter as she transitions from White Mask to Black. It was followed by two more installments, Book of Butcher on December 27, 2023, and Book of Cutter on January 29, 2025.
The short story, "A Monster Hunter Walks into a Bar," is currently being serialized in the horror anthology Hello Darkness. The first part appeared in issue #1, July 24, 2024.

### Art book

In December 2024, to celebrate the series' first five years, BOOM! Studios published The Art of Something Is Killing the Children. The book explored the creation of the seven arcs spanning issues #1–35 with creators Tynion and Dell'Edera interviewing each other throughout.

## Plot summary

Series synopsis from BOOM! Studios:
   "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."

## Awards and nominations

Award nominations for Something Is Killing the Children :
| Year | Organization | Award | Result |
| 2020 | Eisner Awards | Best New Series | Nominated |
| 2020 | Harvey Awards | Book of the Year | Nominated |
| 2021 | Eisner Awards | Best Writer | Won |
| 2022 | Eisner Awards | Best Writer | Won |
| 2022 | Eisner Awards | Best Continuing Series | Won |
| 2022 | Bram Stoker Awards | Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel | Nominated |
| 2022 | Ringo Awards | Best Series | Won |
| 2022 | Ringo Awards | 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 | 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 |
| #2 | October 16, 2019 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 8.8 by 13 professional critics | 24,644 |
| #3 | November 20, 2019 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 8.5 by 9 professional critics | 17,353 |
| #4 | December 11, 2019 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 8.8 by 7 professional critics | 16,079 |
| #5 | January 29, 2020 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 8.4 by 9 professional critics | 14,047 |
| #6 | March 18, 2020 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 8.5 by 6 professional critics | 14,365 |
| #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 | Data not yet available |
| #9 | August 12, 2020 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.0 by 7 professional critics | Data not yet available |
| #10 | September 9, 2020 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.2 by 5 professional critics | 20,000–25,000 |
| #11 | October 21, 2020 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 8.7 by 5 professional critics | 39,000–47,000 |
| #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 | Data not yet available |
| #14 | January 27, 2021 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.2 by 5 professional critics | Data not yet available |
| #15 | February 24, 2021 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 8.8 by 7 professional critics | Data not yet available |
| #16 | May 26, 2021 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.1 by 7 professional critics | Data not yet available |
| #17 | June 23, 2021 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.2 by 5 professional critics | Data not yet available |
| #18 | July 28, 2021 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.1 by 5 professional critics | Data not yet available |
| #19 | August 25, 2021 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.2 by 4 professional critics | Data not yet available |
| #20 | September 22, 2021 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.4 by 4 professional critics | 57,097 |
| #21 | March 30, 2022 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 8.6 by 4 professional critics | 124,002 |
| #22 | April 27, 2022 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.2 by 4 professional critics | 63,473 |
| #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 | 9.1 by 6 professional critics | |
| #37 | May 22, 2024 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.4 by 6 professional critics | |
| #38 | June 26, 2024 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 7.9 by 4 professional critics | |
| #39 | July 24, 2024 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.1 by 5 professional critics | |
| #40 | August 28, 2024 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.8 by 5 professional critics | |
| #0 | November 6, 2024 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | 9.3 by 4 professional critics | |
| #41 | April 30, 2025 | James Tynion IV | Werther Dell'Edera | Miquel Muerto | Andworld Design | | |
| #42 | May 21, 2025 | 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 One | Something Is Killing the Children #1–5 | Trade paperback | June 25, 2020 | ISBN 9781684155583 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Volume Two | Something Is Killing the Children #6–10 | Trade paperback | December 1, 2020 | ISBN 9781684156498 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Volume Three | Something Is Killing the Children #11–15 | Trade paperback | June 15, 2021 | ISBN 9781684157075 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Volume Four | Something Is Killing the Children #16–20 | Trade paperback | January 11, 2022 | ISBN 9781684158041 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Volume Five | Something Is Killing the Children #21–25 | Trade paperback | October 18, 2022 | ISBN 9781684158539 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Volume Six | Something Is Killing the Children #26–30 | Trade paperback | June 14, 2023 | ISBN 9781684159031 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Volume Seven | Something Is Killing the Children #31–35 | Trade paperback | February 14, 2024 | ISBN 9781608861484 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Volume Eight | Something Is Killing the Children #36–40 | Trade paperback | October 30, 2024 | ISBN 9781684156283 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Volume Nine | Something Is Killing the Children #41–45 | Trade paperback | Scheduled for July 1, 2025 | ISBN 9798892153683 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Book One | Something Is Killing the Children #1–15 | Deluxe hardcover | November 16, 2021 | ISBN 9781684157648 |
| Something Is Killing the Children – Book Two | Something Is Killing the Children #21–35 | Deluxe hardcover | May 21, 2024 | ISBN 9781608862184 |

## Adaptation

In 2021, a TV series adaptation was announced to be in development for Netflix with the same name. 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.