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About Something Is Killing The Children Issue 36
Something Is Killing The Children #36 is written by James Tynion IV. The artwork is by Werther Dell'edera, the coloring is by Miquel Muerto and the lettering is by Andworld Design. The issue was released on April 24th, 2024. Something Is Killing The Children is published by BOOM! Studios.
Something Is Killing The Children Issue 36 Review
This thirty-sixth issue of 'Something Is Killing The Children' represents a turning point as this new story arc takes us back to before the Archer's Peak saga. Potentially front-loading the overall series with a slew of upcoming retcons. Ever the constantly evolving scribe, Tynion IV weaves this intricate web of suspense and horror that leave deep effective chills that'll gnaw at your childhood. Despite being a prequel of sorts, we're brought back into this world of nightmares made flesh, which is both jarring and haunting. Werther Dell'Edera's artwork, while already established, continues down this line of combining folk horror with middle america as the unknown can and will gobble you up.
Issue 36 introduces us to this concept of new shapes the obscuratypes can take on. Forming monsters that kill you at first sight. Monsters which aren't just brought on by the human imagination. But it's the juxtaposition of the day versus night in Miquel Muerto's dynamic colours that illustrate what can be achieved in both mood and emotion. Because fear can originate from the soul of those who stand on two feet just as it can our four legged counterparts. As you'll soon learn...
In the dead of night. Inside a lonely house somewhere in North America, a young boy by the name of Randy, moves around the house as his parents (if he has any) continue to sleep the dream of an old god that hasn’t slept in over 1000 years. Everything is still. Quiet. Allowing for Randy to easily rummage through the family fridge, picking up a few items, bagging them as he plans to head out into the deathly still nearby woods. The only sound, the family tv, left on and blaring.
The news anchor reads un-empathically written report of two children having been found, brutally mauled in Northeast Minnesota. His next item of business, a slate of dog killings, which is leading local police to the conclusion the culprit is a wolf, a bear, or some other explainable occurrence. The news anchor signs off with the report that parents are keeping the doors locked tight in this small, north woods community. An ominous warning that masks the sound of Randy’s porch as he leaves the comforts of his family home.
Randy jogs into the darkness and to a nearby barn. Cold, dark and afraid, Randy asks for Erica. Erica makes herself known from the darkness. She’s sitting cross-legged against a nearby wall, looking stoic yet contemplative as she inspects the bag of supplies Randy’s just handed her. Erica is relieved at the sight of cold meat and pain killers but almost disappointed when she pulls out a bottle of fizzy water. Emptying it, she hands the bottle back to Randy, telling him to go fill it with water out of his kitchen sink. Sensing a nearby presence, Erica demands Randy get behind her, a whimpering dog appears from the darkness of the barn.
Randy says it’s not his dog but probably the dog of one of the kids who died, Wally, or at least that’s what he thinks. Erica pulls out one of the pieces of cold meat from Randy’s bag, holding it out to the dog, coaxing it closer despite its whimpers. After finishing the piece of meat, the dog disappears again, returning with a puppy in her mouth. Plonking her lone puppy in Erica’s lap. Patting both the puppy and the older dog, she whimpers. As Erica holds this new mother close she realises the monster she’s after - killed this dog’s other puppies.
The next morning, Erica is walking through the woods, pondering the recent string of events surrounding this dog (and child) killing monster, as she tries to track what little trail the monster has left in its wake. Behind her, the dog from earlier on in this story who Erica has dubbed “Birdie”, makes Erica look deeper into the surrounding mystery. At how, although two kids have been killed, it’s mostly dogs the monster is hunting, prompting a call to Aaron Slaughter.
Despite Aaron being his usual asshole self, Erica pushes past the usual Aaron Slaughter ego, theorising that if obscuratypes (the monster class she’s currently hunting) can take on the fear of children then isn’t it possible that an obscuratype - which is hunting and killing dogs - could have been created from a dog’s fear? Aaron thinks this is ridiculous and says he’s not going to bother searching the archives to see if such an obscuratype exists or has existed. In his mind it makes no difference. If she can find the monster then kill it and move on to the next target.
Enraged by his refusal to help, Erica hangs up on Aaron, throwing her phone at a nearby wall. Cautiously, Randy, who overheard the conversation, peers his head into the barn asking if Erica is okay. She says that everything okay and asks him what the kid that died, Wally, was like as a person. Distracted and kicking his feet into the dirt, Randy admits that Wally was quite mean to him, leading Erica to ask if Wally was the type to ever hurt a puppy.
Heading back into the woods, Erica holds Birdie’s puppy close to her chest, barking at Erica, Birdie doesn’t want her to take her young one further in as that’s where danger lives. Erica crouches down, having this sweet moment, as she talks to Birdie reassuring her that she’ll look after the young puppy but that she needs both of them to draw the monster out. Accepting the convincing soothing timbre in Erica’s voice, Birdie follows Erica deeper into the woods. Soon enough, the lighting begins to fade as less light peers through the dense shrubbery, causing a sudden darkness to wash over Erica, Birdie and the young pup. Erica holds the puppy closer to her chest as it whimpers. With a certain shift in reality causing Birdie to growl at an unseen adversary.
Suddenly, a gigantic spider-like tripod descends from the heavens, shrieking at the nervous trio below. As it gets closer to the ground, Erica returns the puppy to a nervously-barking Birdie and orders her to run out of here with her baby. Raising her bandana to cover her mouth, Erica unsheathes her sword, and meets the monster in battle - making easy work of the beast by slaying it with little effort.
Covered in blood, Erica talks to herself, commenting on needing a shower. Interrupting her, Randy appears from the bushes holding Birdie’s pup in his hands and Birdie with them. Noticing the monster’s corpse, Randy asks if this means Erica gets to go home.
This invites a somber moment as what home means to her is a place where people you love, love you back and you can rely on. A place that Erica doesn’t have anymore. This saddens Randy but Erica quickly turns the conversation to the puppy in Randy’s arms. She tells him that because of what’s happened the puppy could grow up to be mean but if he gives it lots of love then this could change and it could mean it will have a long and happy life. Randy asks if he’ll ever see her again. Hoping she will but knowing if she saw again it would mean more monsters to slay, Erica replies boldly, she hopes she won’t ever see them again. Walking into the oblivion of Erica Slaughter’s next mission… whatever that may be.
What did you think?
I hope you enjoyed my Something Is Killing The Children Issue 36 review. What did you think of this issue?
Are you happy with the direction of this new story arc that James Tynion IV is taking us in? Is Werther Dell'edera's artwork still resonating with you after all this time?
Leave me a comment below or let me know on social media.
