A Dark Twist in Something is Killing the Children #11
The terrible tale of monsters hunting in one small town continues in Something is Killing the Children #11. Despite Erica Slaughter’s best efforts (She didn’t get that name for nothing!), the monsters are still rampaging.
That means the children in this town are very much in danger. Worse, those in charge are noticing the lack of control, which can only spell further disasters down the line. Disasters of the human variety, this time around. Damage control isn’t always so kind, as it turns out.
In the past few issues, Erica has made multiple last-ditch attempts to keep Archer’s Peak safe, even going against one of her own. Now, she’s down to the very last, and probably worst, options available to her.
Writing
Something is Killing the Children #11 is a dark and disturbing issue, much like the rest of the series. That in itself isn’t a surprise, not at this point. What is surprising is how those in the town react to what is happening.
This issue, written by James Tynion IV, continues to portray a growing group of monsters. As you might imagine, that can get pretty…graphic pretty quickly. The real question is, how far will this organization of Erica’s go to keep all that quiet?
Somehow, this series has begun to weave politics into a tale that had been a pretty clear-cut horror story. It’s impressive, and it is going to add depth and longevity to the series. More than simple carnage could ever do.
Another impressive feat for this issue has to be the sheer amount of horror and emotion portrayed. The characters are raw and hurting, even those who have seen worse. It’s…harrowing, to say the least.
Art
That iconic art style is back in Something is Killing the Children #11. While the series has no fear of getting dark (or gory, for that matter), this aesthetic is still unique to the series. It makes it stand out among the rest of the horror series.
Werther Dell’Edera’s artwork is heavily stylized, and that is why Erica Slaughter looks so…striking. Her look is just one of many iconic features in the series, alongside the design of the monsters and their preferred food.
The colors provided by Miquel Muerto are bold and feel dangerous. The heavy use of red and black goes a long way here and makes any other color pop out in stark contrast. Its brightness may not be expected for a horror series, but it is shockingly effective here.
Finally, Andworld Design provided the lettering, and it is understated work, to say the least. The lettering merges all elements together, weaving the story into the artwork in flawless fashion.
Conclusion
Something is Killing the Children #11 is another memorable addition to this already haunting series. Somehow, the horror and emotional toll of everything that has happened continues to increase, reaching a peak.
All while leaving a strong impression that the worst is yet to come. For that theory to be confirmed, we’ll have to wait another month to find out.
This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.
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