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Something is Killing the Children is an indie horror comic written by James Tynion IV who is known for writing Batman. The comic is published by Boom! Studios with artwork by Werther Dell'Edera and coloring by Miquel Muerto.
Something is Killing the Children Volume 2 picks up right after the end of the first one. Erica has taken down the monster, the sheriff is in shock, James has been shot and Tommy is trying to process things. The town of Archer's Peak has never looked so dismal.
Warning: Mild spoilers ahead.
Something is Killing the Children Volume 2 delivers a tense story
With the second volume, Something is Killing the Children starts picking up pace and we learn more about the world. It had a surprisingly good amount of worldbuilding and introduced the new organization, House of Slaughter. There are details about how they operate but the information was not overwhelming.
The exposition was kept to a minimum which I appreciated and there were hardly any dull moments. If you are a fan of Erica Slaughter, you will be hooked because she undertakes one adventure after another. Her story is fleshed out in this volume. We learn her backstory and understand why she is doing what she is doing. In many ways, it was heartbreaking to read. Her character is complex and compelling because she is still coming to terms with losing her parents dying at a young age, and then living with the monster that killed them because he is trapped in her favorite toy.
James, for the most part, is restricted to a bed since he was shot in the last volume, but even his little arc here has a great payoff. Tommy also undergoes necessary character development.
Sheriff Cavanaugh and Aaron play significant roles in this volume. Aaron, especially, is an intrguing addition because of his complicated dynamic with Erica and their differing attitudes towards the House of Slaughter. As a character, he was enjoyable to read about and he propelled Erica's character growth. However, I felt no affection for him.
The story centers around the town discovering the bodies which are then sent for identification. We learn that the children of the monsters are still out there and will start wreaking havoc. We get to witness all of it, and I have to say that the second half of this volume was extremely tense. The stakes were high and the volume took a dark turn with the House making its priorities clear.
Something is Killing the Children Volume Two improves upon the first and the story remains just as engrossing.
Note: This article reflects the author's views.
