Sh*t has hit the proverbial fan in Something is Killing the Children #11. Erica Slaughter’s plan to stop the monsters from eating another kid in Archer’s Peak has failed. To make matters worse, the mysterious Order of St. George is looking to eradicate the town altogether. With the deck stacked against her, can Erica kill the creatures and restore order before it’s too late? Your guess is as good as mine.
James Tynion IV delivers another masterful entry into what is fast becoming a horror comic classic. It’s very rare to see kids get killed in a comic book, but you have to admit he does it so well. In Something is Killing the Children #11, our main protagonist Erica Slaughter is trapped in a school gymnasium. Her main objective: sneak out with monster survivor Jamie so she can use him to lure the creatures in to kill them. Of course, nothing goes to plan and that’s what drives the tension for the reader.
While Erica tries to figure out her dilemmas, we are treated to another glimpse of the Order of St. George and the Old Dragon. We don’t get any origins, but we do learn that their intentions for Archer’s Peak are purely personal. It’ll be interesting to see their actions as the story progresses. It kind of reminds you of the current ongoing negotiations with our own government.
Aside from that, this issue does an incredible job of taking the reader on a suspenseful ride from start to finish. The only thing that would have made it even more nerve-racking would have been a clock counting down in the corner of each panel. In terms of the writing, it’s very focused, in control, and knows where the story’s headed. Even small details like Tommy being able to see the monsters is utilized nicely by keeping an eye out in the gym while Erica tries to sneak away with Jamie.
In regards to the imagery, Dell’Edera makes this story feel like you’re watching a TV series more so than a comic. He always makes sure there is very minimal dialogue on panels where someone dies or is in danger. This helps to highlight the severity of any given situation the characters are in. This in turn makes sure the illustrations never feel overdone or forced.
Something is Killing the Children #11 slowly closes the walls around our heroes and makes things look very grim in a great setup for the next issue. For the variant collectors out there there are some terrific special covers to look out for as well. Snatch your copy before they sell out. Fantastic book!
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