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hagwife's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Volume 6 does not disappoint and I can't wait for Volume 7!
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Violence, Blood, Cursing, Death, Child death, and Body horror
steveatwaywords's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I should say, too, that I generally like Tynion's works, especially his horror stuff, for its original conception and decent character design. So in some ways, I am comparing Something is Killing the Children to his darker DC stuff, The Woods, Nice House on the Lake, and The Department of Truth.
I know that this series is routinely given great praise by critics and fans. Even so, my strengths and flaws from the first three volumes are here in these works with minor variations: largely, the stories are quite gory (and since many victims are children, not for the meek) and, unfortunately, this is the focus of the horror, kind of a one-trick pony. Because this is not wholly sustainable across the series, then, Tynion offers us the major sub-plot (really enhanced in this series) of a secret cabal of monster hunters and the amoral politics which drives it. Our hero, Erica, of course, sits apart from its corruption, which makes her a kind of horror-noir lone gunman for America monster-hunting. It's an interesting idea (especially since she is not emotionally whole, either). Like King's Gunslinger series, a lot of the best action in Tynion mirrors the duller sequences of storytelling in King. And, like a decent George R R Martin, Tynion makes no promises which characters will survive any scene. I should note, too, that the artwork by Dell'Edera and Muerto is startlingly good.
Overall, this storyline is more developed in the political intrigue, but often at the cost of the monster lore. Our most terrifying monster yet, especially in its last incarnation, is given precious few frames of development or interest. Mindless and ruthless, it appears in order to squash or be squashed. Tynion allows the artwork to carry this horror. So much for the monster-hunting. And this will explain why the entire Volume 7 is mostly given to action-based silent boss-battles.
Even so, Tynion's best volume is probably the 4th, the "interim" series which looks back at Erica's backstory and initiation and helps us see the relationships she has built and will grow. We learn more, too, about the toy totems the hunters carry and some of the motivations between competing schools in the secret society. But . . . and this is a big but for me, a lot of it has all the import of learning why Han Solo has fuzzy dice on the Millennium Falcon. Just because we can create back stories and answer plot-level questions about the "How-did-this-happen?" and "What-happens-to-character-x?" doesn't mean that we automatically have good story or good writing. At its base, and at its summit, the "Something is Killing" series is a solid horror-action story with visually fascinating characters. And if that's all you're looking for--you don't want to ask questions about child death, about the nature of horror, or even the lore of psychological projection and daemon/demon guides, all within easy reach of the storyteller--you will be satisfied.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
ellornaslibrary's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Violence, and Child death
Moderate: Terminal illness, Grief, and Pregnancy
beltaine76's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Violence, and Blood
swimfast724's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I definitely liked the previous setting and story arc better than this one.
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death of parent, Cursing, Murder, Blood, Child death, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Terminal illness, Body horror, Cancer, Gun violence, Police brutality, Medical trauma, and Cannibalism
kell_xavi's review
4.0
While Erica has a conviction and compassion from the start that doesn’t allow much room for development issue to issue, Tynion and Dell’edera have brought in other players around her whose anger, innocence, fear, courage, loyalty and love make for a dynamic work. Riqui and Gabi aren’t the kind of people I’d want to watch a movie about, or would be friends with, but they’re who Erica needs right now. This brutal story shows them in a light that few others would, which is one of the fascinations of horror, I think.
It also creates a separation between horrifying people, and people who fight horror from inside its clutches. Dell’edera shows Erica’s many cuts and scars, her hero’s instinct that may, when the stakes are this high, be foolhardy—but that never fails, and reassures us all. Looking forward to the conclusion of this story, especially considering Cecelia’s conversation with the Dragon…
Graphic: Child death, Blood, Gore, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer
indeedithappens's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Terminal illness, Cancer, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Stalking, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcohol, Child death, Abandonment, Sexism, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Grief, and Gun violence