Something Is Killing the Children: A Monster Hunter Walks into a Bar is written by James Tynion IV and published by BOOM! Studios. Artwork is by Werther Dell’Edera, colours by Miquel Muerto, and letters by AndWorld Design. Main cover art (left) is by Werther Dell’Edera, with variant covers by Ben Stenbeck and Puppeteer Lee, BOOM! 20th Anniversary covers by Jenny Frison, and an Unlimited Variant Cover also by Werther Dell’Edera.
Something Is Killing the Children: A Monster Hunter Walks into a Bar is available from today, in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
A must-read companion to the award-winning Something is Killing the Children series—collected in full for the first time!
Originally serialized across six parts in acclaimed anthology horror series Hello Darkness, this thrilling one-shot gathers the complete story in one epic release! Erica Slaughter moves from town to town, hunting the monsters that haunt the night—but this time, the story isn’t hers alone.
Told from the perspective of those she saved, this haunting anthology explores the legend and lasting impact of the mysterious monster hunter!
Review
Something is Killing the Children: A Monster Hunter Walks into a Bar takes a thoughtful sidestep from the main storyline, offering an atmospheric dose of world-building that feels both intimate and unsettling. It’s not the action-packed, blood-soaked sprint we’ve come to expect — instead, it’s a slow, deliberate burn. A quiet slay.
This time, Erica finds herself in a snowbound town haunted by tragedy after a barroom incident turns deadly. It’s familiar ground for her — another remote corner of America, another monster on the loose — but this one feels sharper, colder, and more precise in its execution.
Originally conceived as a six-issue mini, I’m thrilled it was released as a single story instead. The pacing is tight and unrelenting — lean, tense, and emotionally charged. Split across multiple issues, it would’ve risked losing the momentum and quiet dread that make this entry so effective.
Here, we see Erica in full investigative mode. She works her way through the town, talking to the bartender, connecting fragments, and slowly uncovering what happened. One of the most haunting moments comes when she interviews a witness — and we briefly experience the horror through his eyes. Since most adults can’t see the monsters, the image of a child being dragged across a snowy field by “nothing” is bone-deep chilling. Another scene later on (no spoilers) mirrors this in a way that’s equally unnerving.As the mystery unravels, the small-town chatter begins to spiral — some whisper about 5G conspiracies and internet rumours, others suspect a cult, or wolves, or worse. It’s a fascinating echo of how we process fear and misinformation today. The story hums with the idea that truth depends on who’s telling it — a theme that feels both timely and timeless.
Verdict
A gripping detour that deepens Erica’s world while reflecting today’s fractured sense of truth. Chilling, clever, and perfectly paced — this standalone delivers both horror and heart.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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