Reviews: Something is Killing the Children #12
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer:Â James Tynion IV
Artist: Werther Dell’edera
Colorist:Â Miquel Muerto
Letterer:Â Andworld Design
Reviewer:Â Tony Farina
Summary
Time is running out for Erica to save Archer’s Peak, both from its monster infestation and from the occupation of the Order of St. George. Will Erica be forced to finally stop being a lone wolf and accept help from unlikely allies?
Positives
Something is Killing the Children #12, like the first eleven issues in this series, just lands on its feet. Take a look at that splash page up there. Go ahead. Go back and look. I’ll wait. Done? Go look again. Seriously. Werther Dell’Edera is magnificent. The panel sizes, the action, the decision on what to show us and what not to show us are all genius. I would LOVE to sit in a meeting with James and Werther as they hash out what each issue will look like. How much is James? How much is Werther? Do they just have a sense for it all? I think splash pages can be over used as a filler. What makes this book so good and this creative team perfect, is that they know how to use restraint. For example, look at this regular page:
Five panels, down the page, each one a bit thinner as the tension cranks up. They show us less and less, but the close ups show us everything we need. Look at the tears streaming down James’ face. The blood is on his glasses. His vision is being obscured by the blood, but he doesn’t even notice. They leave it to us to see it. So, so good.
Of course the story and the mythology of this world just continues to amaze me. I am reeling a bit from the realization of how much of this lies at James’ feet. It doesn’t, but it does. I don’t want to spoil too much more. Just, damn. Wow.
Negatives
Something is Killing the Children #12 is so good. I see no flaws. I see no holes. Brilliant writing with expert art, colors and letters. The only weak link in this issue is that I am somehow the one to review it. I am not worthy.
Verdict
Something is Killing the Children #12 blows my mind yet again. James the Fourth continues to dazzle with his storytelling style. The arcs are only five issues and instead of waiting for each arc to end to dump some new, mind blowing information on us, he just does it right here in issue 2 of the arc. Man. What a book. What a series. I just love it.
