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Something Is Killing the Children Reading Order, Explore The Slaughterverse

Launched as a five-issue limited series by BOOM! Studios in 2019, Something Is Killing the Children has since become a successful award-winning franchise with multiple spin-off series. Created by writer James Tynion IV and artist Werther Dell’Edera, this ongoing comic book series is about hunting monsters!

Everything starts when the children of Archer’s Peak begin to go missing. If some never return, a few resurfaced with horrible stories to tell about terrifying creatures living in the shadows. Those tales seem too improbable for most, but one mysterious stranger named Erica Slaughter believes what the children are saying because killing monsters is what she does. She’s here for that and won’t be stopped. But what will happen when the monsters are dealt with?

As Something Is Killing the Children explores the adventures of Erica Slaughter, her relationship with the mysterious Order of St. George who employs her, and her past, the spin-off series House of Slaughter goes further into the backstory with an exploration of the secret history of the Order. And the new Book of Butcher series is now exploring Maxine Slaughter’s journey from white to black mask.

The Slaughterverse Universe Series

As of Right now, the Slaughterverse is comprised of the following titles:

You can also explore the world of Something is Killing the Children with the artbook The Art of Something is Killing the Children features rare sketches and a collection of pages and covers, all curated by Werther Dell’Edera, the series’ co-creator.

Collecting Something Is Killing the Children in Omnibus & Deluxe Edition

The Deluxe Edition. Collect and read the Slaughterverse in a hardcover format:

The Omnibus Edition. Collects more issues in one volume with a softcover. 

 

The Slaughterverse Reading Order

The Archer’s Peak Saga. It all starts here. In a sleepy American town, children are going missing. The few who have returned tell stories of terrifying creatures lurking in the shadows. Erica Slaughter, a mysterious stranger who has just arrived in town, seems to be their only hope of discovering and eliminating the threat.

Me and My Monster is a flashback story telling the origins of Erica, and introducing some important characters for the next story arc. 

You can start The Butcher’s Trilogy here with the first part, The Butcher’s Mark, which takes place well before the events of Something is Killing the Children #1. This volume expands the lore by exploring the clandestine and perilous inner workings of the House of Slaughter, as well as the story of Aaron Slaughter and Jace Slaughter. Alternatively, you can read this volume alongside the rest of the trilogy after the next Something is Killing the Children arc (but not before!).

The Tribulation Saga. Erica Slaughter resurfaces to take on the case of a girl who’s seen a new kind of monster, one with terrifying implications in this new Saga. This is also during this arc that the first Books of Slaughter takes place. If you prefer not interrupting the stories with those one-shots, we recommend reading them all at once after Something is Killing the Children #0.

Finish The Butcher’s Trilogy here, taking place in House of Slaughter Vol. 3 and Vol. 5 (with Book of Butcher set between the two volumes), continuing Jace Slaughter’s story.

And if you ask yourself, what about the other volumes? They are part of The Colors Trilogy, following other characters and telling another story. So you can read them together, after The Tribulation Saga and The Butcher’s Trilogy. 

Flashback time! Explore the past before the milestone issue #50 that finally reconnects with the character present-day in the milestone issue #50, after the events of the Tribulation Saga and the Fall of the House of Slaughter, launching a new era for the series. 

To be continued…

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6 thoughts on “Something Is Killing the Children Reading Order, Explore The Slaughterverse”

  1. DocGonz
    Reply

    Hi! Amazing reading, thank you for putting it together. Just a smal detail, the issues listed as collected on the Deluxe Edition Book Two are wrong. It actually collects issues #21-35, which would be the full second arc with the flashback mini-arc of #16-20 being excluded and only being collected on Volume 4.

  5. Spider-Kev
    Reply

    Book of Cutter
    Enter the House of Slaughter
    Fall of the House of Slaughter
    Something 46-50
    A Monster Hunter Walks into a Bar
    Road to Slaughter

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