Octo leads Gabi to the monster. Can Erica find her in time to save her, and how soon will Cutter be able to find Erica? Find out in Something is Killing the Children #25 from BOOM! Studios.

SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #25

Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Werther Dell’Edera
Colorist: Miquel Muerto
Letterer: Andworld Design
Editor: Eric Harburn
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 27, 2022

Previously in Something is Killing the Children: The monster in Tribulation, a Duplicitype, continues its killing spree. Gabi sneaks back to where her family died and gathers up some of her things as well as just…remembering. She also finds Octo, left where Erica dropped him, and he talks to her. Riqui cannot reach Gabi by phone and texts Sheriff Carter. Erica visits her bar and asks about her. Riqui recognizes her as the woman Gabi saw. Erica claims to be a reporter, but Riqui is skeptical. At the House of Slaughter, the Dragon and Cecilia talk to Cutter about Erica and Cutter realizes she must have a person on the inside helping her locate monsters.

DESPERATE FOR ALLIES

Something is Killing the Children #25 opens as Cutter is being driven to someplace outside of Chicago. Her driver is a White Mask, and she questions her about Erica, about Aaron, about the lack of Black Masks. Then she comments about how nice it must be to be a White Mask and to have a pack. Cutter jumps around with her questions, ferreting out information and not making it easy to figure out what she really wants to know.

Back in Tribulation, Gabi talks to Octo, or he talks to her, mainly about seeing monsters and how frustrating it must be not to be able to talk with anyone about them. He offers to lead her to the monster. Her prickly nature asserts itself and she demands to know why she should believe him. She is open to the fact that she might have gone crazy. But Octo is persistent and manipulative, talking to her about revenge and letting he know that it is still close.

Erica asks Riqui for her help in communicating with Gabi. Gabi will not listen to her. Gabi does not listen to Riqui either. Erica is forced to explain that the serial killer is not exactly human. Gabi knows this and has seen it, and she could be used to get the monster where they can get it. It is a strange ask which clearly puts the young girl in danger.

Riqui’s phone rings, and it is Gabi checking in with her. She says she is going out following a stuffed octopus to see some dead bodies. If she is actually having a psychotic break, she wanted someone to know. Erica hears mention of a stuffed octopus and demands the phone. She warns Gabi not to listen to Octo. Gabi hangs up. She asks Octo if he is a bad octopus, and he admits that he is.

Erica springs into action. She needs to know if there are any nearby hot springs, and she needs Riqui to drive her there. She does not need Riqui to believe her, she just needs her to go along because there is a chance that they can keep Gabi from being killed.

Following Octo’s directions, Gabi does find the monster. But when she asks him how they are supposed to kill it, he falls silent. It starts to get closer and closer. Then Erica arrives, followed by Riqui. Riqui tries to pull Gabi away, but she will not go. Erica cannot kill the monster, but she drives it off. Her arm is badly wounded. As Riqui drives her to the hospital, she gets a call from Big Gary.

At least her phone says it is Big Gary, but the voice on the other end of the call is Cutter’s.

THE CRUELTY OF MONSTERS

The art of Something is Killing the Children #25 nails the horror and the emotions that go along with it. The Duplicitype is pure nightmare fodder, especially if body horror creeps you out. Its overall form is humanoid and thankfully it wears pants. But it has gaping mouths in unusual places and an enormous single eye across its stomach. The way it moves is unnatural. Its joints look like they are not connected tightly. To top it off, its feet scuffing across the ground make a weird shuffling sound.

As horrible as the Duplicitype is, it is not the only monster in the book. We previously have seen moments of what Cutter is like. Finally, we get to see her in action. Getting into people’s heads is second nature to her. She is so committed to her job as a hunter that she seems on all the time. She knows no limits, and she was able to overpower Big Gary. If we were not already sure she is bad to the bone, she kicks his dogs. Through all of this she has a tight smirk on her face. We can see this and know what she is like. Erica is only just getting to know her. She must feel a little like Riqui did when watching a fight with a monster she could not see.

BOTTOM LINE: THE FIGHT OF HER LIFE

Something is Killing the Children #25 is horrifying and well-written. The stakes are big to begin with, but they are blown out of the water by letting Cutter loose. Tense does not even come close to describing the gut-punch that is this book.

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