Something is Killing the Children, Issue #1 by James Tynion IV & B.B. Free, Issue #1 by Gabby Rivera

Series: Something is Killing the Children, #1
# of Pages: 31
Publication: September 4th, 2019
Source: Library, Hoopla
Genre: Horror
Goodreads | Amazon 

GLAAD Award-winning writer James Tynion IV (Memetic, Batman: Detective Comics) teams with artist Werther Dell’Edera (Briggs Land) for an all-new limited series about staring into the abyss to find your worst fears staring back. When the children of Archer's Peak begin to go missing, everything seems hopeless. Most children never return, but the ones that do have terrible stories—impossible stories of terrifying creatures that live in the shadows. Their only hope of finding and eliminating the threat is the arrival of a mysterious stranger, one who believes the children and claims to see what they can see. Her name is Erica Slaughter. She kills monsters. That is all she does, and she bears the cost because it MUST be done.

Something is Killing the Children was a random pick for me. I've read a few other works by James Tynion IV including the Backstagers and the Woods. I definitely enjoyed both so when I saw that he was the mind behind this comic I definitely thought that I needed to check it out. First issues in comics tend to lay the groundwork for the rest of the series and this first issue proved to be no different. Something is Killing the Children focuses on a town that is dealing with the loss of several different children who end up horribly mutilated by an unknown creature/animal. Fortunately, a young woman who is known for slaying creatures comes to assist in getting rid of the monster terrorizing this town. I loved that she proves to be a strong female protagonist and it was also interesting that the actual form of the creature wasn't revealed until she came to town and helped one of the survivors cope with what he saw. This definitely had a Stranger Things vibe which made it even more creepy and enticing. The artwork was also phenomenal. While bright and inviting in some areas, it definitely became dark and gritty in the areas that were focused on the more horrific aspects of the story. I can't wait to dive into this the next few issues of this comic.

Series: b.b. free, #1
# of Pages: 26
Publication: November 6th, 2019
Source: Library, Hoopla
Genre: Futuristic, Fantasy
Goodreads | Amazon 

b.b. free broadcasts her underground radio show from her remote swamp community, and she has no idea she's actually the chosen one. It’s been over a hundred years since the Plague That Ate Greed wiped out half the population, and it’s the only world that b.b. has ever known. But when b.b. rebels against her overbearing father, she realizes that everything she believes in could be a lie. On the run from her own family, b.b. will learn the truth about the world she lives in, and about the power she never knew she had. Writer Gabby Rivera and debuting artist Royal Dunlap present an adventure for fans of Blackbird and “mysterious destiny” heroic fiction like Naomi about finding your family when the whole world is against you.

B.B. Free was a cover read for me. I saw it as a digital comic through my library's Hoopla app. It looked intriguing enough so I thought I would give it a try. I LOVED it. B.B. Free  takes place in a futuristic version of the United States after a plague takes out a huge portion of the population. B.B runs a radio talk show with her friend while attempting to convince her father that she can and should be more than just a "good girl." I loved that this first issue seems to somewhat possibly address gender roles and gender identity. There isn't necessarily much that is explained in terms of the plot in this first issue, but the reader can tell that there is definitely going to be some conflict between B.B. and her father. Towards the end of the issue, the reader discovers that B.B. may have some special abilities and this clearly is a problem in their current society. I loved, loved, loved the artwork. It was so bright and full of life and added the overall amazing nature of the comic. Like Something is Killing the Children, this is another comic that I'm looking forward to reading throughout the year.