Something is Killing the Children Vol. 6
James Tynion IV, writer; Werther Dell’Edera, illustrator; Miquel Muerto, colorist
Boom! Studios, 2023

The previous collection left Erica in a bad place: she had caught up with a Duplicitype monster, and realized that she did not know how to kill it; plus, the Order of St. George had sent an assassin from the British House of Cutter to kill her. Erica is seriously injured in the opening scene, and the situation looks hopeless. Riqui has taken her in, but the police want her to come in for questioning (with Erica, and her daughter Gabi). Cutter shows up and convinces the local police that she’s from Interpol. And the monster transforms itself into the thing it fears the most: Erica Slaughter. It’s all about framing Erica: first for attacking the police, then for killing children in Erica’s form. But she gets an unexpected ally, in the form of Cecilia of the House of Slaughter. In the meantime, she hatches a plan to kill the monster: and the monster does some killing while wearing her form.

Dark Ride Volume 2: Family Horror
Joshua Williamson, writer; Andrei Bressan, artist; Adriano Lucas, colorist
Image Comics, 2023

This installment is built around two narrative threads. The first is a flashback (again told mainly in black & white) telling the dark story of founder Arthur Dante and his second wife Rebecca. She is basically forced to give birth to their two children, despite medical difficulties with the delivery, and Arthur converses with the invisible demonic entity. The demon says “We had a deal,” and he responds “She’s the one. I know it…she’ll give us what we need…” In the present Samhain drops the charges against Summer, taking her from the police station to the amusement park to investigate her charges about the dark history of the place. That history finally hits home as Samain’s daughter is kidnapped by the Devil Land devil mascots, who say they need a blood sacrifice. Quite a cliffhanger!

The Lonesome Hunters: Volume One
Tyler Crook
Dark Horse Books, 2023

Tyler Crook is a well-established horror artist, having worked on Mike Mignola and John Arcudi’s B.P.R.D.: Hell on Earth and co-created Harrow County with writer Cullen Bunn (he also wrote a few short stories in the series). This series is his debut as sole creator: script, art, and lettering. The story begins with Howard, who was given a stolen magic sword. When he failed to use it against a demon, it granted him long (maybe eternal) life; this story begins 100 years later. He becomes entangled with Lupe, who has a stolen watch, and magpies want it back. The magpies are organized, and they have a queen. Howard has a plan to return the stolen watch, but the birds want the sword as well. Howard’s friend Tina is actually on the Church’s side, not his; and the demon from whom the sword was stolen knows that it has been found. There are some common horror tropes here (especially the cult-like secret society), but Crook has created a fresh new magical world. It looks like only the beginning of a dark and mysterious tale, to be continued.