Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Something is Killing the Children Vol. 6 by James Tynion IV

5 reviews

billyjepma's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A very solid series continues to be a very, very solid series. Despite being one of the less "big push" books that Tynion has/is putting out, I think it's becoming his best ongoing work. The plotting is so strong, the worldbuilding is growing at the perfect tempo, and I'm surprisingly into Erica Slaughter as a character despite starting the series ambivalent toward her. This particular arc having a slightly larger ensemble also works for me, especially since it gives an intentionally obtuse character like Erica some other personalities to play off of. I know Tynion likes his large casts, but I think he's at his best when they're on a smaller scale like this. My one gripe is how abruptly each volume ends—the 15-issue story arc structure works narratively, but as a release strategy, it chops up the pacing. I'm not sure what the solution is, but right now, I usually wait over a year for all the issues in an arc to come out before I read any of them. 

But hey, I'm not opposed to the series being a yearly treat I can look forward to because it really is a fun, pulpy, exciting book to pick up. Dell'Edera's art is only getting better, too. He's doing some of my favorite layouts in an ongoing series right now, and I love how cinematic he frames each scene. Everything from action to horror to dialogue has a visual tempo that makes the pages fly by. I feel similarly about Muerto's colors, which have received a major boost from the daytime setting of these last several volumes. The darker pages are good, but I love some sunlit horror, and this book has the goods in that category. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, and Violence

Minor: Death of parent and Lesbophobia

robinks's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

LOVE the queer women representation, but it always feels a bit icky when the creators of the series are all men.

I really like the newer characters and what they add to the story. I’m so glad I have the next volume already because it seems like a bunch of things are about to happen!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Animal death, Racism, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

swimfast724's review

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Good but not much happened in this issue. Just exactly what I thought would happen next. It went by really quickly and seemed shorter than any of the other ones. 
I definitely liked the previous setting and story arc better than this one. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Cannibalism, and Medical trauma

kell_xavi's review

dark tense medium-paced

4.0

Consistently strong writing and interesting story, building steadily with each chapter. 

While Erica has a conviction and compassion from the start that doesn’t allow much room for development issue to issue, Tynion and Dell’edera have brought in other players around her whose anger, innocence, fear, courage, loyalty and love make for a dynamic work. Riqui and Gabi aren’t the kind of people I’d want to watch a movie about, or would be friends with, but they’re who Erica needs right now. This brutal story shows them in a light that few others would, which is one of the fascinations of horror, I think. 

It also creates a separation between horrifying people, and people who fight horror from inside its clutches. Dell’edera shows Erica’s many cuts and scars, her hero’s instinct that may, when the stakes are this high, be foolhardy—but that never fails, and reassures us all. Looking forward to the conclusion of this story, especially considering Cecelia’s conversation with the Dragon…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer

indeedithappens's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail