Posted in: Boom, Comics | Tagged: something is killing the children, walking dead

Something Is Killing The Children Wants To Be The New Walking Dead

Published Thu, 30 Jul 2020 07:35:17 -0500

One year ago, James Tynion IV and Werther Dell'Edera's Something is Killing The Children #1 from Boom Studios became the biggest launch in the company's history to that point, with critical claim to match. The series soon became an ongoing on the strength of that launch. Since then, Something is Killing The Children has continued to sell in decent numbers both to readers, with a sixth printing of the first issue needed to meet demand, and to speculators, who see it as the next big Netflix series.

Lately we've noticed that the series has become even hotter, with Something is Killing The Children #7 now as a top speculator target, which is unusual for any comic series after the first few issues, along with huge aftermarket interest in every printing of every issue as noted by the Key Collectors Comics app.

That's led some folks, including comics influencers Simpleman's Comics to declare that Something is Killing The Children has "the best opportunity to be the new Walking Dead."

And while there certainly isn't a television adaptation (yet) of Something is Killing The Children, the comparisons between the two series may not be entirely premature – especially when you've got the writer of the best-selling Batman for a while as well.

The Walking Dead famously started to reverse the typical downward issue-to-issue sales trend common in modern comics – now unlike how sales are increasing on each issue of Something is Killing The Children after the first trade paperback collection hit stores in May. Because, yes, we have print runs. Actual ones, not estimates…

Issue #5: 15,566
Issue #6: 15,903
Issue #7: 16,997 (includes a second printing)
Issue #8: 15,046 (which will be over 17,000 once an expected second printing is factored in)
Issue #9: 18,720 (this is the number at FOC, which will continue to rise with reorders)

That means the series isn't just drawing in speculators – it's drawing in new readers at a point where nearly all comics are losing fans who switch over to the collections. Instead, readers can't wait for the next Something is Killing The Children collection and want to get every copy of every issue released which is leading to meaningful sales increases each month.

It's also worth keeping an eye on Boom's other hit series, Once & Future, that also consistently sells out with each issue and is still going back to print every time including the recent issue #9. Don't forget, the first issue can fetch $200 and it needed eight printings to satisfy reader interest. Given all the buzz around the series over the last year, it could also bethat sends fans chasing every printing of each issue sooner than later…

Boom CEO Ross Richie also added some heat to the fire with the five lowest individual print runs of issues from the series.