Inside a day in the life of an award-winning comic-book artist, whose indie hit is being adapted into a Netflix series

Travis ClarkNov 27, 2022, 18:45 IST

Werther Dell'Edera

Werther Dell'Edera is an Italian comic-book artist known for "Something is Killing the Children."
The comic-book series is being adapted into a TV show for Netflix.

Werther Dell'Edera is an Italian comic-book artist known most recently for the comic series "Something is Killing the Children," published by Boom! Studios since 2019.

"Something is Killing the Children" stars Erica Slaughter as a monster hunter.Werther Dell'Edera/Boom! Studios

The series has won three Eisner Awards (the comic-book industry equivalent of the Oscars), including for best continuing series this year.

"Something is Killing the Children" is being adapted into a TV series for Netflix.

Erica Slaughter belongs to the House of Slaughter, a group of monster hunters who are the only ones aside from children who can see the creatures.Werther Dell'Edera/Boom! Studios

It follows a woman who belongs to an organization that hunts and kills monsters that prey on children.

Few details have been revealed about the Netflix series. Filmmaker Mike Flanagan, director of horror movies like "Doctor Sleep" and the Netflix series "The Haunting of Hill House," was writing a pilot for the series, but he said last month that he's no longer attached to the project.

It follows a woman who belongs to an organization that hunts and kills monsters that prey on children.

Few details have been revealed about the Netflix series. Filmmaker Mike Flanagan, director of horror movies like Doctor Sleep and the Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House, was writing a pilot for the series, but he said last month that he's no longer attached to the project.

Insider caught up with the series' artist and co-creator (along with writer James Tynion), Dell'Edera, to learn more about his artistic process and routine.

Dell'Edera says he's usually the first one to the studio he shares with other artists in the morning, as he likes to keep a tight schedule.Werther Dell'Edera

Dell'Edera lives in Rome, Italy, but commutes to a studio outside of Rome that he shares with other artists.

Dell'Edera's work space is full of collectibles and comics.Werther Dell'Edera

During the pandemic, Dell'Edera worked from home, but has been going back to the studio.

Some might not think that an artist sticks to a typical "9 to 5," eight-hour workday, but Dell'Edera tries to.

"I'm very methodical," he told Insider. "I like to schedule my days in a certain way."

During the pandemic, Dell'Edera worked from home, but has been going back to the studio.

Some might not think that an artist sticks to a typical 9 to 5, eight-hour workday, but Dell'Edera tries to.

I'm very methodical, he told Insider. I like to schedule my days in a certain way.

Dell'Edera said that he is ready to get to work as soon as he gets to the studio; no warmup sketches needed.

Dell'Edera drawing Captain America.Werther Dell'Edera

"I don't have a lot of time during the day and try to do a page a day, so need to optimize my time," he said. "A lot of artists do sketches to warm up, but I stopped doing that with 'Something is Killing the Children.'"

I don't have a lot of time during the day and try to do a page a day, so need to optimize my time, he said. A lot of artists do sketches to warm up, but I stopped doing that with 'Something is Killing the Children.'

Before he starts to draw, though, Dell'Edera needs to read the script, provided by series writer and co-creator James Tynion.

Tynion, pictured during an interview.Michael Stewart/WireImage

"While I read it, I imagine what I can do" with the pages, Dell'Edera said.

A comic-book script functions similarly to a movie or TV script, with panel descriptions and dialogue for the artist to refer to. Some writers give more details for what they want to see than others, but Dell'Edera said that Tynion gives him a lot of freedom, "especially after 20 issues" of the series.

"He's still the one with the ideas," Dell'Edera said with a laugh.

While I read it, I imagine what I can do with the pages, Dell'Edera said.

He's still the one with the ideas, Dell'Edera said with a laugh.

After reading the script, the next step for Dell'Edera is drawing layouts of the pages with the script in front of him, which he said can take a couple of days.

Sketched layouts of a page from "Something is Killing the Children."Werther Dell'Edera

"It's a rough, fast sketch to have an idea of the composition of the panel," Dell'Edera said of the process. "I run that by my editor and make tweaks if need be."

It's a rough, fast sketch to have an idea of the composition of the panel, Dell'Edera said of the process. I run that by my editor and make tweaks if need be.

Dell'Edera draws digitally on an iPad using a program called ProCreate, which offers a suite of tools.

A nearly finished version of the previous sketch.Werther Dell'Edera

The ProCreate app costs $10 on the App Store for iPad.

Dell'Edera said that he used to draw on traditional paper with a pencil, but working digitally is a massive time saver.

Sometimes he will ink pages traditionally by printing them out and tracing over the digital drawings. But now he only does this for some "splash pages" (drawings that take up an entire comic page rather than a single panel), action sequences, or covers.

The ProCreate app costs $10 on the App Store for iPad.

Dell'Edera said that he used to draw on traditional paper with a pencil, but working digitally is a massive time saver.

Sometimes he will ink pages traditionally by printing them out and tracing over the digital drawings. But now he only does this for some splash pages (drawings that take up an entire comic page rather than a single panel), action sequences, or covers.

Digitally, he can typically draw a page a day.

An unfinished full-page drawing for an issue of "Something is Killing the Children."Werther Dell'Edera

Each issue of "Something is Killing" is typically 22 pages. So he can usually get one issue done in under a month.

"Most of the job is done in the first two steps (reading the script and sketching the layouts)," he said. "The rest if more mechanical. I'm not used to changing what I've set out in the layout. If I go off the path it takes more time."

Each issue of Something is Killing is typically 22 pages. So he can usually get one issue done in under a month.

Most of the job is done in the first two steps (reading the script and sketching the layouts), he said. The rest if more mechanical. I'm not used to changing what I've set out in the layout. If I go off the path it takes more time.

Dell'Edera's favorite part of drawing "Something is Killing the Children" is the action sequences.

"Something is Killing the Children" can be bought in single issues or collections at comic and book shops.Werther Dell'Edera/Boom! Studios

The series isn't without its violent fight sequences. But he also enjoys the slower character moments.

"There are some parts that have a lot of action and then some issues have no action at all, just people talking," he said. "That's fun to draw, too, because it gives me a chance to make the characters act on the page."