BOOM! Studios just confirmed Something is Killing the Children #0, a prequel to Eisner-winning team James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera’s series of the same name, is a sell-out before it even went on sale. Set to hit shelves imminently, the seminal, exclusive issue has already cleared out at the distributor level.

The impressive anticipation for Something is Killing the Children #0 is another high point for Tynion IV, who is clearly in demand. Not only is the writer colloquially regarded as one of the leading voices in modern comics, but his Nice House by the Sea was also recently tapped to lead the charge for DC’s upcoming revival of the iconic Vertigo line. Known for redefining horror and suspense, Tynion and Dell’Edera will continue their acclaimed Slaughterverse in Something is Killing the Children #0, the issue following Erica Slaughter’s first mission and the traumatic roots of her Archer’s Peak journey explored in the main series.

As Tynion notes, Issue #0 is more than just backstory.

“Something is Killing the Children #0 is a landmark issue for the series, a story that brings us all the way back to Erica’s first appearance in Something is Killing the Children #1 and recontextualizes everything that happens afterward,” Tynion said in BOOM!’s press release announcing the pre-sales. Editor Ramiro Portnoy calls it a “passion project” for the team and an essential piece of Slaughterverse lore, which BOOM! plans to expand on.

“The response to this special issue of Something Is Killing The Children has been incredible,” said Portnoy. “Issue #0 was a passion project for all of us here, and is sure to become a highly sought-after issue as we move into the next five years of the Slaughterverse!”

Fans eager to purchase their own Something Is Killing The Children #0 copy should plan ahead, as no reprints are planned. With a limited print run, Issue #0 is set to become a collector’s item, especially as Tynion’s influence on the industry continues growing.