When two of horror comics’ most electrifying creators—James Tynion IV (The Nice House on the Lake) and Michael Walsh (The Silver Coin)—team up for a high-concept horror-action series, expectations run high. Thankfully, Exquisite Corpses #1 not only delivers, it slices its way into readers’ minds with a razor-sharp debut that’s impossible to ignore.
From page one, Exquisite Corpses draws you into a terrifyingly plausible dystopia. Every five years, on Halloween night, America’s wealthiest families unleash twelve professional killers onto an unsuspecting small town. Their brutal objective: be the last one standing. The twist? It’s all being televised for the amusement of the rich, a dark echo of The Purge, Battle Royale, and The Most Dangerous Game, but with modern political bite and a layer of social satire.
The town of Oak Valley, Maine becomes ground zero for this blood-soaked hunt. Tynion’s writing is masterful—he lets the mystery breathe, slowly unraveling the rules of this twisted game while sprinkling in just enough detail about the killers and townsfolk to make each page drip with tension. You’re never sure who to trust, or who might be the next to die.
What makes the story particularly effective is how it balances spectacle with humanity. While we get splashy introductions to the killers—some twisted, others terrifyingly methodical—Tynion also takes care to humanize the innocent bystanders. These aren’t nameless NPCs waiting to be picked off. They’re real people, with fears, families, and fight. And that gives the violence weight.
The pacing is tight, the tone chilling, and the intrigue expertly built. Whether it’s the rules of the game, the motivations of the killers, or the social commentary simmering underneath, there’s always a reason to keep turning the page.
Michael Walsh’s art is a perfect match for this kind of story. His style has always had a rough, raw quality to it, and here it lends an eerie, grounded realism to the chaos. There’s a tactile sense of dread in the quiet moments and visceral impact when the blood starts flying.
Jordie Bellaire’s muted color palette is one of the issue’s secret weapons. The subdued tones used for Oak Valley’s everyday scenes contrast brilliantly with the vibrant reds of blood and violence, making every splash of gore land with maximum effect. When the killers make their grand entrances, the pages explode with color and energy—reminding us, and the in-universe audience, that this is meant to be entertainment. It’s a chilling reminder that style and spectacle are part of the horror.
The panel work is confident and cinematic. Walsh knows when to zoom in for emotional intimacy and when to pull back for scope and horror. Every killer reveal is a mini-event, with design elements and visual flair that hint at their unique personalities and methods of murder.
And while it’s often easy to lose clarity in scenes of chaotic violence, Exquisite Corpses never sacrifices readability. The action is clean, brutal, and easy to follow.
Becca Carey’s lettering supports the tone without ever drawing too much attention to itself—which, in a book like this, is exactly the right move. Dialogue is placed well, and emphasis is used sparingly but effectively. Even when balloon tails drift into the gutters to represent off-panel voices, it never creates confusion. It’s subtle, polished work that complements the visual narrative beautifully.
Exquisite Corpses #1 is one of the most gripping horror debuts in recent memory. It has all the ingredients of a modern classic: a high-stakes concept, stylish execution, political undercurrents, and characters you’ll care about—even when they’re soaked in blood.
Tynion and Walsh, backed by Bellaire and Carey, have crafted a horror-action series that feels both eerily familiar and shockingly fresh. If the rest of the series maintains this level of quality and inventiveness, Exquisite Corpses could become the next big genre hit—on par with Squid Game or The Hunger Games but with a comic book edge and smarter storytelling.
Whether you’re here for the kills, the commentary, or the killer artwork, this first issue is a blood-soaked knockout.
