Every five years, thirteen elite families unleash killers into a small American town to battle to the death. In Exquisite Corpses #1, Oak Valley becomes the unlucky battleground, and the game is about to begin. Writer James Tynion IV and artist Michael Walsh orchestrate a violent, layered, and wildly entertaining first issue that sets the stakes and slices deep.
“Let the Games Begin” is an excellent series premiere that launches a blood-soaked conspiracy thriller with style and swagger. Halloween night in Oak Valley is supposed to be quiet, spooky fun. But from the opening pages, you know something’s off. Sheriff skips town with a suitcase full of hush money. Power cuts. Phones die. And then the killers come. We follow multiple POVs: a weary ex-military man, a teenage girl biking home, elite family representatives sipping wine in a hidden control room, as a brutal tradition unfolds. Every five years, thirteen of America’s most powerful families each send a champion (read: assassin, serial killer, unhinged monster) into a normal town for a battle royale. The last killer standing determines which family reigns. This time, it’s Oak Valley’s turn to host, and nobody there has a clue.
The book wastes no time. We get a peek at a creepy ritual, a few character intros, and then the killers are dropping in like it’s Fortnite for sociopaths. The story moves quickly but with purpose, and every panel feels intentional.
Credit: Image Comics
Here’s the thing: Exquisite Corpses #1 shouldn’t work this well. Thirteen families. Thirteen killers. A town full of potential collateral damage. That’s a massive cast, and on paper it could be a chaotic mess. But it works, and that’s because Tynion knows how to give each piece of the puzzle a distinct voice. You’re not just being thrown into a bloodbath; you’re being walked through a world where murder is tradition, power is inherited through slaughter, and the ruling class bets on corpses like it’s fantasy football.
The killers? They’re not just cannon fodder or edgy caricatures. Each one is introduced with a stylish logo, unique flair, and just enough of a hook to make you want to know more. A fox-headed assassin with a katana? A wired-up strangler who leaves bodies in artistic poses? It’s wild, and it’s fun. The book is gory, yes, but it’s also incredibly clever about how it feeds you information. There’s satire here—of power, politics, and violence—but it never slows down to lecture. It just keeps killing and keeps pulling you in.
And while the core concept echoes The Purge, Battle Royale, and even Fortnite, the execution makes it fresh. This isn’t a cheap mash-up. This is a comic that knows it’s riffing on familiar ideas and leans into the absurdity with confidence and style. The tone swings from dread to pop-horror insanity in a way that feels totally earned.
The good? Almost everything. Michael Walsh’s art is stunning. His character work is sharp, expressive, and knows when to be subtle versus when to go full slasher mode. The killers look amazing, the town feels lived-in, and the horror is tangible. Jordie Bellaire’s colors elevate every scene, she shifts from eerie twilight blues to hellish reds without missing a beat. And Becca Carey’s lettering adds so much personality, especially in those killer intros that hit like mini music videos.
Credit: Image Comics
The only potential drawback is it’s a dense issue. With so many characters and moving parts, some readers might feel like they need a flowchart. But honestly, that’s also part of the charm. Tynion has set up a world worth unpacking, and if the series continues at this level, it’ll be worth the effort.
Exquisite Corpses #1 delivers exactly what its title promises: it’s bloody, brutal, and beautiful. It introduces a twisted new mythology, a loaded cast, and a setting ready to explode. This is prestige horror with comic book flair, and it absolutely rules. I’m already rooting for some of these killers (and kinda terrified by others), and I can’t wait to see how Oak Valley burns.
‘Exquisite Corpses’ #1 Review: Lands Like a Knife to the Gut
Exquisite Corpses #1 delivers exactly what its title promises: it’s bloody, brutal, and beautiful. It introduces a twisted new mythology, a loaded cast, and a setting ready to explode. This is prestige horror with comic book flair, and it absolutely rules. I’m already rooting for some of these killers (and kinda terrified by others), and I can’t wait to see how Oak Valley burns.
