Imagine going outside of your house to find that not only are you cut off from the rest of the world, but there is a war over control of America happening right outside your door, and you very well may die as a result. Well, let me introduce you to the world of Exquisite Corpses, a new Image Comics series from the talented minds of James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey. The new series hits later this year, but we had the chance to check out Exquisite Corpses #1 ahead of time, discovering a rather perfect mix of horror, The Hunger Games, and The Purge. By the time the final page arrived, I was completely hooked, and I don’t think you’ll be able to turn away from the thrilling chaos either.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Exquisite Corpses introduces readers to the small town of Oak Valley, an unassuming place full of people just living their lives the best they can. What these people don’t know is that there’s a war for control of America happening behind the scenes, and unfortunately for them, they will now find themselves as the battleground for thirteen families vying for that very control.
The elements of government control and power of both those in and outside the system are all rather topical at the moment, and Tynion explores these themes both from those at the wheel and those who are in the path of those in power’s decisions. That’s truly why the debut issue works so well, as you are getting the macro and micro views of this evolving situation simultaneously, giving you instant perspective on what’s happening from either side.
There’s a level of investment that comes with spending time with the people who call this town home and seeing their everyday issues and challenges as the freight train is making its way towards the station, so to speak, and that sense of tension really starts to take hold in the book’s final few pages. Walsh and Bellaire really send that into overdrive as the sunlight leaves the city and the bloodletting begins, sending the people in the city and the reader into a full-blown panic.
[RELATED: 7 Image Comics Perfect for a Horror Adaptation]
Where Walsh, Bellaire, and Carey really shine though is in the killer introductions. Each family is represented by one person, and that person will head into the town and attempt to be the last one standing, giving control of America to their specific family. Throughout the book, we are introduced to all 13 representatives, who range from pyromaniacs and nut jobs to strongmen and self-taught champions, and every single one is captivating in some form or fashion.
Some of these sequences are disturbing, while others are more lighthearted. Others are simply brutal, and then there are still others that will have you questioning how effective they will be in the battle to come. Each one specializes in something different, and the lettering and coloring in these sequences are out of this world, allowing these various killers and psychopaths to leap off the page in all their creepy glory.
The issue doesn’t work, however, if the human element is missing, and thankfully, that’s here in spades. While there’s one chosen champion that is clearly the lead, there’s a whole town of characters that I’m now genuinely invested in and rather attached to, giving the brutal battles to come meaningful stakes. Now, this book is pretty long (over 60 pages), but that was actually necessary, as the world feels pretty fully developed for just one issue in, and those stakes feel earned with the extra time spent in the town. Exquisite Corpses has already set the stage for a thrilling battle for survival with any number of motivations at play, and issue #2 can’t get here soon enough.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Published By: Image Comics
Written By: James Tynion IV
Art By: Michael Walsh
Colors By: Jordie Bellaire
Letters By: Becca Carey
Exquisite Corpses #1 hits comic stores on May 14th.
Are you excited for Exquisite Corpses? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things comics with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
