Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist & Cover Artist: Michael Walsh
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Becca Carey
Cover Artists: Michael Walsh, James Stokoe, Eckman Lawn, Malavia, Jae Lee, Yoshi Yoshitani
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $4.99 ($6.99 with playing card)
Release Date: May 14, 2025
A woman and her family want to course-correct the country. She knows how to play the game. But she needs the right person to help her achieve her goal. The woman has a candidate in mind. But he has rejected all her subordinates’ offers. Can she convince the man to help her turn her country around? Or will he send her to the hospital like he did her underlings? Let's grab a bag of candy corn, leap into Exquisite Corpses #1, and see!
Story
Every five years, the thirteen families lock down a small town. These affluent dynasties select their game pieces, then let them play. Anyone who wanders across the gameboard is collateral damage. (Or, for some of the game pieces, a bit of fun.) The game is a gladiatorial contest, and the family whose game piece clears the board rules the country for the next five years.
James Tynion IV introduces his characters and the stakes in this sixty-page debut. The representatives of the thirteen families are as diverse as the residents of this “small town in a lonely corner of America.” Once, each of these families ruled a state. Now, they wage a quinquennial battle for leadership and spend the intervening years helping the winning family enforce its policies.
While recasting the organization of a political regime as a contest played out on Halloween, Exquisite Corpses #1 begins a conversation about who determines how we live our lives. The families thanked Sheriff Hill for his service, gave him money, and a new identity. Then, like European immigrants told the First Nations, they moved him elsewhere. Big Bruce believes he is the dictator of Oak Valley, but is ignorant about the game. Mike at Pump King suspects how the system works. But no one pays attention to him because he lacks money and power.
While we meet colorful characters like fun-loving Xavi, who works at the Haunted House at 666 Main Street, and Craig, who is more responsible, the primary character is Massachusetts. Her best years may be behind her. Still, she wants to exert her vision upon the world. But to do that, she must convince the man she believes can be her winning game piece to represent her in Exquisite Corpses #1.
Art
Mike slouches behind the counter at Pump King. Sheriff Hill hands him an envelope before he leaves town. The years etch the gray-haired woman's face as she climbs from the helicopter, clad in white. She pours a drink from her bottle before looking at the automatic weapons on a dining table. New York prances into the players' club like Jack Nicholson, while Rhode Island, dwarfed by her fur coat, lets her son take the lead. The man whose family will abdicate stands before a wall of monitors, dressed in a suit and a turtleneck shirt. His eyes hide behind glasses.
Jordie Bellaire applies limited colors to Michael Walsh’s portraits of small-town life and the thirteen families. The grays, browns, greens, and beiges of the woman’s meeting with her would-be game piece represent his profession. Neon colors energize the more flamboyant families and introduce their game pieces like glam-metal rock concert posters. Jason’s orange hair shouts his joy of Halloween, while his mother’s hair reminds us that a man others see as a pumpkin makes her work on the holiday. The orange-and-gray candy corn symbolizes not only the game, but also people's understanding of how their supposed leaders rule the United States in Exquisite Corpses #1.
Becca Carey fills white dialogue balloons with delicate uppercase letters. The words grow bold for intonation and italicized for transmissions. Skatepark graffiti lettering introduces the professional and psycho killers who kill for money, fame, sport, thrills, beliefs, or their desired futures. Sparse sound effects show how the Sheriff views power, a leader's call to attention, and a sign that the battle for our country has begun. Thanks to Image Comics and Tiny Onion for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
Americans vote for political candidates. Then government leaders argue or draft policies contrary to the voters' expectations. Whether rich or poor, influential, or going about their daily lives, the characters in Exquisite Corpses #1 are recognizable. They are our leaders, neighbors, and the killers who make headlines. James Tynion’s story paints a compelling portrait of life in the United States that feels frighteningly real.
Rating 9.6/10
For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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