Creators: James Tynion IV & Michael Walsh
Writers: James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh & Pornsak Pichetshote
Artists: Michael Walsh, Marianna Ignazzi & Valentine De Landro
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Becca Carey
Cover Artist: Michael Walsh
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $9.99
Release Date: September 17, 2025
As his town prepares for Halloween, Sheriff Scott Hill bids goodbye to Oak Valley. He's not supposed to tell anyone he's leaving or warn them about the night of violence awaiting them. Still, when he hands over the keys to the Police Department for money and a new identity, the Sheriff warns him about Big Bruce and the teenagers' traditional party in the Pit.
The Groundskeeper seems unbothered by the Sheriff's concerns. As he unleashes his drones, he knows no one is safe from the families' handpicked assassins, soldiers, and serial killers. What mysterious organization has made Oak Valley its killing field? And why are they turning murder into a game? Let's pick a card, leap into Exquisite Corpses TP Vol 1, and see!
Story
While politicians entertain the populace with a façade of democracy, the thirteen families who rule the United States gather. A year has passed since they drew their cards identifying their means of murder. Now, as they name their players, the descendant of the family that once governed Massachusetts makes a final attempt to hire Captain Eduardo Torres, a disgraced Navy SEAL. While the writers share the Point of View among combatants, victims, and those caught in between, "Massachusetts" explains how the game works, and why the killers agree to a probable death sentence in Exquisite Corpses TP Vol 1.
As the most affluent Americans watch video relayed by the Groundskeepers' drones, some bully their competitors. Others mourn their losses or celebrate their kill counts. In Oak Valley, car lot owner Big Bruce Nguyen forces his secretary to badger the local media for free advertising. Xavi looks forward to joining the party in The Pit after his shift at the Haunted House. His friend Craig agrees to take Jason trick-or-treating when Big Bruce forces his mom to work late on her day off. Mike notices all the vehicles passing Pump King. When the internet goes down, and he can’t listen to his podcasts, the convenience store clerk sees this as confirmation of his conspiracy theories.
Massachusetts sits apart from the other families as they party. She disdains her contemporaries who bet on how many combatants or citizens die. She's tired of the lunatics running the asylum. But in the killing fields, Laura wonders about the letter her uncle Scott left with Mike before he abandoned Oak Valley. She and her partner drive an ambulance. When they arrive at a murder scene, neither she nor Ian realizes how many deaths await them in Exquisite Corpses TP Vol 1.
Art
The Sheriff and Groundskeeper seem somber as they meet. Each knows others dictate their options. Despite the pain and distress they attend, Laura and Ian seem content in their roles. They lack “Meth Head” Mike’s buoyant smile as they smoke cigarettes between calls. But the EMTs don’t quiver in a corner when they are frightened. Michael Walsh, Marianna Ignazzi, and Valentine De Landro reveal the highs and lows of Human nature in Exquisite Corpses TP Vol 1. While most of the combatants and families smile, the mask Captain Eduardo Torres wears fits his dour demeanor.
Jordie Bellaire adorns the drama and action with a limited color palette. Once the game gets underway, the ruling families appear in a red and green color scheme, as if Christmas has come early for people who can buy anything they want. Each killer receives a flamboyant rockstar introduction. While some of the graphic murders occur onscreen, the Gamemaster’s staff record them all on the scoreboard.
Becca Carey welcomes readers with a title page produced by an old typewriter on carbon paper. Uppercase black letters fill white dialogue balloons and boxes. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. A utensil against a champagne flute gets the families' attention. Cellphone beeps frustrate people when their texts don’t go through. Gunshots and alarms merge with screams and laughter as a dog howls when Humans stop making sense. Thanks to Image Comics and Tiny Onion for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
As families embark on a game of death to decide the future of America, Exquisite Corpses TP Vol 1 ponders the divide between the rich and the poor, our hunger for entertainment, and how childhood traumas shape our identities.
Rating 9/10
Read the first issue for free at the Image Comics website.
