If you’ve been sleeping on James Tynion IV and Michael Walsh’s latest comic series, you might want to wake up fast. Exquisite Corpses #1 has sold out at the distributor level yet again, forcing Image Comics to rush another reprint to stores. This is becoming a pattern for the horror series, and honestly, it’s not hard to see why readers are devouring it.
The premise is deliciously twisted: every five years on Halloween, America’s wealthiest families play a deadly game where twelve of the world’s most dangerous killers are dropped into a small town with one simple rule—last one standing wins. This year’s unlucky location is Oak Valley, Maine, where regular folks just need to survive the night. It’s like The Hunger Games meets battle royale, but with that signature Tynion psychological horror twist.
What makes this series special isn’t just the blood-soaked concept, though. The creative team assembled what they’re calling the “Corpse Crew”—an all-star lineup including Becca Carey, Che Grayson, Jordie Bellaire, and Tyler Boss, among others. Each issue passes the storytelling torch in true exquisite corpse fashion, building on what came before while adding new layers to the mayhem.
The numbers don’t lie about its success either. With over 150,000 copies projected for year-to-date orders, Exquisite Corpses is shaping up to be one of Image’s biggest launches of 2025. It’s Tynion’s third major hit with the publisher after The Department of Truth and The Deviant, proving he’s got a golden touch when it comes to horror comics.
If you’re a fan of the series already, you’ll want to grab those polybagged Cover C variants—they come with exclusive trading cards for the companion game. And if you haven’t jumped in yet, the fourth printing of issue #1 hits stores October 1st. Just don’t wait too long, because at this rate, it’ll probably sell out again before Halloween.
Beam Me Up Scotty
Born and raised in the city of Miami. Lifelong pro wrestling fan. Been deep in the 'zine scene since ’84, interviewing locals, Hardcore, Punk, and Metal bands. Spent 26 years in the comic book biz and still obsessed with all things pop culture—Mego, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, Die-Cast Metal Super Robots, you name it. I can go on about comic books and bad movies all day.
