James Tynion IV and Michael Walsh’s Exquisite Corpses continues its deadly momentum this week with a Halloween chapter that’s as shocking as it is stylish. After issue #5 deepened the series’ twisted humanity, pairing killers in love and tightening the noose around everyone’s fate, issue #6 goes door to door for trick-or-treat with a terrifying new twist. Joined by You’ll Do Bad Things creator Tyler Boss and The Closet’s Gavin Fullerton, this latest entry is as gut-wrenching as it is good at mounting dread, proving Exquisite Corpses is still one of the most entertaining ongoing horror stories ever.
The timing for Exquisite Corpses #6 is perfect, in part because there’s plenty of trick-or-treating in this issue. As is always the case with this series, Tynion and Walsh open the issue from inside the rich-people viewing area. Here we see the man on the ground asking for the coordinates of the killers after he effectively started a fire to prevent anyone from escaping the town. This makes the opening a good check-in for all the remaining killers, as it’s easy to lose track of them at this point. It also sets up a big party of youths in the woods, adding a looming danger for the series to hang its hat on going forward.
After a check-in on the party, the issue focuses on the child-killer G4m3r Kid (and Clavin, his murder drone). He’s joined up with one of the leading civilian characters and another kid to go trick-or-treating. Trick-or-treating has never been so dangerous for the folks answering their doors, making for a clever killer situation, even if it’s a bit ridiculous; nobody hears the drone gun kill the adults. It does, however, portray G4m3r Kid as ruthless, potty-mouthed, and a danger lurking beneath unsuspecting noses. The boss cleverly builds the tension as he tries to teach the fellow innocent child swear words, and even has a hand in killing. The central focus on one subplot also allows this issue to feel extra-satisfying with a beginning, middle, and end.
Nice check-in to start the issue.
Credit: Image
Art by Fullerton is fantastic, creating a chilling vibe with the use of shadow and outdoor locations. There’s an almost VHS quality to the art, evident not just in G4m3r Kid’s drone controller, but also in the everyday art. Small touches of grit and detail lend it an eerie atmosphere. Fullerton puts the extra-scary on when G4m3r Kid loses his temper and then decides to kill with a knife. It leads to a striking chase sequence and a satisfying yet disturbing finale for the character.
While most of the story focuses on G4m3r Kid, there is a nice check-in with the EMT to move the story forward slightly. It’s short but concise and just enough to keep you invested. On the gripe side of subplots, the cover is pretty misleading since the character isn’t in the issue.
Exquisite Corpses #6 is a sharply executed Halloween entry that balances grisly thrills with cinematic tension, proving the anthology remains one of Tynion and Walsh’s most chilling and consistent horror showcases.
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