The killers are thinning, the townfolk are freaking, and the end of Exquisite Corpses nears this week as issue #11 hits comic book shops. Fighting for who will rule America, Fox Mask Killer, Rascal Randy, Pretty Boy, and Lady Carolina are ready to take it all. Meanwhile, the Gamemaster is dead, and the competition feels like it is running out of control. Who lives, who dies, and in Exquisite Corpses, we get down to very few serial killer contenders!
As always, James Tynion IV and Michael Walsh open and close the issue, with a nice recap of Rascal Randy nearly killing some of our main civilian characters. The super-rich watching are excited, with the games nearing their end, but the politicking continues behind the scenes.
The main story is written by Che Grayson with art by Gavin Fullerton, opening on a familiar shot of the town sign, and the sky is red with the fires closing in on the town itself. The first page montage helps set the stage for where killings have taken place, and how EMT Laura has a gun and knows what’s going on. A plan is taking place amongst the civilians, though readers will likely know it’ll do little good with serial killers amongst them.
A nice callback to the start of this.
Credit: Image
Something this issue benefits from is the lack of multiple subplots, really only focusing on two, since most characters are funneling into town. The first kicking into gear is Rascal Randy, who is after Xavi and Jason McInerney. Xavi leads Rascal Randy into a haunted house, which allows for some fun visuals and a setting for the action to come.
Meanwhile, Jason’s mother is another central figure. At this point, she thinks her son is dead and is in shock, risking her life when she confronts one of the serial killers. The humanity lost in thinking her son is gone is hard felt, and Fullerton makes you feel for her. He also makes you cheer when a major murder takes place at her hand.
With all of the action funneling into one place, the final shot from Grayson and Fullerton is an epic full-page splash. It should get action fans excited for the next issue. On top of that, Walsh and Tynion give us a big hint that there are more surprises in store. I, for one, assume Lone Gunman may be involved, given how much they were in the first issue, but then again, they’re supposedly dead.
Exquisite Corpses #11 does exactly what a late chapter should. It narrows the focus, pushes the remaining killers closer together, and raises the emotional stakes for the civilians caught in the middle. Grayson and Fullerton deliver a tense chapter packed with violent payoffs and strong character moments, while James Tynion IV and Michael Walsh continue to frame the story with the unsettling spectacle of the wealthy elite watching it all unfold. With the action finally converging in one place and the body count climbing, the stage is set for a brutal finale.
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