In this review of Exquisite Corpses #7, the Groundkeeper makes a change to the game that that could lead to dire consequences for everyone one — including himself.
Exquisite Corpses #7
Writer: James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh
Artist: Michael Walsh, Claire Roe
Main Cover: Michael Walsh
Colors: Jordie Bellaire
Variant Covers: Claire Roe, Michael Walsh, Marley Zarcone, Mahmud Asrar
Pages: 32 pages
Release Date: November 19, 2025
This review contains spoilers
Exquisite Corpses #7 opens at the gathering of the State’s elites, with the New Jersey representative bragging over his killer’s conquest at the end of last issue. It’s not all good feelings however, as Massachusetts admonishes the Gamemaster for seemingly raising the stakes by closing the playing field and making the game faster. She makes a passive-aggressive threat to the Gamemaster should her killer die due to the flamethrowers enclosing the “arena”.
Meanwhile, Lady Blaze arrives at the teenagers’ favourite hangout spot: “The Pit”. Xavier, still reeling from the murders he’s witnessed, searches the party for his boyfriend, Craig. Instead, he finds Jason, traumatized by the murders he himself witnessed and is partially responsible for.
Elsewhere, Laura tries to comfort the still panicked Audrey as they drive through the cemetery. Laura promises to take Audrey to Jason, her son, but their travels are interrupted by gunfire shattering the windshield of Audrey’s ambulance. It’s us their luck that at that moment, the Fox Mask Killer is in a mortal battle with the Lone Gunman. The ambulance flips end-over-end, providing ample distraction for the Gunman to gain the upper end only to end in a stalemate.
Back at the Pitt, Pretty Boy notices Lady Blaze’s arrival, as she stares deeply into the bonfire. At the same time, Mike, lost in his very real paranoia, is accosted by a Waldo-wearing party goer. After dusting himself off, Mike notices Jason and Craig. He approaches the pair and despite some apprehension from Xavi, they confirm their suspicions that something horrible is going on around them. Mike offers to drive them to find Audrey and get to safety before they end up with a terrible fate.
Over at the bonfire, Pretty Boy confronts Lady Blaze. He tries to charm her, admitting that she recognizes her as a fellow killer. Blaze isn’t having any of it, and mocks Pretty Boy for his obvious narcissism. The Waldos, noticing the commotion, try to stop them, only to be distracted by the flames engulfing the treeline, likely caused by the game’s Groundskeeper. In the chaos of the evacuation, Pretty Boy and Blaze continue their skirmish, but just as the back of Blaze’s clothes catch, she activates a bomb hidden in the van she drove in on, causing a massive explosion and killing the surveillance in the area. Who, if any of the killers or the protagonists are left a mystery, to be revealed in the next issue…
It seems Walsh and Tynion have been taking criticisms of the book’s slower pace to heart, ramping up the carnage with these last two issues. The action in Exquisite Corpses #7 ramps up, and just as the game’s field has tightened, so have the relationships between the disparate characters. Had someone asked me at the book’s onset, I would never have guessed Mike would survive so long to meet Xavi and Jason, so color me surprised.
What’s more impressive in Exquisite Corpses #7 is the awesome fight between Fox Mask and the Lone Gunman. Roe and Walsh’s art have always been the highlight of the book, but these action pages are immaculate. Tight perspectives and paneling leading to an amazing Cowboy Bebop homage splash page.
As usual, I also have to give Jordie Bellaire their followers for their colors. The warm colors of the bonfire at the Pit not only make for dramatic and spooky shading on the figures and faces, but also contrast with the hot neo pinks of the meeting scenes with the elites, as well as the cool blues, ambers and reds of the cemetery fight.
Exquisite Corpses continues to be a well made package. As long the pacing keeps ramping up, and Tyrnion and Walsh don’t pull any contrived plotting in the coming issues, I’ll continue to be stunned by this series.
