Exquisite Corpses: Lone Gunman Reloads the Nightmare With Pornsak Pichetshote and Alberto Ponticelli

The five-issue Image Comics miniseries unmasks the horrifying history of the Golden Masked Killer while bridging the blood-soaked gap between seasons one and two

The bullets may have stopped flying, but the nightmare is far from finished.

Eisner Award-winning writer Pornsak Pichetshote (The Good Asian, Absolute Green Arrow) and acclaimed artist Alberto Ponticelli (Unknown Soldier, Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.) are locking and loading for Exquisite Corpses: Lone Gunman, a new five-issue limited series launching this November from Image Comics and James Tynion IV’s production company, Tiny Onion.

The third and final spin-off connected to the first season of Exquisite Corpses will dig into the haunting history of the Lone Gunman, the terrifying legacy of the golden mask, and the survivors still carrying the scars from one seriously twisted killing game.

Pichetshote is no stranger to this savage universe. As one of the original “Corpse Crew” writers, he helped shape the first season alongside series creators James Tynion IV (Something Is Killing the Children, The Department of Truth) and Michael Walsh (The Silver Coin, Universal Monsters: Frankenstein). Now, he is stepping deeper into the mythology with a story designed to connect the aftermath of season one to the horrors waiting in season two.

Ponticelli will bring the carnage to life alongside Eisner Award-winning colorist Jordie Bellaire (The Nice House, Redlands) and letterer Becca Carey (Radiant Black). If that creative lineup does not already have horror fans clearing space on their pull lists, somebody better check their pulse.

Two years have passed since Laura survived the massacre in her hometown and emerged as the Last Gunman. She has attempted to build a new life with fellow survivors Xavi and Jason, using her winnings to escape the reach of the powerful and merciless 13 Families. Leaving town, however, did not leave the trauma behind.

Everything Laura, Xavi, and Jason endured continues to haunt them, and the golden mask refuses to remain buried. With their lives once again in danger, the survivors must confront the secret history behind the Lone Gunman and the organization responsible for unleashing unimaginable bloodshed across America.

Pichetshote describes the miniseries as “Season 1.5,” a bridge between the opening chapter of Exquisite Corpses and its upcoming second season. The story will follow the history of the golden mask, investigate one branch of the all-powerful 13 Families, and explore what happens after the Final Girl survives the movie.

Instead of ending when the credits roll, Lone Gunman asks a much nastier question: What happens when somebody survives twelve of the deadliest slashers ever assembled, only to discover that the wealthy monsters behind the massacre have been influencing the course of American history?

Pichetshote is bringing lessons learned from Absolute Green Arrow into a radically different arena filled with serial killers, billionaires, traumatized survivors, and the possibility of retaliation. The focus is not only on how victims survive acts of calculated cruelty, but how they recover, regroup, and come hunting for the people who treated their suffering like entertainment.

Ponticelli, who previously collaborated with Pichetshote on Unknown Soldier, plans to give the series a raw visual identity built around rough textures, dirty marks, and an atmosphere that looks every bit as damaged as the characters feel. Combined with Bellaire’s expressive colors, the artwork promises to push the Lone Gunman’s world into some beautifully brutal territory.

The first issue will arrive with a main cover by Ponticelli and Bellaire, plus variants from Rafael Albuquerque (Absolute Green Arrow, American Vampire), Leandro Fernández (The Old Guard), Chris Brunner (Loose Ends), and Sebastian Fiumara (Abe Sapien).

Walsh will also contribute a special polybagged variant packaged with a collectible trading card connected to Exquisite Corpses: The Game, the recently funded Kickstarter tabletop experience. Comics, cards, killers, and collectible chaos? Yeah, this franchise came prepared.

Created by Tynion and Walsh, Exquisite Corpses became the biggest original comic-book property launched in 2025, selling more than 700,000 issues to date. The series also delivered Tynion’s strongest comic debut in more than three years while introducing readers to a murderers’ row of killers developed by the twelve-member Corpse Crew.

Exquisite Corpses: Lone Gunman follows two other five-issue spin-offs expanding the franchise. Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy by Tyler Boss (You’ll Do Bad Things) and Dylan Burnett (Arcade Kings) launched in July, while Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer by Che Grayson (Absolute Catwoman) and Adam Gorham (The Infernal Hulk) arrives in September. Bellaire and Carey provide the colors and lettering across all three miniseries, keeping the rapidly expanding nightmare visually connected.

An anthology one-shot titled Exquisite Corpses: Book of the Dead is also headed to comic shops before the launch of season two. Meanwhile, Tiny Onion and Lyrical Media are developing a feature-film adaptation of the property.

The Golden Masked Killer is stepping back into the spotlight, Laura’s fight is not finished, and the 13 Families may finally learn what happens when their victims stop running. Exquisite Corpses: Lone Gunman takes aim at comic shops this November, and this chamber sounds loaded.

Exquisite Corpses: Lone Gunman #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 4:

• Cover A by Ponticelli & Bellaire – UPC: 70985304933300111
• Cover B by Rafael Albuquerque – UPC: 70985304933300121
• Cover C Polybag variant with collectible trading card by Walsh – UPC: 70985304933300131
• Cover D (1:25) by Leandro Fernandez – UPC: 70985304933300141
• Cover E (1:50) by Chris Brunner – UPC: 70985304933300151
• Cover F (1:100) by Sebastian Fiumara – UPC: 70985304933300161
• Cover G: Blank Sketch – UPC: 70985304933300171

Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer #1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 16:

• Cover A by Adam Gorham – UPC: 70985304858900111
• Cover B by Annie Wu – UPC: 70985304858900121
• Cover C by Michael Walsh Polybagged with Collectible Card – UPC: 70985304858900131
• Cover D Blank Sketch variant – UPC: 70985304858900141
• Cover E Stealth variant – UPC: 70985304858900151
• Cover F 1:25 copy incentive by Ito – UPC: 70985304858900161
• Cover G 1:50 copy incentive virgin by Mike Huddleston – UPC: 70985304858900171
• Cover H 1:100 copy incentive by Inhyuk Lee – UPC: 70985304858900181
• Cover I Witchblade Team-up by Walsh – UPC: 70985304858900191
• Cover J foil LCSD variant by Wu – UPC: 70985304899200111

Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy #2 is available now at comic book shops:

• Cover A by Dylan Burnett – UPC: 70985304789600211
• Cover B 1:10 copy incentive by Tyler Boss – UPC: 70985304789600221
• Cover C by Burnett Polybagged with card – UPC: 70985304789600231
• Cover D 1:25 copy incentive by Joe Palmer – UPC: 70985304789600241
• Cover E 1:50 copy incentive by Rob Guillory – UPC: 70985304789600251

Exquisite Corpses is available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Apple’s iBooks, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, Scribd’s Everand, Kobo, Overdrive, Hoopla, Sweet app, Comic Plus, and more.