EXQUISITE CORPSES: FOX MASK KILLER #1 (TINY ONION/IMAGE COMICS)
As we wait for Season Two of Exquisite Corpses, the universe keeps heating up with more origin stories from this popular world. This time we are getting the backstory and origin of one of the most popular characters in the franchise, the Fox Mask Killer. Where did this character come from and what makes her tick? These questions and more will be answered in this new mini-series from Tiny Onion.
Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer #1 – Written By Che Grayson – Art By Adam Gorham - Colors By Jordie Bellaire – Letters By Becca Carey - Edited By Steve Foxe, Greg Lockard, and Eric Harburn - Published By Tiny Onion/Image Comics
Credit: Tiny Onion/Image Comics
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
STORY OVERVIEW:
We start by being introduced to an assassin that is a member of an assassins group known as The Tooth & The Claw. This assassins name is Naomi Yatsurugi better known to fans of the Exquisite Corpses series as the Fox Mask Killer. Naomi lets her emotions get the best of her while on a mission in Sin City. This brings the ire of the leader of The Tooth & The Claw, Eagle Mask. She uses this bit of defiance to try and teach Naomi a lesson. Unfortunately, during the lesson it is revealed that Naomi’s sudden change of heart is due to her being pregnant. She defies orders again and then goes on the run from Eagle Mask and The Tooth & The Claw. Naomi is able to stay on the run and escape the vengeance of her former boss for nine years. In this time, she raises a daughter named Willa. Unfortunately, Willa has a heart condition that forces Naomi to find help. But here re-emergence has captured the eye of The Tooth & The Claw and another familiar face.
WRITING:
This first issue delivers an impressively substantial origin story while filling in several important blanks surrounding the infamous Fox Mask Killer. Che Grayson does not simply explain where the character came from; she carefully recontextualizes everything readers may have assumed about her. By revealing that the Fox Mask Killer is Naomi Yatsurugi, Grayson immediately gives the assassin a personal identity beyond the mask, the reputation, and the violence associated with her. That choice makes Naomi feel less like a mysterious weapon and more like a complicated person whose loyalties, fears, and desires have been shaped by years of service to The Tooth & The Claw.
Motherhood becomes the emotional center of that transformation. Naomi’s pregnancy forces her to reconsider the beliefs that once governed her life and to recognize how little compassion exists within the organization she served. She remains every bit as dangerous and capable as readers expect, and the issue gives her plenty of opportunities to display those skills. However, her strength is no longer defined only by how efficiently she can kill. It is also shown through her willingness to reject the only world she has known, abandon the security and status she earned within it, and risk everything to protect her child.
That decision gives Naomi far more depth than a conventional assassin backstory might have offered. She is not suddenly stripped of her brutality or presented as an entirely different person. Instead, Grayson allows the ruthless killer and devoted mother to exist side by side. Naomi understands violence, knows how to survive, and remains willing to do terrible things when necessary, but those abilities are now directed toward preserving Willa’s future. The contrast makes her more relatable without diminishing the danger that made the Fox Mask Killer such a memorable presence in the first place.
The reactions of Eagle Mask and Naomi’s lover, the father of her child, make her choice even more powerful. Their lack of empathy reveals the true nature of The Tooth & The Claw: loyalty is valued only when it serves the organization, and personal needs are treated as weaknesses or acts of betrayal. Because Naomi once accepted many of those same beliefs, her defiance demonstrates genuine growth. She is not merely fleeing punishment; she is rejecting an entire system that taught her to suppress compassion and place obedience above human connection.
This character development is strengthened by the issue’s narration. Naomi records her story for Willa so that, if she dies, her daughter will eventually understand the truth about her mother. The device creates a sense of urgency because every reflection carries the possibility that Naomi may not survive long enough to explain herself in person. It also adds tenderness to scenes that might otherwise function only as exposition. Naomi is not simply recounting events for the reader; she is trying to leave her daughter an honest account of the choices, mistakes, and sacrifices that shaped their lives.
The action maintains the brutal energy readers have come to expect from Exquisite Corpses. The violence is fast, bloody, and occasionally punctuated by the series’ dark sense of humor, but it never overwhelms the emotional story. Each confrontation reinforces the cost of Naomi’s decision and reminds us that escaping The Tooth & The Claw is not as simple as walking away. Her former allies know her methods, understand her weaknesses, and view her continued survival as a challenge to their authority.
By the time the issue reaches its cliffhanger, the reader’s understanding of Naomi has shifted dramatically. She may still be a killer, but she is no longer defined solely by that role. She is a mother carrying the consequences of her past while desperately searching for a way to save her daughter. That combination of danger, vulnerability, and determination makes the Fox Mask Killer a far more sympathetic and compelling character, while giving this mini-series a strong emotional foundation for everything that follows.
ARTWORK:
The artwork in this first issue immediately feels connected to the main Exquisite Corpses series while still establishing a visual identity that belongs specifically to the Fox Mask Killer. Adam Gorham captures the franchise’s recognizable mixture of heightened violence, dark humor, and emotional vulnerability, but he does not simply imitate what has come before. Instead, he adapts the visual language of the larger universe to Naomi Yatsurugi’s personality, skill set, and Japanese-influenced iconography. The result is a book that looks like a natural extension of Exquisite Corpses without ever feeling like a secondary copy of the main title.
Gorham’s anime-influenced approach is especially effective because it reflects Naomi’s identity as a disciplined martial artist whose weapon of choice is a katana. The sharper expressions, dramatic poses, and energetic movement give the combat a heightened quality that suits a character known for speed, precision, and theatrical brutality. This stylistic choice is more than a surface-level nod to Japanese visual culture. It helps readers understand Naomi through the way she moves across the page. Even when she is surrounded or outmatched, her posture and controlled attacks communicate that she is constantly measuring distance, anticipating danger, and searching for the most efficient path through a fight.
The action sequences are brutal, but they are also carefully composed. Gorham makes each strike readable, allowing the reader to follow the progression of a confrontation rather than losing the characters in a blur of motion and blood. The use of strong silhouettes, decisive angles, and shifting panel sizes creates a rhythm that makes the fights feel fast without becoming visually confusing. Large moments of impact are given room to land, while tighter panels emphasize quick movements and sudden changes in momentum. The gore is graphic, as fans of the franchise would expect, yet it rarely feels random. It reinforces Naomi’s lethal efficiency and reminds readers that violence is the language she understands best.
What makes Gorham’s work especially impressive, however, is the way he handles the quieter portions of the story. The softer scenes between Naomi and Willa rely on expressions, gestures, and physical distance rather than spectacle. A glance, a protective posture, or a moment of hesitation can reveal as much about Naomi as an entire action sequence. These scenes allow the reader to see the person beneath the mask and give emotional weight to the danger surrounding the characters. Because the book takes time to establish Naomi’s tenderness and concern for her daughter, every later threat feels more personal and consequential.
That contrast between violence and intimacy is essential to the issue’s visual storytelling. The action shows what Naomi is capable of, while the quieter moments explain why she continues to fight. Gorham never allows the Fox Mask Killer’s intimidating presence to disappear, but he also avoids portraying her as emotionally distant. His art supports the central idea that Naomi can be both a feared assassin and a vulnerable mother. By presenting those two sides with equal conviction, the artwork strengthens the complexity that Che Grayson brings to the script.
Jordie Bellaire’s colors provide the strongest visual link to the wider Exquisite Corpses franchise. Her familiar palette of pinks, oranges, and blues gives the issue the neon-soaked atmosphere readers associate with this world. The colors make the environments feel dangerous, stylish, and slightly unreal, which is a perfect match for a story in which masked assassins operate with almost mythic reputations. At the same time, Bellaire adjusts the intensity of that palette to complement Gorham’s artwork. Rather than overwhelming the linework with constant saturation, she often softens the colors during more intimate scenes, allowing the emotional tone to become calmer and more personal.
Bellaire also uses shifts in color to guide the reader through changes in mood. Warmer hues can make a scene feel briefly safe or nostalgic, while colder blues create distance, isolation, and suspense. During the action, stronger contrasts add urgency and help separate figures from busy backgrounds. These decisions make the colors an active part of the storytelling rather than simple decoration. They maintain the franchise’s established visual identity while giving this particular issue a softer, more character-focused atmosphere.
The lettering by Becca Carey completes the presentation. Carey keeps the dialogue clear and easy to follow even when the page becomes crowded with movement, weapons, and overlapping action. The placement of balloons guides the reader naturally through each panel without obscuring important visual information. This is particularly valuable during combat sequences, where poor placement could easily interrupt the momentum of the scene.
Carey’s treatment of the narration is even more important because Naomi’s recorded message to Willa provides the emotional framework for the issue. The narration boxes remain visually distinct from the spoken dialogue, making it easy to separate Naomi’s reflective voice from the immediate events unfolding on the page. Their steady presence creates a compelling contrast with the chaos of the action: while Naomi fights to survive in the present, her words are focused on what her daughter may need to understand in the future. That balance between image, color, and lettering gives the issue a strong visual rhythm and makes the art team’s work feel unified from beginning to end.
check out my review of exquisite corpses: RASCAL RANDY #1
Final Thoughts:
Exquisite Corpses: Fox Mask Killer #1 is a compelling, action-packed origin story that gives Naomi Yatsurugi meaningful depth without diminishing her lethal mystique. Che Grayson’s emotionally grounded script and the striking work of Adam Gorham, Jordie Bellaire, and Becca Carey make this a strong opening issue that should satisfy longtime fans while giving new readers a reason to follow the Fox Mask Killer’s story. This is one of my favorite comics of the week and should be on the top of everyone’s list when they visit the shop this week. With so many awesome covers to choose from it makes it hard to just grab one copy. Make sure to add this series to your Pull List and update your LCS of which covers you want to collect.
FINAL GRADE: 9.8/10
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