An upcoming horror series is the worthy successor to media franchise Five Nights at Freddy's, as a serial killer in a mascot costume terrorizes a small town, uncovering a conspiracy that digs deep into the history of animation.
Five Nights at Freddy's burst onto the gaming scene in 2014, as creator Scott Cawthon turned a stiff animation style to his advantage, crafting the first in a long line of survival horror games starring killer animatronics. The franchise has spawned further games, books and movies, as well as a subgenre of 'mascot horror.'
Now, a new horror series picks up the gauntlet, with extensive lore that makes it the rightful inheritor of Five Nights at Freddy's throne.
Rascal Randy Is Mascot Horror at Its Finest
This July, Image Comics will publish Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy from Tyler Boss, Dylan Burnett, Jordie Bellaire and Becca Carey. The comic will reveal the backstory of its titular serial killer, as well as the origin of the costumed identity he uses to slay his victims.
Unlike Five Nights at Freddy's which is based around a fast food chain, Rascal Randy will be revealed as an early cartoon megahit comparable to Mickey Mouse, with a dark history all of its own. The first issue's summary reads:
THE COTTON-TAILED EXQUISITE CORPSES KILLER GETS A SPINOFF ORIGIN STORY.
The sleepy little town of Aurora Springs, NY, has exactly one claim to fame: it’s the birthplace of Rascal Randy. Not the man in the suit — the man has never mattered. He was no one until he put the mascot head on for the first time, until he felt the life leave someone’s body through the thickly furred gloves of the suit.
No, Aurora Springs is the birthplace of Rascal Randy the rabbit, who, once upon a time, was poised to become the greatest animated character this country had ever seen - until greed and tragedy changed his trajectory forever.
Now, before the events of EXQUISITE CORPSES SEASON 1, witness the final murder spree of this iconic killer, as chaos hops into town with buckteeth bared and ears flopping... and the secret, sordid history of Rascal Randy is finally revealed.
The series is a spin-off from James Tynion IV and Michael Walsh's hit horror series Exquisite Corpses. Currently revealed covers explore Rascal Randy's design, with grinning human teeth hiding within the mascot's mouth:
Rascal Randy is one of the biggest breakout characters of Exquisite Corpses, but little is known about him other than that he likes to stalk the streets, throttling unsuspecting victims. Rascal Randy will reveal the dark legacy behind the iconic killer.
However, with so little known about the villain and the comic acting as a prequel, it will also be accessible to new fans who simply want a mascot-based horror story.
This Is Just the First of a Slate of Exquisite Corpses Spin-Offs
Launching in 2025, Exquisite Corpses is a comic series in which the Illuminati-like Thirteen Families settle their disagreements with a battle royale, with each family recruiting a killer to fight to the death.
While some families contend for true power with professional assassins and trained mercenaries, others are content to treat the contest as a festive occasion, roping in serial killers and other colorful killers in order to win a cash prize for most kills.
The series has been a sensation, and Rascal Randy is only the first spin-off. Fans can also look forward to upcoming origin series for the Lone Gunman and Fox Mask Killer, as well as a second season of the main comic coming 2027.
On top of that, a recent Kickstarter for a game adaptation is currently running and was funded within eighty minutes, while a live-action adaptation is underway from Lyrical Media.
Part of the charm of Exquisite Corpses is that it blends so many different horror archetypes, with Rascal Randy representing the mascot horror made so much more commonplace by Five Nights at Freddy's success - fans of that subgenre should check out the character's origin story coming soon, as well as his performance in the cutthroat tournament that kicked off this successful franchise.
Exquisite Corpses: Rascal Randy #1 is coming July 8 from Image Comics.
English (US) ·