IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW Dark is expanding its lineup this fall with You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, an original horror series from the writing duo of Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing and artist Heather Vaughan.
According to IDW, the series blends psychological horror and mystery with themes of generational control and the struggle to break free from systems built by those in power.
“We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next,” Kelly said in the announcement.
The series will introduce Phoebe Joplin, who has spent her entire life in an isolated community where she and her friends have been raised to believe they’re destined for something greater. But when one of their classmates dies under mysterious circumstances on graduation night, Phoebe begins uncovering the terrifying truth behind the seemingly idyllic world her parents created.
Lanzing described the series as a spiritual successor to the team’s earlier creator-owned horror work, The Principles of Necromancy, while emphasizing that the new project is rooted in its characters. “This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions,” Lanzing said.
The debut issue will feature a main cover by Heather Vaughan, along with variant covers by Alex Eckman-Lawn, Morgan Beem and Joshua Hixson:
You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive #1 goes on sale Oct. 14.