Comics
Review: ‘Lazarus’ #1
After a spectacular opening, “Lazarus” #1 becomes a smart and action-packed sci-fi adventure. Within the first few pages, Ruck pulls you into his dystopic world. “Lazarus” has something to say as readers are given a chilling glimpse into the future.
WRITTEN BY: Greg Rucka
ART BY: Michael Lark
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: June 26th, 2013
Minding her own business, Forever Carlyle has suddenly witnessed a group of thieves robbing her house. The robbers have somehow managed to break into the Carlyle family vault. These so-called burglars are not looking for money or jewelry. They are actually there stealing the water and food supply. Forever doesn’t know whether to call the police or tell the criminals to leave. The intruders then make the decision for her. One of the robbers raises his gun and shoots Forever between the eyes. But, this isn’t the end of Forever. This is just the start of a really bad day for her.
Writer Greg Rucka creates a dystopian future that is falling apart. Society has become dominated by the wealthy and political families. What’s interesting here is that Rucka’s writing is heavily influenced by the Occupy Wall Street movement. At its core, the eternal battle between the Haves and Have Nots is a common theme in many sci-fi tales. The poor will always be at war with the rich, but what makes this tale different than most is the main protagonist, Forever.
Forever Carlyle is an attention-grabbing character because readers are going to witness her change. While her loyalties are with her family, Forever is still being influenced by outside forces. Even though she doesn’t want to, Forever is going to change after her meetings with people of different social classes. She is slowly beginning to learn there are different kinds of power. I look forward to seeing how Rucka develops Forever in the next issues.
The pacing of Michael Lark’s illustrations is perfectly executed in the opening pages. Lark plays around with the zombie genre when Forever Carlyle is shot right in the head. When she rises, the creepy blue-toned drawings look like something out of a horror movie. The atmosphere changes when Forever breaks into action, taking down the robbers one by one. The action sequence is quite cinematic, as if already storyboarded to be put on the big screen.
Lark does a great job in his portrayal with Forever. There is so much detail in the clothing and hairstyle so that Forever looks physically tough and mentally withdrawn. Though she is supposed to be cold-hearted, there are moments of vulnerability captured in Forever’s facial expressions. Forever is clearly being affected by the circumstances of those around her. I’m interested in seeing how Lark breaks down her emotional barriers as the cracks on the wall are now settling in.
Ever since I read “Gotham Central,” I’m excited for the creative team-up of Rucka and Lark. I can’t wait to see what they see do with the “Lazarus” series.
4/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – Jorge Solis
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “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. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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