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This June, Mad Cave Studios will publish the first issue of Land of Never, a haunting new comic book series from writer Steve Orlando, with art and a main cover by Miguel Mora, colors by Fares Maese, lettering by Micah Myers, and a variant cover from Sebastián Píriz: “Blending psychological horror with crime-driven suspense, the series reframes a familiar childhood myth through the story of a father determined to uncover the truth behind his daughter’s disappearance.” Exclusively for Daily Dead readers, we have a look at the cover art and a preview of the first issue:
Six months ago, Jim Hoke’s daughter Wendy disappeared from her room. All Jim caught was a glimpse of a hulking figure at the window—the kind of late-night vision that’s easily written off as a hallucination. No one believes Jim’s story—and six months later, the retired pathologist is just looking for anyone who’ll still listen. And even if he finds someone, should they believe him? Jim had already retired early to plant evidence against an alleged killer. His word doesn’t mean much—and it means even less with him as a suspect in Wendy’s disappearance. He can’t leave town, he can’t forget what he saw, and he doesn’t get any sleep thanks to the nightmares.
With Wendy’s disappearance declared the coldest of cases, Jim believes he’s the only one who cares about finding his daughter. And he’s got a withered Father’s Day card in his pocket to remind him—all he can do is his best. So he’d better step it up. Jim goes into business for himself, tracking leads and harassing anyone polite enough to listen to his story. He dives into rabbit hole after rabbit hole, until he meets someone else like him. Then another, then another, a whole community of people who’ve lost someone to a cryptid they call the Floating Man—just like the huge creature Jim saw take Wendy. Suddenly, Wendy’s abductor has a name—the Floating Man. And Jim’s obsession has direction—he’s got to track down the Floating Man, uncover his crimes, and free not just his daughter Wendy, but everyone who’s been lost.
“Land of Never grew out of my love of working with Mad Cave and my love of a challenge—how far could we push a classic tale, its perspective and characters, to create something fresh and new?” said Steve Orlando. “I’ve always been a fan of Peter Pan, both thanks to Disney and from having a family with theatre roots reaching back to Vaudeville. I love the movie version, love the stage version—and loved the book, which I read while living abroad. Now, with Land of Never, we throw an intense lens on childhood, innocence, shepherdship, and parenting. But with that lens comes dark horror and intense crime, with a big infusion of Lord of the Flies. We’re cooking with gas on this one, and it’s going to be a delicious meal like none you’d have ever expected—and one you’ll never forget.”
“Working on Land of Never has meant engaging with a story that refuses comfort and resists easy interpretation,” added Miguel Mora. “There’s a tension beneath the surface that demands a closer look. The world that emerges is defined as much by shadow as by revelation. I hope readers approach it with curiosity—and the willingness to be unsettled along the way.”
“Blending crime noir and folklore horror, Land of Never will appeal to readers of Something Is Killing the Children, delivering a story where grief, obsession, and the monsters lurking at the edge of childhood collide.”
Land of Never #1 will be released on June 17th, with a final order cut-off (pre-order deadline) on May 25th. To keep up with all the great titles from Mad Cave Studios, visit: https://madcavestudios.com/
