Mad Cave Studios will release Lazarus Order, a fantasy horror series that marks the comic book debut of actor-turned-writer Sloane Morgan Siegel (Dwight in Shining Armor). Created with character designer Benjamin J. Stockham, artist Juan Doe (Terrorbytes), and letterer DC Hopkins, the comic imagines a Medieval world protected from monsters by a holy order of plague doctors, who’ve been armed with supernatural powers from God Himself.
Lazarus Order #1 cover A, by Juan Doe
However, as the official synopsis informs us, “their powers come at a great cost — the more they use them, the more it consumes them until they fade to nothing. Despite this sacrifice, they live in servitude and dedication to protecting humanity from vampires, werewolves, Rattusvir (Rat-man disease), the undead, and other variants of ‘The First Sickness.’”
Siegel states, “Lazarus Order is a story that’s world and characters have become very dear to me, as we’ve already outlined and mostly written the entirety of this saga. Each of the characters are an extension of some part of myself, and I feel for them in their many struggles to discover who they are and how they believe they can change the world. Everyone in this story yearns for something, whether it is acceptance, heroism, freedom, redemption, or another core desire that drives humanity to become the individuals they are. I hope people learn something about themselves as they join our characters in their many quests and find something familiar in at least one of our developing souls.”
Stockham adds, “I hope that people enjoy immersing themselves in this world and characters as much as we had fun creating them! The world of the Lazarus Order is complex and interwoven, with lots of different faces and bits of lore; It would be wonderful if people resonated with those aspects. This is our passion project, and that love for the material shines through in all aspects. It is my sincere wish that love is not only recognized but that it enriches our readers’ experiences as well.”
Doe also says, “Creating the art for Lazarus Order is the culmination of everything I have learned in my career working in comics. It has everything I have ever loved in this medium, from great characters, fantastically designed creatures, giant set pieces, action galore, and most importantly, an incredible story that goes beyond the spectacle of just trying to make cool pages. Lazarus Order represents an opportunity to visualize a universe grounded in a rich, complex lore that has staying power and years of story ahead of it. We invite everyone who reads it to follow along to its conclusion; it will be an adventure worth taking and one not soon forgotten.”
Issue #1 will be released on August 19 with variant covers by Marguerite Sauvage, and Georges Jeanty with Juancho. For more from Siegel in the meantime, you can visit his official website, and read an interview from last year at TresA magazine discussing his comic book plans.
Cover B by Marguerite Savage
Cover C by Georges Jeanty and Juancho
