Dystopian science fiction meets existential romanticism as Darcy Van Poelgeest — writer of critically acclaimed Image Comics series Little Bird — returns to comics at Boom! Studios for a new series the publisher describes as “Old Dog meets Blade Runner.”

The new series, titled Lotus Land, will pair Van Poelgeest with artist Caio Filipe, as the two tell a story set in a future Vancouver, British Columbia, where the city is caught between the conflict of urban decay and something called the Keeper Program — a technological breakthrough that seems indistinguishable from miracles. Not everyone is a fan, however, and when the lives of those responsible for the program are threatened, one retired detective is brought back to work on his final case.

The new series is “many things; science fiction, noir, supernatural,” explained Van Poelgeest, who came to many people’s attention with Little Bird, which won the 2020 Eisner Award for Best Limited Series. “But mostly it’s a story about parenthood and the difficulty of never saying goodbye,” he continued. “To read Lotus Land is to take a walk through the wet streets of a city that has come to life on its own terms, where its citizens are more connected to the street lamp they stand beneath than they are each other. But something is pushing back beneath it all, dislodging infrastructure, and disrupting neural pathways. And through those cracks seep long buried secrets that threaten this utopia and all it has promised us. I couldn’t be more excited for readers to take this journey with us, immersing themselves in the world that Caio Filipe and Patricio Delpeche have so masterfully brought to life.”

Felipe, whose work has previously appeared in Dark Horse’s Stranger Things: Tales from Hawkins, added, “It's impressive that in noir science fiction, which are so creatively sharp with the best that these genres can offer, what delights me most about Lotus Land is the relatable, raw, and philosophical themes that loom over the story. I just feel lucky to work with the brilliant Darcy Van Poelgeest closely in such a beautiful, poetic — and often devastating — story. So, prepare your hearts.”

Covers for the first issue come from Alex Eckman-Lawn, Christian Ward, and Ian Bertram with Gus Storms. The new series launches November 15, but you can get an exclusive preview in the gallery below.

Lotus Land isn’t the only new series Boom! Is launching this November; take a look at Zawa + The Belly of The Beast, also announced exclusively here at Popverse.