Sean Gordon Murphy and Corin Howell Unleash Lake Totem at Image Comics

WEPAAAA! If your idea of a good horror story involves a creepy New England town, a monster lurking beneath the water and a whole lot of 1990s nostalgia, Image Comics has something cooking for January. Writer Sean Gordon Murphy and artist Corin Howell are teaming up for The Lost Bones of Lake Totem, a new four-issue miniseries set to launch January 6, 2027.

Murphy is known to comic readers for Batman: White Knight and The Last Driver, while Howell has worked on titles including Wonder Woman: Black, White, and Gold and Lilith. This time, the two friends are joining forces on a creature-horror story with a mystery at its center. It’s a combination that should get the attention of readers who like horror with a little emotional weight behind the scares.

The story takes place in the 1990s and follows a young girl named Nib, who begins uncovering clues about a legendary monster said to live in Lake Totem. The mystery intensifies when a forgotten burial ground is discovered beneath an abandoned drive-in movie theater. That’s already a strong horror setup, and things get darker once Nib realizes the local legend may be connected to her missing mother.

Nib doesn’t go looking for answers alone. Her best friend Elliot and her cat Ripley join the investigation as the trio follows a trail of clues tied to a mythological conspiracy. According to the publisher’s description, the same trail drove Nib’s mother to the edge of madness before she disappeared. For centuries, something monstrous has reportedly been luring children into the lake, and Nib is determined to uncover what’s really happening.

Murphy calls Lake Totem one of the most personal stories he’s written and points to Halloween, creature horror and 1990s nostalgia as major ingredients. Howell has described the project as a chance to dive into her love of monster stories while collaborating with a close friend. You can feel that shared enthusiasm in the premise. It isn’t just about putting a scary creature on the cover. There’s a missing parent, a town with secrets and a kid trying to make sense of both.

Image positions the series somewhere between the youthful adventure of Paper Girls and the creature-feature chills of Creature from the Black Lagoon. That’s an appealing comparison, although the book will ultimately have to establish its own personality. The abandoned drive-in setting is especially interesting. Horror fans know a good drive-in can feel like a character all by itself, and there’s something wonderfully eerie about a place built for watching monster movies hiding a monster mystery of its own.

The first issue will feature a main cover by Murphy, with variant covers by Clay McCormack, Serena Bell and Fero Pe. A blank sketch cover is also planned. Lake Totem #1 arrives at comic shops Wednesday, January 6, 2027, and will also be offered through major digital comics platforms.

For readers looking for a new horror title to start the year, this one deserves a spot on the radar. A four-issue run gives Murphy and Howell enough room to build their mythology without stretching the mystery forever. Let’s see what crawls out of that lake.

Credits: Writer Sean Gordon Murphy; artist Corin Howell.
Publisher: Image Comics.
Format: Four-issue miniseries.

Issue #1 on sale: January 6, 2027.