Screen Rant is excited to debut an exclusive trailer for Mad Cave Studios' upcoming miniseries, Under the Influence. The pulse-pounding promo gives viewers an intriguing and terrifying look at the internet's worst side.

Mad Cave Studios shared a new advertisement for its new limited series Under the Influence, written by Eliot Rahal (Bleed Them Dry, Hot Lunch Special, Madam Satan), with art from Stefano Simeone (Star Wars, The Last Days of Black Hammer, Star Trek). The story follows FBI agent Cara Cole, who has been sent to infiltrate the ranks of the fast-growing internet-based cult, the Hot Dog Party. The strange collective is booming after being accidentally created by social media idol Paul Kozac.

The trailer shows an internet prank going horribly wrong when a young person is hit by a truck while on a live stream. Tense music punctuates the fallout of the event, leading Cole to investigate the growing and dangerous nature of the Hot Dog Party. Images of uprisings and social media trends are interspersed with dark tableaus, as the music peaks and eyes watch the chaos unfold in real time.

Under the Influence is a Terrifying Internet-Age Tale

Under the Influence Cover A

Mad Cave Studios is a comic book publisher that got its start in 2014 and since then has published a number of unique titles. The publisher has put out books such as Battlecats, Dahlia in the Dark, and Hunt. Kill. Repeat., many of which sold out of their initial publications. Mad Cave Studios has featured titles from a number of acclaimed creators like Cullen Bunn, Dennis Hopeless, Olivia Stephens, Micah Myers, Luca Romano, and Maria Santaolalla. Mad Cave Studios is also known for its talent searches to scope out new writers, artists, editors, colorists, and letterers.

With Rahal and Simeone's Under the Influence, Mad Cave looks to have another truly original and creative story. Internet culture is a rapidly changing beast, one that has a particularly nasty side to it. The age of social media and viral fads has been a boon for many content creators, but there are those who aren't afraid to use the accessible nature of the internet to influence others in particularly insidious ways. Memes and TikTok trends might be fun, but Under the Influence looks to show the negative consequences these things can have when they grow out of control.

Under the Influence is Ready to Show the Dark Aspects of Memes

Under the Influence Cover B

While websites and video platforms aren't inherently bad, there is a dangerous side to them. Radicalization from online echo chambers is a very real problem in today's society. And many of these unfortunate journeys start with easily digestible pieces of content that deliver misinformation or other harmful things. Comic books have always served as a good medium to comment on what's happening in the world today, and it seems that Under the Influence has a lot to say about the traps people can fall into when they find the wrong thing appear in their social media feed. Mad Cave Studios' Under the Influence #1 is available starting July 5th.