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Reanimator #1 cover by Jae Lee
January 19, 2015, Mt. Laurel, NJ: Dynamite Entertainment proudly resurrects one of horror’s a lot of infamous villains in Reanimator, a four-issue miniseries written by Keith Davidsen and illustrated by Randy Valiente. featuring the notorious Dr. Herbert West — the mad scientist created by odd fiction author H.P. Lovecraft — Reanimator debuts its first issue in April and features variant covers by comic artists well-known for their horror work: Jae Lee (Dark Tower), Francesco Francavilla (Afterlife with Archie), Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash), and Andrew Mangum (Wilder).
Reanimator #1 preview page 1 by Randy Valiente.
In Reanimator, Dr. Herbert West heads to new Orleans to continue his life’s work: the revival of the dead by purely chemical means. To accomplish this task, he recruits Susan Greene, a young and wide-eyed pharmacologist fascinated by his macabre experiments. initially unfazed by West’s unorthodox practices (including how he funds his research – by selling zombie brain fluid as a narcotic), Susan may regret her scientific curiosity as sinister forces – those aligned with Elder Gods and Haitian Voodoo – begin to align against the Reanimator. Reanimator blends mad science, Lovecraftian tentacle terror, backwater Louisianan superstition, and fan-favorite elements of such television shows as Breaking bad and The Walking Dead.
Reanimator #1 cover by Francesco Francavilla.
Writer Keith Davidsen, writer of the cult comic Poison Elves, says, “H.P. Lovecraft is one of the most impactful writers of the 20th century, an influence on such comic book luminaries as Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and Mike Mignola, so giving Herbert West – one of his a lot of beloved characters – a well-deserved spotlight in an all-new series just feels right.”
Reanimator #1 preview page 2 by Randy Valiente.
Artist Randy Valiante, who had previously serviced the army of Darkness/Reanimator special, says, “I like working on Reanimator because of the atmosphere and the tones of the characters and stories. I have been interested in how the brain works and Dr. West is an interesting psychopath, pure intellect without emotion. Also, I am a big fan of H.P. Lovecraft. I did a couple stories lots of years ago with Dagon and his other sea monsters, and I realized that I have this fascination of drawing tentacles and creatures and creepy stuff. I like organic elements on my drawings, and Lovecraftian stories fit that well. It’s kind of strange, but often his characters give me chills when I go swimming — you know, tentacles might come out of the water, or a creature could pop out in front of you. It’s scary as hell.”
Reanimator #1 cover by Tim Seeley.
“When we first discussed giving Reanimator his own solo series, Nick Barrucci (the CEO and publisher of Dynamite) pointed out that the challenge to get rid of is that Herbert West is such a villain. but that’s the appeal of the character — he’s so fanatical with his zombie-creating agenda that he’ll clash with any individual that threatens his work,” says Davidsen. “We’re introducing some genuinely fearsome rivals for West to face, including elements of Lovecraft’s own Cthulhu mythos, and horror fans will love seeing how West navigates or conquers them.”
Reanimator #1 preview page 3 by Randy Valiente.
Regarding the human story of Reanimator, Davidsen says, “Since West is an amoral character, we need an ‘everywoman’ character that the audience can identify with, and that’s Susan Greene. She’s a little bit lost, a whole lot curious about West’s experiments… but ultimately, she’s a good, likeable person. I think it’s a fun twist on the premise from doctor Who, that the doctor needs a grounded companion to serve as his moral compass… but in the case of Reanimator, we see that Susan feels the seduction of casting her ethics aside.”
Reanimator #1 preview page 4 by Randy Valiente.
“Reanimator is finally going to realize its untapped potential,” says Nick Barrucci. “Herbert West has been a best foil during his crossover appearances in Army of Darkness titles, but we’re finally giving him the spotlight he’s due. Monsters and zombies, Voodoo priests and druglords, this series has it all! fans are going to love the creepy, sinister mood of this book, perfectly conveyed by Randy Valiente in his interior art and captured on covers by Lee, Francavilla, Seeley, and Mangum! enjoy out, the horror hit of 2015 is here!”
Reanimator #1 cover by Andrew Mangum.
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