iZOMBIE

Not to be confused with I, Zombie.
For the live-action series, see iZombie (TV series).
iZOMBIE

Cover page of #1
Publication information
Publisher Vertigo
Schedule Monthly
Format Ongoing series
Genre Horror
Publication date 2010–2012
Number of issues 28
Main character(s) Gwen Dylan, Ellie Stuart, Scott
Creative team
Writer(s) Chris Roberson
Artist(s) Michael Allred
Jay Stephens
Jason Bone
James Rugg
Letterer(s) Todd Klein
Colourist(s) Laura Allred
Creator(s) Roberson & Allred
Editor(s) Shelly Bond
Collected editions
Dead to the World ISBN 1-4012-2965-4
uVampire ISBN 1-4012-3296-5
Six Feet Under & Rising ISBN 1-4012-3370-8
Repossessed ISBN 1-4012-3697-9

iZOMBIE[1] is a comic book series created by writer Chris Roberson and Michael Allred, published by DC Comics's Vertigo imprint beginning in 2010. The series deals with Gwen Dylan (née Gwendolyn Price), a revenant gravedigger in Eugene, Oregon and her friends Ellie, a 1960s ghost, and Scott, a were-terrier. iZOMBIE was nominated for the 2011 Eisner Award for Best New Series.[2]

Gwen can pass for a regular girl, but she needs to eat a brain once a month to keep from losing her memories and intelligence. As a medical resident in the ME's lab, she has plenty of access to recently deceased people; when she consumes their brains she "inherits" part of the deceased's thoughts.

The "monsters" in iZOMBIE are explained via the concepts of over- and undersoul. The oversoul (as in Ralph Waldo Emerson's "The Over-Soul") is "seated in the brain, contains the thoughts, memories, and personality",[3] while the undersoul (as in Michael McClure's poem "Dark Brown") is "seated in the heart, contains the appetites, emotions and fears".[3] Ghosts are thus bodiless oversouls; poltergeists, bodiless undersouls; vampires bodies without undersouls (thirsting for emotions); and zombies, bodies without oversouls. Revenants, like Gwen, are unique in that they possess both oversouls and undersouls. Souls can also "infect" the living, which accounts for the possessed and werewolves and the like.[4] The characters of iZombie first appeared in a short story in the first House of Mystery Halloween Annual (2009). An iZOMBIE story was also included in the second House of Mystery Halloween Annual (2010).

The comic is notable for its use of real Eugene-area locations as settings, including the University of Oregon campus, the Shelton McMurphey Johnson House, the McDonald Theater, Eugene City Hall, and Ya-Po-Ah Terrace, as well as Portland's Oregon Convention Center and Oregon Zoo.

On April 1, 2012, at the Emerald City ComiCon, Allred announced that iZOMBIE would end as of #28 in August.[5]

Synopsis

Various entities, some human, some not, battle various escalating threats in and around Eugene, Oregon. Vampires, parental fights, zombies, romance triangles, cabin fever, delayed apocalyptic battles and technical support are just some of the situations under-prepared, heavily manipulated, not-quite-human twenty-somethings have to deal with.

Characters

Adaptation

Main article: iZombie (TV series)

In November 2013, The CW ordered a pilot episode named after the comic from writer/producers Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright, who are developing the property as a supernatural procedural drama for the network.[6] On February 25, 2014, Deadline reports that Malcolm Goodwin, Alexandra Krosney and David Anders are cast as Clive, Peyton and Blaine.[7] On March 7, 2014, actor Robert Buckley was cast as Major, the lead character's former fiancé who is trying to transition back to being her friend despite still being in love with her and a former college football player-turned-environmental engineer who is extremely likable.[8] On March 12, 2014, actress Rose McIver was cast as the lead character Olivia "Liv" Moore, changed from Gwendolyn.[9] iZombie had been picked up for the 2014-2015 season by The CW on May 8, 2014, but was pushed back to air as a mid-season replacement.[10] It debuted on the CW on March 17, 2015.

While the series retains the lead character's ability to absorb memories and abilities through eating brains, her backstory is substantially changed. Liv (changed from Gwen) is an intern physician who is turned into a zombie after being scratched by one. The series picks up five months after the incident, with Liv now working as a morgue assistant, which provides her with a steady supply of brains that she must eat in order to retain her intelligence, with the side effect of her receiving flashes of memories from the dead (and absorbing their habits and abilities) which she uses to assist in solving crimes.

Michael Allred, lead artist for the comic book series, designed and drew the opening credits for the series.[11]

Trade paperbacks

#TitleISBNRelease dateCollected material
1 Dead to the World ISBN 1-4012-2965-4 March 22, 2011 iZOMBIE #1–5, a story from House of Mystery Halloween Annual #1 and about 11 additional sketches and covers
2 uVampire ISBN 1-4012-3296-5 September 7, 2011 iZOMBIE #6–12 and a story from House of Mystery Halloween Annual #2
3 Six Feet Under and Rising ISBN 1-4012-3370-8 February 14, 2012 iZOMBIE #13–18
4 Repossession ISBN 1-4012-3697-9 December 11, 2012 iZOMBIE #19–28

Notes

  1. ↑ "The correct spelling of the title of our esteemed series is: (...) a lower case "i", sans comma, and the "OMBIE" in caps. In other words: iZOMBIE." - Shelly Bond in Chris Roberson (w), Michael Allred (i). iZOMBIE 12: 18 (June 2011), Letters column: Vertigo
  2. ↑ Nominees Announced for 2011 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, Comic-Con International, retrieved March 24, 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chris Roberson (w), Michael Allred (i). iZOMBIE 4: 11 (October 2010), Vertigo
  4. ↑ Chris Roberson (w), Michael Allred (i). iZOMBIE 4: 12-13 (October 2010), Vertigo
  5. ↑ ECCC: The Vertigo New Blood Panels – And The End Of iZombie, Bleeding Cool, retrieved April 1, 2012.
  6. ↑ "iZombie", deadline.com (Deadline.com).
  7. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "Malcolm Goodwin To Star, Alex Krosney & David Anders To Co-Star In CW’s ‘iZombie’". Deadline. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  8. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley. "'One Tree Hill's' Robert Buckley to Co-Star in CW's 'iZombie'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  9. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley. "Rose McIver to Star in Rob Thomas' 'iZombie'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
  10. ↑ Michael Ausiello. "The CW New Series For Fall 2014 – ‘The Flash’ and ‘iZombie’ - TVLine". TVLine.
  11. ↑ Hugh Armitage. "iZombie opening credits reveal Michael Allred art". Digital Spy., accessed March 18, 2015

References