iZombie is an American comic book series created by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred, and published by DC Comics under their Vertigo imprint. The comic follows the story of Gwen Dylan, a zombie with vague memories of her past. Gwen becomes a grave digger to obtain brains to sustain herself. Gwen befriends various other mythical creatures including ghost Ellie Stuart and a were-terrier named Scott. Gwen dates a zombie hunter named Horito.
A television series developed by Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero-Wright loosely adapts the comic run. It premiered on The CW on March 17, 2015, and ran for five seasons concluding on August 1, 2019. The series stars Rose McIver as medical examiner Olivia Moore, Malcolm Goodwin as police officer Clive Babineaux, David Anders as criminal and brain-dealer Blaine DeBeers. Multiple characters recurred and were subsequently promoted to series regular including Aly Michalka, Robert Knepper, and Bryce Hodgson.
The following is a list of characters that have appeared in the comic and television series.
Overview Main Actor Character Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 Rose McIver Olivia "Liv" Moore colspan="5" Malcolm Goodwin Clive Babineaux colspan="5" Rahul Kohli Ravi Chakrabarti colspan="5" Robert Buckley Major Lilywhite colspan="5" David Anders Blaine "DeBeers" McDonough colspan="5" Aly Michalka Peyton Charles colspan="2" colspan="3" Robert Knepper Angus McDonough colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" Bryce Hodgson Don "Don E." Eberhard colspan="1" colspan="3" colspan="1" Scott "Scott E." Eberhard colspan="3"
Recurring and guest starring Actor Character Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 Molly Hagan Eva Moore colspan="2" Nick Purcha Evan Moore colspan="2" Aliza Vellani Marcy Khan colspan="4" Aleks Paunovic Julien Dupont colspan="4" Bradley James Lowell Tracey colspan="4" Hiro Kanagawa Daniel Suzuki colspan="2" Steven Weber Vaughn Du Clark colspan="2" colspan="3" Leanne Lapp Rita Du Clark colspan="3" Matthew MacCaull Sebastian Meyer colspan="4" Daran Norris Johnny Frost colspan="2" Carrie Anne Fleming Candy Baker colspan="4" Marci T. House Lieutenant Devore colspan="2" colspan="2" Sarah-Jane Redmond Jackie colspan="4" Elise Gatien Corinne colspan="4" Dakota Daulby Tommy colspan="4" Ryan Beil Jimmy Hahn colspan="3" Darryl Quon Luta colspan="4" Tanja Dixon-Warren Cissie colspan="4" Tim Chiou AJ Jin Jessica Harmon Dallas Anne "Dale" Bozzio colspan="4" Eddie Jemison Stacey Boss colspan="2" Greg Finley Drake Holloway colspan="2" Andre Tricoteux Chief colspan="2" Kurt Evans Floyd Baracus colspan="3" Robert Salvador Detective Cavanaugh colspan="4" Cole Vigue Harris colspan="4" Andrea Savage Vivian Stoll colspan="2" colspan="2" Colin Lawrence Janko colspan="3" Nathan Barrett Tanner colspan="3" Patrick Gallagher Jeremy Chu colspan="2" Brooke Lyons Natalie colspan="2" Bradley Stryker Kenny colspan="3" Enrico Colantoni Lou Benedetto Yani Gellman Gabriel colspan="3" Debs Howard Steph colspan="3" Natasha Burnett Regina Sumner colspan="3" Miriam Flynn Mrs. Holloway colspan="3" Paul Anthony "Speedy" Pete colspan="3" Lola St. Vil Pam colspan="3" Justin Prentice Brody Johnson colspan="3" Jerry Trimble Roger Thrunk colspan="3" Ray Galletti Harry Cole colspan="3" Julian Paul Telly Levins colspan="3" Ted Cole Tim Addis colspan="2" Antonio Cayonne Colin Andrews colspan="3" Ken Marino Brandt Stone colspan="2" Keith Dallas Billy Cook colspan="2" Rob Thomas Rob Thomas colspan="3" Tongayi Chirisa Justin Bell colspan="2" Andrew Caldwell Harley Johns colspan="2" colspan="2" Jason Dohring Chase Graves colspan="2" colspan="2" Ella Cannon Rachel Greenblatt colspan="2" Anjali Jay Carey Gold colspan="2" colspan="2" Mike Dopud A.K. Fortesan colspan="2" colspan="2" Aidan Kahn Zach Stoll colspan="2" colspan="2" Ryan Jefferson Booth Dino colspan="2" colspan="2" Christina Cox Katty Kupps colspan="2" colspan="2" Sarah Jurgens Shawna colspan="2" colspan="2" Ava Frye Tatum Weckler colspan="2" colspan="2" Anisha Cheema Patrice Gold colspan="2" colspan="2" Mateo Mingo Wally Reid colspan="2" colspan="2" Peter Kelamis Mr. Huntsman colspan="2" colspan="2" Gordon Michael Woolvett James Weckler colspan="2" colspan="2" Kett Turton "Vampire" Steve colspan="2" colspan="3" Adam Greydon Reid Hobbs colspan="3" colspan="2" Jake Manley Fisher "Captain Seattle" Webb colspan="3" Jade Payton Jordan Gladwell colspan="3" colspan="2" Giacomo Baessato Russ Roche colspan="3" Nathanael Vass Reid Sackman colspan="3" Jaren Brandt Bartlett Tucker Fritz colspan="3" Nick Heffelfinger Mace colspan="3" Keenan Tracey Tim Timmerson colspan="3" Dawnn Lewis Mama "Renegade" Leone colspan="3" Ryan Devlin Dalton colspan="3" Laura Bilgeri Sloane Mills colspan="3" Micah Steinke Stan colspan="3" colspan="2" Christie Laing Michelle colspan="3" colspan="2" Daniel Bonjour Levon Patch colspan="3" Elfina Luk Joyce Collins colspan="3" colspan="2" John Emmet Tracy Enzo Lambert colspan="3" colspan="2" Emy Aneke Matthew Voss colspan="3" colspan="2" Francis Capra Baron colspan="3" Melissa O'Neil Suki colspan="3" Izabela Vidovic Isobel Bloom colspan="3" Nemo Cartwright "Crybaby" Carl colspan="3" colspan="2" Samuel Patrick Chu Curtis colspan="3" colspan="2" Jennifer Irwin Dolly Durkins colspan="4" Gage Golightly Alice "Al" Bronson colspan="4" Bill Wise Martin "Beanpole Bob" Roberts colspan="4" Valerie Tian Darcy Bennett colspan="4" Andrew Kavadas General Mills colspan="4" Quinta Brunson Dr. Charli Collier colspan="4"
Comic series Main characters Gwen Dylan
Gwendolyn Rose "Gwen" Dylan (née Price) is the series' main protagonist. After rising from her grave as a zombie with scattered memories of her past, Gwen takes up residence in her graveyard's crypt, taking a job as a gravedigger so she could have access to the brains required every 30 days to stave off mindlessness by absorbing residue soul essence (in-doing so inheriting parts of the deceased's thoughts and memories), and befriending a local ghost named Ellie and were-terrier named Scott. Several years after becoming a zombie, Gwen learns she was resurrected by local mummy John Amon, seeking her assistance in preventing the dark god Xitalu from consuming the souls of everyone on Earth. Able to pass as human, Gwen begins dating a monster hunter named Horatio, who is initially unaware of her undead status, while Scott begins dating Gwen's brother Gavin, both unaware of their relation. Ultimately, Amon and Gwen are revealed to have known each other before her death, and she had voluntarily killed herself in order to become a zombie and defeat Xitalu. However, upon Xitalu's arrival, Gwen decides to go against Amon's plan to sacrifice the souls of her town to stave off Xitalu for another few millennia, and instead, recognizing his method of absorbing souls to be identical to her own brain consumption, and that Xitalu is themselves a "cosmic zombie", Gwen absorbs Xitalu's soul, becoming a celestial being larger than the Earth. Bidding her friends and family goodbye, Gwen ascends to the cosmos.
Ellie Stuart Eleanor "Ellie" Stuart (née Roosevelt) is Gwen's best friend, befriending her shortly after witnessing her crawl from her grave. Named after Eleanor Roosevelt, Ellie died in the 1960s after getting hit by a bus, before returning as a "ghost" or "bodiless oversoul". Ellie subsequently befriends a were-terrier named Scott and local mummy John Amon, the latter of whom teaches her how to possess people. Ellie then uses the ability to begin dating again, forming a polyamorous relationship with the vampire Claire and a revenant known as Francisco, later involving Francisco's ex-girlfriend Tricia.
Scott "Spot" Scott, referred to by his friends as Spot, is a were-terrier and best friend of Gwen Dylan and Ellie Stuart, the former of whom he is initially in love with. He is later revealed to be bisexual and starts dating Gwen's brother Gavin, ultimately marrying him. After being present at his grandfather Marvin's ("Gramps"') deathbed, Scott inadvertently causes his soul to be bound to a chimpanzee.
Horatio Horatio is an Asian-American monster hunter working for the Fossor Corporation, whose previous girlfriend Bethany was eaten by zombies. Initially investigating a coven of vampires residing in her town with his mentor Diogenes, Horatio begins to date Gwen initially unaware of her species, while she quickly deduces that he is a monster hunter. Upon being informed by her species by Diogenes and criticized for not being able to immediately recognise her as a zombie, Horatio is initially taken aback, before deciding to continue to date Gwen.
John Amon John Amon is a mummy who has been alive for thousands of years. Resurrecting Gwen Dylan as a zombie for the purposes of using her abilities to prevent the dark god Xitalu from consuming the souls of everyone on Earth, Amon also seeks to cure his wife Ubasti of her were-jaguar nature, which leaves her confined to leopard form for every day of the year but one.
Claire Claire is a vampire who turned her sorority into vampires shortly after being turned into a vampire, whom Horatio and Diogenes kill in their pursuit of their subsequently-created coven, led by Nemia. Shortly afterward, Claire is resurrected by Galatea, serving as her lab assistant in preparing for the arrival of Xitalu, before calling a truce with Nemia in order to join their forces together. Claire later forms a polyamorous relationship with ghost Ellie Stuart and revenant Francisco.
Gramps Marvin, known by Scott as "Gramps", is Scott's estranged grandfather, whose soul Scott inadvertently binds to chimpanzee after being present at his deathbed.
Galatea Galatea is John Amon's ex-girlfriend, also known as Lady Frankenstein, who seeks to use Xitalu's power to ascend to godhood.
Supporting characters
Vincent Tan: A friend and co-worker of Scott. Ashok Patel: A friend and co-worker of Scott and Vincent. Nemia: The leader of Claire's coven, a sorority turned into vampires. Gavin Price: Gwen's younger brother, a gay man interested in Scott. Phantasm: A 1930s-era vigilante poltergeist, who shares a body with Gavin. Dixie: A waitress romantically interested in Marvin. Ubasti: John Amon's wife, a were-jaguar. Diogenes: Horatio's mentor, a monster hunter with a scarred eye. Bethany: Horatio's deceased girlfriend, who was eaten by zombies. Tricia: A friend of Gwen's from when she was alive, who is turned into a vampire. Francisco: An ex-boyfriend of Tricia's resurrected as a revenant by Galatea and Claire. V.E.I.L.: A secret organization of monsters who hunt other monsters hunters. Kennedy: A vampiric and afroed secret agent and leader of the "Dead Presidents" Nixon and Nobody: A bald and blonde pair of secret agents. Zombie Lincoln: The 16th president of the United States and leader of V.E.I.L. Dr. Valentin Kovsky: A Russian scientist who has resurrected himself as a brain in a jar. Komandir Koschei: Dr. Kovsky's assistant, whom he has resurrected as a revenant. Strider: The herald of Xitalu, who borrows Horatio's form to warn humanity of Xitalu's arrival. Mr. and Mrs Price: Gwen's and Gavin's parents. Xitalu: A dark god and "cosmic zombie" seeking to absorb all souls on Earth.
Television series Main characters Olivia "Liv" Moore
Olivia "Liv" Moore (portrayed by Rose McIver) is the series' main protagonist. A former medical resident who became a zombie when she attended a boat party that was attacked by people who had just taken a new designer drug called "Utopium" while also consuming the Max Rager energy drink. She was scratched by Blaine while he was in full-on zombie mode.
She worked as an assistant medical examiner for the King County Medical Examiner's Office which allowed easy access to human brains. She must frequently consume human brains to maintain her humanity and suppress her hunger. Without feeding, she becomes increasingly less intelligent and would eventually turn into a classic zombie that exhibits no human traits and only craves for brains.