IDW founder Ted Adams reinvents H.G. Wells' The Island Of Dr. Moreau for wild new summer miniseries

With provocative explorations of intriguing concepts like transhumanism, inter-species evolution, and the madness inflicted by a runaway creation complex, H.G. Wells' literary classic The Island of Dr. Moreau was a curious sensation when it was first published back in 1896.

Now an ambitious new two-part comic book miniseries announced during IDW Publishing's Friday panel at WonderCon in California seeks to reinvent and reimagine Wells' frightening cautionary tale for a modern generation.

Written by IDW founder and Diablo House writer/co-creator Ted Adams, then united with savage art by Locke & Key artist/co-creator Gabriel Rodríguez, The Island of Dr. Moreau beaches itself in comic shops this July, colored by Nelson Dániel and lettered by Robbie Robbins.

“Wells’ novel is as relevant today as when he wrote it in 1896,” Adams explains in an IDW statement. “It addresses the subject of the thin line that separates men from beasts and the question that all scientists should ask themselves: ‘Just because we can do something, does that mean we should?’”

The two-issue offering strives to remain faithful to Wells’ plotline, dialogue rhythms, and Victorian-era setting, but the creative team decided to replace the main character of Edward Prendick (the bizarre island's original castaway witness) with a fresh creation named Ellen Prendick. Her addition allows Adams and Rodriguez to re-examine and dissect a new rendition of one of the world’s seminal sci-fi stories via the mind and gaze of a more dynamic character, thereby delivering a refreshing female point of view on the accursed domain's disturbing hybrids.

“To provide a vivid, immersive experience for the reader, we set the narrative of Dr. Moreau entirely in double-page spreads, a format that builds a rich world for the characters and presents the mystery and terror in a thrilling and concise way,” Rodríguez says in the official release. “We also push the boundaries of the Beast Folk’s design to a point where familiar animal shapes, imbued with traces of human expression, feel genuinely disturbing. It’s been an exciting challenge to capture the fundamental wonder and horror of the novel.”

Check out our primal preview for IDW's H.G. Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau in the full gallery below, then let us know if your summer vacation plans include a trip into the horrors of this exotic island getaway.