“Awakening” follows Private Investigator Derrick Peters as he uncovers an unconventional zombie outbreak. “[Peters] is a former detective for the Park Falls Police Department and retired early from the force,” Nick Tapalansky told CBR. When “town crazy” Cynthia Ford starts spouting conspiracy theories linking a series of seemingly unrelated murders, most people dismiss her claims out of hand, but Peters’ history with Ford drives the P.I. to dig deeper into her story.

Like other classic noir protagonists, “Awakening’s” Derrick Peters is far from infallible. “I really like how Derrick isn’t the perfect hero,” Alex Eckman-Lawn said. “He’s kind of a gloomy recluse and while he’s certainly capable, he’s not Batman, you know? He can’t solve the case on his own and he knows it.”

To that end, Peters enlists the aid of Dr. Daniel Howe, a young scientist in the employ of the United States Government. “Howe’s here to dig into the problem and resolve it, but bureaucracy seems to have kept any useful information from him,” Tapalansky explained. “It seems somebody knows there’s something more to the rising number of missing and murdered in the city but if they know more than the general gist they certainly didn’t tell Daniel. Once he and his equipment arrive in Park Falls he essentially starts from scratch, trying his best to discover a cause and solution to these ‘awakenings’ before it’s too late.”

Of the two protagonists, Eckman-Lawn finds it easier to identify with Peters. “Drawing Daniel-heavy pages actually used to make me mad because he’s so damn slick and confident,” the artist admitted. “I identify more with the uglier grumpier side of the team. I suppose that’s very telling.”

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