Real Name: Herbert West
Aliases: None
Identity: Known
Occupation: Medical Student, Scientist, Reanimator
Citizenship: American
Place of Birth: Unknown (presumably in the United States)
Known Relatives: None known
Group Affiliation: None (frequently collaborates with colleagues and assistants)
Education: Medical degree, Miskatonic University
First Appearance: Herbert West–Reanimator by H.P. Lovecraft (serialized, 1922)
History: Herbert West is a brilliant yet deeply disturbed medical student and scientist whose life is consumed by a singular, morbid pursuit: the reanimation of dead tissue. West first studied at Miskatonic University, where his obsession with overcoming death set him apart from his peers. Dismissive of the natural boundaries of life and death, West believed that a specially developed serum could reverse death if administered correctly and soon after death occurred. Despite warnings from colleagues and the general ethical horror his work inspired, West remained resolute, convinced his research would change the field of medicine forever.

 While a student, West's experiments were initially confined to animal subjects, but he quickly moved to human trials with disastrous results. He developed a phosphorescent green serum that, in theory, could spark life in dead tissue. His early human experiments were gruesome failures, producing reanimated corpses that were mindless, violent, or horribly disfigured. Driven by frustration and scientific hubris, West continued his work in secret, often partnering with a reluctant assistant whom he manipulated into helping with his increasingly dangerous experiments.

Over time, West’s methods became even more reckless. He began to conduct experiments on freshly deceased humans, often using dubious or outright illegal means to procure test subjects. His escalating unethical practices led to a number of catastrophic incidents, including attacks from reanimated creatures and the constant threat of exposure. As West grew more unhinged, his obsession with perfecting the reanimation serum consumed his life entirely. He alienated those around him, driven by a relentless need to conquer death itself, regardless of the consequences.

 West’s eventual undoing came as a result of his own twisted creations, as many of his reanimated “patients” returned to exact vengeance upon their creator. West disappeared under mysterious circumstances, his ultimate fate unknown. Yet his legacy as a mad scientist obsessed with defying nature endures, marking him as a cautionary tale of unchecked scientific ambition.
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
Weight: 145 lbs (66 kg)
Eyes:Blue
Hair:Brown
Abilities: Herbert West possesses no supernatural abilities, but his intellect and resourcefulness are exceptional. His obsessive study of physiology, biochemistry, and necrobiology granted him a deep understanding of the processes of life and death, as well as the means to stimulate them through artificial means. West's greatest achievement—and the source of his darkest legacy—is his reanimation serum, which can restore basic life functions to dead organisms. However, the serum has consistently shown unpredictable and often horrific side effects, resulting in violent and mentally unstable reanimated beings.

 West’s skills in surgery and dissection are also remarkable; he uses these skills in both experimental and forensic settings to understand how best to apply his serum. His quick thinking and adaptability make him resourceful in a crisis, often allowing him to escape capture or minimize the evidence of his crimes. However, his disregard for ethical boundaries has left him isolated, mentally unstable, and increasingly paranoid.

Accessories: Herbert West is frequently equipped with syringes and vials of his phosphorescent green reanimation serum, which he guards obsessively. His tools of the trade include scalpels, forceps, and other surgical implements that he uses in his experiments. West often wears a white lab coat, which becomes stained with evidence of his grim work, though he has been known to adopt disguises to avoid detection when he seeks out fresh bodies. His laboratory setup, typically a hidden or secluded location, is filled with medical equipment, notes, and vials of his serum in various stages of development. These instruments reflect his meticulous, albeit morally corrupt, approach to research and experimentation.