Erm, apparently there was way more to Dr Brenner’s backstory than what we saw in Stranger Things, but somebody changed their mind and we didn’t get to see it.
In October 2022, there was an announcement that Stranger Things: The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner, a new comic book series, was coming. The blurb read: “The year is 1968. Dr Martin Brenner, a disgraced American scientist, returns to the abandoned lab where he and his colleagues collected research for top-secret government projects. But Brenner’s unfinished business in his old lab isn’t the only thing haunting him: a ghostly face from his past seems to be following his every step.”
In the Stranger Things timeline, 1968 is nine years after Dr Brenner staged Henry (aka Vecna’s) family’s deaths, and about a year before he kidnapped Kali (aka Eight). The spin-off would delve into Dr Brenner’s backstory, and maybe explain more about what he was doing with Henry, Kali and Eleven in that creepy lab.
Dark Horse Comics released pics of the first four covers
The first issue of Stranger Things: The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner was set to arrive on 11th January 2023. Four different artists designed covers in different styles, depicting Brenner and at least two unknown characters. However, it never came out. None of Netflix, the Duffer brothers or Dark Horse Comics gave an explanation for the indefinite postponement (and probable cancellation). There appears to have been an issue with this specific Dr Brenner spin-off, as Dark Comics has churned out numerous other Stranger Things graphic novels between 2018 and now.
One possible explanation is that Dr Brenner’s backstory in this series either gave away or contradicted what we learned about Dr Brenner from the stage show Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Or, maybe it clashed with some story planned for season five of Stranger Things. Netflix viewers have plenty of theories on what we don’t yet know about Henry/One/Vecna and Dr Brenner. I’m so intrigued.
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