Loki Season 2 Trailer: Who is Zaniac & his connection to the Dark Dimension Explained
In a scene at a movie theatre, the film name “Zaniac!” hangs above the marquee. Zaniac debuted in “Thor” #319 by Doug Moench, Keith Pollard, Brett Breeding, George Roussos, and Diana Albers. In the issue, movie star Brad Wolfe portrays a blood-craving creature named Zaniac: He wears a costume that makes him appear monstrous. Unfortunately, an accidental explosion on set (connected to the Manhattan Project) transforms him into becoming a host to a mystical entity. Zaniac would take on other hosts after leaving Wolfe’s body.
The comics later reveal that Zaniac jumped through different hosts for centuries, including being responsible for the Jack the Ripper murders in the late 1800s. While Zaniac isn’t directly referenced as being from the Dark Dimension, his connection to the serial killer confirms his origin.
In “Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme” #23 by Roy Thomas, R.J.M. Lofficier, and Lee Weeks, it’s revealed Jack the Ripper was under the control of Dormammu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension. Considering Dormammu is already an established figure in the MCU — making his live-action debut in “Doctor Strange” — Zaniac’s appearance could hint at bigger things coming from the dark underbelly of the Marvel Universe. “Loki” has played with history before, as Season 1 revealed the trickster god was DB Cooper, so any bending of time is possible here!
