Review — ‘Universal Monsters: Frankenstein’ #1 Is A Heartbreaking Horror Reimagining

We all know the story of Doctor Frankenstein and his monster. Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1 reimagines the famous story, by adding an unexpected human element.

Michael Walsh and Toni Marie Griffin tell the story of Frankenstein’s monster in an unexpected way.

Doctor Frankenstein and his assistant Fritz have assembled all they have needed to create new life. With a single lightning strike, they have brought life back to the dead. However, the duo haven’t yet noticed the stowaway from their last trip to the graveyard- a single young boy who is about to change their lives forever.

Just like its predecessors with Dracula and the Creature, this issue tells a story we’re familiar with, and Walsh knows it. By adding our as-yet-nameless point of view character, he adds a new element. He’s obviously a young man still struggling with grief, and working through the pain of losing his father. 

But as we see Frankenstein’s actions unfold from his point of view, we instantly understand the doctor’s madness, and feel his disgust at the assembly of the monster. This young man instantly also forms an empathetic bond with the Monster, showing who the true monster is. It’s a great spin on the familiar story that I can’t help but like.

And where Walsh’s script adds humanity while still bathing readers in the horror, his art with Griffin’s colors makes it a reality. Frankenstein and the Monster are both constantly covered in shadows, making both dark and frightening presences. The page that’s lit most brilliantly- the two page spread of lightning striking the Monster- is a fantastic synthesis of the pacing leading up to it, a shocking moment of horror and a great mixture of light and color that brings it to life.

Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1 is available now from Skybound Entertainment/Image Comics.