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Review: Frankenstein Alive, Alive! Trio

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes

The classic horror monsters of the past come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with a mixture of motives, all of whom send shivers down your spine.  Of these classics, none are as bittersweet as Frankenstein’s Monster; the man-made zombie whose unquenchable thirst for knowledge is seconded only by his desire to kill himself, to runaway from the cruelty of the world.

Way back in the mists of time; 1983 to be exact; between paid gigs, Berne Wrightson adapted Mary Shelly’s creation and from there his reputation as master of the horror genre started.  Bernie Wrightson went on to carve a niche for himself that would see a level of darkness applied to then, still mainly cheery DC Universe.  As a youngster of 11 years or so, his Batman Swamp Thing scared the living bejesus out of me.  I mean, look at the long ears!

As time passed Bernie Wrightson delivered fantastic storytelling, extending his art to encompass the superhero world.  At times, it seemed an odd mix, but when the light died in the DC Universe courtesy of The Dark Knight Returns, Wrightson return to Batman with The Cult!

Wrightson is joined for this sequel of sorts by horror writer Steve Niles and the pair deliver a tale that is familiarly haunting as we follow the Monster across the land.  Tired and alone, it’s the introduction of a mysterious benefactor that offers succour, but may in fact lead to a greater evil than even the Monster has seen in its long and tortuous life.

Steve Niles has the beats down for a character that has transcended the original story, making it to the movies and of course comic books.  The recent adaptations of the Monster into the TV show Penny Dreadful was probably one of the more sympathetic interpretations, as well as successfully adding something new to the tale.  Here, there are glimpses of the trying something new, especially with the introduction of the new character.  However, Niles doesn’t sway too far from the strengths of the Monster’s plight.

I am uncertain what more can be said about an artist that had such an unbelievable reach.  Bernie Wrightson was one of the best storytellers in the business.  The fact that this book was scheduled for 2012, a mere 29 years after the original by no way diminishes the beautiful art on display.   Unencumbered by a colourist, Wrightson’s shaded pencils depict a depth that mirrors the soul of the Monster.  Backgrounds are painstakingly rendered, giving the world a wilderness feel that echoes the emptiness of the Monsters existence.  To say that this book represents a master at work, is simply a massive understatement.  This book goes some way to show that, with his death last year, both the man himself and his fantastic artwork are sorely missed.

This newest edition from IDW has taken some time to finally see the racks of comic book stores, which is a shame.  I would have liked to see IDW get their fingers out and have the book out last year as a celebration of Bernie Wrightson’s life.  Still, whilst the impact of the release may be lost, there’s no questioning the powerful pencils on show.

Thank you Bernie, for scaring me once more.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Written by; Steve Niles
Art by: Bernie Wrightson
Published by; IDW

Author Profile

Johnny "The Machine" Hughes
I am a long time comic book fan, being first introduced to Batman in the mid to late 70's. This led to a appreciation of classic artists like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo. Moving through the decades that followed, I have a working knowledge of a huge raft of characters with a fondness for old school characters like JSA and The Shadow

Currently reading a slew of Bat Books, enjoying a mini Marvel revival, and the host of The Definative Crusade and Outside the Panels whilst also appearing on No-Prize Podcast on the Undercover Capes Podcast Network
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