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Frankenstein Monster #1-18
The Monster of Frankenstein
Collects Frankenstein (1973) #1-18; Giant-Size Werewolf By Night #2; Marvel Team-Up (1972) #36-37; material from Monsters Unleashed #2, #4-10; Legion of Monsters (1975) #1.
Gothic horror in the macabre Marvel manner! One of the most terrifying figures in all of fiction lurches into his own 1970s comic-book series, collected in color for the first time. Witness a dramatic retelling of Mary Shelley's literary classic, then follow the Monster in his quest for the last living descendant of his creator, Victor Frankenstein. It's an odyssey that will lead him into confrontation with Marvel's other groovy ghoulies, Dracula and Werewolf by Night! Plus: the full rage of the Monster is unleashed in lavishly illustrated, but rarely seen, tales from the heyday of Marvel magazines. It's enough to bring the dead back to life!
Gothic horror in the macabre Marvel manner! One of the most terrifying figures in all of fiction lurches into his own 1970s comic-book series, collected in color for the first time. Witness a dramatic retelling of Mary Shelley's literary classic, then follow the Monster in his quest for the last living descendant of his creator, Victor Frankenstein. It's an odyssey that will lead him into confrontation with Marvel's other groovy ghoulies, Dracula and Werewolf by Night! Plus: the full rage of the Monster is unleashed in lavishly illustrated, but rarely seen, tales from the heyday of Marvel magazines. It's enough to bring the dead back to life!
533 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2015
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63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 2, 2018
Unlike Marvel's other Horror titles Werewolf By Night and Tomb of Dracula, Monster of Frankenstein never really found its footing. After getting off to a great start with an adaptation of Mary Shelley's novel in the first four issues, and some sporadic high points such as fights with Dracula and other supernatural beings, the book just seemed to meander along, from era to era, without any clear direction. The lack of a stable supporting cast also hurt the series, and removing the Monster's ability to speak halfway through was definitely a bad idea.
A number of improvements elevate this collection above the earlier Essentials version: One, here we get the entire series reprinted in color for the very first time. Second, this time the story is presented chronologically, with the black-and-white magazine stories placed between issues 12 and 13. The Essentials version placed all the magazine stories at the end, making for an awkward read. And third, this collection also includes Marvel Team-Up #s 36 and 37 in which the Monster encounters Spider-Man. Sadly omitted, however, are Iron Man #s 101 and 102, in which Bill Mantlo attempts to tie off some loose ends from his story in Frankenstein #18. That would have been a more fitting way to end this new collection.
All in all, a fun read, but the inconsistent characterization throughout and a lack of any clear direction tend to drag it down.
A number of improvements elevate this collection above the earlier Essentials version: One, here we get the entire series reprinted in color for the very first time. Second, this time the story is presented chronologically, with the black-and-white magazine stories placed between issues 12 and 13. The Essentials version placed all the magazine stories at the end, making for an awkward read. And third, this collection also includes Marvel Team-Up #s 36 and 37 in which the Monster encounters Spider-Man. Sadly omitted, however, are Iron Man #s 101 and 102, in which Bill Mantlo attempts to tie off some loose ends from his story in Frankenstein #18. That would have been a more fitting way to end this new collection.
All in all, a fun read, but the inconsistent characterization throughout and a lack of any clear direction tend to drag it down.
March 2, 2021
Not as strong as Tomb of Dracula or Werewolf by Night but it does have some high points. The first 4 issues are a retelling of Mary Shelley's story, which was great to read. I actually enjoyed the Monsters Unleashed comics more as they seem to be geared more towards adults, even though they're in black and white. Great to own but I'd say for collectors only.
June 22, 2019
Wow, my first 70s Marvel horror book and I really dug it! It lost a little bit of steam for me once they Frankenstein lost his voice but before that I thought it was a really fun and compelling retelling of the classic Frankenstein story mixed with some crazy fun monster battles. And my god the art! I actually don't think I've seen anything by Mike Ploog before but his stuff is absolutely breathtaking!
November 29, 2015
Marvel 70's Horror! What's not to like?
August 1, 2023
I really like Mary Shelley's original novel Frankenstein and I'm always interested to see how adaptations and follow-ups reinterpret it and focus on different parts of the story. So of course I was going to check out Marvel's version, especially since I know it's a contemporary of their very popular Dracula and wolfman comics. Now that I've read this, I can see why it's more obscure and why it only needs a single volume to collect it while Tomb of Dracula and Werewolf by Night each need at least a couple.
The series starts fairly strong, with a retelling of the original novel that hews relatively faithfully to it. The monster is allowed to talk, and the retelling is actually framed as a descendant of the ship captain from the outer narrative of the book coming back to the arctic to try to find the monster. There are some deviations but overall it does the job pretty well and I enjoyed it.
After this story is finished, the next phase of the comic, lasting from issues 5 to 12, sees the monster wander late 1800s Europe running into various supernatural monsters and trying to find the last descendant of his creator. There's a pretty good story with the monster getting a potential love interest, only for her to be a werewolf. And there's a great Frankenstein's Monster versus Dracula showdown, though without having read Tomb of Dracula I'm not sure how it fits into Dracula's timeline and I'm not sure I believe the outcome. Things go pretty well up until issue 12 which exists entirely to repeat plot points from earlier in the series, with the monster once again being frozen, this time to be brought forward in time to the 1970s.
It's this modern stuff where the problems really occur. For the duration of the black and white horror mag stories and most of the last 6 issues of the comic, the monster isn't able to speak, robbing the series of one of the things that makes it stand out so much from too many other stories that ape the Universal films with a mute monster. So much of what makes the series so far interesting is the monster getting to be a real character and not just a dumb brute, and now that's undone. Also, the plots just get rather goofy, reminding me too much of some of the later Universal Frankensteins, with brains getting swapped all over the place and various bits of nonsense with repeated instances of mutant inhumanly ugly creatures. The black and white material does have one somewhat nice story about the monster showing up to a masquerade ball, but even then it feels like it goes off in directions I'm not interested in.
The monster does eventually get his voice back in the second to last issue of the series, but it feels like the story just peters out rather than getting wrapped up. There's a goofy international criminal group and a bunch of back and forth about who the monster can trust and multiple descendants of Frankenstein popping up. The volume ends with two Marvel Team-up stories featuring the monster and Man-wolf which prove to be a fun two parter (and bring the werewolf count up to two), but don't do anything to finish up the story of this version of the monster.
On the plus side, the art is consistently great throughout these comics. I enjoy the design of the monster, as it's definitely different from the bolts in the neck classic Universal design. And the artwork is consistently dynamic and creepy. In fact, while the black and white comics have stories that aren't great, the art depicting these stories is great. It makes me curious to see what else there was in the old Marvel horror magazines some time. At least there was always something cool to look at even if the story was goofy.
So overall, I am glad I read this even if I found it to be a mixed bag. The big problem is that the stories that are good are good enough to make me expect the whole series to be great and things then get more disappointing when the series shifts to be kinda bad. It also feels like there was never a clear identity for the monster's series, with the bouncing around in time and space trying to find a gimmick that will work. I think part of the problem is that the monster has the potential to step on the toes of some of Marvel's other characters, especially the Hulk and some of the already existing horror characters. Still, this is an interesting curiosity and has enough good material that any fan of Frankenstein and comics should at least flip through it at some point.
The series starts fairly strong, with a retelling of the original novel that hews relatively faithfully to it. The monster is allowed to talk, and the retelling is actually framed as a descendant of the ship captain from the outer narrative of the book coming back to the arctic to try to find the monster. There are some deviations but overall it does the job pretty well and I enjoyed it.
After this story is finished, the next phase of the comic, lasting from issues 5 to 12, sees the monster wander late 1800s Europe running into various supernatural monsters and trying to find the last descendant of his creator. There's a pretty good story with the monster getting a potential love interest, only for her to be a werewolf. And there's a great Frankenstein's Monster versus Dracula showdown, though without having read Tomb of Dracula I'm not sure how it fits into Dracula's timeline and I'm not sure I believe the outcome. Things go pretty well up until issue 12 which exists entirely to repeat plot points from earlier in the series, with the monster once again being frozen, this time to be brought forward in time to the 1970s.
It's this modern stuff where the problems really occur. For the duration of the black and white horror mag stories and most of the last 6 issues of the comic, the monster isn't able to speak, robbing the series of one of the things that makes it stand out so much from too many other stories that ape the Universal films with a mute monster. So much of what makes the series so far interesting is the monster getting to be a real character and not just a dumb brute, and now that's undone. Also, the plots just get rather goofy, reminding me too much of some of the later Universal Frankensteins, with brains getting swapped all over the place and various bits of nonsense with repeated instances of mutant inhumanly ugly creatures. The black and white material does have one somewhat nice story about the monster showing up to a masquerade ball, but even then it feels like it goes off in directions I'm not interested in.
The monster does eventually get his voice back in the second to last issue of the series, but it feels like the story just peters out rather than getting wrapped up. There's a goofy international criminal group and a bunch of back and forth about who the monster can trust and multiple descendants of Frankenstein popping up. The volume ends with two Marvel Team-up stories featuring the monster and Man-wolf which prove to be a fun two parter (and bring the werewolf count up to two), but don't do anything to finish up the story of this version of the monster.
On the plus side, the art is consistently great throughout these comics. I enjoy the design of the monster, as it's definitely different from the bolts in the neck classic Universal design. And the artwork is consistently dynamic and creepy. In fact, while the black and white comics have stories that aren't great, the art depicting these stories is great. It makes me curious to see what else there was in the old Marvel horror magazines some time. At least there was always something cool to look at even if the story was goofy.
So overall, I am glad I read this even if I found it to be a mixed bag. The big problem is that the stories that are good are good enough to make me expect the whole series to be great and things then get more disappointing when the series shifts to be kinda bad. It also feels like there was never a clear identity for the monster's series, with the bouncing around in time and space trying to find a gimmick that will work. I think part of the problem is that the monster has the potential to step on the toes of some of Marvel's other characters, especially the Hulk and some of the already existing horror characters. Still, this is an interesting curiosity and has enough good material that any fan of Frankenstein and comics should at least flip through it at some point.
January 21, 2024
A forgotten member of marvel’s horror pantheon…despite being one of the most famous literary monsters to ever exist…
The Monster of Frankenstein is a collection of comics from the 1970s during the period when marvel was published a lot of horror comics.
Since marvel comics had success with other film monsters in Tomb of Dracula and werewolf by Night (two characters that continue to pop up on occasion in various forms), it’s no surprise they also tried a similar tact with Frankenstein’s Monster.
The book is roughly divided into two periods. The first half is set roughly during the late 19th century in 1898, reintroducing the Monster by freeing him from ice nearly a century after his last appearance. I wonder if this choice was done to be similar to captain America’s own reintroduction in the Avengers. Anyway, he ends up in Europe afterwards and clashes with a few different generic figures…including the last known descent of Victor Frankenstein and even Dracula for a few issues (as the comics were set just after the original novel by Bram Stoker).
Then a time jump…as the monster gets frozen once again and wakes up in the “modern day” of 1973. Unable to speak, he clashes with feds, gangsters, a weird criminal syndicate, a berserker robot, and other cheesy comic elements.
Unlike Dracula and werewolf, there didn’t appear to be a clear plan for the Monster throughout these…which is unfortunate. Then again, other than have him travel and encounter various people, what type of stories could you tell with him? They at least tried this just like they did a host of other characters…and at least the art is decently gruesome.
1970s horror comics could always be amusing even if they didn’t always have a satisfactory point or a reason to continue.
The Monster of Frankenstein is a collection of comics from the 1970s during the period when marvel was published a lot of horror comics.
Since marvel comics had success with other film monsters in Tomb of Dracula and werewolf by Night (two characters that continue to pop up on occasion in various forms), it’s no surprise they also tried a similar tact with Frankenstein’s Monster.
The book is roughly divided into two periods. The first half is set roughly during the late 19th century in 1898, reintroducing the Monster by freeing him from ice nearly a century after his last appearance. I wonder if this choice was done to be similar to captain America’s own reintroduction in the Avengers. Anyway, he ends up in Europe afterwards and clashes with a few different generic figures…including the last known descent of Victor Frankenstein and even Dracula for a few issues (as the comics were set just after the original novel by Bram Stoker).
Then a time jump…as the monster gets frozen once again and wakes up in the “modern day” of 1973. Unable to speak, he clashes with feds, gangsters, a weird criminal syndicate, a berserker robot, and other cheesy comic elements.
Unlike Dracula and werewolf, there didn’t appear to be a clear plan for the Monster throughout these…which is unfortunate. Then again, other than have him travel and encounter various people, what type of stories could you tell with him? They at least tried this just like they did a host of other characters…and at least the art is decently gruesome.
1970s horror comics could always be amusing even if they didn’t always have a satisfactory point or a reason to continue.
November 18, 2023
I think this should have been better, but it was difficult to get into any of the characters. They never really stick around very long until they get killed or just leave. Some appropriately chunky and awkward art from two of the greats: Val Mayerik and Mike Ploog. A solid testament to his craft in the way we see Mayerik’s art looks a lot better in black and white than color. But his backgrounds are sorely lacking in many issues.
Just want to note that the series ends on an unresolved cliff-hanger. Many characters introduced 4 or 5 issues back step into oblivion. As far as I know, they are never seen again. Call me weird, but I would love to see a list of forgotten Marvel side characters and unresolved stories. Ralph Caccone and the Baroness Von Frankenstein probably don’t have the most interesting character arcs, but they had potential.
Just want to note that the series ends on an unresolved cliff-hanger. Many characters introduced 4 or 5 issues back step into oblivion. As far as I know, they are never seen again. Call me weird, but I would love to see a list of forgotten Marvel side characters and unresolved stories. Ralph Caccone and the Baroness Von Frankenstein probably don’t have the most interesting character arcs, but they had potential.
November 6, 2020
Great art and some good ideas, but the writing never quite clicks and much as I love the character of Frankenstein, it just tends to remind you of all the other monster comics that did this kind of stuff better.
Wants to be gothic Hulk, but when the hero racks up such a large bodycount, you can't help but wonder if you really should be rooting for him...?
Plus, he spends half the series monologuing so much the caption boxes and thought balloons threaten to take over the page and the last half he's silent and has no supporting cast, so it's all narrator.
Pretty to look at, but you'll have more fun reading back issues of the Living Mummy or Man-Thing.
Wants to be gothic Hulk, but when the hero racks up such a large bodycount, you can't help but wonder if you really should be rooting for him...?
Plus, he spends half the series monologuing so much the caption boxes and thought balloons threaten to take over the page and the last half he's silent and has no supporting cast, so it's all narrator.
Pretty to look at, but you'll have more fun reading back issues of the Living Mummy or Man-Thing.
December 21, 2022
Man or Monster
That is the question that you're gonna have to ask yourself after reading this saga. Frankenstein could have saves himself a lot of trouble if he had only provided him a companion for his lonely life. The tragedy of the story is he is more human than the humans around him. This is a great read from a bygone era at Marvel.
That is the question that you're gonna have to ask yourself after reading this saga. Frankenstein could have saves himself a lot of trouble if he had only provided him a companion for his lonely life. The tragedy of the story is he is more human than the humans around him. This is a great read from a bygone era at Marvel.
September 26, 2025
Bronze Age Marvel monsters rule. Good writing, good artwork, and enough action to move the story along at a good clip. By and large Marvel uses their superhero formula and inserts monsters.
I've read this run a few times over the years and it holds up. This book is a faux-Epic Collection, clocking in at around 520 pages.
I've read this run a few times over the years and it holds up. This book is a faux-Epic Collection, clocking in at around 520 pages.
June 24, 2019
Absolutely fantastic
Loved this stuff as a kid and still love it today. It's by no means an example of timeless writing, but it's loads of fun. The Val Mayeric art still have holds up and the final MTU story is so bad it's great. Excelsior!
Loved this stuff as a kid and still love it today. It's by no means an example of timeless writing, but it's loads of fun. The Val Mayeric art still have holds up and the final MTU story is so bad it's great. Excelsior!
August 4, 2022
Initially, the most perfect comic strip ever created, before declining sharply mid-way and recovering toward the end. Presented here in (mostly) full colour which, in my view, detracts from the beautiful artwork of Mike Ploog.
April 25, 2022
Includes the B&W material besides the 18 issue run, much of the art initially by Ploog, then as the monster fast forwards to the 1970s, Val Mayerik takes over. Also has an appearance in Werewolf and Marvel Team Up.
August 9, 2023
Discovering Mike Ploog has been one of the highlights of my year.
March 11, 2025
One of the best comic collections ever!
Marvel's The Monster Of Frankenstein is maddening, macabre, and fascinating. Great for dark, stormy nights!
Marvel's The Monster Of Frankenstein is maddening, macabre, and fascinating. Great for dark, stormy nights!
July 31, 2023
This is great stuff, 500 pages of '70's Marvel horror. Covering several years worth of stories, there are a few different writers and artists. Doug Moench's purple prose is a bit dated, but the Mike Ploog art in the first group of issues is perfectly suited to the subject. Friedrich wrote the initial issues, trying to make the Frankenstein monster sympathetic, later on they moved the character to the present day, which has it's own pros and cons but at least gives some variety to the story telling. The black and white stories from Monsters Unleashed make the presentation more atmospheric, they follow the same premise but can be a little more graphic and PG-13.
As Marvel story telling got more sophisticated, with more interweaving of their main characters, I think the horror stuff got left behind. It would have been something of a niche market at that point anyway compared to superheroes, it's arguable how much longer they could keep coming up with different ideas, not just for this title but Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night, etc. But the good news is what did get published fits into one phonebook-sized volume that's a lot cheaper than what you'd have to pay for the original issues.
As Marvel story telling got more sophisticated, with more interweaving of their main characters, I think the horror stuff got left behind. It would have been something of a niche market at that point anyway compared to superheroes, it's arguable how much longer they could keep coming up with different ideas, not just for this title but Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night, etc. But the good news is what did get published fits into one phonebook-sized volume that's a lot cheaper than what you'd have to pay for the original issues.
April 21, 2024
The Monster of Frankenstein #1-5 -
Frankenstein Monster #6-18 -
Giant-Size Werewolf #2 -
Marvel Team-Up #36-37 -
Material from Monsters Unleashed #2, 4-10 -
Material from Legion of Monsters (1975) #1 -
Frankenstein Monster #6-18 -
Giant-Size Werewolf #2 -
Marvel Team-Up #36-37 -
Material from Monsters Unleashed #2, 4-10 -
Material from Legion of Monsters (1975) #1 -
January 10, 2016
Great art from Val Mayerik (especially in the b&w issues). The Marvel Team-up issues are the weakest of this set.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews