Celebrate “Frankenstein Day” on Aug. 30
Midweek update: Mary Shelley wrote ‘Frankenstein’ in 1816 and published it in 1818; comics have long been enamored with the creature
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrote the novel “Frankenstein” in 1816. It was originally written while she and her lover, Percy Bysshe Shelley, were staying in Geneva, Switzerland with Lord Byron. They challenged each other to come up with ghost stories during the rainy summer; Mary Shelley first conceived of the story of a re-animated corpse that would become the “Frankenstein” novel. The first edition of the novel was published in 1818. It’s now often considered the first science-fiction novel.
To celebrate Frankenstein’s monster, NCom Cyberhall & Gaming Lounge, 916 W. Main St. in Norman, OK will be hosting Frankenstein-related films, games and events from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, Aug. 30, 2023.
Mary Shelley was born on August 30, 1797, which is what led to the celebration on Aug. 30, celebrating both the author and her most famous work.
And yes, if you want to be pedantic about it, the creator is Victor Frankenstein and the monster is Frankenstein’s monster. But I think you have to go with the waves of pop culture as they crash – if you say “Frankenstein,” most people think of the monster.
Want to delve a little deeper into the Frankenstein mythos and adaptations?
Several comics have taken a stab at the classic monster. The following are a few that I recommend you check out, though this barely scratches the surface of Frankenstein-related appearances in comics.
Frankenstein: Junji Ito Story Collection
Manga master Junji Ito adapts Mary Shelley's Frankenstein with visual panache.
Also featured in the collection are tales of a high school student who lives in a decaying mansion connected to a haunted parallel world, and additional short stories.
Ito’s adaptation of “Frankenstein” won an Eisner Award in 2019.
Bernie Wrightson’s Frankenstein and Frankenstein Alive, Alive
In 1983 artist Bernie Wrightson crafted a series of pen-and-ink illustrations for an illustrated volume of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." Wrightson returned to the character near the end of his life, working with Steve Niles on further adventures of Frankenstein’s monster under the title “Frankenstein Alive, Alive.”
Frankenstein Underground
“Hellboy” creator takes on Frankenstein’s monster in this 2015 series, which sees the monster throw down with Hellboy, then escape to a word beneath the Mexican desert, where he encounters creatures as strange as himself. The story is by Mike Mignola; art by Ben Stenbeck; colors by Dave Stewart.
There are many more versions of Frankenstein in comics – Marvel and DC Comics each have their one, and Prize Comics had two versions in the 40s and 50s, the first considered the first ongoing horror narrative in comics, and the second a long-running humorous version featuring Frank as a suburbanite.
Matthew Price, matthew@matthewlprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma.