REVIEW: 'Universal Monsters: Frankenstein' #1 by Michael Walsh and Toni-Marie Griffin

 

Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1

Writer: Michael Walsh

Artist: Michael Walsh, Toni-Marie Griffin

Letters: 

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: August 28, 2024

Cover Price: $4.99

Mini-Series Premiere. A modern-day horror visionary resurrects one of the most iconic monsters. Award-winning creator Michael Walsh (The Silver Coin) presents an electrifying new vision of the horror classic. Each issue of the limited series tells the shocking story behind one of the body parts used to create the unforgettable monster in the original film. In this first issue, Dr. Henry Frankenstein begins his unholy quest to create life by robbing the grave of a decorated police officer. But little does he know that the corpse has a son who is mourning a father-and that this young boy will forever change Frankenstein's life.

Score:

★★★★1/2 (4.5/5)

It must be daunting to take on one of the most famous horror stories ever and create something new and fresh from it. It's also no surprise that the person with that challenge would be an award-winning horror aficionado like Michal Walsh. The classic monster movie gets a clever new perspective that honors the past while injecting some modern chills. 

Based on the 1931 science fiction horror film of the same name directed by James Whale and starring Colin Clive and Boris Karloff, 'Frankenstein' retells the story of the mad scientist Dr. Henry Frankenstein who's determined to bring to life a person assembled from body parts of the recently departed. Issue one gets the point of view of a grieving young son whose policeman father lay at rest until Dr. Frankenstein and his assistant Fritz come along and dig him up. The young boy watches from a distance as his father's grave is desecrated and sneaks a ride back with them to the castle. Once there, Walsh unfolds a plethora of emotions in some quietly unexpected ways along with the commotion of the doctor's exuberant ambition. Some of the beats match the film specifically when he performs the electrifying experiment to infuse life into the monster. What separates itself is that the reader experiences the story through the eyes of the boy and his perilous time hiding in the shadows until he comes across the monster himself. There is tension throughout and a sense of dread that makes this a spiritual companion to the classic film.

Few artists can capture an all-encompassing rich landscape of atmospheric terror like Walsh. Similar to artist Francesco Francavilla, Walsh uses a layered cinematic approach to each panel and each page. Griffin's rich colors set the grim tone and mood for the issue but The composition, the framing, the use of shadows, and white space all tell a story on its own. The art and script reach a synchronicity that flows in ways that allow readers to ride a wave of emotional highs and lows. Readers will be invested as they're sucked into the story. 

'Universal Monsters: Frankenstein' is a new take on a classic made with reverence and creativity. A winning horror story that doesn't reinvent the original but adds to the mythos with genuine precision and care. The result is a scary read that's both familiar and enthralling.