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[Advance Comic Review] Mike Mignola’s “Frankenstein Underground” Redefines The Monster

Published

9 years ago

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“Frankenstein Underground” #1 could have easily proved to be an embarrassment of riches, but thanks to an incredibly tight script and haunting art it not only succeeds in adding depth to the titular character but cements itself as an essential part of your pull list.

STK665757

Writer: Mike Mignola
Artist: Ben Stenbeck
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Cover Artist: Mike Mignola
Publication Date:March 18, 2015

Hellboy, for me, has always succeeded on the depth of its cultural insight. At its best it took all of our fears about the monsters of urban myth, and pitted them against humanity. When nothing else would defend humanity, the sheer form of prince of darkness rises up to guide us back to the light in the world.

Mignola captures a monster’s heartache through the opening pages, taking us through the monster’s storied history. His script is quick to remind us, Frankenstein is not a man, he is nothing, or at least perceives himself to be nothing. Yet, he is a marvel, a wonder, a guardian, and he is being hunted.

The brisk narrative brings us up to speed on what the monster is, and just how in the world he gets underground. The walls between worlds are thin, we’re reminded, and as the story goes on Ben Stenbeck does his best to push the world to new heights.

The history of the monster is a visual tour-de-force. Showcasing just how amazing Dave Stewart’s colors are with every panel showing us a different style in a different era. It’s a intoxicating way to open the book, but the work of Stenbeck and Stewart remind you that not everything you thought you knew about Frankenstein was true.

I was truly unsure of how I was going to feel about this book. I couldn’t fathom what else could be said about this character, and I wasn’t sure where the story could go. Luckily, all my fears were quelled within a few pages, and I was left in awe by the final panel.

The comic doesn’t concern itself with exposition overload, instead Ben Stenbeck is left to fill in the blanks of the Monster’s own troubled past. While Mignola carefully moves the pieces of the puzzle you thought you solved into a terrible mess while making you feel for the monster, a monster unlike anything we’ve every seen. There is humanity left on the page, because the struggle feels natural and compelling.

So where do things go from here, I can say that I didn’t expect the title to be so literal, but I can’t really say much else other than buy this book. This is another homerun for Dark Horse, another incredible chapter to Mignola’s world, and a story unlike anything you’ve ever seen from both. It’s compelling from cover to cover, and manages to exceed expectations with haunting art on almost every page. I wish I could read #2 right now, and frankly damning myself for reading this one so damn early.

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Comics

‘Witchblade’ is Getting Resurrected This Summer in New Comic Series from Top Cow and Image Comics

Published

1 day ago

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April 18, 2024

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Witchblade cover

Witchblade, the popular comic series that initially ran from 1995 to 2015 and launched a TV series, is getting resurrected in a new comic series from Top Cow and Image Comics. It’s set to unleash heavy metal, black magic and blood this summer.

Look for the new Witchblade series to launch on July 17, 2024.

In Witchblade #1, “New York City Police Detective Sara Pezzini’s life was forever fractured by her father’s murder. Cold, cunning, and hellbent on revenge, Sara now stalks a vicious criminal cabal beneath the city, where an ancient power collides and transforms her into something wild, magnificent, and beyond her darkest imaginings. How will Sara use this ancient power, or will she be consumed by it?”

The series is penned by NYT Best-Selling writer Marguerite Bennett (Animosity, Batwoman, DC Bombshells) and visualized by artist Giuseppe Cafaro (Suicide Squad, Power Rangers, Red Sonja). The creative duo is working with original co-creator Marc Silvestri, who is the CEO of Top Cow Productions Inc. and one of the founders of Image Comics. They are set to reintroduce the series to Witchblade’s enduring fans with “a reimagined origin with contemporary takes on familiar characters and new story arcs that will hook new readers and rekindle the energy and excitement that fueled the 90’s Image Revolution that shaped generations of top creators.”

Bennett said in a statement, “The ability to tell a ferocious story full of monsters, sexuality, vision, and history was irresistible.” She adds, “Our saga is sleek, vicious, ferocious, and has a lot to say about power in the 21st century and will be the first time that we are stopping the roller coaster to let more people on. I’ve loved Witchblade since I was a child, and there is truly no other heroine like Sara with such an iconic legacy and such a rich, brutal relationship to her own body.”

“The Witchblade universe is being modernized to reflect how Marguerite beautifully explores the extreme sides of Sara through memories, her personal thoughts, like desire and hunger, in her solitude and when she is possessed by the Witchblade. So, I had to visually intersect a noir True Detective-like world with a supernatural, horror world that is a fantastic mix between Berserk and Zodiac,” Cafaro stated.

Marc Silvestri notes, “This is brand new mythology around Sara, and I can’t wait for you to fall in love with her and all the twists and turns. Discover Witchblade reimagined this summer, and join us as we bring all the fun of the 90s to the modern age and see how exciting comics can be. I can’t wait for you to read this new series.”

Witchblade#1 will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, July 17th, for $4.99 for 48 pages. And it’ll come with multiple cover variants.

  • Cover A: Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto (Full Color)

  • Cover B: Giuseppe Cafaro and Arif Prianto (Full Color)

  • Cover C: Blank Sketch Cover

  • Cover D (1/10): Dani and Brad Simpson (Full Color)

  • Cover E (1/25): Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto, Virgin Cover (Full Color)

  • Cover F (1/50): J.Scott Campbell (Full Color)

  • Cover G (1/100): Bill Sienkiewicz. (Full Color)

  • Cover H (1/250): Line art by Marc. Virgin Cover, Inks (B/W)

Witchblade #1 will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Witchblade comic panel Witchblade #1 cover image

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