The new movie,
I, Frankenstein, is not the
first updating of the Monster's story...
...in fact, this is the second reboot of an updated Frankenstein series by the same publisher!
Written and illustrated by Dick Briefer, who did all three versions of the Monster of Frankenstein for publisher Prize Comics, this story in Frankenstein #18 (1952) was the lead tale in the series' revival since the book's cancellation three years earlier!
As you might have guessed by the date, the book was revived to capitalize on the popularity (or notoriety) of horror comics during this period, resulting in the darkest, scariest, version of the Monster up to that point!
It sold well, but the national panic produced by psychiatrist Fredric Wertham (who claimed comics caused juvenile delinquency) forced comics publishers to drop the horror genre entirely!
Note: Issues 1-17 were based on the first rebooted version carried over from the publisher's flagship anthology Prize Comics.
That version was a humorous take on the character, similar to The Munsters, complete with a supporting cast of various monsters and ghosts.
Be here tomorrow for the best-known story from that run, involving the monster meeting Boris...you-know-who!
Then, on Thursday, we'll show you a tale from the very first version, which was an action/sci-fi strip set during World War II!
