This week’s main review is Universal Monsters’ Frankenstein #4, which continues a winning streak for these monster books. Plus, the Wednesday Comics Team has its usual rundown of the new #1s, finales and other notable issues from non-Big 2 publishers, all of which you can find below … enjoy!
Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #4
Writer: Michael Walsh
Art: Michael Walsh
Colors: Toni-Marie Griffin
Letters: Becca Carey
Publisher: Skybound Entertainment/Image Comics
Review by Clyde Hall
These latest comic book expansions on the Universal Monsters mythos have all been consistently high quality. Whether it’s the familiar film narrative told from a different point of view than usual or a continuation of the original storyline, each of these miniseries delivers a fresh perspective on the classic cinema chimeras.
The unfortunate subject of Henry Frankenstein’s experimentation bringing dead tissue back to life is a being composed of many parts, and writer/artist Michael Walsh has provided insight on the original owners, their lives and their loves. This adds an additional layer to the creature’s complexity based on the contributors to his genesis.
The final chapter of Universal Monsters: Frankenstein puts the last stitch in the patchwork creature’s expanded origins through the eyes of Paul, a young orphan whose constable father died in the performance of his duties only for his hands to become components for Frankenstein’s golem.
The climactic confrontation between creator and monster plays out in the background, torch-wielding villagers seeking justice for the drowning of little Maria. Yet in the aftermath of the windmill fire, Henry must not only face the consequences of his misguided experiment and the resultant death of a child. He’s also confronted by Paul as a grieving son whose kind and loving father was commandeered into a mockery of humanity.
Walsh makes the most of this final act by balancing the scientific drive for discovery against the altruistic desire to preserve life, especially to deny Death the final say in how and when those we love leave us. To many characters in this storyline expansion, there are certainly fates worse than death. And Frankenstein must fully contemplate the symphony of suffering he’s orchestrated.
Colorist Toni-Marie Griffin continues the sepia-centric tones used in previous issues, an effective compromise on the black-and-white look of the original film. Then she breaks up that aesthetic with impactful splashes of bright color as needed. Here wildflowers floating on the surface of a sunny pond later add their hues to the searing flames engulfing the creature. The subtle transition from transgression into consequence works to great effect.
If you’ve been along for the entire series, the final installment is a good opportunity to read all four issues again, uninterrupted start to finish. Doing so helped me appreciate fully the non-linear narrative, some of which escaped me on first readthroughs. The result isn’t exactly Tarantino level masterful, but it certainly adds dimensions to the storytelling.
Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #4 continues the winning streak of Skybound/Image’s outstanding extensions on legendary film monsters we both fear and love. In working on this review, a horror film post came up in my research. It was a tribute to Marilyn Harris, the actress who portrayed ‘Little Maria’ onscreen, on the 25th anniversary of her death, December 2nd, 1999. The concluding chapter of this miniseries coinciding with her passing is, in itself, a beautiful tribute. It’s a perfect capstone to this revisiting of the first Universal Frankenstein film and the joy it resonates in my Monster Kid heart.
Christmas 365 #1
Writer: Mikey Way and Jonathan Rivera
Artist: Piotr Kowalski
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Joshua Reed
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Review by Jared Bird
The festive season can be tough for many – including Peter Rockwell and his family, stars of Christmas 365. After a difficult and traumatic year, healing from the loss of his father, his family is split apart at a time when they should be coming together. Taking advice from a local mall Santa, Peter comes up with a plan to give his family the best year they possibly can have – celebrate Christmas once a month on the 25th, every month for a year.
Coming from Mikey Way (Collapser), Jonathan Rivera (Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye) and Piotr Kowalski (Bloodborne), Christmas 365 is hilarious and heartfelt. As someone with a lot of complex feelings about Christmas myself, the comic totally understands why it’s difficult for so many people, but also why it’s such a lovely and warm experience for many as well. There’s a sense of heart at the centre of this comic which is wonderfully refreshing. The premise could’ve been played ironically in a tongue-in-cheek, almost mocking way, but it’s played straight with a lot of genuine sincerity in there. It’s funny too, with a great sense of humour and a good knack for creating realistic but silly adventures. Peter especially is a great lead character – a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown, just trying to make sure his family is okay.
Way and Rivera’s writing is good across the issue. Both writers formerly worked on titles in DC’s Young Animal imprint, and echoes of the in-house style from that line can be seen here, particularly in some of the more surreal jokes or off-beat moments. The two writers work very seamlessly with each other, and in a sense, you can’t really tell at all who did what. It just blends into one organic whole, escaping one of the pitfalls that co-written projects can often fall into. The dialogue is snappy and crisp, the storytelling is effective, and the characters are all clearly defined with unique and understandable quirks and identities.
The artwork by Piotr Kowalski is fantastic. It contrasts with his more fantastical work on titles such as Bloodborne, but his knack for visual presentation, great design choices and a right mix of detail and style are the same here. He introduces some visual gags as well, and while it’s not completely obvious, they are a nice added detail to the comic. It’s great to see a talented artist reach out into new genres and styles.
Overall, Christmas 365 is a great comic to help kick off the festive season, capturing some of the difficulties of that time as well as the highlights. It’s warm, funny and sincere, making for a comforting and cozy read perfect for the winter season. Snuggle up next to a fire if you’re in a cold country, and give this book a read.
Dick Tracy #6
Writers: Alex Segura and Michael Morcei
Artist: Geraldo Borges
Colorist: Mark Englert
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Creative Consultant: Chantelle Aimée Osman
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Review by Jordan Jennings
The latest arc of Dick Tracy has begun, and it promises to be one full of suspense and action. In Dick Tracy #6, we see Dick Tracy investigating a series of brutal gangland murders that lands him on the trail of the sociopathic killer, The Blank. Dick must put aside the fact that Blank has targeted criminals as he works to determine the motives behind this sadistic killer before he claims an innocent life.
Writers Alex Segura and Michael Morcei continue their strong Dick Tracy run with this month’s issue that serves as a great jumping on point for new readers. Segura and Morcei take care to make the story easy to enter, which is no small feat for a character as long published as Dick Tracy. The story is an effective crime drama with elements of suspense and action that keeps the reader hooked on every page. The interactions between Tracy and the supporting cast follow genre tropes but they are damn effective. Dick Tracy is very much an archetypal pulp detective and leaning into these elements best serve the character and the world around him.
The artist Geraldo Borges does wonders establishing the mood and tone of the story. Borges is not afraid to lay heavy inks to pages to create hard shadows that really drive home some of the more suspenseful scenes, especially those involving The Blank. The sense of action and dread is palpable. Borges layouts are fairly traditional and effective in creating a sense of pace and action, but two pages stand out where the main character of the scene is the bulk of the panel and Borges gives them a sense of shock and horror as they reflect on either the past or horrors they have witnessed. It’s an effective tool and eye-catching to say the least in a rather formal comic layout.
Mark Englert’s colors complement the tone of the story as well with frequent use of cool blue hues and red tones in varying scenes. The more suspenseful and chilling moments there is a lot of blue to the page that creates this cold as ice chill. Meanwhile, reds are used during the nightclub scene to create a sense of not only lively warmth but danger as Tracy confronts the newest crime lord on his own turf. I love to see colors used as visual motifs and this comic does it well.
Dick Tracy #6 is a great jumping on point for new readers. There is a lot of pulpy detective work at play. Segura and Morcei write a wonderful, hardboiled world and Borges and Englert complement those elements quite well.
Final Verdict: Buy
More Wednesday Comics
- Juvenile #1 (Image Comics): Juvenile shows a dystopian future where a series of things go wrong in the national and international spheres leaving children’s futures in the wake of catastrophe. After a terrorist attack, children have been affected in a way that they biologically don’t live past adolescence but there are various trials being tested to counteract this tragedy; pills and surgeries that attempt to course correct and give the children longevity. We say the children are the future, so this is interesting to look at as so many children’s futures have been taken from them by the powers and systems that be. It’s a grabbing concept that in this first issue is explored through location and character exploration while never feeling exposition heavy and presenting a lot of questions. The characters talk like adolescents, just as mean and awkward as the kids you probably know in real life. Give them some grace, we’ve all been there. Some of the choices of image what’s really interesting are the internal thoughts which are presented in thought balloons that are colored in a way that initially caught me off guard but by the end, wow they interact with the story in a way that makes them feel so complete within the story’s framing. Jesús Orellana showcases a storytelling prowess that translates animation experience and that also is evident in the clean line work style which is complimented by the cell shaded coloring style. The lettering is expressive, the characters are expressive, though some of the choices for close-ups could be a smidge unsettling, and ultimately it’s an intriguing read that I enjoyed. –Khalid Johnson
- Snotgirl #16 (Image Comics): Snotgirl by Bryan Lee O’Malley and Leslie Hung returned this week, following a hiatus of roughly 4 1/2 years. I was especially interested in how a book like Snotgirl would handle this return, as its concept is obsessively rooted in the present. It’s about social media influencer culture, which feels like it evolves on a near-weekly basis. When last we saw this book, for example, Instagram was barely starting to make its pivot to reels, Elon Musk hadn’t bought Twitter, and the pandemic hadn’t yet shut the entire world down. So yeah, I thought this book had a lot of work to do to make its return seamless. I think for the most part, the creative team managed to power past anything that would make you wonder about those questions I had, pivoting instead to a book focused on its protagonist’s brand-new relationship and her family. It’s a good and interesting choice. The book used to feel a bit like a murder mystery, but that’s been left aside. What has stayed the same is the dryly humorous voice and characterization that has always driven this book. Combine that with Hung’s wonderful artwork, and you’re in for good comics. I’m very glad this one is back. This issue also featured colors by Rachel Cohen with letters by Mare Odomo and Iasmin Omar Ata. —Zack Quaintance
The Prog Report
2000AD 2411 (Rebellion Publishing): This issue marked the end (briefly, for now) of Azimuth: The Fabled Basilisk by writer Dan Abnett, artist Tazio Bettin, colorist Matt Soffe, and letterer Jim Campbell. I would describe this story as an excellent blast of concentrated sci-fi oddity, from the many visual flights of fancy to the complexity of the two main intertwining storylines. It’s a smart comic that’s having a lot of fun with its ideas, as evidenced by the way it names things, from the cadavatars to the abandonware to the buff guy called Papa Legday. It’s a story born out of the now and extrapolated into fantastical sci-fi. It’s also only ending for a very brief spell, as it’s slated to continue in two weeks time in Prog 2413. And I’ll be reading it when it does, as I’ve been enjoying this one quite a bit. As always, you can nab a digital copy of this week’s Prog here. —Zack Quaintance
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