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| Frankenstein | |
|---|---|
 Frankenstein, as he appeared on the cover ofSeven Soldiers: Frankenstein #2 (March 2006). Art byDoug Mahnke. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #135 (May 1948) |
| Created by | Edmond Hamilton Bob Kane |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Frankenstein |
| Team affiliations | Creature Commandos Seven Soldiers S.H.A.D.E. Justice League Dark Justice League |
| Abilities |
|
Frankenstein is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byDC Comics. He is based on theFrankenstein's monster character created byMary Shelley.
Eric Frankenstein is played byDavid Harbour in theDC Universe, beginning with the animated seriesCreature Commandos.[1]
Frankenstein, based uponMary Shelley'scharacter from the novelFrankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus (1818), was created in 1948 byEdmond Hamilton andBob Kane inDetective Comics #135.[2]
A later reworking was developed byLen Wein as theSpawn of Frankenstein concept. The monster fell under the thrall ofCount Dracula. They often battled againstSuperman,Batman, or thePhantom Stranger. He appeared inThe Phantom Stranger (vol. 2) #23-30 (February 1973-May 1974),Action Comics #531 (May 1982), andThe Young All-Stars #18-19 (November–December 1988).
A third Frankenstein Monster appears inSuperman #344 (February 1980), along with Count Dracula. These both come from "The World of Nightmare" and battle Superman, the Phantom Stranger, andCassandra Craft.
Frankenstein's latest revamping was created byGrant Morrison andDoug Mahnke in 2005 and is similar toDoc Frankenstein. He is one of theSeven Soldiers, and bears a resemblance to the creature as portrayed byBoris Karloff in the1931 film directed byJames Whale.[3]
Frankenstein is anundead body composed of parts from several corpses stitched together, created by Victor Frankenstein some time in the 19th century. He was assumed dead in theArctic when he sank beneath the ice, but he survived and swam to America, having "many adventures". He was revived by Victor Adam. Frankenstein vowed vengeance against Adam for restoring him to life, successfully killing him, but accidentally bringing about a coma forDoctor Thirteen's wife Maria in the process.[4] In particular, Frankenstein became a frequent enemy ofMelmoth, whom he referred to as the Ringmaster of the Circus of Maggots. In a climactic battle in 1870, Frankenstein faced Melmoth and stopped him from destroyinga town with maggot-hominids. The fight took place on a moving train, which was derailed during the conflict, and Frankenstein's fate was unknown.
In 2005, a high school student, called 'Uglyhead' by all the other children, acquires telepathic abilities through contact with theSheeda, which he uses to torment his peers. At the senior prom, the now-docile students are killed by the Sheeda maggot-hominids. This causes the return of Frankenstein, who had survived in a state of hibernation underneath the town, who makes short work of the maggot-hominids and the boy, before burning down the school to cover the bodies. Afterwards, Frankenstein tracks down Melmoth and makes his way to Mars through an "Erdel Gate" (a reference toSaul Erdel, the scientist who first transported theMartian Manhunter to Earth). On Mars, Frankenstein confronts Melmoth once again. Frankenstein frees the children Melmoth has enslaved to work in his gold mines, and feeds Melmoth to the flesh-eating, praying mantis-like horses of Mars. Before he is consumed, Melmoth reveals that it was not lightning that brought the monster to life, but several drops of his own immortal blood, sold to Frankenstein's creator, that still course through Frankenstein's veins.
In the third issue of the series, Frankenstein meets an old acquaintance greatly resembling the "Bride" inBride of Frankenstein, albeit with two extra arms grafted onto her by the Red Swami, a supervillain who brainwashed her into thinking she was the reincarnation of an assassin goddess.[5] She is now an agent of the Super Human Advanced Defense Executive (S.H.A.D.E.), a secret government agency, which temporarily drafts Frankenstein as well. Of their previous relationship, she says "It's nothing personal, but you were never my type".
In the final issue, he stows away on a time-ship which brings him to the Sheeda realm in the distant future. There, he destroys their world-destroying fleet, kills the Sheeda-Queen's time-yacht's steersman, and hijacks her ship to the present. Once in the present, though,Klarion the Witch Boy gains control of Frankenstein using a witch-brand and forces him to take the castle back to the future.
He appears briefly inInfinite Crisis #7, which takes place one week after theFrankenstein miniseries. He is seen fighting againstGeneral Wade Eiling. Frankenstein is armed with a three-foot-long sword, which he claims once belonged to theArchangel Michael, and a large antique pistol, which he calls his 'steam-gun'.[6]
A character calledYoung Frankenstein has appeared inTeen Titans as a member of the team during the "Lost Year" covered by52. Young Frankenstein is apparently killed byBlack Adam duringWorld War III, but actually survives.[a]
Frankenstein and S.H.A.D.E appear inFinal Crisis #3, also written by Grant Morrison. He again appears two issues later, leading a squad of superheroes againstDarkseid's forces, who are led byKalibak. He is also seen in the final issue fighting in humanity's last stand beforeSuperman gets the Miracle Machine working. Frankenstein is immune to Darkseid's weapon, theAnti-Life Equation, because he is already dead.[7]
Frankenstein confrontsSolomon Grundy in the latter's current limited series, and again during theBlackest Night.[8] Grundy, having been transformed into aBlack Lantern, rips out Frankenstein's heart. Due to having an extra one in his chest, Frankenstein survives this attack.[9]
A version of the character appears in a spinoff of the 2011 alternate-timeline crossover eventFlashpoint (comics). The three-issue series was titledFlashpoint: Frankenstein & the Creatures of the Unknown.[10]
As part ofThe New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe), a new ongoing seriesFrankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. was released, based on theSeven Soldiers version of Frankenstein. It was initially written byJeff Lemire and drawn by Alberto Ponticelli.Matt Kindt replaced Lemire with issue #10 and stayed with the book until it was cancelled with issue #16.[11][12][13][14] The character later joins theJustice League Dark.[15]
The character appears next in seven issues of both theNew 52Batman and Robin and theDC RebirthSuperman, both written byPeter Tomasi and drawn byPatrick Gleason. Later in 2018, theSeven Soldiers briefly reunite inSideways, then in 2019Frankenstein forms a team of fellow monsters to once again stop Melmoth inGotham City Monsters. HisDC Rebirth history with the Bride revealed that they had a son that went homocidal and their relationship was strained when Frankenstein was forced to kill it. In the present, Father Time of S.H.A.D.E. reainmated the Spawn of Frankenstein and it was traced to Castle Frankenstein by Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. As it begged for death, the Bride put her child out of his misery and left S.H.A.D.E. afterwards.[16]
Frankenstein isundead, composed of assorted body parts taken from dozens of different sources.[17] Frankenstein has superhuman strength, does not need to eat or sleep, and is functionally immortal.[18] He has mental access to the S.H.A.D.E. database via a surgical implant.[19] Because of his undead nature, Frankenstein can replace damaged or missing limbs with grafts taken from individuals of similar build and adapt it to his unique physiology.[17]
An alternate universe variant of Frankenstein from Earth-276 appears inSuperman #276 as a member of theMonster League of Evil.[20]
ProfessorCarter Nichols sentBatman andRobin back in time to the 19th Century where they contended with Victor Frankenstein and his reanimated giant servant Ivan. After Ivan killed himself and Victor Frankenstein's cousin Count Mettern,Mary Shelley visited the area and used the information of what transpired to write her novelFrankenstein.[21]
On Earth-S,Kid Eternity summoned Frankenstein's Monster fromFrankenstein alongsideCount Dracula fromDracula, Jimmy Skunk fromThornton W. Burgess'Old Mother West Wind,Mr. Hyde fromStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and the Thief of Bagdad fromOne Thousand and One Nights to deal with the final Mackey Musclers member that avoided being arrested by the constable.[22]
An alternate timeline variant of Frankenstein appears inFlashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown. This version is the leader of theCreature Commandos who saved Lt.Matthew Shrieve following his awakening duringWorld War II. After being recruited by Project M to join the Creature Commandos, Frankenstein led them in defeatingNazi forces and personally killedAdolf Hitler. After the end of the war, Project M was shut down and the Commandos were captured and placed in stasis. Nonetheless, they would be revived and escape to discover their origins before Frankenstein leaves the group to join hisBride and Matthew's granddaughter Miranda in participating in theAtlantean/Amazon war.[23][24][25]
| Title | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger Vol. 2 | Frankenstein stories fromPhantom Stranger (vol. 2) #22-30 andPhantom Stranger (vol. 2) #22-41,DC Super-Stars #18,House of Secrets #150,Justice League of America #103,The Brave and the Bold #89, 98 | March 2008 | 978-1401217228 |
| Seven Soldiers of Victory Vol. 3 | Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #1 andSeven Soldiers: Mister Miracle #1-2,Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #4,Seven Soldiers: Klarion the Witchboy #4,Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #1-2 | August 2006 | 978-1401209766 |
| Seven Soldiers of Victory Vol. 4 | Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #2-4 andSeven Soldiers: Mister Miracle #3-4,Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #3-4, andSeven Soldiers of Victory #1. | January 2007 | 978-1401209773 |
| Seven Soldiers of Victory: Book Two | Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #1-4 andSeven Soldiers: Mister Miracle #1-4,Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #1-4,Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #4,Seven Soldiers: Klarion #4,Seven Soldiers of Victory #1 | March 2011 | 978-1401229634 |
| Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint Featuring Green Lantern | Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #1-3 andFlashpoint: Hal Jordan #1-3,Flashpoint: Abin Sur #1-3,Flashpoint: Green Arrow Industries #1. | March 2012 | 978-1401234065 |
| Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Vol. 1: War of the Monsters | Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #1-7 | June 2012 | 978-1401234713 |
| Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Vol. 2: Secrets of the Dead | Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #0, 8-16 | April 2013 | 978-1401238186 |
