Frankenstein (DC Comics)

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Frankenstein
S.H.A.D.E. Justice League Dark Justice League
Abilities	Superhuman strength Immortality

Frankenstein is a fictional character appearing in

.

Publication history

Frankenstein, obviously based upon Mary Shelley's famous character from the novel Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus (1818), was created in 1948 by Edmond Hamilton and Bob Kane in Detective Comics #135.^[1]

A later reworking was developed by

#18-19 (November–December 1988).

A third Frankenstein Monster appears in Superman #344 (February 1980), along with Count Dracula. These both come from "The World of Nightmare" and battle Superman, the Phantom Stranger, and

.

Frankenstein's latest revamping was created by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke in 2005 and is similar to Doc Frankenstein. He is one of the Seven Soldiers, and bears a resemblance to the creature as portrayed by Boris Karloff in the 1931 film directed by James Whale.^[2]

Fictional character biography

Frankenstein is an

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 the Sheeda, 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 to Dr. Saul Erdel, the scientist who first transported the Martian 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" in

), 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 in Infinite Crisis #7, which takes place one week after the Frankenstein miniseries. He is seen fighting against General Wade Eiling. Frankenstein is armed with a three-foot-long sword, which he claims once belonged to the Archangel Michael, and a large antique pistol, which he calls his 'steam-gun'.^[5]

A character called

Frankenstein and S.H.A.D.E appear in

Frankenstein confronts Solomon Grundy in the latter's current limited series, and again during the Blackest Night.^[7] Grundy, having been transformed into a Black Lantern, rips out Frankenstein's heart. Due to having an extra one in his chest, Frankenstein survives this attack.^[8]

A version of the character appears in a spinoff of the 2011 alternate-timeline crossover event Flashpoint (comics). The three-issue series was titled Flashpoint: Frankenstein & the Creatures of the Unknown.^[9]

As part of The New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe), a new ongoing series Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. was released, based on the Seven Soldiers version of Frankenstein. It was initially written by Jeff 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.^{[10][11][12][13]} The character later joins the Justice League Dark.^[14]

The character appears next in seven issues of both the New 52 Batman and Robin and the DC Rebirth Superman, both written by Peter Tomasi and drawn by Patrick Gleason. Later in 2018, the Seven Soldiers briefly reunite in Sideways, then in 2019 Frankenstein forms a team of fellow monsters to once again stop Melmoth in Gotham City Monsters.

Powers and abilities

Frankenstein is undead, composed of assorted body parts taken from dozens of different sources.^[15]

Frankenstein has superhuman strength, does not need to eat or sleep, and is functionally immortal.^[16] He has mental access to the S.H.A.D.E. database via a surgical implant.^[17]

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.^[15]

Other versions

Earth-276

A variation of Frankenstein comes from Earth-276 and is a member of the Monster League of Evil alongside Count Dracula, the Wolf-Man, and the Mummy.^[18]

Flashpoint

In the alternate timeline of the

S.H.A.D.E. Later, Frankenstein and the Creature Commandos then travel to Romania with Miranda, who was being manipulated by General Sam Lane, who is revealed to be the one truly responsible for the deaths of Miranda's family. They arrive in Romania, where they found a small village populated by monsters. The village is then attacked by a giant G. I. Robot. After they destroy the G. I. Robot, Frankenstein, the Bride and Miranda depart from the Creature Commandos and participate in the Atlantean/Amazon war.^[21]

In other media

Television

• Frankenstein appears in
  The World's Greatest Super Friends
  episode "The Super Friends Meet Frankenstein". This version was created by Dr. Frankenstein, the great-great-grandson of Victor Frankenstein.
• Frankenstein appears in Teen Titans Go!.
• Eric Frankenstein will appear in the HBO Max / DC Universe animated series Creature Commandos,^[22][23] voiced by David Harbour.^[24][25]

Video games

• Frankenstein appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Fred Tatasciore.
• Frankenstein appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains.

Collected editions

Title	Material collected	Published date	ISBN
Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger Vol. 2	Frankenstein stories from Phantom Stranger (vol. 2) #22-30 and Phantom 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 and Seven 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 and Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle #3-4, Seven Soldiers: Bulleteer #3-4, and Seven Soldiers of Victory #1.	January 2007	978-1401209773
Seven Soldiers of Victory: Book Two	Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #1-4 and Seven 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 and Flashpoint: 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

Notes

1. ^ As shown in the Infinite Halloween Special and Countdown to Mystery #2. DC Comics.

References

1. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0
   .
2. ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6
   .
3. ^ The Phantom Stranger (vol. 2) #23-24. DC Comics.
4. ^ Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #3 (April 2006). DC Comics.
5. ^ Infinite Crisis #7. DC Comics.
6. ^ Final Crisis #3. DC Comics.
7. ^ Superman/Batman #66 (November 2009). DC Comics.
8. ^ Superman/Batman #67 (December 2009). DC Comics.
9. ^ Grand Comics Database https://www.comics.org/series/59188/
10. ^ "The Dark- September DC solicitations". The Source. DC Comics.
11. ^ Renaud, Jeffrey (June 8, 2011). "Lemire Discovers the Dark Sides of "Animal Man" & "Frankenstein"". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
12. ^ Truitt, Brian (September 12, 2011). "It's alive! Frankenstein electrifies DC Comics' 'New 52'". USA Today. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
13. ^ "DC Cancels "Blue Beetle", Three Others in January". Comic Book Resources. October 15, 2012.
14. ^ Justice League Dark #13
15. ^ ^{a b} Frankenstein: Agents of S.H.A.D.E. #5. DC Comics.
16. ^ Frankenstein: Agents of S.H.A.D.E. #0. DC Comics.
17. ^ Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #4. DC Comics.
18. ^ Superman #276. DC Comics.
19. ^ Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #1 (June 2011). DC Comics.
20. ^ Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #2 (July 2011). DC Comics.
21. ^ Flashpoint: Frankenstein and the Creatures of the Unknown #3 (August 2011). DC Comics.
22. ^ Kit, Borys (January 31, 2023). "DC Slate Unveiled: New Batman, Supergirl Movies, a Green Lantern TV Show, and More from James Gunn, Peter Safran". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
23. ^ "The Next Generation of DC Movies and TV Has Arrived".
24. ^ Massoto, Erick (January 31, 2023). "'Creature Commandos': Meet the Cast of the New DC Animated Series". Collider. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
25. ^ Oddo, Marco (April 12, 2023). "Here's the Full Cast of DC's 'Creatures Commandos' [Exclusive]". Collider. Retrieved April 12, 2023.

External links

• Frankenstein at Comic Vine
• Spawn of Frankenstein at the DCU Guide
• Frankenstein at the DCU Guide Wiki
• Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein annotations at Barbelith
• Frankenstein (Seven Soldiers) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)