What do you think?
Rate this book
The World of Hellboy: Standalone Books
Frankenstein Underground
After a fight with Hellboy, Frankenstein’s monster escapes the terrible Mexican laboratory where he was imprisoned and discovers strange creatures beneath the desert, where he’ll learn some of the greatest secrets of the mystical world in the strangest Hellboy spinoff yet! Collects Frankenstein Underground #1–#5.
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
20 people are currently reading
473 people want to read
About the author
Mike Mignola
1,873 books2,543 followersMike Mignola was born September 16, 1960 in Berkeley, California and grew up in nearby Oakland. His fascination with ghosts and monsters began at an early age (he doesn't remember why) and reading Dracula at age 13 introduced him to Victorian literature and folklore from which he has never recovered.
In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.
In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.
Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.
Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.
In 1982, hoping to find a way to draw monsters for a living, he moved to New York City and began working for Marvel Comics, first as a (very terrible) inker and then as an artist on comics like Rocket Raccoon, Alpha Flight and The Hulk. By the late 80s he had begun to develop his signature style (thin lines, clunky shapes and lots of black) and moved onto higher profile commercial projects like Cosmic Odyssey (1988) and Gotham by Gaslight (1989) for DC Comics, and the not-so-commercial Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser (1990) for Marvel. In 1992, he drew the comic book adaptation of the film Bram Stoker's Dracula for Topps Comics.
In 1993, Mike moved to Dark Horse comics and created Hellboy, a half-demon occult detective who may or may not be the Beast of the Apocalypse. While the first story line (Seed of Destruction, 1994) was co-written by John Byrne, Mike has continued writing the series himself. There are, at this moment, 13 Hellboy graphic novel collections (with more on the way), several spin-off titles (B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Abe Sapien and Witchfinder), three anthologies of prose stories, several novels, two animated films and two live-action films staring Ron Perlman. Hellboy has earned numerous comic industry awards and is published in a great many countries.
Mike also created the award-winning comic book The Amazing Screw-on Head and has co-written two novels (Baltimore, or, the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire and Joe Golem and the Drowning City) with best-selling author Christopher Golden.
Mike worked (very briefly) with Francis Ford Coppola on his film Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), was a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and was visual consultant to director Guillermo del Toro on Blade II (2002), Hellboy (2004) and Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008). He lives somewhere in Southern California with his wife, daughter, a lot of books and a cat.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
December 10, 2016
In Hellboy: House of the Living Dead, Hellboy fought Frankenstein in 1956 Mexico - this book picks up Frankenstein’s story directly afterwards while continuing to incorrectly call him by his creator’s name! Frankie stumbles into an underground kingdom ruled by a demon-possessed sorcerer who’s enslaved innocent ghosts - Frankenstein to the rescue!
Frankenstein Underground is an ok book. Anyone can pick it up and understand what’s going on but long-time fans of Mike Mignola will also notice the Easter Eggs he’s throwing in. Besides House of the Living Dead, there are references to the BPRD books Hollow Earth, The Universal Machine (amazing - highly recommended), and the Hell on Earth series.
I just wish there was more complexity to Mignola’s stories. They always seem to be about a strong man character who punches some monsters before listening to the villain’s lengthy expository speech and then punching him - the end. The formula is too noticeable at this point, at least to someone who’s been reading Mignola for years - newer readers might not be as bothered.
Nevertheless, Frankenstein Underground is certainly readable and Ben Stenbeck’s art is fantastic though it’s not the most compelling read if you’re familiar with Mignola’s storytelling style.
Frankenstein Underground is an ok book. Anyone can pick it up and understand what’s going on but long-time fans of Mike Mignola will also notice the Easter Eggs he’s throwing in. Besides House of the Living Dead, there are references to the BPRD books Hollow Earth, The Universal Machine (amazing - highly recommended), and the Hell on Earth series.
I just wish there was more complexity to Mignola’s stories. They always seem to be about a strong man character who punches some monsters before listening to the villain’s lengthy expository speech and then punching him - the end. The formula is too noticeable at this point, at least to someone who’s been reading Mignola for years - newer readers might not be as bothered.
Nevertheless, Frankenstein Underground is certainly readable and Ben Stenbeck’s art is fantastic though it’s not the most compelling read if you’re familiar with Mignola’s storytelling style.
December 11, 2015
It's difficult to imagine a book aimed more squarely at my wheelhouse. Frankenstein's monster in the hollow earth, battling weird crabs and mutated dinosaurs, tangling with hollow earth people and weird Victorians. All written by Mignola and illustrated perfectly by my favorite of the various non-Mignola artists to try their hand at his pantheon, Ben Stenbeck. So this one gets a five star rating from me, even though I can definitely see a number of places where it could have been improved, especially for outsiders to the entire Hellboy mythos, who will probably feel pretty at sea in what would at a glance seem a perfect standalone volume.
The first installment ties back to one of my favorite B.P.R.D. stories, while the later ones bring in threads from throughout the Mignola gestalt, and also generate new ones that will likely be explored later. As a standalone, it is probably lacking. As a beautiful piece of layered pulp to fit into my favorite pulp world, it is sublime.
The first installment ties back to one of my favorite B.P.R.D. stories, while the later ones bring in threads from throughout the Mignola gestalt, and also generate new ones that will likely be explored later. As a standalone, it is probably lacking. As a beautiful piece of layered pulp to fit into my favorite pulp world, it is sublime.
February 8, 2016
Well, that was a thing.
This mini-series was OK, I suppose. It kept me reasonably entertained for five issues. I think I'm just not a big fan of bringing the Frankenstein story into the Hellboy universe... It was OK as a one-off in the pages of Hellboy, I suppose, although I didn't love it there, either, but as a continuing presence? Nah, sorry; not to my liking, I'm afraid.
On the upside, I really enjoyed Ben Stenbeck's artwork. He's starting to develop his own style, rather than just being a fantastic imitator of Mignola's drawing style.
Soooo... two stars for the story and four for the artwork, averaging out to three overall!
This mini-series was OK, I suppose. It kept me reasonably entertained for five issues. I think I'm just not a big fan of bringing the Frankenstein story into the Hellboy universe... It was OK as a one-off in the pages of Hellboy, I suppose, although I didn't love it there, either, but as a continuing presence? Nah, sorry; not to my liking, I'm afraid.
On the upside, I really enjoyed Ben Stenbeck's artwork. He's starting to develop his own style, rather than just being a fantastic imitator of Mignola's drawing style.
Soooo... two stars for the story and four for the artwork, averaging out to three overall!
October 13, 2018
A Hellboy universe book written entirely by Mignola himself is a rare thing to find these days, most of his modern stuff is co-written by other writers. But no, Frankenstein Underground is pure Mignola scripting, and it shows — it's a very simple story that reads like a good old Hellboy comic. Needless to say, I really liked it. I can't say I am a huge fan of Mignolaverse's Frankenstein's monster (or any other version of the character for that matter), but he had a nice little arc here that went as personal as it probably could with such a character, and this entire book is peppered with references to other books in the universe which I enjoyed as a fan. Ben Stenbeck's artwork resembles Mignola's style a lot, which went well with pure Mignola script. Overall, it was a nice read, and one of the better one-off series in the Hellboy universe.
November 20, 2016
In 1956, Hellboy met Frankenstein's monster in Mexico. Hellboy was a wrestler back then and ended up being forced to fight the monster. These events happened in Hellboy: House of the Living Dead and this story takes place not long after that and focuses on the monster after his duel with Hellboy. Basically the plot is Frankenstein's monster is taken to the center of the earth and haves to save a group of dead ghosts from an "evil" sorcerer and defeat the evil orc like people that live there. He defeats the sorcerer, and the demon that possessed him and the evil orcs and that's basically the entirety of the plot. Not much to it, but it's still a good adventure story with lots of action and cool character designs, thanks to the art of the uber talented Ben Stenbeck. I also LOVE Mignola's character design for Frankenstein's monster. I'm slightly obsessed with Frankenstein's monster and this might be my all time favorite character design for him. I'm really glad this is not going to be a series because Hellboy spin offs tend to get worse and worse the longer they go on.. this isn't a necessary read, but it's entertaining nonetheless.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2020
An interesting melding of Mignola’s long-running storylines of ancient cities, mystical fires and creatures, Lovecraftian horrors, folk tales and legends, and secret societies of mostly male gentry of the 1800s basking in their sense of self-importance and their right to colonize and rule, and Mary Shelley's Monster.
Here Monster is desperate to find a place to rest, and instead ends up in Mignola’s Hyperborea and spends much of the volume fighting creatures, and bemoaning his situation.
In fact, I think there was more fighting than story here, though I liked how Monster got to play in Mignola’s playground and liked seeing him rendered in Mignola's signature style.
Here Monster is desperate to find a place to rest, and instead ends up in Mignola’s Hyperborea and spends much of the volume fighting creatures, and bemoaning his situation.
In fact, I think there was more fighting than story here, though I liked how Monster got to play in Mignola’s playground and liked seeing him rendered in Mignola's signature style.
November 30, 2018
I read the first 3 issues (of 5) sometime ago and for whatever reason, didn’t finish it. Coming across the whole series compiled recently seemed auspicious enough at my local library. So I check it out and here I am.
While nothing particularly amazing to write home about, this is generally an enjoyable and read. Stenbeck’s well rounded art meshes well with Mignola’s learned pen. As much grafting our cultural known-knowns (such as Shelly’s Frankenstein) onto the author’s original content (e.g. The Heliopic Society) a strongly intertextualized story is the result. Suffused with all the hi-jinks of comics since time immemorial, for better and for worse, The Frankenstein Underground falls smack dab in the milieu from which it was born.
Garnish with mint.
While nothing particularly amazing to write home about, this is generally an enjoyable and read. Stenbeck’s well rounded art meshes well with Mignola’s learned pen. As much grafting our cultural known-knowns (such as Shelly’s Frankenstein) onto the author’s original content (e.g. The Heliopic Society) a strongly intertextualized story is the result. Suffused with all the hi-jinks of comics since time immemorial, for better and for worse, The Frankenstein Underground falls smack dab in the milieu from which it was born.
Garnish with mint.
December 6, 2020
Stále stejný Mignola. Objektivně furt dobré, ale už mě to tolik nebere. Ke konci bych ocenil víc atmosféry a míň vysvětlování.
3,5*
3,5*
March 22, 2019
This comic follows the adventures of a Hellboy character- Frankenstein. His backstory is the same with some added parts to mesh with the Hellboy universe. In this volume, Frankenstein meets a witch, fights an evil sorcerer and fights an underground army. That's the basics with no spoilers.
This was an enjoyable story set in the Hellboy universe (Hellboy only makes a cameo appearance) and Frankenstein is an interesting enough character. The story has the requisite Mignola esoteric background and it works with the Frankenstein character. The artwork? It isn't as good as some Mignola works, but it is by no means bad.
A good read for any Hellboy/BPRD fan. Frankenstein has some depth for a secondary character and his adventures do entertain. Works for me.
This was an enjoyable story set in the Hellboy universe (Hellboy only makes a cameo appearance) and Frankenstein is an interesting enough character. The story has the requisite Mignola esoteric background and it works with the Frankenstein character. The artwork? It isn't as good as some Mignola works, but it is by no means bad.
A good read for any Hellboy/BPRD fan. Frankenstein has some depth for a secondary character and his adventures do entertain. Works for me.
December 14, 2020
(4,5 of 5 for this simple hollow-earth old-gods story)
I love the idea of the world inside of our Earth and the unimaginable discoveries they can be made there. And this myth so much fits the Hellboyverse. I like Mike's take on it and this time he made a simple story, take his hollow Earth, the hyperborean remnant, the Frankenstein's creature from Hellboy in Mexico and created something adventurous, connectin all that beautiful shards of Hellboyverse here and there. This is the reason why I love Hellboyverse. You have this almost standalone story, but if you know the world around, it feels much more real. Steinbeck is a very "Hellboy-ish" artist, so no complaints on that front. Yes, I'm a sucker for underground exploration and uncovering the forgotten history and places, but I'm surprised how much I enjoyed the Frankenstein underground.
I love the idea of the world inside of our Earth and the unimaginable discoveries they can be made there. And this myth so much fits the Hellboyverse. I like Mike's take on it and this time he made a simple story, take his hollow Earth, the hyperborean remnant, the Frankenstein's creature from Hellboy in Mexico and created something adventurous, connectin all that beautiful shards of Hellboyverse here and there. This is the reason why I love Hellboyverse. You have this almost standalone story, but if you know the world around, it feels much more real. Steinbeck is a very "Hellboy-ish" artist, so no complaints on that front. Yes, I'm a sucker for underground exploration and uncovering the forgotten history and places, but I'm surprised how much I enjoyed the Frankenstein underground.
August 9, 2025
Set in the Hellboy Universe, this is Frankenstein by way of Edgar Rice Burroughs and HP Lovecraft. I loved how the genres meshed together. Overall a great addition to the Hellboy Universe, but probably not totally essential.
July 15, 2019
The artwork was cool but bringing the Frankenstein story to the Hellboy universe didnt work for me.
May 29, 2016
I absolutely loved this series, issue 5 was the tingles jingles.
World: The art was fantastic, the emotions, the sense of scale, the art design, all Mignolaverse, this book just fits the world perfectly. The world building here is absolutely astounding phenomenal. Not only does Mignola play on the classic Frankenstein tale but spins it into the Mignolaverse wonderfully. I don't want to spoil anything, but this book matters in the Mignolaverse and I see huge huge things for this character. Shit my pants good!
Story: A simple Frankenstein tale becomes so much more. I was expecting Frankie trying to find a way to die or his place in life and that's what we get but man, the scope and the consequence was not something I expected, it blew me away. If you love the Mignolaverse you will love this book, the things it introduces and the ramifications are far reaching, it's just amazing. Holy shit tingles jingles when Frankie smashed the statue in Issue 5!
Characters: The character of Frankenstein has been firmly established in modern literature and Mignola starts there. He's tortured, he's sympathetic and relatable. The journey he goes through this arc is wonderful, not only building that character but also the world around him. The rest of the cast are okay, they are people he meet, but nothing of note, this is Frankie's tale.
This book was amazing, the ramifications are bloody huge!
Onward to the next book!
World: The art was fantastic, the emotions, the sense of scale, the art design, all Mignolaverse, this book just fits the world perfectly. The world building here is absolutely astounding phenomenal. Not only does Mignola play on the classic Frankenstein tale but spins it into the Mignolaverse wonderfully. I don't want to spoil anything, but this book matters in the Mignolaverse and I see huge huge things for this character. Shit my pants good!
Story: A simple Frankenstein tale becomes so much more. I was expecting Frankie trying to find a way to die or his place in life and that's what we get but man, the scope and the consequence was not something I expected, it blew me away. If you love the Mignolaverse you will love this book, the things it introduces and the ramifications are far reaching, it's just amazing. Holy shit tingles jingles when Frankie smashed the statue in Issue 5!
Characters: The character of Frankenstein has been firmly established in modern literature and Mignola starts there. He's tortured, he's sympathetic and relatable. The journey he goes through this arc is wonderful, not only building that character but also the world around him. The rest of the cast are okay, they are people he meet, but nothing of note, this is Frankie's tale.
This book was amazing, the ramifications are bloody huge!
Onward to the next book!
June 27, 2020
Nice twist on story of Frankenstein. Even though it's usuall mixture of old gods, forgotten civilization, mysterious societies and huge monsters, simmilar to other Mignola's books, it works and was fun to read.
July 29, 2025
A weak addition to the Hellboy canon. You know Mignola just loved Frankenstein and wanted to flesh out his reasons for why and how he ended up in Hellboy. It’s fitting, two gothic haunts who try to figure out humanity from the outside looking in.
I just felt like this story was a Hellboy b or c level plot and tacked on a new hero just cause, didn’t feel necessary. I did enjoy the art as usual EXCEPT Frank’s metal clamp nipples that are too huge.
I just felt like this story was a Hellboy b or c level plot and tacked on a new hero just cause, didn’t feel necessary. I did enjoy the art as usual EXCEPT Frank’s metal clamp nipples that are too huge.
December 16, 2022
I really love Mignola’s style and this was a fun blend of Frankenstein and the Hellboy universe!
August 17, 2016
Wow, I dunno why I put this off for so long, it was really good.
This has the traditional Mignola/Hellboy feel to it, but it follows Frankenstein (or Frankenstein's Monster, but I think it's just Frankenstein in-universe) who is similar to Roger. I think this is one of the better non-Hellboy-but-still-in-the-Mignolaverse books, and I wish the Abe Sapien books were this good.
If you like the Hyperboria/Vril subplot, then you'll like this.
This has the traditional Mignola/Hellboy feel to it, but it follows Frankenstein (or Frankenstein's Monster, but I think it's just Frankenstein in-universe) who is similar to Roger. I think this is one of the better non-Hellboy-but-still-in-the-Mignolaverse books, and I wish the Abe Sapien books were this good.
If you like the Hyperboria/Vril subplot, then you'll like this.
December 15, 2018
It was O.K.
August 27, 2018
Bem, falei mal de uma das HQs do saldão das bancas da Mythos Editora, mas dessa vez vou falar bem. Frankenstein: Entre o Céu e o Inferno é sensacional. Mesmo eu não sendo muito fã do Hellboy - e essa HQ se insere no seu universo - eu consegui entender direitinho a HQ e curti demais. Mike Mignola é campeão em utilizar conceitos, sejam eles visuais ou mitológicos de várias searas e aplicar no seu universo sobrenatural. Esse trabalho é feito de maneira incrível nesta edição. Quando comprei eu achei que seria uma adaptação da célebre história de Mary Shelley. Estava enganado, é uma coisa completamente nova, mas que respeita o clássico. Além disso, a trama envolve sociedades secretas, viagens ao centro da terra, mitologia cristã e é realizada de uma forma bastante instigante e cheia de aventura. Além disso, a arte de Ben Stenbeck é deslumbrante, o caderno de conceitos dos dois no final da publicação é um atrativo à parte. Frankenstein: Entre o Céu e o Inferno é uma história independente, que pode ser lida do começo ao fim sem precisar ler mais nada do universo Hellboy. É autocontida também. Então, no final das contas tive um aproveitamento de 100% da leitura e compra dessa edição. Ufa! Ainda bem!
June 24, 2018
This was a very interesting comic that immediately drew me in. The experience of reading it almost felt as if I was having an odd and complex dream.
I loved the art, it was beautiful and macabre with action sequences that were subtle enough not to ruin the tone of the story while still remaining dynamic.
I have not gotten around to reading the original Frankenstein novel or any of the Hellboy comics yet, so I'm not sure how well this story fits in with the media that inspired it. However it can be appreciated separately and I enjoyed how scientific, religious and mythological elements were all seamlessly and creatively combined.
I loved the art, it was beautiful and macabre with action sequences that were subtle enough not to ruin the tone of the story while still remaining dynamic.
I have not gotten around to reading the original Frankenstein novel or any of the Hellboy comics yet, so I'm not sure how well this story fits in with the media that inspired it. However it can be appreciated separately and I enjoyed how scientific, religious and mythological elements were all seamlessly and creatively combined.
March 7, 2021
This was a pretty fun little side adventure in the Hellboy universe, following Frankenstein's monster after his run-in and tussle with Hellboy in Mexico. As is par for this character he was made by Dr. Frankenstein, but the twist to tie it into Mignolas world is that the monster was awoken with the Vril Energy that has been the main maguffin in the last few Hellboy stories ie, Sledgehammer 44 and Lobster Johnson.
The monster also interacts with the Hyperboreans that we've been talking about for awhile now and frees a sunken city of the darkness that their descendants wrought.
The monster also interacts with the Hyperboreans that we've been talking about for awhile now and frees a sunken city of the darkness that their descendants wrought.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2021
The story never connects in any meaningful way, at least for me. YMMV.
February 21, 2022
Frankenstein is a cool character.
By the way, my all-time favorite tweet is a picture of a paperback of Frankenstein, and written in pen on the final page, just below the final lines, is this:
As he drifted away, I could just make out his final words: "It's okay if you just call me 'Frankenstein' instead of 'Frankenstein's Monster.' I really don't mind." The End.
That almost, ALMOST justifies the shithole that is Twitter.
By the way, my all-time favorite tweet is a picture of a paperback of Frankenstein, and written in pen on the final page, just below the final lines, is this:
As he drifted away, I could just make out his final words: "It's okay if you just call me 'Frankenstein' instead of 'Frankenstein's Monster.' I really don't mind." The End.
That almost, ALMOST justifies the shithole that is Twitter.
September 2, 2025
«Así fue entonces y así será en el fin del mundo».
He conocido a uno de mis Frankenstein favoritos… 🖤
He conocido a uno de mis Frankenstein favoritos… 🖤
November 18, 2015
This one didn't capture my attention at all.
Recommended for Hellboy completists only (yes, this is a Hellboy spin-off).
Recommended for Hellboy completists only (yes, this is a Hellboy spin-off).
February 10, 2016
Public library copy.
Not very much about this work seemed like a fresh take, Frankenstein or not. In fact, all of it read like something I've read time and time again. How unfortunate.
Not very much about this work seemed like a fresh take, Frankenstein or not. In fact, all of it read like something I've read time and time again. How unfortunate.
October 11, 2017
Synopsis: "After a fight with Hellboy, Frankenstein’s monster escapes the terrible Mexican laboratory where he was imprisoned and discovers strange creatures beneath the desert, where he’ll learn some of the greatest secrets of the mystical world in the strangest Hellboy spinoff yet! Collects Frankenstein Underground #1–#5."
My Review: This time of year always sends me looking for a new version of Frankenstein, and I found this one at a sale in my local comic book shop and had to pick it up. I have never read Hellboy, and I was worried that this would be like so many other super hero style stories and you have to read all related stories to make sense of it, but luckily that was not the case, there was only a little reference to the Hellboy storyline and it wasn't necessary to this one. I really enjoyed the artwork in this book, an interesting combination of beauty and grotesque. I also really like the way that Mignola filled out the happenings between the end of the original Frankenstein and the time of this story. He also integrated a few different belief systems and myths into one new adventure. I am on team Monster so I always love seeing him being the bad guy to be the good guy.
My Review: This time of year always sends me looking for a new version of Frankenstein, and I found this one at a sale in my local comic book shop and had to pick it up. I have never read Hellboy, and I was worried that this would be like so many other super hero style stories and you have to read all related stories to make sense of it, but luckily that was not the case, there was only a little reference to the Hellboy storyline and it wasn't necessary to this one. I really enjoyed the artwork in this book, an interesting combination of beauty and grotesque. I also really like the way that Mignola filled out the happenings between the end of the original Frankenstein and the time of this story. He also integrated a few different belief systems and myths into one new adventure. I am on team Monster so I always love seeing him being the bad guy to be the good guy.
May 19, 2022
FRANKENSTEIN UNDERGROUND
Wonderfully empathetic depiction of the Creature. The Underworld has a definite Greek mythos to it, and the dangerous waters of hell are distinctly Lovecraftian.
#1 – Creature has bullet hole wounds. “Of course. They did what they ALWAYS do. They must try to destroy anything they’d not understand. But do not be afraid .. you are safe here.” (p9) The woman, accused of being a witch, is like St Irene healing St Sebastian.
“Caged.. hunted.. hated..” (p10)
“The walls between the worlds here are thin, so thin that sometimes we can hear the whispering of those gods. I hear because I’m old and I know things, and I want to hear. You FEEL the gods because you have been touched by them.”
#2 – “I have escaped man .. but there is no escaping the horror of what I am.”
“Monster! Your mere presence in this holy place is an offense to God!” (in a church)
#3 – “For a hundred years I have been hunted and hounded by men. Whatever I might have been, I AM what they have made me.. and now, finally, I will burn for it.”
#4 – Victor Frankenstein, Ingolstadt, Germany, 1792. “Now I know what it’s like to BE God.”
#5 – “The Frankenstein Monster, to the best of my knowledge, lives still.”
Wonderfully empathetic depiction of the Creature. The Underworld has a definite Greek mythos to it, and the dangerous waters of hell are distinctly Lovecraftian.
#1 – Creature has bullet hole wounds. “Of course. They did what they ALWAYS do. They must try to destroy anything they’d not understand. But do not be afraid .. you are safe here.” (p9) The woman, accused of being a witch, is like St Irene healing St Sebastian.
“Caged.. hunted.. hated..” (p10)
“The walls between the worlds here are thin, so thin that sometimes we can hear the whispering of those gods. I hear because I’m old and I know things, and I want to hear. You FEEL the gods because you have been touched by them.”
#2 – “I have escaped man .. but there is no escaping the horror of what I am.”
“Monster! Your mere presence in this holy place is an offense to God!” (in a church)
#3 – “For a hundred years I have been hunted and hounded by men. Whatever I might have been, I AM what they have made me.. and now, finally, I will burn for it.”
#4 – Victor Frankenstein, Ingolstadt, Germany, 1792. “Now I know what it’s like to BE God.”
#5 – “The Frankenstein Monster, to the best of my knowledge, lives still.”
January 20, 2019
This is an odd side-story in the Hellboy universe, featuring Frankenstein's monster. There are a number of elements that tie into Hellboy and BPRD, but this is pretty much a standalone story.
The art by Ben Stenbeck is quite good. You can see echoes of both Mignola and Guy Davis in places. I liked the design on the new characters and creatures.
The story itself is a fairly typical Mignola story. When I read something like this, I always get the feeling that there's something deep going on, but I'm not getting it. It's OK if there isn't (or if there is and I'm missing it). Either way, it's still a cool comic with lots of cool monsters in it.
This book is a little hard to recommend though. If you're a Hellboy/BPRD fan, and you're looking for it to advance the overall Hellboy/BPRD story, it does a little of that, but it's not a necessary read. If you're a casual reader, looking to sample Mignola's work, then this isn't really a great starting point. If you're a fan of Frankenstein-related books and comics, this is an interesting take on the monster, but it ties in too much to Hellboy/BPRD to really be a good standalone Frankenstein story.
The art by Ben Stenbeck is quite good. You can see echoes of both Mignola and Guy Davis in places. I liked the design on the new characters and creatures.
The story itself is a fairly typical Mignola story. When I read something like this, I always get the feeling that there's something deep going on, but I'm not getting it. It's OK if there isn't (or if there is and I'm missing it). Either way, it's still a cool comic with lots of cool monsters in it.
This book is a little hard to recommend though. If you're a Hellboy/BPRD fan, and you're looking for it to advance the overall Hellboy/BPRD story, it does a little of that, but it's not a necessary read. If you're a casual reader, looking to sample Mignola's work, then this isn't really a great starting point. If you're a fan of Frankenstein-related books and comics, this is an interesting take on the monster, but it ties in too much to Hellboy/BPRD to really be a good standalone Frankenstein story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews