Monster & Madman

Monster & Madman #1-3

by Steve Niles, Damien Worm (Illustrator)

The year is 1888 and the area of the city known as Whitechapel is about to become a slaughterhouse. Eleven women will be murdered. Only five will be attributed to Jack the Ripper. Discover the secret history of the Ripper and the Frankenstein Monster! Collects issues #1-3!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Horror, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Science Fiction, Fiction

92 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2014

About the author

STEVE NILES is one of the writers responsible for bringing horror comics back to prominence, and was recently named by Fangoria magazine as one of it's "13 rising talents who promise to keep us terrified for the next 25 years."

Niles is currently working for the four top American comic publishers - Marvel, DC, Image and Dark Horse. He got his start in the industry when he formed his own publishing company called Arcane Comix, where he published, edited and adapted several comics and anthologies for Eclipse Comics. His adaptations include works by Clive Barker, Richard Matheson and Harlan Ellison.

Steve resides in Los Angeles in his bachelor pad with one cat. While there's no crawlspace, there is a questionable closet in one corner and no one is quite sure what is hidden in there...but we have an idea.

--from the author's website

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Monster & Madman is one of the most straightforward comics I’ve ever read! Steve Niles imagines a meeting between Frankenstein’s Monster and Jack the Ripper – and that’s all there is to it! Even describing part of the story between the two characters is essentially a spoiler because if you knew the setup, it’d be so obvious to anyone what happens next!

It’s amazing Niles got this green-lit at all given how utterly basic it is - this is a three-issue mini whose content would barely fill a one-shot! Niles essentially uses Alan Moore’s Ripper character from From Hell and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’s Monster as written – where’s the imagination?

I guess the horror comes from Damien Worm’s art style which is channelling Dave McKean – very sketchy dark art incorporating elements of photo-realism with lots of spindly lines drawn across, maybe to mimic old-style camera footage? It’s designed to look like it’s scary without actually being scary, if that makes sense.

I wanted to give this one a look after reading Niles and Worm’s later collaboration, the much better October Faction, but Monster & Madman was disappointingly lacking a lot of that title’s imagination and wit. For two compelling horrific figures, one fictional, one not, seeing them meet is really underwhelming and forgettable! Monster & Madman is uncomplicated, largely uninteresting “horror” – read October Faction instead!

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Steve Niles gives us exactly the story you'd expect from Jack the Ripper meeting Frankenstein's Monster. There's barely enough story here for a one-shot though, let alone three issues.

Damien Worm's sketchy art works well with the horror tinged story, it's the coloring that's the problem. He tries to give it an old-timey worn photograph look but all it does is obscures a third of the panels to the point that they are unviewable. You just find yourself going, "Well, I hope those panels didn't matter to the plot." The lettering was also difficult to discern in several places. The choice of colors and fonts made some of the text unreadable.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retelling of Frankenstein with a twist. It was dark, which I like, but I'm a bit unsure about the ending. I'm glad I've read it!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aside from some glaring typos in the first few pages, it was pretty good. Love the concept of Jack the Ripper killing so he could make Frankenstein a bride.

[William O’Pomegranate · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s no surprises in this story. It plays out exactly like you’d expect. It’s short, but satisfying to some degree.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monster and Madman imagines a meeting of Jack the Ripper and Frankenstein's Monster. It is written by Steve Niles-I have several of his novels in my library, and now I want to read them more. The concept here is fantastic and I enjoyed the story. But this book is marred by the artwork-graphic novels are supposed to be a mix of the visual and the verbal, but this art looks like a Dave McKean imitator washed every page of artwork in mud. Horror illustration can be fashioned in which everything is not so murky the reader has to guess at what is happening-look at the work of Berni Wrightson. So sorry I can only rate this book at three stars.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Monster & Madman' is a story where Frankenstein's monster comes face to face with Jack the Ripper. That should give you a hint to it's dark nature, but it's the art by Damien Worm that really sells this one for me.

When the monster emerges from the ice, he takes a job on a ship heading back to Europe. Upon arrival, the ship's captain wants him to murder a man, which is against his nature and leads to an interesting twist. Frankenstein's monster is hideous, but he is intelligent and no monster inside.

He finds himself in London, and trying to hide. He is taken in by a doctor who is most intrigued by his construction. He promises that in turn for a thorough examination, this doctor will try to create a new bride for this monster. Will the bride be horrified by her new husband or the circumstances of her construction?

It's a good story that is elevated by the artwork. The art is murky and difficult to discern, but that fits this story completely. My only concern was with the lettering in some of the panels, but I really enjoyed this one.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this great, gothic graphic novel.

[Brian Lakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good re- imagining

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was one of those books I had to read several times in college. This is a very cool re-imagining and continuation of the monster's story. Throw in Jack the Ripper and you've got yourself an even more interesting story. I loved the haunting art style it really added to the atmosphere and feeling of the book. I picked this up on a whim and I'm glad I did.

[Scott Waldie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's not much to it, but it's a sensible crossover between these two legendary characters, and Damien Worm's stunning artwork alone would be worth a perusal, but the writing is solid too.

Halloween 2021 Read 4/20

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent story with beautiful artwork. Yes it's dark but it's Frankenstein's Creature and Jack the Ripper! What did you expect, unicorns and rainbows? But seriously, this was pretty good. I really enjoyed the inner monologue of the Creature. He was so honest and childlike at times and at others fierce and deadly. But I really enjoyed it.

[Brandy Shark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good arch and ending, but it leaves me wanting more stories.

[Kaitlyn (ktxx22) Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be short and succinct and I really enjoyed how it ends. Plus the art while unique and occasionally difficult to decipher has a really cool vibe!

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always nice when the art so perfectly matches the subject.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A scenario in which Frankenstein's monster meets Jack the Ripper, blah blah blah. The story is just okay but the illustrations are gorgeous. Still glad I read this comic.

[Reggie_Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is exactly as described, and yet for some reason that surprised me. For once, this is a collected volume that is not a part of a series; it has a beginning and end. It took a while for me to enjoy the graphics, as they weren't very bold. I don't know if the writing (physically) was strange because of my dl'ed copy, but at times it was hard to read. The story was simple, thought out, and direct. I enjoyed the twist, but I think there could have been more detail, without going all "it must be a series." I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a quick, unique, mash-up and retelling.

[melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I'm kinda surprised by many of the reviews considering this "too dark". Did they not look at the cover and read the synopsis? How could anything involving a mash-up of Frankenstein's Monster & Jack the Ripper not be dark?

I am a bit torn on the artwork as there are definitely some moments of brilliance, but much of it is muddy but it does fit well with the overall tone of the story.

This was a great pairing of storylines and a brilliant explanation for the White Chapel murders. While I do still feel sad for the Monster, he is so much less of a monster than most people and many could learn a thing or two from him.

*Digital review copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

[Andrew Garvey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so much a story about Frankenstein's Monster and Jack the Ripper as a partial retelling of Frankenstein that shoe-horns in the Whitechapel murders, this short book is visually impressive with gruesome, nightmarish artwork but is saddled with a flat story that lacks any real suspense and a walking, talking, top-hatted cliche of a Ripper. Aside from the sometimes stunning but occasionally confusing artwork, and the promising sounding but actually very limiting concept, this is a disappointment. I can still say I've never read a bad Steve Niles comic but this sadly veers closest to that territory.

[Rachel Bridgeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monster and Madman takes the familiar trope of Jack the Ripper, adds in the Frankenstein myth, a touch of gothic noir and just a smidge of a morality tale, all swirled through the dark vision of Steve Niles. The only nebulous comment I could make is that the art is so dark it is easy to miss some of the lettering but this could also be seen as good thing as it makes you examine the page more closely

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent illustrating and a well-written, thoughtfully creative text, combine in a very enjoyable graphic novel combining a fictional "monster" (the creation of Dr. Victor Frankenstein) with a real-life, legendary (the original urban legend, perchance?), the Whitechapel Murderer of 1888 London.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monster & Madman is subtitled "the secret history of the Frankenstein monster and Jack the Ripper." That subtitle both sells the book and robs it of its power. Once you know the concept, all mystery is lost. The rest, sadly, is almost obvious. I enjoyed it, but the book never truly gets over its overly high concept.

[Albert Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Niles delivers another incredible story that will probably haunt my dreams. Steve tells the sorry of Frankenstein's monster if it had survived all those years and made its way to 1880s London, the home of Jack the ripper.

the art of Damian worm reminds me of Ben Templesmith and his work on 30 Days of Night. the visuals are incredibly detailed yet dark and grainy.

[Lakis Fourouklas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really good; the perfect companion to the Penny Dreadful TV show. I liked the story and the dark images but it was the end that did the trick for me, since it came as big surprise! A job well done.

[Edward Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read, but very poorly edited.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had some flaws and could have gone a bit deeper into the Ripper, but I like the premise and it was a good short tale.

[Elsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this trope of the "monster" being a better person than the people he has to deal with.