Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man

Universal Monsters (Image Comics)

by James Tynion IV, DaNi (Cover Art), Brad Simpson (Cover Art)

Eisner Award-winning, bestselling author James Tynion IV and acclaimed artist DANI unravel the horrific origins of an iconic monster with their haunting take on THE INVISIBLE MAN.

WITNESS THE RISE OF A HORROR ICON!

Jack Griffin has always been invisible to the people around him—at least in his own mind. But when an experimental breakthrough presents a path to make his dreams of invisibility a reality, no one—not even the woman he loves—will stand in his way.

Witness Griffin's legendary descent into madness as his humanity fades away, and the monster inside is revealed, leaving only...THE INVISIBLE MAN!

The horror dream team of James Tynion IV (Something Is Killing the Children) and DANI (The Low, Low Woods) reveal their vision of the origins of one of the most horrific monsters to grace the screen in UNIVERSAL THE INVISIBLE MAN.

Collects Universal The Invisible Man #1-4.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Thriller

120 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2026

About the author

Prior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.

Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.

Reviews

[Machiavelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this chilling reimagining, James Tynion IV delivers a gripping origin story, stripping The Invisible Man down to his darkest core — a sociopath who chooses his own monstrous path. The issue is thrilling and terrible, steeped in dread as humanity is peeled away layer by layer. Dani’s shadow-drenched art brings the descent into madness to life, making this debut unsettling, compulsive, and unforgettable.

[Tobin Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this one was a step in the right direction...somewhat. With some caveats.

First, the good: The story was actually decent. It had a flow. It focused (mostly) on the main character, as opposed to running off with one of the supporting characters...I'm looking at you, DRACULA, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, and FRANKENSTEIN. And the story was engaging.

For all of that, there's still three big issues here. Sweartagawd, these books can't seem to get out of their own way and just give us a solid story that focuses on the monster, with enjoyable artwork...

...you know...a good graphic novel.

Keeping with the writing, while we stayed with main character Griffin, he was not, in fact, the titular Invisible Man in this story. Instead, in typical Tynion style, he brought the reader up to the point where the story was finally getting going... and ended it. So, that's issue one.

Issue two was Tynion not being able to ease up on the heavy-handedness of the "sight" and "invisible" commentary. Griffin would sit back in a crowded room and be still. He was invisible. Griffin would let others talk at dinner, choosing to remain quiet. Invisible. His girlfriend Flora has to, of course, say, "I haven't seen you in a while." Just so many "LOOK! THIS IS A STORY ABOUT A MAN WHO'S INVISIBLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS!" moments that it becomes an eye-rolling experience.

And finally, the last issue, and a common complaint with this entire series. I have no idea who the artist, DaNi is, but it'd be really nice to see her finish off one of their quick sketches into a decently complete drawing. Faces are sketched in with quick strokes. Clothing and backgrounds are scribbled lines.

In fact, I believe, if it wasn't for the colorist, this would have been a complete failure.

I don't need realism. I love when an artist brings their own style and vision to a story. But dammit, is it too much to ask for something more than a loose, wiggly line for...well...anything? These are HORROR stories! Give me some bone-chilling artists.

Hard to believe this is the same company that, ten years ago, gave us utter horror in the form of Snyder and Jock's WYTCHES.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chilling four issue prequel to the Invisible Man, delving deeply into the twisted mind of Jack Griffin as we uncover the extent of his experiments prior to testing his formula on himself.

Tynion IV's inner monologue is terrifying at times, truly highlighting Griffin's sociopathic disconnect from reality even before he starts experimenting on himself, and DaNi's artwork is just off-kilter enough to really highlight how odd everything is, while remaining grounded, which seems to be her perfect sweet spot.

Another excellent Universal Monsters book.

[Ángel Javier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magistral tebeo de género ante el que no queda más remedio que rendirse. Tynion IV sobresale en las historias contenidas, en las series limitadas o en los one-shots, y en este cómic realiza la que para mí es su obra maestra hasta la fecha.

La psicopatía de Griffin es tratada de una manera eficacísima, mostrándola a través de sus propias palabras y también de sus silencios. A su lado —y me cuesta decirlo— el Griffin de Alan Moore queda desdibujado por su falta de profundidad psicológica: el hombre invisible de Tynion es un monstruo complejo, una bestia con forma humana sin traba moral alguna. La Ciencia vista como una fuerza arrolladora y desprovista de moral. Para él, todo es una herramienta de trabajo, un medio para un fin. Bestias y seres humanos no son más que sujetos de experimentación para el desalmado científico. Resumiendo, que por fin Tynion cumple de verdad las expectativas que siempre se tienen en torno a sus obras. Fantástico.

[Sam Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished issues 1-4 (which will eventually be bound in this version)

This was a super cool way to experience this story. Really didn’t know much about The Invisible Man, but gee wiz—dude’s a psycho. Makes me wanna go watch the classic movie/read H. G. Wells book.

[Zedsdead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A prequel to the classic film. Jack Griffin is an apprentice chemist experimenting with a substance that makes pigments disappear. While his work progresses--through mouse, cat, dog, and human victims--we explore his burgeoning sociopathy and megalomania.

This is some of Tynion's best work. He channels Ed Brubaker's voice and style enough that I double-checked the cover to see if I'd somehow missed that the Criminal great was the writer.

Griffin's experience of intrusion from the gaze of others rings true, as does his lust for power and his inability to empathize. And the end of the story folds neatly into the beginning of the classic Claude Rains film, no loose threads and no sense of being forced. It's a solid approach to translating the movie to the graphic novel medium and great execution. This is the best of the Universal Monsters graphic novels series, I think.

[Mike Wood]

A prequel to the 1933 film, using the backstory from that to connect A here to B there. These "Universal Monsters" Image Comics miniseries have been across-the-board excellent -- some are prequels, some are sequels, some retell a portion of the original movie from a different POV. Check them out!

[Christopher Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the Universal Monster books in this series, "Invisible Man" surprised me by being the best of the bunch. Very nice artwork and a well-paced storyline.

[AlmiMoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es el primer comic que leo en mi vida, y no podria haber elegido uno mejor. Te deja en tension constante y te corta la respiracion con esos pedazo de paneles.

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it because of my nieces adoration for the movie and this comic. An excellent horror thriller. But it's more than that. This is a character study of someone who doesnt believe himself to be evil but is. A search for power and belonging through isolation. I loved it.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable Universal Monsters adaptation by Image Comics. Though these always feel so abbreviated, I enjoyed the gradual heightening of tension in this one.

[Sam Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal. The Invisible Man is my favorite monster. I gasped, I screamed. What a beautiful work of art and creepy story!

[Makayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Alex Sarll]

As in his Dracula, which began this Universal imprint at Image, Tynion's story here is fine but inessential, a prequel-cum-retelling that adds little not already found in two and a half millennia of stories about invisibility enabling all humanity's worst urges – except, perhaps, a couple of nods to that specifically modern unease at being perceived when one isn't bent on any fiendishness, but simply not in the mood for the weight of eyes. And, like Dracula, the project is redeemed by its artist, here DaNi, a perfect choice for all those sinister streets and negative spaces, shadowing Griffin's face even before the formula and the dark glasses hide it for good.

[major metcalf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Man I really really wanted to like this comic. I love the old invisible man movie but this was a hard miss.

It gets two stars for the art but the story is just disappointing.

The moment I lost faith in this book was when jack put on the pair of sunglasses from the iconic film like it was some profound moment in his life. Like Luke getting his light saber. That’s just stupid he wore the glasses because he had to hid his invisible eyes from everyone. Jack “practicing” being invisible is just cringy.

By the end this felt like a very bad Disney prequel to a much better film.

[The Smoog · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent story idea, but poorly executed. The internal monologue got boring pretty quick, and it was soooo heavy-handed. The story only really gets going in the final issue, and then just … stops. Didn’t think much of the artwork, either, none of it looked finished.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tras inaugurar esta colección con su variación del Drácula cinematográfico de Universal Pictures, James Tynion IV repite con la oportunidad de abordar otro de estos grandes iconos de la ficción fantástica y de terror. Y si en Drácula, hay que admitir que los aplausos realmente iban por el lado del artista, aquí sí que podemos corear al equipo completo. El guionista propone una precuela del film de 1933 basado en la novelette original de H. G. Wells por lo que se apuesta del todo sobre esa máxima del personaje que distinguia mucho al Dr. Jack Griffin del resto de companions del Panteón Monstruoso de Universal, justamente por demostrar que la faceta monstruosa era innata a su ser en esa condición de humanidad renegada a seres de condición puramente sobrenatural como Drácula. el Hombre Lobo o innatural como las Criaturas del Dr. Frankenstein. De este último, por supuesto, también se distancia al experimetar consigo mismo y entrar en esa transformación que le desapega del resto de la humanidad.

La historia, por tanto, nos retrotrae un tiempo antes del momento en el que Griffin acaba recluido en ese hospedaje rural en el que iniciará su reinado de terror invisible. Con esos datos ofrecidos en el film por los personajes de apoyo como su compañero Kemp, su prometida Flora y su yerno Cranley en torno a su obsesión con un compuesto desconocido que motivará la invención de su suero para la invisibilidad y del que se alude a que los sujetos de prueba mostraban signos de enajenación. James Tynion IV nos descubre esa perturbadora experimentación que la película realizada por James Whale mencionaba de pasada. Pero es más relevante e inquietante el VER (sic.) a Jack Griffin en una vida diaria de la que ya se sentía desapegado y con unas tendencias sociopáticas y megalomaníacas que ya no excusan como en la propia película su conversión al terrorífico villano que pone en jaque a Inglaterra. Pero todo empieza revelando que antes que Jack, existió otro Hombre Invisible. Y esto se convierte en un inesperado e increíble motivante de un tercer acto y climax que me confirma este cómic como el mejor que llevamos hasta ahora de esta colección. Por supuesto, la presencia gráfica de DaNi ya avalaba mucho el proyecto, contando con trabajos de índole terrorífica hasta en DC Comics. Su estilo emula mucho el arte de EC Comics, y el color suele acompañar perfectamente a la composición tenebrista. Como digo, es cierto que el elemento de Hombre Invisible no es algo constante ni presente en la totalidad de la miniserie. Pero cuando lo hace demuestra un genuino interés e inventiva en este medio. Pero a la hora de defender que la propuesta sea más "visible" que invisible con su protagonista, esto igualmente trasmite ese suspense y terror que demuestra que cuando se comprende el potencial del personaje (ojo a las aproximaciones modernas en cine como Hollow Man o la película de Leigh Whannell), puede ser el Monstruo Clásico más temible e inquietante de representar.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading the Dracula and Frankenstein volumes of this series set a high expectation that Creature from the Black Lagoon and now The Invisible Man haven't been able to live up to.

Dracula and Frankenstein were both set in and around the events of those movies, but Black Lagoon was a sequel (that barely cared about its title monster) and Invisible Man is a prequel to its film.

And it's not a good prequel either. It covers Jack Griffin's initial experiments that led him to taking his invisibility formula himself. Which the movie does a perfectly fine job catching us up on. I didn't need to see any of the detail around that. But its greater sin is actually contradicting the film.

The movie Griffin is a flawed man consumed by his scientific research to the point that he experiments on himself and is driven homicidally insane by an ingredient he didn't predict the consequences of using. He's presented as an evil villain at first, but the more we learn about him from the people who knew him, the more tragic his story becomes.

This comics version has him evil before he ever gives himself the invisibility formula. He even knows about the awful side effects of the monocaine ingredient, but uses it on other subjects before willingly taking it himself. The comic posits that Griffin has always been obsessed with separating himself from humanity. In this version, he's always been a villain and it's impossible to see why Flora loves him, just like it's impossible for me to care what happens to him.

[Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked, I really liked but the same can be said for what I didn't. What made this book so great was that like other books in this series JTIV does a fantastic job of highlighting and revealing deep character motivations that really drives the story forward. This version of Griffin is shown to be a monster even before he starts conducting experiments on himself and I really felt his loss of humanity to be very well portrayed.

DaNi's art is very well done an I should really point out how difficult her task was since so much of what she needed to draw was the absence of things. I think her solutions and suggestions were well done. Additionally She had an excellent touch when it came to showing delicacy and layers of emotions especially in character faces.

What I find so annoying is that if you're unfamiliar with the H.G Wells calssic, or the movie this TPB's ending will probably make so sense to you. I can see and respect the angle that JTIV was going for but I think he could have made this book a perfect classic if they'd committed to a 6 part story instead of a 4. We literally spend 3.5 books watching Griffin make and perfect his formula, committing atrocities all over the place before at the 11th hour he does it to himself.
I think a better title might have been " Universal Monsters: A prelude to The Invisible Man"

Still, I enjoyed it, but no way in hell is this an Eisner prize level publication. (it's been nominated for the 2025)

[Alec Biron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of all four comic book volumes of Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man, presented together in a single hardcover edition.

I should begin by saying I probably approached this story a bit out of order. I’ve still never read the full novel by H.G. Wells, and I had only seen the 2020 modernized adaptation starring Elisabeth Moss. When I first began the graphic novel, I assumed it was a direct adaptation of the H.G. Wells story. My next realization was that it was actually much closer to Universal’s 1933 pre-Code film.

The final surprise came when I chose to watch the brief 1933 Universal film immediately after finishing the graphic novel. While James Tynion IV’s version clearly pays homage to the film, it’s not a beat-for-beat adaptation of that story either. It borrows designs, some plot elements, and characters, but offers a different focus: an expanded story of how Griffin became the murderous Invisible Man and the experiments that ultimately lead into the main plot of the film.

Tynion’s artwork and expressionistic style are stunning. Another reader noted online that the work “wants you to keep the 1933 film in the back of your mind” without fully replicating it. I think that’s a very accurate assessment. The graphic novel feels like a companion piece to the film rather than a straightforward retelling, and I found that approach made watching the 1933 movie afterward even more interesting.

[Joseph R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new version of the horror classic The Invisible Man is crafted by James Tynion. Jack Griffin is an obsessed scientist. He's studying monocaine powder, which has very unusual properties. Griffin wants to work in secret but he shares a lab under the tutelage (and financing) of Doctor Cranley. He's also been hanging out with Cranley's daughter Flora, who believes in him and wants to get married. But Griffin is much more interested in his monocaine-based formula which will cause a living being to become invisible. As he becomes more successful, he becomes more obsessed, more secretive, and less humane than ever.

The book does a good job creating a new storyline for the classic character. His larger story arc is familiar but plenty of details have been changed, resulting in new suspense and horror. He already has sociopathic tendencies even before he's exposed to monocaine's influence. The art underlies his secretiveness and hostility, with Griffin's face typically shaded in an environment already full of blackness, figuratively and literally. This is one of the better adaptations of the Universal Monsters canon.

Recommended.

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

While none of the Universal Monsters books from Skybound are straight movie adaptations, each contain some nods and out-and-out scenes taken from the movies. The Invisible Man is the one that strays the most from that, offering instead a pretty much all-new backstory as to how Jack Griffin became … well, invisible. It utilizes the characters from the movie adaptation of H.G. Welles original novel, including Flora, the love interest, and Kemp, the fellow scientist, but it adds a whole new character in Tommy, a young boy that Griffin experiments on as he moves from small animals to large animals to human animals in his quest to find out if he can turn a fully-grown man invisible. Tynion’s story is great, and Dani’s minimalist artwork, at times reminiscent of Frank Miller, Eduardo Risso, and Tim Sale, is graphic and compelling. I enjoyed this one as much as the Frankenstein book by Michael Walsh, and plan to get the complete series as they come out in collected editions.

[sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting I did not know going in that it was a prequel, which was a little disappointing BUT I did throughly enjoy it. I thought it was a clever combination of the universal movie, the book, and original material. I’m not sure if I’m really into the new motivation that was given to griffin to finally start experimenting on himself (that being Tommy) but it made an interesting story where there previously hadn’t really been one.

Loved all the stuff about his animal experiments those were some of my favorite parts of the original book so I was happy to see that.

The art was unbelievably beautiful. I loved how griffins face was almost always in shadows and in contrast to flora who seemed to not be affected by light at all. I want to frame so many of the panels but especially the sequence at the end it was 🤌

[Connor Veenstra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm conflicted. On the one hand, I can't deny that I was gripped, but that's because the story is so macabre that it's hard to pull away. Other than that, I feel like I've read this story before. The unreliable narrator, who's so drunk off his own ego that he can't see the good things he has, decides everybody's beneath him and goes down a dark path? Yeah, been there, done that, rented the timeshare.

This is how he was in the book, but that was over a hundred years ago, and the trope has since been overused. It doesn't get a break from me just because it was the first to do something I've seen a million times before.

Also, I'm not sure how I feel about the art. This kind of sketchy minimalism can work in other books, but I don't think it works here. This needed to be much harsher and more solid, rather than abstract.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute triumph. James Tynion IV delivers yet another masterful story — tense, atmospheric, and psychologically sharp as always. He takes the bones of the classic horror tale and infuses it with modern dread and emotional depth that makes the horror hit even harder.
Dani’s art is breathtaking. The moody, shadowy style perfectly captures the invisible man’s eerie presence and the creeping paranoia of the story. Every panel feels alive with tension and beauty — the linework and coloring are top-tier.
This is easily one of the best Universal Monsters adaptations in comics. If you’re a fan of horror, Tynion, or just great sequential storytelling, this hardcover is a must-have. Highly recommended! 🖤

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason I have always enjoyed stories and adaptations of the Invisible man and I enjoyed this graphic novel too. The art is great, especially of the experinents. Ididn't realize until the end that this is an origin story though so I was slightly disappointed that we didnt spend more time with him after the process was complete. Regaress, I find the mad scientist trope to be very compelling. The idea of someone so intelligent being so callous in their treatment of others and concern for morality is always fascinating. The Doctor shows a terrifying level of focus in his quest for scientific perfection. He is a truly heartless man.

[Marc Pastor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ara t'escolto!
D'ençà del primer volum adaptant Dràcula, que em va semblar magistral, només han aparegut escorrialletes fluixíssimes o a mig coure basades en els monstres de la Universal. Només La Mòmia se'n salvava una mica, sense flipar-se.
Ha hagut de venir en James Tynion IV a clavar un cop de puny a la taula amb aquesta preqüela de la pel·li de Whale, que fa de Griffin un veritable monstre sàdic i aterridor.
El còmic és ple de bones idees (el paral·lelisme entre la invisibilitat física i la social) i està il·lustrat amb caràcter.

[Jacob McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the Universal Monsters comics from Image to varying degrees. Frankenstein was my favorite title so far. Until I read The Invisible Man today.

This is what these titles are at their best. Further developing the characters and telling a new part of the story.

This series is a direct prequel to the original movie. It's the entirety of how Jack Griffin created the formula that turned him invisible and the absolutely insidious things he did to achieve doing so. He's a straight up sociopath here and it's so effective. An excellent tale of mad science.

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up a couple of the Universal Monsters graphic novels at ALA. And read them immediately.

This was the second book in his series. I read it immediately after reading the Black Lagoon one; I liked that one better.

The Invisible Man sticks so closely to the original story that it feels a bit stale. That said, Tynion creates a truly sociopathic monster with his doctor. That part is chilling; dude was a monster long before he made himself disappear.

Average retelling of a classic story.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailing the events leading up to the classic novel and reimagined somewhat by Tynion and Dani, The Invisible Man is a classic monster story brough to life in rich illustrations, diving into the cruel mind of a man driven by ambition, separated from society, and locked in a cat and mouse game with those around him. The story feels cut from the fabric of its source material, but there's clear room for this creative team to explore the themes of belonging and humanity alongside the thrilling narrative of science gone wrong.