LITERATURE

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

FRANKESTEIN; OR, THE MODERN PROMETHEUS
Frankenworld began with Mary Shelley's Gothic horror novel, Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus, which is considered to be the first science fiction narrative. In June of 1816, when Mary was only eighteen years old, Lord Byron, John Polidori, Percy Shelley, and Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (she was not yet Mary Shelley) embarked on a challenge, put forth by Lord Byron to see who could write the best ghost story. The challenge resulted in  her most successful writing endeavor---a narrative that would inspire countless other works of art. Mary Shelley finished her novel in 1817, and it was published anonymously on January 1st of 1818. The critical reception was mixed due to the dedication to her father, William Godwin, and some reviewers correctly guessing the identity [read gender] of the author.

Frontispiece from 1831 edition of Frankenstein

Frankenstein is the tale of a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who is obsessed with discovering the secret of life, and he finds it. However, once Victor brings his creature to life, he immediately realizes the unnatural deed he has done and abandons it. The tale continues with the creature educating himself and, despite his kind intentions, being violently rejected by human society. The creature, who is never given a name, decides to be the monster people already believe him to be. It is story of ethics, morality, ambition, and, more than anything, the human condition.

One of the main themes of the story is that of a human being defying nature or, if you will, 'playing god,' and creating something that eventually becomes too powerful to control and that causes tragedy for the creator.  This theme is often repeated in many of the narratives in Frankenworld, like Jurassic Park, and beyond it. Some of the other themes include: what makes us human, being responsible for our actions, society forming our identity, and the tragic outcome of privileging people based on their class and gender. Most interesting is the theme of what it means and feels like to be a monster. These themes which were not unique to Shelley's narrative are also passed forward to Frankenstein's offspring and can be found throughout Frankenworld.

Check out the full list of FRANKENSTEIN IN LITERATURE.

BERNIE WRIGHTSON'S ILLUSTRATIONS
Bernie Wrighton's illustrated version of Frankenstein was first published by Marvel Comics in 1983. Dark Horse Comics released a 25th anniversary edition of the book in 2008 that included an introduction by Stephen King.

Close-up of Creature

Creature after reading Victor's diary

Wrightson's illustrations reflect the Gothicism of the narrative. Additionally, they portray the creature as physically hideous but soulfully human.

If you think the style of the illustrations seems similar to the frontispiece of the 1831 edition of Frankenstein, that is because Wrightson intended them to have an antique look. In an interview with Peter Sanderson in 2008, Wrightson said of his Frankenstein illustrations, "I wanted the book to look like an antique; to have the feeling of woodcuts or steel engravings."¹

Justine Hanged

Koontz: Prodigal Son

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein series of books is a continuation of Shelley's narrative. The stories take place in present day New Orleans. Victor Frankenstein found a way, through his experiments, to extend his life span. He now goes by the name Victor Helios and continues his experiments of creating life. The book series spawned a graphic novels series based on the same narratives.

Franny K. Stein Merchandise

The Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist series of children's books by Jim Benton, revolves around Franny, a young genius, who schemes to take over the world with her various inventions and experiments. Due to her brilliance and focus on intellectual pursuits, Franny is othered by her peers which could be the motivation for her schemes. The popularity of the series has resulted in Franny K. Stein merchandise. 

1. Carey, Edward. "Spotlight on Bernie Wrightson." Comic News, 16 June 2008.