There’s no question that del Toro loves classic horror. Not only did the acclaimed director take home Best Picture for The Shape of Water, which del Toro had said was a retelling of Creature from the Black Lagoon, but his collection of horror and fantasy memorabilia garnered its own museum exhibition. When news broke that he would be directing a new Frankenstein adaptation, it was fitting. Interestingly enough, a producer on said production says del Toro is slowly crafting his own monster-verse.
It’s widely known that Universal Pictures offered del Toro the chance to spearhead the Dark Universe. Aimed at refreshing the classic Universal monsters with a Marvel-esque shared world, the Dark Universe tripped at the starting line. Tom Cruise’s The Mummy tanked at the box office, putting an end to Universal’s ambitions almost immediately.
As Frankenstein producer Miles Dale explained to A.frame, "At one time, he was going to do the Monster Universe with Universal — Frankenstein's Bride, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Invisible Man, The Wolf Man — and he didn't. We feel like Shape of Water was kind of a version of a creature. So now, here he is doing his own Monster Universe."
While this doesn’t necessarily equate to a del Toro-verse of interlocking Universal monster stories, it does bring a renewed interest to the classic horror icons. It was only recently that the comic world’s Stephen King, James Tynion IV, announced that he was scripting a take on Dracula as part of a Universal Monsters revival from Skybound Entertainment. That could bring a wave of speculation to the comic collecting community.
PRIZE COMICS #7
Considering that Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was originally published in 1818 and Boris Karloff brought the creature to life in the famed 1931 film, it’s no surprise that the monster’s first comic book appearance was in the Golden Age. As part of a backup story, Frankenstein’s creation had his own tale that was set in 1930s New York City.
Copies of Prize Comics #7 in any grade are rarities on the secondary market. The most recent sale was in 2016 when a 0.5 sold for $777.
SEVEN SOLDIERS: FRANKENSTEIN #1
Since Frankenstein and his monster are fair game under public domain, DC Comics introduced its version of the character in 1945’s Detective Comics #135. Being a Golden Age first appearance with Batman and Robin on the cover, it comes with a hefty price tag; in 2021, a 9.8 brought over $26k.
If you don’t have the budget for a Golden Age first, take a look at DC’s modern Frankenstein. Created by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke, their character is very much a superhero. He’s already slated for the DCU after being confirmed for the animated Creature Commandos. That puts an added emphasis on owning 2006’s Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein #1. You won’t have to spend much for a near-mint copy. In fact, a 9.8 hasn’t sold online since a copy earned $22 in 2014.
MENACE #7
DC wasn’t the only publisher putting Frankenstein’s monster in its comics. Atlas, the precursor to Marvel Comics, premiered its character in 1953’s Menace #7. This one appears on the auction sites more often than today’s other Golden Age entries. Just last year, a 5.0 sold for $599 while a 2.0 traded hands for $184.
PROMETHEUS IN CHAINS #1
Let’s not overlook what could be a key issue in the making. Published in May, Prometheus in Chains is an enchanting spin on the Frankenstein story that puts the famous characters in the atomic age and humanizes the original “mad scientist.” For more, check out GoCollect’s exclusive interview with series creator Rich Davis.
There haven’t been any graded sales on record so far, but that just means you can still get these for about cover price. Since Davis already has a movie deal in place for his previous hit series, Cult of Dracula, PIC could be in line for a live-action adaptation as well. That could make this a worthwhile gamble with almost no risk.
