FRANKEN-UGLYHEAD
The Frankenstein monster has had so many various representations in comic books, for example the Dick Briefer version from the 1940s and 1950s (see a page about Briefer's Frankenstein here) and then there are numerous versions closer to the original Mary Shelley rendition.
In the Grant Morrison written DC Comics Frankenstein #1, he is apparently a ruthless avenger that went into some form of hibernation in 1870 after successfully defeating the sinister, well-dressed Melmoth. Melmoth's minions, "spine-riders," grotesque humanoid-shaped creatures, show up again under the guidance (or controlling, not sure which) of a pimply high school student who is called only by the name of "Uglyhead." He is afforded the power to read the minds of his fellow students - - how this is possible is not explained - - and he uses this power in a megalomania fashion to complete a plan to destroy them. In a plot not unlike Stephen King's Carrie, there is the one lone student who shows "Uglyhead" some kindness, who is then targeted to survive the coming annihilation, and is the readers introduction to the prom-night scene of conflict.
Morrison's story dwells upon the self-loathing of the students, and in an example of the mind-control powers of Uglyhead & the maggot spine-riders, a particular blonde-haired student is controlled to overnight transform into a pimply, oily female counterpart to Uglyhead, because "deep down inside you're Uglyhead, too." The setting for the coming cataclysm involving the whole student body is thus set.
The story now at full tilt, the Frankenstein creature crashes up through the floor of the school - - whether Frankenstein was conveniently buried under the school or tunneled there from elsewhere is not shown. Confronting Uglyhead outside the Excalibur Fantasy Butterfly World (near the school), Frankenstein smashes him through a storefront window and a sword hanging there (by a thread, I guess) falls to sever Uglyhead's "spine-rider" and of course his head.
Apparently rejuvenated by electricity, the story ends with Frankenstein marching off to bring further battle to evil because "something was left undone," probably in regards to Melmoth?
Mahnke's art captures the grimy-pimply look of high school as a land of narcissism and self-hatred. Frankenstein is rendered (and colored by John Kalisz) effectively as the usual corpse-assembled being, but the age-old dilemma of why the creature is called Frankenstein (versus the Dr. Frankenstein that made him) is not explained.
The constant problem of 22 page comics comes to the fore in that space is not given to fill in the basics of a satisfying story. Many of these "main" characters for the tale do not even warrant names, or even identities beyond that of stereotype high school numbskull. Each scene seems hatched full-blown without any background that explains any motivations or even the mindframe of the characters. The Frankenstein character destroys his enemies, along with all of the student body, who were in the midst of being assaulted by the maggoty spine-riders. He then burns the place to the ground, shoveling ashes into the flames. I am impressed with how thorough he is being, though I am left confused by what is the exact nature of the conflict he is pursuing that transcends centuries.
Very well-done art, and some very good moments of writing highlight this tale. The downside are the unexplained plot elements and the cookie-cutter characters from the doomed school body.
Page 20 from the Seven Soldiers of Victory "Frankenstein"
Click to view enlarged 700-pizel wide scan.
NOVEMBER 16, 2005
WHAT THE HEX??!
[above] Is DC Comics paying royalties to Clint Eastwood for starring him in the resurrected Jonah Hex?
This issue number one is written by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti; Art by Luke Ross; Cover by Frank Quitely. THIS REVIEW HAS MOVED TO A NEW PAGE HERE.
NOVEMBER 9, 2005
SKIN DEEP
"Get that ring off, expose some skin!" (page 3)
Rather than use botox, Lance Harrower invents a metal "smartskin" that "bonds
with collagen," so that (among other things) he can preserve
his wife Alix in a permanent state of youthful comic-book voluptuousness
(more or less in the shiny, reflective style of The Silver Surfer). When Lance
is not working on making his wife a real trophy wife then
he is online surfing superhero-themed pornography.
In this story, porn seems to be a general metaphor in relation
to comic book fandom in someway. Alix is negative on her husband's
demented dream of superheroic importance. Lance wants to use
his invention so that the duo can become an updated version
of the "Human Bullet" super team from WW2 era comics, telling
his wife of his dream of inviting The Green Lantern to dinner,
and generally being youthful and indestructible forever. (That
the "smartskin" imparts immortality is something unexplained.)
Yanick Paquette draws Alix as possessing large and unreal breast
implants, though these are implants is not actually mentioned
in the Grant Morrison story. Alix also sits, stands and walks
in a near constant pinup pose, typically in her underwear or
something generally skimpy. The interiors of the home in which
Alix and Lance live in is all we know about their surroundings,
as the exterior and neighborhood are not shown. A room housing
very large "inventor equipment" reminds me of Brundleflys setup
in the Cronenberg remake of "The Fly." Seeing all of that gear
made me ponder what zoning laws are like in Lance's neighbored.
Morrison manipulates the mechanics of forward-and-flashback
storytelling expertly, though the tale in itself is thin indeed
in this first part of four parts. A great deal is unexplained,
and the character motivations beyond Lance's superhero-themed
porn-obession are also unexplained. If there is a criticism
being leveled at the industry of supergirls in skimpy clothing
it is not developed beyond the self-destructiveness of the character
Lance.
Lance dies as a result of using his invention (he suffocates
from the effect of the metal skin) and accidentally passes on
the quickly spreading "smartskin" to his wife, who likewise
becomes encased (and does not suffocate, I Don't know why).
In a later state of depression caused by her husbands death
and her discovering his "secret life" of online porn and an
apparent e-mail affair with someone named "Sexy Sally Sonic,"
Alix attempts suicide by crashing through the apartment wall,
and consequently lands unhurt on the street below. She then
runs crazily through a subway tunnel (Another suicide attempt?
To get hit by a train?) but comes across a subway wreck, and
a little boy pleading for help. Alix saves the trapped passengers
inside (somehow loses her shirt in the process), and dutifully
later dons the superhero costume her dead husband designed,
saying "You got what you wanted, Lance."
There are certainly less plausible origin stories, but this
one probably is one of the more surreal in the realm of actual
human emotion. Without Lance around to enforce the ridiculous
porn-obsessed image consciousness upon his wife, why does she
inevitably embrace it so fully? There's something about needing
money near the end of the story (is there money to be made superheroing?
She actually looks like she is about to go work in Vegas as
a dancer).
Perhaps this is the theme of the book: prior to his demise,
Alix resisted Lance's nonhuman ambitions, but now from beyond
the grave he has become her pimp, somehow provoking Alix into
subservience to his crazed desires because there's money
in it now.
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