Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine

Number 37


Frankenstein Friday: Frankenstein and the Statue Maker!

It's Friday the 13th, gang. Everybody watch out for ladders crossing their paths, and don't walk under any black cats.

This Friday's Frankenstein begins issue #2 of Frankenstein Comics, written and drawn by Dick Briefer, originally published in 1945.

The story begins with a 4-page recap of issue #1, and then goes into one of Briefer's longer Frankenstein stories, Frankenstein and the Statue Maker. The villain, Scorpon, disrespected as a sculptor, finds a way to give his statues a very lifelike look.

I don't think the plot of a sculptor using real bodies as the basis of his art was new even in 1945, but this story may have influenced the movie, Bucket Of Blood, filmed on the cheap by Roger Corman in 1959. There was even the earlier movie, the first version of House Of Wax, starring Vincent Price, originally filmed for 3D release, that may have been inspired by this Frankenstein story. Who knows? Inspiration comes from different places.

The cover to Frankenstein Comics #2 is one of my favorite Golden Age covers. The large image of the monster combined with the bold use of primary colors gives it a poster like effect.
 

Next Friday: Frankenstein's Job!