Number 2512: Tomb it may concern...Frankenstein in love

In this tale of the meandering monster, Frankenstein is smitten with love for a woman who has a young son. Said son gets sick. Appendicitis, no less...oh woe. While the doctor takes the boy to a hospital, Frankenstein makes off with the mom to a nearby tomb, where he keeps her a prisoner...of love. The monster is apparently not up on a mother's love for her child, and of course not only would she rather be with her sick boy, she’d much rather be anywhere else than with the Frankenstein monster.

Dick Briefer, artist/writer, did the story, “Entranced!” for issue number 29 of the Prize Comics’ American Frankenstein comic book. As longtime readers know from lessons I have been pounding into their skulls (I have a big hammer), Dick Briefer had done three different versions of the monster until the title ended when the Comics Code came in.

This black line version is from the UK Frankenstein #4, published by Arnold Book Co. I have blown out the yellow color of the pages and enhanced the black lines. The only things I left alone were the the bottom tier of panels. Arnold Book Co. cut the bottom panel borders off. I guess the act of cutting had something to do with the proportions of the printed product. But really, who knows? Who cares? The comic book has 68 pages, and besides Frankenstein it has a non-Frankenstein story by Briefer, and what looks to be the contents of an issue of Airboy Comics. Also, an ad for their reprints of Black Magic, another Prize Comics title, is done by Mad artist Bill Elder. Elder, who had done it for the EC Mad or Panic comic books. I haven’t done the research (laziness) for which comic it originally appeared in. Maybe one of you know.

Number 2326: Surprise! It’s Sir Prize

Sir Prize was drawn by Charles Voight, another of the old-time artists who went to work in comic books when comic books were still young. Voight had begun his newspaper comics career in 1908 when newspaper comics were young. For much of his career he drew a successful pretty girl comic strip called “Betty,” which was canceled in 1942, and I assume prompted his move into the comic books. He was born in 1887, and based on the intricate pen work and top-notch layouts I see here, it is too bad he could not go on for many more years. He died in 1947 at age 59.

Voight did two features for Prize, a boxing strip called “Boom Boom Brannigan,” and the medieval feature, “Sir Prize,” which was designed as a humor strip. This episode, set in the past, is actually about a current event: the shortage of housing in America for those returning home after World War II.

I give credit to Booksteve, who first showed “The Spook’s Nook, or, the Ghost’s Ghost!” in 2017 in his Four Color Shadows blog. I had seen Voight’s work before, but this was the first story of his that very much impressed me. I need to look closer at this artist’s work.

I have included a Frankenstein episode from the same issue. Dick Briefer did not have the sophistication of Voight, but his Frankenstein was popular, and went through three incarnations at his hand, finally ending in 1954. Both stories are from Prize Comics #60 (1946).

Number 2257: The Frankenstein puppet

Writer/artist Dick Briefer breaks the fourth wall, and appears to us in his Frankenstein story from Prize Comics #30 (1943). He claims he hasn’t heard from the monster in some time, and does not know what he is up to, so what we get is a story of a Frankenstein puppet.

Briefer identifies himself in the splash panel as “the guy that does this strip,” and includes some apparent co-workers at Prize Comics. I don’t know whether they are actual caricatures, but Briefer’s version of himself is of a handsome young man. Of all the other characters and many pages he drew for comic books, the Frankenstein character is what he is known for. His Frankenstein went through different versions until his comic book, The Monster of Frankenstein, was finally canceled in 1954: the first an evil villain, the second the funny Frankenstein, and the third the wandering Frankenstein monster who roams the countryside, having encounters with humans.

Number 2026: King Frankenstein

In “Hail the King,” the plot by writer/artist Dick Briefer hangs on the gimmick — introduced for this story — of Frankenstein’s signature disappearing shortly after writing it. There is a slug in the last panel that says, “Thanks to Ed Goggin for help on these tales. Dick Briefer.” Maybe I can blame Ed. I am not a hardcore consistency freak, but such a gimmick appears thrown in.

I do like the two-headed girl. Dick Briefer could draw some mighty pretty girls when he wanted to.

From Frankenstein #8 (1947).

Number 1970: Frankenstein, astral superman!

“Blooperman” is an indirect satire on Superman. This story from Frankenstein #8 (1947), drawn (and presumably written) by Dick Briefer, is mainly about astral projection, and Blooperman’s creators, "Joe Seagull and Jerry Shoestring” promoting their creation by using the monster's newly found ability to levitate.

About the time this was published the real Jerry and Joe (Siegel and Shuster) lost their lawsuit to regain the rights to Superman, and their byline disappeared from Superman stories for 30 years. It's an often told tale for creators about being careful what one is signing away when endorsing a check.

Back to astral projection. It is not well known, but I have the ability to leave my body and go wherever I want to go. It can be handy. As a matter of fact, I am hovering invisibly behind you while you read this. So...BOO!