Frankenstein’s Monster: 13 Alternate Versions
The creature from Mary Shelley’s 1800s novel Frankenstein is one of the most recognized icons in storytelling.
Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel Frankenstein is a tale regularly being retold—but almost always includes new or different ideas. This habit of loose adaptations of her novel includes 200 years of adaptations into all sorts of media, including stage plays, films, television episodes, comic books, and any other media available. Below are 13 worth paying attention to—plus a list of additional adaptations…
01 Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818)
The monster was created by English author Mary Shelley, who wrote the novel as part of a “ghost story” challenge when her vacationing friends were all trapped inside by terrible weather. Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus tells about scientist Victor Frankenstein, who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published when she was 20. Considered by many as the first “science-fiction” story, the novel has had a huge influence on pop culture, adapted into hundreds of stories in all kinds of media.
(Many complain when the monster is referred to as “Frankenstein”—the name of his creator. But the truth is that this is the family name, and the creature is, of course, a member of the family.)
02 Universal Studios’ Frankenstein (1931)
While not the first film version of Mary Shelley’s novel, this is considered one of the most important film adaptations. Following the success of their film Dracula, Universal Studios moved from strength to strength with Frankenstein. Inspired by the novel by Mary Shelley, the famed story had already been adapted into multiple stage productions and even one film. Starring Boris Karloff under iconic makeup by Jack Pierce, the Universal Monsters approach to the monster haunted generations of filmgoers. It led to numerous sequels, including crossovers with the Wolf Man, Dracula, and even the Abbott and Costello film series.
03 Dick Briefer’s Comics #1 (1940)
Frankenstein’s history in periodical comic books goes as far back as the 1940s. In the decades since, Mary Shelley’s patchwork monster has become a Marvel Comics hero, a DC Comics hero, as well as versions from Dell Comics, Wildstorm Comics, plus Super Frankenstein from Big Bang Comics, Doc Frankenstein by Matrix creators the Wachowskis from Burlyman Entertainment, Frankenstein Mobster from Image Comics, and so many more.
One of the more intriguing adaptations came from comic book writer/artist Dick Briefer (1915-1980), who created two completely different interpretations of the Frankenstein Monster. His first interpretation, “The New Adventures of Frankenstein,” launched in Prize Comics #7 (1940). These new stories of Frankenstein’s Monster were done in the horror vein—making it the first ongoing horror feature in an American comic book.
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04 The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
Something pretty significant happened in the Universal Studios sequel Ghost of Frankenstein: His brain was changed—and the test audience for the follow-up Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man was unhappy with how that affected the character. Today, the Universal Studios’ version of Frankenstein is famous for shuffling and being inarticulate (which is completely unlike how he walks and talks in the original novel). Well, the sloppier manner is actually the result of a production decision. In the original version of Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, the creature was blind and talked with Bela Lugosi’s thick accent. But since the test audience didn’t like that, all the recorded dialogue was cut—including the parts that explained he was blind following the events of The Ghost of Frankenstein.
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05 Dick Briefer’s Comics #2 (1943-1945)
Remember how we mentioned that comics creator Dick Briefer created the very first horror comics series, which starred Frankenstein’s monster? In 1943, Prize Comics #33 abruptly changed the direction of the series: When another scientist performs another experiment, the “humanized” monster spends a few issues helping with national defense, before enrolling in grade school.
The character reverted temporarily back to horror in Prize Comics #39 (1944). Brainwashed by Nazis, the monster broke free of his conditioning before rampaging through Europe with a female vampire and a male zombie. Eventually, the three characters moved to New York City to open a hotel for monsters.
Following the war, the monster was given his own series Frankenstein #1 (1945). In this humor series, Frankenstein settled into small-town life, becoming a genial neighbor who began having “delightful adventures” as the “merry monster.” Briefer's funny take on Frankenstein lasted through 1948.
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06 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
In the UK, Hammer Films took over the baton from Universal and created a series of films adapting Universal’s monsters for a new generation. While Hammer’s first Frankenstein film, 1957’s The Curse of Frankenstein, featured the same monster—future films focused on the scientist instead of the creature. By the way, the film’s monster was played by Hammer horror legend Christopher Lee, and the scientist was often played by Hammer star Peter Cushing.
07 The Munsters (1964)
Classic comedy series The Munsters (1964-1966), featured a regular, suburban family that just happened to also be related to the Universal Monsters. Herman Munster (a patchwork Frankenstein’s Monster) and Lily Munster (the daughter of Count Dracula) were joined by Eddie Munster (who was part werewolf and part vampire), Grandpa Munster (who was Dracula), and their “homely” niece, Marilyn, who passed for human.
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08 Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965)
The Japanese kaiju film from Toho, Frankenstein Conquers the World was directed by Ishiro Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. An international co-production of Japan and the U.S., the monster’s heart is stolen by Nazis in war-torn Frankfurt, and taken to Japan. The heart survives the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, regenerating a new body which grows into a giant monster that battles with another giant monster named Baragon. The film led to the 1966 sequel The War of the Gargantuas.
09 Young Frankenstein (1974)
A parody of the Universal Studios early Frankenstein films, Young Frankenstein was directed by Mel Brooks, and co-written by Brooks and star Gene Wilder. Wilder also starred as a descendant of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Peter Boyle starred as the monster. Many of the props in the lab were originally created for the 1931 film Frankenstein. The popular movie ranks at #25 on Total Film’s list of the 30 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time, #56 on Bravo’s 100 Funniest Movies, #13 on the American Film Institute’s 100 YEARS...100 LAUGHS: The 100 Funniest American Movies Of All Time, and #3 on Monster Complex’s own 100 Best Horror Comedy Movies of All Time.
Brooks adapted the film into a stage musical. It was nominated for three Tony Awards.
10 The Monster Squad #1 (1976)
Long before there was The Monster Squad movie, there was a completely unrelated Saturday morning TV show starring Fred Grandy (who later starred on The Love Boat). The show, which aired between September 1976 and September 1977, featured a criminology student working as a night watchman at a wax museum. Using a computer, Grandy’s character brought to life the wax statues of the Frankenstein Monster, Dracula, and the Wolf Man. Despite being wax copies, the monsters wanted to make up for their pasts and became superheroes.
10 The Monster Squad #2 (1987)
This cult classic from the 1980s is like across between a Spielbergian summer family movie and a Universal Monsters rally. A kids club obsessed with movie monsters discovers there are real monsters in town—including Count Dracula, the Frankenstein’s Monster, the mummy, the wolf man, and the gill man. One day out of every century, the forces of good and evil reach a balance, and the kids have to save the world from Dracula. What’s remarkable is that the film is funny, charming—and takes the monsters completely seriously. This is such a good movie.
11 Van Helsing (2004)
Written and directed by Stephen Sommers (who was responsible for the Mummy films starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz), Van Helsing starred Hugh Jackman as a James Bond-like monster hunter, and Kate Beckinsale. An over-the-top homage to the Universal Monster film classics, the film followed Van Helsing dealing with several monsters, including Frankenstein’s monster, who was being held prisoner by Dracula. The film got a lot of negative reviews, but grossed $300 million.
12 Hotel Transylvania (2012)
The animated film Hotel Transylvania features a number of Universal’s monsters at a hotel created for monster clientele. Frankenstein’s Monster, known as Frank, is voiced by Kevin James. His Bride, named Eunice in the film, is voiced by Fran Drescher. The success of Hotel Transylvania led to three sequels and a TV series.
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13 I, Frankenstein (2014)
An SF-fantasy-action film directed by Stuart Beattie, I, Frankenstein was based on the graphic novel by Kevin Grevioux. Starring Aaron Eckhart as the creature, the film tells the story of Frankenstein’s monster—who goes by the name of Adam—as he works to stop demons from taking over the world.
