Frankenstein's Monster (Marvel Comics)

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character_name=Frankenstein's Monster
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publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Silver Surfer" #7 (Aug 1969) (in Marvel continuity)
Menace#7 (Atlas)
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aliases=Frankenstein (called this erroneously by the public), Adam
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Frankenstein's Monster is a comic book character in the Marvel Comics universe. He is based on the character of the same name from the novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley.

Publication history

In "X-Men" #40 (Jan 1968), an android version of the Monster appeared, and is destroyed by the titular mutant superheros.

The Monster first appeared in Marvel Comics continuity in a cameo in "Silver Surfer" #7 (Aug 1969).

He later appeared a number of times throughout the 1970s, and received a full series of his own beginning in January 1973, entitled Monster of Frankenstein. This series began with a 4-issue retelling of the original novel, by Gary Friedrich and Mike Ploog. Several more issues continued his story into the 1890s, until he was placed in suspended animation and revived in modern times.

In "Invaders" #31 (Aug 1978), Dr. Basil Frankenstein creates a similar creature for Nazi Germany, but this creature destroys itself.

Fictional character biography

Frankenstein's Monster was built from human corpses by a scientist named Victor Frankenstein, in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, in the late 1700s. His efforts to fit in with regular humanity were futile due to his horrific form, and he was infuriated. Victor Frankenstein created and subsequently killed a mate for the Monster, who killed Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth in retaliation. After killing several people, the Monster fled to the Arctic. His creator pursued him, but died due to the cold. The Monster, anguished, tried to kill himself but only went into a state of suspended animation from the cold. [The Monster related these events to 19th Century Captain Robert Walton in "The Monster of Frankenstein" #1-3]

In the 1890s, heat revived the Monster and he wandered again. He searched for the descendant of Victor Frankenstein and finally ended up in Transylvania. The Monster clashed with Dracula, and his vocal cords were injured. Vincent Frankenstein finally found him and tried to give him a new brain, dying in the process—shot by an angry maidservant before the Monster could kill him. Frustrated, the Monster returned to a state of suspended animation. ["The Frankenstein Monster" #8-9]

The Monster eventually emerged from suspended animation in a glacier to the modern world. ["Monsters Unleashed" #2] He was aided by Victoria Frankenstein, a distant relative of his creator. This woman was kindly, and repaired his vocal cords. ["The Frankenstein Monster" #16] The Monster joined Victoria Von Frankenstein and her mutant charges, the Children of the Damned, beings who were mutated by Basil and Ludwig Von Frankenstein's failed human experiments. ["The Frankenstein Monster" #18] The Monster allied with Spider-Man against the Monster Maker, Baron Von Shtupf and his pawn the Man-Wolf. ["Marvel Team-Up" #35-36]

Victoria discovered the man who would become the Dreadknight while he was dying in the wilderness. While under her care, he gained a variety of weapons and took possession of the flying mutant horse employed by the original, criminal Black Knight. He attempted to force more resources from Victoria and attacked the new Castle Frankenstein, but was defeated by the Monster and Iron Man and the Children. ["Iron Man" #101-102] The Dreadknight, left a wounded shell at the finale of the battle, was returned to Victoria's custody though he later escaped with his steed and personal weaponry.

The Monster later departed from Victoria's company. [As related in "Doctor Strange" Vol. 2 #37]

Ulysses Bloodstone later befriended the Monster, who came to occasionally stay at his mansion, eventually acting as its caretaker. The Monster, sometimes using the name Adam, accompanied Bloodstone on missions. Bloodstone trusted Adam to give his daughter Elsa a fragment of the Bloodgem in the Bloodstone choker when she was old enough.

When exploring Bloodstone House, an adult Elsa discovers a secret chamber in which she encounters Adam who tells Elsa about her father. Adam gives her the Bloodstone Choker, which attaches itself to her neck. Adam later designs a costume for Elsa, patterned after her father's. The two have a number of adventures together, encountering beings such as Dracula and N'Kantu, the Living Mummy. Elsa lives in Bloodstone Manor with her mother and ally Adam the Frankenstein Monster, while pursuing a monster-hunting occupation.

At some point, an intelligent clone of the monster, simply named Frankenstein, was created. The clone became a member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Paranormal Containment Unit, nicknamed the Howling Commandos. ["Nick Fury's Howling Commandos" #1]

Powers and abilities

The Frankenstein Monster is a result of a biological experiment by Baron Victor Frankenstein which grafted pieces of various corpses together which were animated through an undisclosed procedure involving electricity. The Monster has superhuman strength and stamina, and can be placed in suspended animation when exposed to intense cold without suffering any physical damage.

References

External links

*http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/franknst.htm
* [http://www.wymann.info/DoctorMarvel/FrankensteinMonster.html Marvel's Monster Mash - Marvel's Bronze Age struggle with the Frankenstein Monster] (in-depth review and analysis)