The first volume in Yoe Book's thrilling new series, "The Horror Comic Book Masters Library," fittingly features the first and foremost maniacal monster of all time... Frankenstein! Dick Briefer is one of the seminal artists who worked with Will Eisner on some of the very first comic books. Briefer created a bizarre, twisted version of the classic Frankenstein that is legend among comic book aficionados. If you like the comic book weirdness of cartoonists Fletcher Hanks, Basil Wolverton, and Boody Rogers, you're sure to thrill over Dick Briefer's creation of Frankenstein. The large format book lovingly reproduces a monstrous number of stories from the original 1940s and '50s comic books. Briefer did both a dark horror take and a more humorous-yet twisted-styling of Frankenstein, and both are powerfully showcased here. The stories are fascinatingly supplemented by an insightful introduction with rare photos of the artist, original art, letters from Dick Briefer, drawings by Alex Toth inspired by Briefer's Frankenstein-and much more!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By R. Franks
Format:Hardcover
This is an outstanding collection / overview of Briefer's Frankenstein comics, from the early horror angle to the comedic take then back to horror again. The reproduction is appropriate and the die-cut cover is awesome. Well worth the money.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By David Burd
Format:Hardcover
It's been said before that Yoe Books has set the standard for deluxe reprints of vintage comic books, but it bears repeating. In Dick Briefer's Frankenstein all the Yoe trademarks are there: excellent reproduction from the original printed pages, high-quality paper and deluxe hardcover binding, and a beautifully designed package. As usual, there's a nice historical essay, this time comprising 16 pages of facts and observations about the comic book and its creator with lots of impossibly rare art. In addition, there's a nifty die-cut cover that lets the monsters eyes show through and gives a nice surprise when you open it. I don't see how it could have been done better.
The comics themselves are particularly fascinating because they show the evolution of the character from story to story, year to year. Starting in 1940 when the American comic book was still in its infancy, the earliest story is a crudely drawn, fairly straight retelling of the Mary Shelley tale. By 1941 the art has improved markedly, but it's still in the gothic horror genre. The next one is drawn a little differently yet. Briefer's style changes with virtually every story. It's as if he was trying not to use the same style twice!
By 1945 the comic undergoes a complete metamorphosis, changing from straight horror to comedy-horror. At this point the character of Frankenstein's monster has more in common with Herman Munster than with the comics from just a couple years earlier. Briefer uses a much looser line and the stories are charming and silly. In 1952's story we see another transformation back to horror, but this time with carefully rendered scenes of violence and mayhem as was the trend in the 1950s. Watching the evolution of Dick Briefer's Frankenstein between these covers is a microcosm of the history of comics, from the Golden Age into the era of pre-code horror and crime comics that almost ended the industry. (If the series had continued into the Sixties I can imagine the Frankenstein monster in a mask and a cape.)
If you like comics, horror, Frankenstein, or all of the above, this book is highly recommended.
The comics themselves are particularly fascinating because they show the evolution of the character from story to story, year to year. Starting in 1940 when the American comic book was still in its infancy, the earliest story is a crudely drawn, fairly straight retelling of the Mary Shelley tale. By 1941 the art has improved markedly, but it's still in the gothic horror genre. The next one is drawn a little differently yet. Briefer's style changes with virtually every story. It's as if he was trying not to use the same style twice!
By 1945 the comic undergoes a complete metamorphosis, changing from straight horror to comedy-horror. At this point the character of Frankenstein's monster has more in common with Herman Munster than with the comics from just a couple years earlier. Briefer uses a much looser line and the stories are charming and silly. In 1952's story we see another transformation back to horror, but this time with carefully rendered scenes of violence and mayhem as was the trend in the 1950s. Watching the evolution of Dick Briefer's Frankenstein between these covers is a microcosm of the history of comics, from the Golden Age into the era of pre-code horror and crime comics that almost ended the industry. (If the series had continued into the Sixties I can imagine the Frankenstein monster in a mask and a cape.)
If you like comics, horror, Frankenstein, or all of the above, this book is highly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Am I glad I decided to check out this initial volume of Craig Yoe's horror comics archive series! I had absolutely no exposure to Briefer or this Frankenstein series. Since I'm both a comic geek and horror fan, I plunked down a few shekels, and the book was delivered shortly thereafter.
We are living in a Golden Age of vintage comic archiving, with innumerable classy and well-produced tomes re-presenting long-lost gems from our pop culture past. Marvel Masterworks, DC, Dark Horse...other smaller presses like PS and Fantagraphics...
...we now add YOE Books in conjunction with IDW.
This is a beautifully constructed book. A bold, no-DJ cover with die-cut eye-holes is a delightful way to get you to open the book.
Inside, there is a slightly over-effusive, but decent mini-bio on Briefer...it is to Yoe's credit that I wanted this part to be longer.
Then there are the comics, large scale reproductions from the original comics (not remastered, re-colored...re-anything-ed) with yellowed paper and faded colors. These look like what you would get if you scanned the original page, and printed a high resolution copy on impossibly thick stock.
I LOVED it. I prefer my old Spideys or FF's to be glossy and spruced up, but somehow these books look better THIS way.
I enjoyed the tonal shift...from the sinister horrific origin tales that open the volume, to the cartoony, funny-book comedy of the middle books, and then back to the serious horror stories to end the book.
This book is a sampler...a few issues from each era, spanning Briefer's work with this character.
My big problem? Now I want them ALL.
I also went and ordered the remaining volumes in the Chilling Archives of Horror Comics, which I can't wait to sink my teeth into...
We are living in a Golden Age of vintage comic archiving, with innumerable classy and well-produced tomes re-presenting long-lost gems from our pop culture past. Marvel Masterworks, DC, Dark Horse...other smaller presses like PS and Fantagraphics...
...we now add YOE Books in conjunction with IDW.
This is a beautifully constructed book. A bold, no-DJ cover with die-cut eye-holes is a delightful way to get you to open the book.
Inside, there is a slightly over-effusive, but decent mini-bio on Briefer...it is to Yoe's credit that I wanted this part to be longer.
Then there are the comics, large scale reproductions from the original comics (not remastered, re-colored...re-anything-ed) with yellowed paper and faded colors. These look like what you would get if you scanned the original page, and printed a high resolution copy on impossibly thick stock.
I LOVED it. I prefer my old Spideys or FF's to be glossy and spruced up, but somehow these books look better THIS way.
I enjoyed the tonal shift...from the sinister horrific origin tales that open the volume, to the cartoony, funny-book comedy of the middle books, and then back to the serious horror stories to end the book.
This book is a sampler...a few issues from each era, spanning Briefer's work with this character.
My big problem? Now I want them ALL.
I also went and ordered the remaining volumes in the Chilling Archives of Horror Comics, which I can't wait to sink my teeth into...
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
No one does it better!
The books compiled by Craig Yoe are beautiful. You don't need to be a Frankenstein fan to appreciate the care given to this book. Read more
Published on January 1, 2011 by Quinton K. Peeples
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great - but want more...
The packaging really is wonderful, and as the previous reviewer noted, the reproduction is appropriate. I don't really have quibbles with what's here. Read more
Published on October 29, 2010 by Andrew L. Baron
5.0 out of 5 stars
Smashing
This is a first class presentation of the pinacle of a great career. The nostalgia flowed from this book like Tupelo.
Published on October 28, 2010 by Neil Wellen
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