Frankenstein Lives: The Legacy of the World’s Most Famous Monster

If the name Frankenstein conjures the image of an oversized, green-faced ghoul instead of an unhinged scientist, Ruditis (The Star Trek Book) won’t judge. Instead, he points out that the monster has been conflated with the scientist ever since Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel was adapted for the stage in the 1820s. Of course, the iconic image wasn’t established until 1931’s Universal horror hit starring Boris Karloff under a 65-pound costume and elaborate makeup. Despite Universal trademarking the likeness, this became the definitive version of the monster—gracing cereal boxes and comic books, seen on Scooby Doo, and inspiring both Herman Munster and Lurch. Ruditis documents this and so much more, eagerly embracing every incarnation of Frankenstein, finding echoes of the monster in works of Tim Burton, exploring the “Monster High” franchise, and detailing the origins of Igor. This updated version of Ruditis’s Vault of Frankenstein (2018) anticipates several new film adaptations while retaining the lavish illustrations of the previous edition.