DF Interview: Michael Walsh resurrects one of the most iconic monsters of all time in ‘Universal Monsters: Frankenstein’

By Byron Brewer

Illustrator/writer Michael Walsh resurrects one of the most iconic monsters of all time in a jaw-dropping re-imagining of a seminal horror classic: Frankenstein. Readers can expect each issue of the four-issue limited series to tell the shocking story behind one of the body parts used to create the unforgettable monster in the original 1931 film from Universal Pictures.

In the first issue, Dr. Henry Frankenstein begins his unholy quest to create life by robbing the grave of a decorated police officer to find necessary parts, specifically a strong pair of hands. But little does he know that the corpse has a son who is mourning a father – and that this young boy will forever change Frankenstein’s life.

A huge fan of Universal’s classic monsters, I contacted creative team Michael Walsh and we discussed his coming limited series.

Byron Brewer: Michael, this is quite the undertaking. I am assuming the saga of Frankenstein means a lot to you in some way to tackle this. If that is correct, can you tell us the story behind your passion?

Michael Walsh: As a long-time fan of Frankenstein, it is truly an honor to contribute a new story to the ever-expanding Frankenstein mythology. Mary Shelley's original novel holds a special place in my heart, it remains one of my favorite horror novels since I first read it in my teens. The 1931 film has greatly influenced my artistic style and is one of the most iconic interpretations of the character, especially the monster, so getting to dabble in that world has really been a thrill.

Byron: Who came up with the brilliant manner in which you are assembling, for lack of a better term, this take on the classic Frankenstein monster and the man who made him? I have never before seen the story told in this manner.

Michael Walsh: This take on the classic story was entirely my own. I wanted to approach the 1931 film from a brand-new perspective that would attract readers, new and old, and offer me the opportunity to do something unexpected with some new characters.

Byron: So each issue of this four-part limited series focuses on an origin of sorts for the human body parts that make up the monster. And each, I imagine, will have their own dramas with family, death, circumstances, etc. Since the first issue deals with the hands for the monster, can you (without spoilers) give us a little rundown on that?

Michael Walsh: Yes, each issue will cover the origins of one of the monster’s body parts. These different vignettes will all weave together to create a bigger, more surprising story within the larger framework of the classic Frankenstein narrative. The first story deals with the hands of the monster, and the second will deal with something we’ve already seen a bit in the film... the brain! I don’t want to spoil the rest, so you’ll have to wait to see where the other issues lead.

Byron: I know this is based on the original Universal picture from 1931, but can you focus both on your own iteration, as it were, of the monster and the good doctor. How do you see each character? And do one or both change during the telling of your comic book tale?

Michael Walsh: The original 1931 film is a fantastic interpretation of Shelley’s novel, but the brief run time does not allow us to explore the arcs of the individual characters. Because the comic is from the perspective of some new characters and some underexplored characters from the film, we will see both the monster and the doctor in a completely new and terrifying light.

Byron: I understand that while each of these issues is whole and unto itself, there is definitely connective tissue to the four. Could you discuss what we might look for there? And are there characters aside from Dr. Frankenstein and the monster that will be important to this manner of telling.

Michael Walsh: Each issue explores the origin of one of the monster's pieces, but to get the full story, you’ll want to read the whole run. There will be some cliffhangers and unresolved beats that you will need to read on to experience. One of the main characters of the comic is an original creation and an integral part of this version of the Frankenstein story. This allows me to include surprising revelations and suspense since the future of this character will remain a mystery, even to fans of the original film.

Byron: Talk about the process of you as illustrator and writer creating this book. I find that extremely fascinating.

Michael Walsh: When creating the art for this book, I experimented with various new techniques to try to capture the themes of the Frankenstein story and pay homage to the 1931 classic. I used photographs with film grain to capture the rear-projected sky seen in the film. I used stippling to render the monster's skin, as well as many different textural elements, like experimenting with photocopies, ink stamps, old brushes, and charcoal. The process has been exciting and brought out something very unique when compared to my past work.

Byron: Michael, what other coming projects of yours, inside or outside of comic books, can you tell readers about?

Michael Walsh: My main project over the last few years has been the horror anthology series ‘The Silver Coin'. I’ve worked incredibly hard on it and it’s the project that I’m most proud of. There are currently three collections available, and more to come in the future.

Dynamic Forces would like to thank Michael Walsh for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. Universal Monsters: Frankenstein #1 from Skybound Entertainment, Image Comics & Universal is slated to be on sale August 28!

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