What if Victor Frankenstein was still secretly alive? A billionaire that nobody knows about with a 200 year head start in robotics, AI and biotechnology?
IPI Comics is thrilled to release the news that agreements have been signed for The Frankenstein Monstrance, an innovative action-horror series featuring a modern version of Victor Frankenstein, written and drawn by a stellar creative team of genre writer Jason Franks and movie and concept artist Tam Nation. The series editor will be IPI Comics Editor-In-Chief, Christopher Sequeira.
Jason Franks, author of numerous comic-books, short stories and novels, explains the origin of the book: “I’ve loved Mary Shelley’s creation (see what I did there?) since I was in primary school, and, while I know there has not been a shortage of adaptations and re-imaginings over the years, I really felt like I could do something interesting and different with the source material by bringing it into the current world. What do Victor and his monsters look like in an age where we have all the information in the world at our fingertips–and our use of that information is tracked, recorded and commodified? Where soldiers can fight wars with drones operated like videogames. Where scientists have cracked the human genome? Where organ transplants are common enough that there is a black market for them plied by international crime syndicates? Where the richest people alive are technologists? How is that world reflected in Mary Shelley’s vision?
“When Chris introduced Tam Nation as a possible artist for the book I was immediately taken by his storytelling chops. Tam is an incredible illustrator but comics is much more than just being able to draw beautifully. Right away, Tam understood what I wanted to do with the story but he brought a slew of ideas, questions, and inspiration with him. He’s had a hand in everything from the look of the characters to the technological basis of Victor’s coolest technology to opening monologue. The work Tam’s doing for this book is as unique as it is outstanding and I can’t wait for readers to get it into their eyeballs.
Victor really likes eyeballs.”
Tam Nation is equally enthusiastic: “Jason is such a great writer and when I read his very compelling outline for Frankenstein Monstrance I jumped at the chance to visualise it. The idea of co-creating a very contemporary sci-fi with many of the themes which ignite my imagination like cyborg relationships, body hacking and machine-augmented intelligence was a no brainer. But more profound to me was the chance to be part of the narrative legacy that began with Mary Shelley’s world changing, iconic novel. Frankenstein is more than a story, it’s an idea that continues to fascinate humans across the globe. I’m honoured to even be a small part of it.”
Christopher Sequeira added “As the brand-new comics arm of an established prose publisher, we have been fairly choosy about the initial comics we’ve lined up. In addition, I desperately wanted to unleash Jason Franks on something because he’s just one of the best dark fiction writers out there. The final piece of the puzzle materialised when my brother, filmmaker Jonathan, introduced me to Tam, who wanted to do comics. One look at his portfolio and neon lights went off saying ‘put this guy in contact with Jason Franks’. These two guys talked, and worked together, and BAM! That was it: I had an un-refusable pitch in my In-Box. I took it to my boss, publisher Gerry Huntman, who had already published Jason’s novels, and he agreed. This will be a brilliant, right-up-to-the-minute contemporary take on Shelley-an themes, and, if the initial series is received well, I’d love us to do a series a year. My suspicion is some streaming service will sign these guys up to produce before we even get to that, though! Their creative overlay on this classic is unique, highly imaginative and utterly engaging.”
The Frankenstein Monstrance will debut as a comic-book series – distributed internationally through comic-book stores – in 2025, and will ultimately be collected as a trade paperback.
Jason Franks is the writer responsible for Bloody Waters, Faerie Apocalypse, X-Dimensional Assassin Zai, the Sixsmiths graphic novels, and many other books, comics and short stories. He works at the intersection of science fiction, fantasy, horror and comedy, but he’ll stalk a story into any genre–especially if the destination looks like a dark alley. Franks’ work has variously been short-listed for Aurealis, Ditmar and Ledger awards. He lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his wife, son, and a brace of sorely neglected guitars. http://www.jasonfranks.com
Tam Nation: It was in the dramatic environs of mountainous Aotearoa that Tam Nation dreamed of other worlds. His cack hand was scratching ink into paper as soon as it could hold a pen. Drawing soon opened a portal that allowed others to see into his flights of fantasy. Later, In the cinematic universe, he helped some of Australia’s most successful directors visualise their films through sequential art before the cameras rolled. But an eagerness to have his own voice compelled Nation to make his own films and ultimately to return to telling stories through drawing.
Jodorowsky will tell you there are “greater artistic possibilities in creating a comic than making a movie.” For Tam Nation, comics are the infinite playground for the inner child, who after laying in waiting in playful hope is now free to dream again.