DEAN KOONTZ'S FRANKENSTEIN: PRODIGAL SON vol. 1 #1 - LETTERED

[MattBrady]

From Dabel Brothers Publishing

Written by Dean Koontz
Adapted by Chuck Dixon
Art and Cover by Brett Booth
Incentive Cover by : Arthur Suydam

In the 19th century, Dr. Victor Frankenstein brought his first creation to life, but a horrible turn of events forced him to abandon his creation and fall away from the public eye. Now, two centuries later, a serial killer is on the loose in New Orleans, and he's salvaging body parts from each of his victims, as if he's trying to create the perfect person. But the two detectives assigned to the case are about to discover that something far more sinister is going on...

From the masterful pen of New York Times Bestselling author Dean Koontz and featuring an adaptation by legendary comic book writer Chuck Dixon and gorgeous illustrations by acclaimed artist Brett Booth, Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Prodigal Son is a story that is filled with adventure, action, horror, and more!

32 PGS./ $2.99

[caats19]

jeez, that's supposed to be frankenstein?

[Sluggo]

Yikes. I'll stick to the novels, thank you (if the third one ever comes out, that is).

[LFC1892]

Wow. Now I know why I never picked up the Anita Blake comics. I've loved the books so far, but there wasn't that much beefcake in them. Weak.

[painters_eye]

The stitches on Frankenstein seem to be an afterthought on 90's-esque Image-like or Liefeld-esque indifference to anatomy..
to each his own, I prefer this...

[tunabeard]

Originally Posted by LFC1892

Wow. Now I know why I never picked up the Anita Blake comics. I've loved the books so far, but there wasn't that much beefcake in them. Weak.

Is this an ongoing or limited series?

[musclebound]

Maybe it's a different take and all, but I prefer my Monster to be uglier, and not like he stepped off of a European runway. I'm just sayin'.
I read the first book by Koontz, didn't quite finish the second. AND whatever you do; DO NOT rent the DVD. Holy crap. You guys think you have reservations on "this" version??
Anyway, I'll see it during a clearing sale at 50% off someday...

[AlexLothos]

This reads pretty well. I'm sorry I missed the novels and will probably look them up now. And I'll give this a shot when it hits the stands.

[BrettBooth]

To answer some of your questions,

Frank1 ships tomorrow It's a 5 issue limited series, with 5 more later this year or early next to tell the complete first book.

If you read the book he's supposed to be good looking, except for the scars. Since the scars are over 200 years old some healing has occurred.

This is all the beefcake there is. Well up to page 7 or so. After that, it's all jackets, suits and body parts

And once again thanks for the compliments!

Best,

Brett

[IvCNuB4]

Good looking is one thing. This dude looks like he was stitched together with the spare body parts of 20 or 30 underwear models

[stvnhthr]

Originally Posted by IvCNuB4

Good looking is one thing. This dude looks like he was stitched together with the spare body parts of 20 or 30 underwear models

Yeah, he'll look totally out of place next to the likes of Superman, Bruce Wayne, Gambit, and the other pretty comic book males.

[stvnhthr]

Originally Posted by painters_eye

The stitches on Frankenstein seem to be an afterthought on 90's-esque Image-like or Liefeld-esque indifference to anatomy..
to each his own,

Well, anatomy is more than skin deep. If you read the books you'll see most of the experimentation is done at an organ level, so you would expect the cuts and stitches to be more over key organ sites...sort of like how Brett drew it. But if you prefer to stick to the Universal Monster version which isn't based off the original Mary Shelly novel then I guess you will prefer the old stitched together at major joints look.

[EmmasDad]

Ugh, this is why I rarely come onto Newsarama anymore. It's nothing to do with the way the site is run, it's just all the negativity that comes with it.

I don't mind different opinions, as long as they are informed opinions. If you've read the books and still don't like it, give an informed opinion. No, it's not supposed to be Frankenstein, it's supposed to be Frankenstein's "monster". No, this is not the Universal Frankenstein's monster, it's a re-imagining by Dean Koontz. If you've read the books, which it seems like you haven't, then you would know that Brett has been artistically faithful to the story, with a few differences, but they are good differences.

It just blows my mind that people spend so much time on things they don't like. Put your energy into things you DO enjoy, instead of trying to tear down other people's work from the safety of your desktop.

[BrettBooth]

Originally Posted by IvCNuB4

Good looking is one thing. This dude looks like he was stitched together with the spare body parts of 20 or 30 underwear models

So they all 20 or 30 bodies have to be ugly? Screw my women fans and make him ugly for the few regular comics fans who will read this? He's supposed to be really good looking, I don't think anyone would want to read a book about an overweight bald guy with a tattoo. He follows the comic book norm. You trim his hair and he could pass for the metal guy in the X-men. Or if you change his hair green you get Doc Sampson from the Hulk. Or if you make it short and yellow you get Captain America. the hard core comic fans will have to come to grips that women actually read comics too! I actually prefer them to the average comic fan, they are far nicer

Best,

Brett

[Steelnexus]

totally forgot this was coming out looks good both art and story wise this looks well worth picking up

[artjunkie]

Originally Posted by BrettBooth

So they all 20 or 30 bodies have to be ugly? Screw my women fans and make him ugly for the few regular comics fans who will read this? He's supposed to be really good looking, I don't think anyone would want to read a book about an overweight bald guy with a tattoo. He follows the comic book norm. You trim his hair and he could pass for the metal guy in the X-men. Or if you change his hair green you get Doc Sampson from the Hulk. Or if you make it short and yellow you get Captain America. the hard core comic fans will have to come to grips that women actually read comics too! I actually prefer them to the average comic fan, they are far nicer

Best,

Brett

So true on every point, Brett. Alienating the silly fanboys is not even a concern of yours on this project. The target audience is similar to that of King's The Dark Tower. This interesting thing about this project for me as it puts you and Koontz, two of my favorite people from the 90s, together. The first book I read of his was Watchers (f'n awesome!) in 92, which was about a year so before you made your debut at WildStorm. I was a WildStorm junkie through and through so I ate up everything you, Jim, Whilce, Jeff Scott, Travis Charest and others put out (btw, whatever happend to Dan Norton?). Anyway, best of luck on this and your future projects.

If ever I get to meet you at a con I'll be in that long line of lovely female fans with my fiancee. She'll have the first hardcover of Guilty Pleasures, so don't hold that against her.

[finnegan]

Originally Posted by BrettBooth

So they all 20 or 30 bodies have to be ugly? Screw my women fans and make him ugly for the few regular comics fans who will read this? He's supposed to be really good looking, I don't think anyone would want to read a book about an overweight bald guy with a tattoo. He follows the comic book norm. You trim his hair and he could pass for the metal guy in the X-men. Or if you change his hair green you get Doc Sampson from the Hulk. Or if you make it short and yellow you get Captain America. the hard core comic fans will have to come to grips that women actually read comics too! I actually prefer them to the average comic fan, they are far nicer

Best,

Brett

This looks RIGHT ON MARK to me. Have the people making the comments about how "good looking" Frankenstein is actually read the novels? This is pretty damn close to how I pictured him in the books. He is meant to be beautiful. That is actually a strong essence of Koontz's Frankenstein. This is an entirely original take on the character of Frankenstein and this Dabel/Booth offering is an adaptation of Dean Koontz's Frankenstein, not the classic Mary Shelley novel.

Even this cover to the 1831 classic, however, portrays Frankenstein as a "beefcake."



Brett -- your art is as goregeous as ever. And speaking as a male fan, I'm glad he is "good looking."

Thanks, and I cannot wait until tomorrow! I"m getting both covers!

[Derek Ruiz]

My favorite page

[finnegan]

That is amazing. Goregeous! I might have to get 3 issues so I can frame this page.

A little off topic -- but does anyone else do this? Buy an extra copy to keep certain images? I have these cool, small, shadow-box type frames that hold comic book pages very nicely, and I just trade out the pages every once in a while.

Maybe I'm just really dorky.

[finnegan]

Brett or Derek,

Do either of you have a link to a clean copy of Brett's cover? I would love to have a scan of it without the barcode and header.

Thanks!

[BrettBooth]

Originally Posted by artjunkie

So true on every point, Brett. Alienating the silly fanboys is not even a concern of yours on this project.

(btw, whatever happend to Dan Norton?). Anyway, best of luck on this and your future projects.

If ever I get to meet you at a con I'll be in that long line of lovely female fans with my fiancee. She'll have the first hardcover of Guilty Pleasures, so don't hold that against her.

Well I don't like to alienate anyone, but I figure if they are going to take shots at me they won't be picking up the comic These books are more for the readers of both books and comics. And hopefully we'll bring in new readers, like we did with Anita.

I think Dan is working on some animation stuff. I'm not quite sure. Since the old gang is hard to get a hold of

No worries about the hard cover. It sold very well. Of course we didn't see any of that money, but I won't hold it against the fans

Best,

Brett

[BrettBooth]

Originally Posted by finnegan

Brett or Derek,

Do either of you have a link to a clean copy of Brett's cover? I would love to have a scan of it without the barcode and header.

Thanks!

Here you go: http://demonpuppy.blogspot.com/

I just put it up along with the pencils to the #5 cover

Best!

Brett

[IvCNuB4]

Wow. There's some thin skin on this board today. Everyone has different tastes in artwork opinions, especially when it involves a pre-established character. Yeah, some of the responses could have been worded in a nicer way, but .. welcome to the Internet.

Personally I wasn't ragging or "taking shots" when I made the crack about the "monster" looking like an underwear model. Admittedly, having never read Koontz's version I had no idea that this "monster" was supposed to be smokin' hot. It doesn't suggest that in the solicit either, so when you see "Frankenstein", you think of the Mary Shelley version. Or at least I did. Frankly, it's a somewhat jarring change from the preconception most of us have of the character, but now that we know it's a different version, I'm open to it ...

[Steelnexus]

Originally Posted by Derek Ruiz

My favorite page

gah why can't i work for dabel such pretty art Derek I hate you for seeing this stuff before the general public the pencils for this must have been fantastic

[Steelnexus]

Originally Posted by BrettBooth

Here you go: http://demonpuppy.blogspot.com/

I just put it up along with the pencils to the #5 cover

Best!

Brett

wow issue 5's cover looks utterly fantastic