After the non-stop action of issue 3, Dixon and Nolan set themselves an unenviable task of having to top it and close the final chapter of Joe Frankenstein. Yet, somehow, they have succeeded.
Issue 4 feels cinematic – sort of like how Stephen Sommers’ Van Helsing should’ve panned out (I still love that movie despite all of the bad reviews, by the way). The monster madness is fully unleashed and reminds you of everything that makes the monster genre so grand. The poses, gestures and designs of the monsters are outstanding and you can visualise many of these panels coming to life on the big screen.
I strongly suspect that Dixon and Nolan must’ve revisited the Universal Monsters and taken notes on what made those renditions so darn great, because everything about #4 is larger than life, a whole lot of fun and hits the right spots. You can’t help but get caught up in the wildness and get taken back in time to your first monster movie.
The plot, while slightly predictable, had the necessary ingredients to satisfy the readers. The story has drama, action, suspense, the presumed death of a beloved character and suggestion of future tales.
So, is it truly over? Is this our last goodbye? I hope not, because Joe Frankenstein introduced a host of characters and stories that are far too good to only live for four issues. Considering the “contents” of the last panel (you’ll understand what I mean when you read it), I think this may only be the beginning – unless you cheapskates hide your wallet and refuse to fork out cash for this terrific series, then I’m pretty certain it’ll be deader than the Hellraiser franchise.
