Q: Be honest! How familiar were you with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein when you first pitched for Unfashioned Creatures?
A: Very. I read the book years ago, and of course saw the Universal movie with Boris Karloff many, many times. (And always cringed at how it depicted the creature). And in the book, I have always wondered what happened to Victor’s brother Ernest who is never mentioned again after their father’s funeral.
Q: What’s your favorite take on the Frankenstein mythos? Least favorite?
A: Favorite: Examination of the theme “If man can be brought back to life from dead human tissue by man, will he have a soul?”
Least favorite: When the creature is portrayed as not intelligent, speaking in grunts and coming across as mentally challenged. (I’m looking at you Universal.) Oh, and when the creature itself is referred to as “Frankenstein”. Arrrgghh!!!
Q: Major inspirations for your art/writing? What led you down the comics road to ruin?
A: Ye ol’ EC comics! As a comic collector I always gravitated toward horror anthologies and dark titles. My first comic sale was to Kitchen Sink Press’ “Death Rattle” which made no bones about paying homage to EC. As far as writers go, Stephen King casts a giant shadow, and he has always been at the top of my personal favorites list. And in comics, Alan Moore is the giant shadow-caster, especially his earlier work in Swamp Thing, MiracleMan, V for Vendetta, Watchman, etc.
Q: What else are you working on now? Any long-term projects?
A: Uh… Now that you mention it, I do have a couple things I’d like to talk with you guys about. I have some prose stuff coming out hopefully soon in print and online anthologies, horror themed of course, but I can’t really talk about them yet.
Q: If you could be any monster, who/what would you be?
A: Not a monster, but a monster hunter. Think “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson. If everyone in the world is a monster, and the only ‘normal’ person is stalking and destroying them – who is truly the monster? Either that or Uncle Fester from the Addams Family.
UNFASHIONED CREATURES is a collection of over twenty monstrous, moving and mirthful tributes to Mary Shelley and her legendary tale, Frankenstein. An eclectic body of comic shorts, short-series and original art, sure to inspire equal parts terror and lols.
Matthew Erman compiled questions for this interview. Check back in the coming weeks for the next Q&A with more Fashioners!