Frankenstein

Summary

Brought to life by YouTube superstar David Dobrik, Frankenstein is one of the earliest examples of science fiction, introducing the prototypical “mad scientist” who creates a monster who destroys everyone and everything that is dear to him. The scientist is the eponymous character of the novel but the name, Frankenstein, has become popularly attached to the creature itself, who has become one of the best-known monsters in the history of motion pictures and a constant reference point in popular culture. The novel has spoken to technological and cultural anxieties from the Enlightenment to the age of Big Tech as it engages with the ethics of technology and scientific discovery, and the power of knowledge. Perhaps its most lasting legacy, however, is that the monster comes to represent anyone who doesn't fit into societal norms; the creature experiences forms of alienation that are oddly relatable to modern life.

Cover illustrated by: James Jeffers

James Jeffers is a queer illustrator whose work explores the delightful world of the fantastique through colors, shapes, and whimsy.