Frankenstein #2

This comic book from 1966 is another unusual Frankenstein image. The art is by Tony Tallarico who as an inker often worked with, usually uncredited, penciler Bill Fraccio. The two also sometimes used the pseudonym of Tony Williamsone or Williamsune.

The story in the comic is about the Frankenstein monster awakening after 100 years. He find himself to be almost human, except for his face and strength. The creature befriends an elderly billionaire who dies and leaves all of his fortune to the creature. The creature takes the name of Frank Stone, a wealthy playboy, and wears a human mask to conceal his true superhero identity of Frankenstein. He vows to use his extraordinary strength and super brain to fight crime and injustice. The concept for the book is a very basic, uninspired superhero story. The uniqueness is in the idea of Frankenstein's monster as a hero.

The comic is Frankenstein #2 because, a few years earlier, Dell had published a comic book adaption of the Universal Studio's Boris Karloff movie. That comic book was also titled Frankenstein. There was some type of postal regulation, that I remember reading about, requiring each comic book title to have a permit for lower second class postage rates. My guess is, to change the Frankenstein #1 title would have required a new permit. Why spend the money and time for a new permit when the old title and permit would work fine on the new Frankenstein book? Just continue the numbering with issue 2.

art @ Dell Comics