DC’s version ofFrankensteinhas gotten quite a push recently thanks to his appearance in theCreature Commandosshow, but the monster-turned-hero only exists because another DC hero wasn’t available. DC’s Frankenstein was drastically reinvented by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke during theSeven Soldiers of Victorycrossover event and quickly became a standout character in the DC Comics pantheon.
Appearing on theWord Balloonpodcast, former DC publisher Dan DiDio revealed to host John Siuntres that Grant Morrison originally had different plans for theirSeven Soldiers of Victorymetaseries. According to DiDio,Morrison initially wanted Martian Manhunter to join the team, but when the Justice Leaguer was unavailable, they had to find a replacement.
That need led to the inclusion of Frankenstein, a decision DiDio ultimately saw as an improvement, stating,“That brought the Frankenstein character in, which I think was even better, at the end of the day.”
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Frankenstein Got to Shine inSeven Soldiers of VictoryBecause Martian Manhunter Was Unavailable
Grant Morrison Swapped Martian Manhunter for Frankenstein
The core concept of Grant Morrison’sSeven Soldiers of Victorywas to assemble a superhero team that ultimately saves the world—without ever actually meeting in person.Spread across seven miniseries and two specials, the heroes unknowingly work in tandem to stop the Sheeda, a fairy-like army from the future. Among them was a radically reimagined version ofFrankenstein’s Monster, who wielded a sword and a pistol while quoting John Milton, making him one of the most distinctive reinventions in the series.
As DiDio explains on Word Balloon, Morrison’s decision to replace Martian Manhunter with Frankenstein demonstrates the writer’s ability to pivot.DiDio states,“One thing about Grant is really interesting… you may throw [them] a curveball… that could upset [Morrison’s] storytelling, and [they] find a way around it every time.”Frankenstein ended up becomingone of the more popular characters to emerge from theSeven Soldiersevent, eventually landing his own ongoing series when DC relaunched its entire line as part of the New 52 initiative. His inclusion inCreature Commandosfurther illustrates how popular the character became, though the lovelorn creep portrayed in the show is quite different from his comic book counterpart.
The line-up of Grant Morrison’sSeven Soldiers of Victoryincluded Zatanna, the Manhattan Guardian, Klarion the Witch-Boy, the Shining Knight, the Bulleteer, Mister Miracle and Frankenstein.
FromSeven SoldierstoCreature Commandos, DC’s Frankenstein Remains Popular
Martian Manhunter’s Loss Was Frankenstein’s Gain
It’s fascinating to think thatMartian Manhunter was originallymeant to be part of Grant Morrison’sSeven Soldiers of Victoryproject. However, Frankenstein’s inclusion in his place allowed the character to develop a following of his own. Remnants of J’onn J’onzz remained in the final story, as Frankenstein travels to Mars in his miniseries via an“Erdel Gate”—a nod to Dr. Saul Erdel, the scientist who first brought the Martian Manhunter to Earth. While fans didn’t get to seeMartian ManhunterinSeven Soldiers of Victory, the change-up ultimately led to paving the path forFrankensteinto join theCreature Commandosinstead.
