What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – November 18th, 2025 – Freakier Friday, The Grinch, Caught Stealing, Him, The Morning Show, Star Trek, Frankenstein, & More!

What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – November 18th, 2025

Well, the fourth quarter/holiday sales crush continues, as this is another jam-packed week. Why delay the good stuff? Let’s get right to it!

In This Week’s Column:

• Freakier Friday (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital)
• Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas: 25th Anniversary Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
• Caught Stealing (4K Ultra HD + Digital)
• Together (Blu-ray)
• Him (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
• The Morning Show (Blu-ray)
• Splitsville (Blu-ray)
• Wicked Games: Three Films by Robert Hossein Box Set (Blu-ray) 
• The Ogre of Athens (Blu-ray)
• Star Trek Defiant: Volume 5 (Graphic Novel)
• Frankenstein Alive, Alive: The Complete Collection (Graphic Novel)

Freakier Friday (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles in this hilarious sequel. Tess’s daughter Anna now has a daughter of her own and soon, a stepdaughter. As they navigate the joys and challenges when two families merge, lightning just may strike twice.

The Movie: 

If you had told me at the start of the year that Freakier Friday was most likely going to end up on my Top Ten Films of 2025 list, I would probably have laughed at you. Yet here we are, a month and a half from the end of 2025, and Freakier Friday is indeed entrenched firmly in my Top 10 movies of the year. 

Legacy sequels are usually hit or miss, but they tend to lean way more to the miss side than the hit side. Freakier Friday, however, does everything right. This time around, Lindsay Lohan’s Anna has her own teenage daughter, and with Anna’s fiance’s daughter in the mix as well, there’s a four-way body switching that is simply hilarious. With the added component of three different generations body-swapping, there’s a lot of great humor aimed at each of the age groups, and I found myself laughing out loud more times than I can count. 

And of course, the cast is terrific, with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis doing the heaviest lifting, but Julia Butters and Sophie Hammons adding a lot to the proceedings as the teenage daughters in the unfolding events. There are some nice callbacks to the events of the original movie, but even if you haven’t seen it in 20 years, you can enjoy this one every bit the same amount. It’s been a while since I saw a movie that had me smiling from ear to ear long after I finished watching it, but Freakier Friday is that movie. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Deleted Scenes
• Making Things Freakier
• Where Were You When…
• Flashback Friday
• “Baby” Lyric Music Video

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas: 25th Anniversary Edition (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

Discover the true meaning of the holiday season with the live action adaptation of the beloved classic, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Starring Jim Carrey as The Grinch, director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer reimagine one of the most enduring holiday stories of all time. Why is The Grinch (Carrey) such a grouch? No one seems to know, until little Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen) takes matters into her own hands and turns both Whoville and the Grinch’s world upside down, inside out…and funny side up. Filled with dazzling scenery, special effects, makeup and costumes, this is an adventure “that can make your heart grow three sizes—if you’re not laughing too hard!” (Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

The Movie: 

The beauty of reviewing older movies for someone like me is that I don’t like to completely rip a movie to shreds when it’s brand new. With rare exceptions, I can usually find something positive to say about a film, especially when it’s not poorly made but just doesn’t quite click for me personally. Why should I tank a film that has its heart in the right place when it’s still trying to find an audience? But when a movie is 25 years old and was a massive worldwide hit and is now returning to home video for its umpteen-millionth release, I’m pretty sure what one guy says isn’t going to affect the studio’s bottom line even a tiny bit. 

So it is that I must reveal that I absolutely can’t stand Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I love the original Grinch cartoon and the character himself, but the Jim Carrey live-action version – which is directed by one of my favorite directors, Ron Howard – just kills me. My family loves it, and usually when they want to watch it around the holidays, I will find somewhere else to be. I just find it annoying and not funny and unpleasant to watch in every way. Now, with that said, I recognize that most people – both kids and adults — love this movie, so ignore my ‘bah humbug!’ opinions if you disagree. 

Of course, I wanted to scope out the 4K video and audio, so I sat through the film again, and while I’d love to say I have a whole new appreciation for it, sadly I have to report that my opinion remains unchanged. What you need to know is that the film has now been released as a 4K Ultra HD 25^th Anniversary Edition that also includes a Blu-ray disc and a digital copy. It even has a new retrospective bonus feature, so it’s a nice package for fans of the movie, especially if you don’t already have it in your collection. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

The film looks and sounds very good in 4K, as you would expect such a colorful and crazy-looking movie to. The overall look and feel of the transfer gives the film some real visual flair. Blacks are deep and solid while image clarity is sharp. There are a few scenes that feel a little softer than I’m used to seeing on a 4K, but having seen the film before on various formats, I’m 99.9% sure that’s the way Ron Howard shot it in order to evoke a particular look and feel. Colors are extremely vibrant and the overall picture quality is very strong. The surround soundtrack also bolsters the presentation, with a generous spreading out of surround effects through each satellite speaker. Dialogue is the focus here, and all of the voices sound crystal clear but also natural and lifelike. Music is full and powerful, and the low end bass channel gives a nice underlying rumble when needed. It’s a very strong A/V presentation overall.

The Bonus Features: 

• 25 Years Later: The Gift of The Grinch
• Spotlight on Location
• Deleted Scenes
• Outtakes
• Who School
• Makeup Application and Design
• Seussian Set Decoration
• Visual Effects
• Music Video: Faith Hill “Where Are You Christmas?”
• Theatrical Trailer
• Feature Commentary with Director Ron Howard
• Faith Hill “Where Are You Christmas?” Music Video

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Caught Stealing (4K Ultra HD + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), a former baseball prodigy now tending bar at a New York dive, has a great girl (Zoe Kravitz) and his team is chasing the pennant. When his neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks him to watch a cat, he’s caught in the middle of a crew of threatening gangsters and he has no idea why. He’s got to use all his hustle to stay alive long enough to find out.

The Movie: 

The trailer for Caught Stealing – to use the parlance of the kids – gave me “the ick.” Despite the fact that it’s the newest movie by Darren Aronofsky, a director I have mixed feelings about but generally like more than I don’t, the trailer was a huge turn-off for me. It looked like the kind of movie I was going to severely dislike. Just watching the trailer made me feel like I needed a shower, and those kinds of movies are rarely ones I enjoy. 

So, with that in mind, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I didn’t hate Caught Stealing, or even dislike it as much as I thought I was going to. The bad news is we’re still pretty far away from it being a movie I actually enjoyed. Aronofsky has always been a quirky director, and this movie lands more on the mainstream end of things, but it is also one of those films filled with characters that are often annoying or unlikable, and the gritty, grimy feel of the trailer carries throughout the film. Also, while the trailer focused a little more heavily on the comedy side of things, this is not a comedy film, but rather an action/drama with some lighter moments here and there. 

I didn’t love Caught Stealing personally, but I suspect more die-hard Aronofsky fans will really take to it. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

At first glance, the fact that Caught Stealing isn’t as vibrantly colorful as you might have come to expect from a 4K release might be slightly disappointing. However, I think this new 4K master sees the film look exactly the way Darren Aronofsky wants it to look. It’s meant to evoke the grit and grime of late 1990s New York City, and boy does it! Again, though, I think that’s exactly what Aronofsky wanted, not a fault with the transfer. The imagery is crisp and clean and if flesh tones are occasionally just a touch too warm, that’s the only fault I can find with the transfer. The surround soundtrack is a strong effort; this movie will make you feel like you’re lost in angry part of The Bronx, and the sounds of the city’s many citizens wash over you from all directions. This is an effective A/V presentation that really represents the director’s vision.

The Bonus Features: 

• Aronofsky: The Real Deal 
• Casting Criminals, Chaos, and a Cat 
• I Don’t Drive 
• A New York Story

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Together (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country. With tensions flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, love, and flesh.

The Movie: 

I feel like I’m falling into a bit of a repetitive rhythm this week, but Together is not a movie I expected to like. I love Alison Brie and Dave Franco, but body horror is decidedly not my jam, and the trailer for the film really creeped me out. Especially the scene that acts as the climax of the trailer, where the couple’s eyeballs seem about to merge into one. I have a strict “I will not watch anything to do with eyeballs” policy, and I was – if I’m being honest – dreading watching the film a little bit. 

So it’s impressive that Together won me over more than not. It is creepy and disturbing and at times grotesque, which is not a quality I look for in movies, but it’s also mysterious and intriguing and captivating. Brie and Franco are terrific in their roles and they carry the brunt of the film. It’s their relationship that drives the drama of the narrative, but make no mistake, it’s not long before some really out-there stuff starts happening to our couple. By the end, I was skeeved out, and I can’t say that Together is a repeat-viewing movie for me – okay, it’s definitely not – but hardcore horror fans will absolutely love this one. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Interview with writer/director Michael Shanks
• Interview with Alison Brie & Dave Franco
• Alison Brie & Dave Franco’s Codependence Quiz
• Teaser & Trailer

Digital Copy Included: No

Him (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions present a chilling journey into the dark side of the pursuit of excellence at any cost. Attacked by an unhinged fan, quarterback Cameron Cade receives a lifeline when his football idol Isaiah White offers to train him. But as Isaiah’s charisma curdles into something sinister, Cam descends a disorienting spiral that may cost him more than he bargained for.

The Movie: 

I can’t remember the last time I saw people so universally bash a movie as I’ve seen with Him, a new horror film about football (of all things) produced – but not directed — by Jordan Peele. I mean, every time I’ve seen anyone mention the film on social media, whether it’s someone I know or just in a random movie group, people are constantly saying just how awful it was. Usually, with online commentary, it’s either a mixed bag of positive and negative reviews or it’s something like Morbius, where you can tell people are just jumping on a bandwagon, rather than actually forming their own opinions. Not so with Him; people seem to genuinely dislike it and dislike it universally across the board. 

So this is where, if you’ve read my column for a long enough time, you’ll know I usually chime in with, “But not me! I loved it!” or something along those lines. 

Well… not this time. I have no idea what anybody involved with making this movie was thinking, but it couldn’t have been that they were making a good film. Effectively, the movie is about an up-and-coming quarterback who goes to learn from the greatest QB in the game at his private compound, but finds himself caught up in weird and mysterious and creepy and dangerous circumstances. While it’s pretty clearly got an occult angle to it — a “deal with the devil” parable if you will — there’s also a surprising amount of religious allegory that gives the film weirdly Judeo-Christian overtones in a way that I wasn’t expecting. I tried to figure out what it all means before I realized that A) I don’t care, and B) I don’t think anyone making the film has any idea what it all means, either. 

On top of the movie’s themes being a mess, it’s also narratively boring. It’s clear the filmmakers were going for a Blumhouse vibe, keeping the budget small and trying to make big box office dollars. But the entire movie feels like it’s set inside an abandoned department store that’s been set-dressed, and it’s clear that there’s very little money being spent on anything on screen. I will give Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers credit for some pretty good performances in a terrible movie, but everything else about the film is a disaster, so I’d steer clear of it if I were you. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

The Him 4K Ultra HD looks a lot like the movie was probably meant to look. It’s a very visually distinct movie, so it’s hard to compare it to what it “should” look like. There are a lot of darker scenes drenched in red filters, and nothing looks like what you’d expect a regular movie scene to look like. There are a lot of places where the strong shadow delineation has to work overtime, but nothing on screen is ever obscured from vision, so that’s good. The surround soundtrack is a solid if unimpressive affair. There are some nice directional effects, while the low end bass channel feels like it’s pounding its way through you at times. For a low budget movie, I think it looks and sounds as good as can be expected.

The Bonus Features: 

• Alternate Ending – “Zay’s Nightmare”
• Deleted End Credits Scene – “Food or Freedom”
• Deleted Scenes
• Becoming Them
• The Sport of Filmmaking
• Anatomy of a Scene – “A Diabolical Game of Catch”
• Anatomy of a Scene – “Rebirth”
• Hymns of a GOAT
• Feature Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Justin Tipping

Digital Copy Included: Yes

The Morning Show (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

Alex Levy’s career is shaken after her co-anchor’s scandal. As rising reporter Bradley Jackson challenges the status quo, both navigate fierce rivalries, shifting loyalties, and power struggles amid a turbulent newsroom and evolving media landscape.

The Movie: 

Of all the streaming services, Apple TV is actually one of the better ones when it comes to home video releases of their shows. Netflix has released, like, two, of their series to home video, and only in dribs and drabs, while this marks the third or fourth Apple TV release I’m reviewing this year alone. 

The Morning Show kicks off with popular morning show host Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) thrown into chaos when her co-anchor is revealed to be a not-so-good guy in all the ways you’d expect from a TV personality in this day and age. From there, the morning show is trying to regain its footing, and Alex and her colleagues have to deal with all of the usual TV  pressures plus some much newer ones. 

Now, I’d heard pretty good things about The Morning Show but hadn’t yet watched it, so I was excited to check it out. And I’m happy to report that I enjoyed the show quite a bit. I always like behind-the-scenes-of-Hollywood programming, whether its documentaries or fictionalized, and this show fits that bill squarely. It’s not a perfect vehicle; there are a few clunky moments here and there and some occasional story decisions I don’t love, but by and large, it’s a really great watch. If you have been wanting to check it out without adding another streaming service’s monthly charge to your bill, this two-season Blu-ray release is a great way to get you halfway to caught up. 

The Bonus Features: 

There are no bonus features on this release. 

Digital Copy Included: No

Splitsville (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

When Ashley asks for a divorce, the good-natured Carey runs to his friends, Julie and Paul, for support. Their secret to happiness is an open marriage; that is, until Carey crosses the line and throws all of their relationships into chaos.

The Movie: 

I’ve seen a lot of “quirky for the sake of being quirky” movies cross my review desk lately, and I’ve never been shy about the fact that movies that try too hard to be quirky tend to grate on my nerves. When I saw that the two main characters in Splitsville were played by the two co-writers (and one of them also directed the film), I was expecting the worst. 

And then Splitsville took me completely by surprise. Not only is an affecting dramedy that doesn’t feel like many other movies I’ve seen recently, not only does it have a supporting cast of more marquee actors (Dakota Johnson and Andor’s Adria Arjona), but it zigs where you expect it to zag and it zags where you expect it to zig. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but there’s a scene on a roller coaster that had me literally laughing out loud. When I’m sitting on my couch late at night watching review movies, I rarely laugh out loud, but this scene had me in stitches. There’s also a fight scene in the movie that is incredible in the way it’s constructed and the fact that it’s largely done without stuntpeople. 

Kyle Marvin (co-writer) and Michael Angelo Covino (co-writer and director) are not naturally-born movie stars, but they work so well in their roles that they pair up perfectly with the much more experienced Arjona and Johnson. All four of them together carry the movie and I never knew what to expect next. And in this day and age, that’s incredibly rare. Track down Splitsville and you can be the one to tell your friends about the cool new movie you discovered. 

The Bonus Features: 

• The Making of Splitsville
• Trailers & Spots

Digital Copy Included: No

Wicked Games: Three Films by Robert Hossein Box Set (Blu-ray) 

Official Synopsis:

A prison break, femme fatales and a genre-defining western: Robert Hossein (Rififi) was, both behind and in front of the camera, one of French cinema’s great unsung stylists. Three of his finest genre exploits are collected here:

In The Wicked Go to Hell, two inmates (Henri Vidal, A Kiss for a Killer, and Serge Reggiani, The Leopard) join forces to stage a daring escape. In Nude in a White Car, a drifter (Robert Hossein, also director) is tempted into a night of passion by a pair of mystery blondes (Marina Vlady, 2 or 3 Things I know about Her, and Odile Versois, Passport to Shame). In The Taste of Violence a revolutionary kidnaps the daughter (Giovanna Ralli, The Mercenary) of a dictator to negotiate a prisoner swap with his two lieutenants Chamaco (Mario Adorf, The Italian Connection) and Chico (Hans H. Neubert, Der Richter von London).

The Movies: 

If you had asked me what I know about director Robert Hossein, I would have told you nothing. And then you would probably have pointed out that he directed Rififi, one of the most critically acclaimed foreign films of the 1950s, and I would have noted that of course I was familiar with Rififi! (Then I would have admitted that I’ve never actually seen Rififi, but I would tell you not to tell anyone.) But that’s about as far as a conversation on Hossein would have gone for me. 

But now, thanks to Radiance Films and their outstanding home video releases, I could have a much more in-depth conversation about Hossein’s works. Because, after all, very few directors only make one movie, and so Hossein has other efforts that are notable as well, even if they’re not as well known as Rififi. This Blu-ray box set collects three of Hossein’s other works, all of which stay pretty closely tied to the crime genre. 

1956’s The Wicked Go To Hell is my favorite of the three films; it’s a lesson in paranoia and human nature, and it’s taut and tense from the word go. Nude in a White Car (1958) is a much sexier film and a much more mysterious one, and Hossein himself plays the lead role. (There’s some definite psychoanalyzing that could be done when thinking about how the director took the lead role in a film that sees the main character seduced in a car by a mysterious and beautiful blonde woman!) 1961’s The Taste of Violence sees Hosseini splitting duties behind and in front of the camera again, and this film treads into the western genre. It still has a crime element to it as revolutionaries in the film pull off a kidnapping scheme, so thematically it still fits, even if the trappings are different. If I had to rank them, I’d probably put Violence as my least favorite of the three, although it’s not without its merits. 

Wicked Games: Three Films by Robert Hossein collects all three films on Blu-ray for the first time and packages them in a sharp limited edition box set, while adding in a copious amount of bonus materials for fans. It’s a top-notch effort all around. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Audio commentary on each film by critic and author Tim Lucas (2025)
• Picking Strawberries – A newly created ‘making of’ featurette with historian Lucas Balbo, featuring archive interviews with Hossein and Jean Rollin (2025)
• Behind Marked Eyes: The Cinematic Stare of Robert Hossein – A newly created featurette by Howard S. Berger about Hossein and his work (2025)
• Interview with actor Marina Vlady (2014)
• The Evolution of the Femme Fatale in Classic French Cinema – A visual essay by critic Samm Deighan (2025)
• The Taste of Violence appreciation by filmmaker and Western authority Alex Cox (2025)
• Interview with author C. Courtney Joyner on The Taste of Violence and the Zapata Western subgenre (2025)
• Trailers
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Walter Chaw and newly translated archival archival writing by Lucas Balbo
• Limited Edition of 3000 copies, presented in a rigid box with full-height Scanavo cases and removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Digital Copy Included: No

The Ogre of Athens (Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

Shy and modest bank clerk Thomas is mistaken for ‘The Ogre’, a notorious criminal mastermind who rules the streets of Athens. 

Despite his best efforts, shy and modest bank clerk Thomas (Dinos Iliopoulos) struggles to fit in with the pace of modern life. On New Year’s Eve, a comedy of errors ensues and Thomas is mistaken for ‘The Ogre’, a notorious criminal mastermind who rules the streets of Athens. Suddenly, men respect him and a woman is interested in him – it’s all he’s ever wanted. However, everything comes with a price and Thomas is soon out of his depth when his unwitting white lie unravels.

Rich with physical comedy and sharp social commentary, this satirical crime drama from director Nikos Koundouros (Young Aphrodites) was a commercial disaster on release and is now considered to be a true classic of modern Greek cinema.

The Movie: 

I’m not an expert on foreign cinema, but if I had to pick an area where I have a little bit more knowledge than others, I would say it’s probably French cinema or maybe even Italian cinema. Greek cinema? That’s probably not even in my Top 5 areas of foreign film expertise. 

But that didn’t stop me from diving into The Ogre of Athens, a 1956 genre-blending movie about a bank clerk mistaken for a notorious criminal whose life changes in an instant when he begins to taste power, fear, and respect. The film has elements of a typical crime movie of the time, but also leans into the comedy and absurdity of the situation at times, all while delivering some social commentary about 1950s-era Greece. On the whole, it’s effective, with good performances and impressive cinematography. There are times when the pacing is a bit slow for my tastes, but it always recaptured my interest before I got too far away from things. 

This new Blu-ray release from Radiance Films is another one of their top-notch limited edition packages that fans and cinephiles will be very excited about. 

The Bonus Features: 

• New introduction from Jonathan Franzen (2025)
• New interview with critic Christina Newland (2025)
• New interview with Greek film expert Dimitris Papanikolaou (2025)
• Newly improved English subtitle translation
• Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original posters
• Limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Andréas Giannopoulos and extract from Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom
• Limited edition of 2500 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Digital Copy Included: No

Star Trek Defiant: Volume 5 – No Old Warriors (Graphic Novel)

Official Synopsis:

Connecting with the voyages of the ongoing Star Trek comic series, Defiant Vol. 5 delves into intrigue and rebellion! Avoiding a major family decision, Captain B’Elanna Torres attempts to find clarity dismantling minefields in the Alpha Quadrant, but discovers an explosive political situation about to blow.

Meanwhile, Alexander has been tasked with a mighty Errand of Valor: rescue the workers rebelling against a deuterium mega-power, Archanis Inter-Corporate. However, when a face from Alexander’s bloody past appears, his heart, and urges for vengeance, are truly tested. Volume 5 collects issues #22–25. 

The Book: 

As I’ve said in many previous columns over the years, I’m a huge Star Trek geek, so whenever I get a chance to dive into the greater Star Trek universe, I’m pretty happy. This week sees the release of the new trade paperback that collects four issues of the Star Trek: Defiant series. For those of you wondering which show this series is based on, the answer is – mostly – all of them. Defiant brings together characters from Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager (and occasionally other shows) and creates an all new post-television era of storytelling. 

In this volume, things get a little bit of a Klingon focus, with both B’elanna Torres (now a ship’s captain) and Alexander (son of Worf) getting the spotlight in separate stories. I haven’t yet read all of the Defiant issues leading up to this volume, but I found the storylines easy to follow and engaging. Christopher Cantwell has been making his mark in the Marvel Universe and I’m happy to see him bring his talents to the Star Trek universe. The artwork by Angel Unzueta is excellent; he manages to expertly capture cast members’ likenesses without sacrificing any dynamism in his artwork. 

I wish these collections were a little heftier, maybe collecting more issues at once, but if my biggest complaint is that I want more of Star Trek Defiant, we’re in pretty good shape!

The Specs: 

• Publisher: IDW Publishing
• Format: Softcover
• Page Count: 112 pages
• Cover Price: $24.99

Frankenstein Alive, Alive: The Complete Collection (Graphic Novel)

Official Synopsis:

The Monster lives! A stunning collaboration between the premier horror artist in comics history and the co-creator of the modern classic 30 Days of Night!

Inspired by Mary Shelley’s immortal gothic horror tale, Frankenstein Alive, Alive! brings new life to the Promethean monster, courtesy of Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Bernie Wrightson (Frankenstein, Swamp Thing). Victor Frankenstein’s cobbled-together creature continues his adventures, embarking on a journey to discover his own humanity. Collecting the four-issue series along with an extended gallery section of layouts and pencils by Wrightson, all scanned from the original art. Additional art is supplied in the final chapter by Kelley Jones (at Wrightson’s request), who stepped in to complete the series upon the comic book legend’s untimely passing. 

The Book: 

Steve Niles is a good writer, and he’s adapted Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein novel to the graphic novel format quite well. And I don’t want to shortchange him or his efforts, but let’s be honest: we’re all here for Bernie Wrightson’s artwork. 

If you’re not familiar, Wrightson is a legend in the comic book world, having helped make Swamp Thing a household name and renowned for his unbeatable horror artwork. This collaboration with Niles saw the late artist drawing an indescribably intricate and detailed version of the Frankenstein tale that literally has to be seen to be believed. Unfortunately, Wrightson passed away before he could finish the book, but Kelley Jnes (a legend in his own right) ably stepped in and finished the last issue in his place. If you’re a fan of Frankenstein at all, this book is simply a must have. 

I should note that the comics have been collected before, and this is simply a new printing of the collection that came out a few years back. If you already have that previous trade paperback, you don’t need to get this one as there is nothing new added. But if you’re never encountered Frankenstein Alive, Alive: The Complete Collection, you are absolutely missing out! Track it down ASAP!

The Specs: 

• Publisher: IDW Publishing
• Format: Softcover
• Page Count: 104 pages
• Cover Price: $19.99