Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #8

Issue eight of Jeff Lemire's New 52 series promises something wild, teased right on the cover with the bold declaration "Birth of a Monster!" Alberto Ponticelli and Walden Wong's cover art puts Frankenstein front and center — sword raised, green-skinned and stitched, clearly mid-battle alongside a green-complexioned female warrior brandishing firearms — while a snarling creature crashes through shattered glass or ice in the background. It's a vivid, action-packed snapshot of a series that has always relished its monster-mash DNA, and "The Spawn of Frankenstein" sounds like it's ready to deliver on that promise.