Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #2

Bernie Wrightson's cover for this second issue frames Frankenstein's Monster in an ornate oval portrait, his gaunt, stitched face and gnarled hands rendered with extraordinary detail against a stark black background — haunting and oddly mournful at the same time. Steve Niles and Wrightson continue their collaboration here, and the art alone makes a compelling case for this series as one of 2012's most carefully crafted horror comics. If you appreciate gothic illustration at its most meticulous, this one belongs in your hands.