Jack Griffin has always been invisible to the people around him—at least in his own mind. But when an experimental breakthrough presents a path to make his dreams of invisibility a reality, no one—not even the woman he loves—will stand in his way. Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 brings the classic story to the comic page.

Skybound has been doing an amazing job bringing classic horror stories to comic pages with the return of Frankenstein, Dracula, The Creature From the Black Lagoon, and more. The stories have been a mix of original and adaptations of classic takes. Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 is the latest entry to the series and feels more like the latter, an adaptation of the classic take as opposed to something new.

Written by James Tynion IV, Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 introduces us to Jack Griffin, a scientist who accidentally discovers a chemical that impacts the color of them but also increases intelligence. It’s a discovery he wants to pursue, something he keeps close to his chest as he secretly shows disdain for those around him. Tynion delivers an individual where you can slowly see them slide into evil. Griffin is that individual who was the “quiet fellow” before he commits murder. The comic doesn’t rush things, allowing us to get to know Jack and see his slide into what’s to come.

Tynion is joined by Dani on art, colors by Brad Simpson, and lettering by Becca Carey. The art looks fantastic with a look and style that feels like a match for the anger within Jack. The flashes of violence slowly build in a proto American Psycho sort of way as he gets angrier and angrier throughout the comic’s progression. It captures the era well and promises a treat as the series progresses.

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man #1 breathes new life into a classic allowing old fans and new readers to discover the horror story mixed with beautiful visuals. It’s a nice slow build for what should be a rather unnerving and scary time in future issues. The debut builds on the tension of the situation as the anger grows within Jack for what we know will be an eventual explosion. It’s a solid take on a story that has survived over 100 years for a reason.

Story: James Tynion IV Art: Dani
Color: Brad Simpson Letterer: Becca Carey
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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