IGOR

Real Name: Igor ??

Identity/Class: Human mutate;
   18th to 19th century (lived through World War I, World War II, the late 1940s through 1950s and pre-modern era) to modern era

Occupation: Lab assistant

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Children of the Damned, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, Dr. Victoria Frankenstein

Enemies: Frankenstein Monster

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Castle Frankenstein, Switzerland

First Appearance: Frankenstein Monster#16 (May, 1975)

Powers/Abilities: Igor somehow gained longevity, surviving for centuries (see comments). He suffers from kyphosis and other deformitites that formed over the centuries for unknown reasons. He also went from bald to a pretty nice set of hair, which presumably also had to do with whatever kept him alive for that long.

He was extremely loyal to Victoria Frankenstein and literally carried a torch for her to defend her, the Children and himself against the Monster.

Height: Unrevealed (5'7"; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (145 lbs.; by approximation)
Eyes: Grey
Hair: Brown; formerly bald





History:

(Frankenstein Monster#16) - <1792> Igor worked as Victor Frankenstein's assistant. He not only helped Victor with robbing the parts used to create the Monster from graves, but was also present during the Monster's creation.

(Frankenstein Monster#18 (fb) - BTS) - At some point Igor became an ally of Victor's descendant Victoria and resided with her at Castle Frankenstein with the Children, malformed creations of Basil and Ludwig Frankenstein. Like the Children her called her his Mother. (see comments)

(Frankenstein Monster#18) - When the Children arrived with the Monster at gate of the Swiss Castle Frankenstein Igor answered the Children's call and welcomed them with a lit torch in his hand. He recognized the Monster from the past, watched the Children drag it into the castle and ordered them to chain it to a wall. He knew their Mother would be pleased to finally have the Monster in her grasp. When the Monster broke free from the chains upon regaining consciousness Igor came to the other Children's aid and tried to scare the Monster with the lit torch. Though the Monster recoiled at first it fought back and after hitting Igor a few times lifted him over his head to finish him, but Victoria arrived and ordered the Monster to put him down and the Monster obliged. Igor thanked Victoria.

(Das Monster von Frankenstein#26) - After she had drugged the Monster with poisoned wine during dinner with the Children and the Monster Victoria called Igor to bring the Monster to his sleeping quarters so the Monster could rest. Igor obliged and showed the quickly fading Monster to his room. A short time later Igor led some of the Children to pick up the unconscious Monster from his room to carry him to Victoria's lab at the top of the tower. Igor helped Victoria plug everything in before he activated the spark inductor for her. He was present as the Monster screamed in agony...

Comments: Created by Doug Moench, Val Mayerik & Bob McLeod.

It is unknown how Igor survived through the centuries, but he presumably had access to the same formula that slowed down Victoria's aging process or was mutated in some way by Victor or one of his descendants.

   Igor hasn't been seen since and it is unclear whether he was BTS and less prominent in the Children's later appearances or if he was actually gone. He was clearly taller than the others and stood out enough to not be just another nameless member of the Children.

    The story from the German comic Das Monster von Frankenstein#26 is a direct continuation of Frankenstein Monster#18, which was published in the series' previous issue #25. The story was written by the series' translator and never reprinted outside of Germany, making its canocity within the Marvel Universe kind of questionable. Like Frankenstein Monster#18 before the story ended on an unresolved cliffhanger as the promise of another German story called "Vieltausendfacher Tod!!!" (English: Many thousand times death!!!) for the next issue never came to fruition. The next issue instead featured a reprint of the Frankenstein's Monster story from Monsters Unleashed#2 (September 1973).

   There is also a story featuring Igor and Dr. Frankenstein (a descendant of Victor) in Creatures on the Loose#12 (July, 1971). In this story Dr. Frankenstein died of a heart attack and Igor tried to create his own monster to become its master, but ended up using Frankenstein's brain (as planned by the departed mad scientist) and the Monster became Igor's master. This Igor seems be a different hunchback than Victor's assistant. Maybe the Frankensteins just really liked hunchbacks named Igor or maybe I am wrong and this Igor was the same and served just another Frankenstein before Victoria. Or maybe the story wasn't Earth-616 at all.

   Igor is a reference to a recurring character in Frankenstein movies. The character first appeared (though identified as Ygor) in Son of Frankenstein (1939) played by Horror movie legend Bela Lugosi and became a staple of the franchise returning in numerous movies since then. Igor's appearance in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (1974) seems to be a huge influence in Marvel's version of the character.

Quiof Thrul comments:

   The name Ygor/Igor originated in the movies. However, it seems Universal doesn't own the rights to him, as he's considered a public domain character, becoming a stock mad scientist's assistant.

   In Mestres do Terror#8 (1982), published by Editora D-Arte, Rubens Lucchetti wrote a story starring Frankenstein's Monster, with art by Rodolfo Zalla-one of the publisher's founders, alongside Eugênio Colonnese. In this narrative, the monster is revived by an assistant of Doctor Frankenstein. Although the name is not mentioned, it is possible to speculate that it was Fritz or Igor. Interestingly, the character is not portrayed as hunchbacked.

   In Capitão Mistério Apresenta#9 (December, 1977), written by Lucchetti and drawn by José Menezes. In that story, Dr. Frankenstein and Igor (who resembles Lugosi's Ygor) recover the Monster's body. In the following issue, we see the Doctor, Igor, and the Monster living in the castle, but then they vanish.

   Capitão Mistério 1st Series #27 (1985) presents another adaptation of Frankenstein, illustrated by Antonio Homobono Balieiro (1953-2001), who also drew Dracula, Bruce Ling, the Werewolf, Master Kim, and others. In this version, the Doctor's assistant is called Fritz, and that just looks like Igor from Young Frankenstein.
         It was Fritz because it was obviously an adaptation of the Frankenstein movie from 1931. Not Igor!--Markus Raymond

Thanks to Quiof Thrul for pointing out that the character in Frankenstein Monster#16 is the same as the one in #18. It is even alluded to in the later appearance that he was Victor's original assistant when he recgonizes the Monster from times past.

Profile by Markus Raymond.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Igor should not be confused with:

Creatures on the Loose#12

images (without ads)
Frankenstein Monster#18, p13, pan5 (main)
Frankenstein Monster#18, p13, pan7 (head shot)
Frankenstein Monster#16, p7, pan1 (Igor and Victor as graverobbers)
Frankenstein Monster#16, p7, pan5 (head shot)
Frankenstein Monster#18, p17, pan1 (Igor held over Monster's head)

Appearances:
Frankenstein Monster#16 (May, 1975) - Doug Moench (writer), Val Mayerik (pencils), Bob McLeod (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Frankenstein Monster#18 (September, 1975) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Val Mayerik (pencils/inks), Dan Adkins (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Das Monster von Frankenstein#26 (February, 1976) - Hartmut Huff (writer/layout), Leopold Sanchez (artist), Kirsten Isele (editor)

First posted: 03/22/2017 (as sub-profile)
Last updated: 07/20/2025 (expanded to own profile)

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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