Gothic Remixed Monster Mashups and Frankenfictions in 21st-Century Culture

The bestselling genre of Frankenfiction sees classic literature turned into commercial narratives invaded by zombies, vampires, werewolves, and other fantastical monsters. However, too engaged with tradition for some and not traditional enough for others, it is often criticized as a sign of the artistic and moral degeneration of contemporary culture. These hybrid creations are the 'monsters' of our age, lurking at the limits of responsible consumption and acceptable appropriation. This book explores the boundaries and connections between contemporary remix and related modes – including adaptation, parody, the Gothic, Romanticism, and postmodernism. Taking a multimedia approach, case studies range from novels such as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies; television series like Penny Dreadful; and the visual arts in the prints of Travis Louie. Megen de Bruin-Molé takes culture's most 'monstrous' and liminal works to show how a safe and familiar format disrupted by the thrill of transgression has resulted in the mashups that dominate Western popular culture.