Author: Robert Bloch
Date of First Publication: 1939
Place of Publication: Weird Tales
Type: Short story
Characters: No Character
Themes: ANDROID; POSTHUMAN; MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER
Critical Summary: Colin was a brain surgeon, but now resides in a madhouse under the supervision of Doctor Starr after waking up in a coma and being diagnosed with dementia praecox. Colin had a great skill of making little clay figurines and he enjoyed doing it. Doctors thought Colin was crazy, especially Doctor Starr. Doctor Starr thought it was very odd and foolish that Colin would rather make clay figures than be in the workshop with other men. While in this madhouse, Colin kept himself busy by making his model clay figures, but became bored with making them. Since Colin already had the knowledge of the nervous system and organs, he decided to make his clay creations even more intricate and detailed by adding realistic body parts and organs. He learned how to duplicate the bone structure, arteries, and veins. He eventually created brains for his realistic little clay people, and put his thoughts and control within his clay creations. The live clay figures were essentially Colin himself. Even though Colin was under Starr’s supervision, Starr did not believe that Colin would be capable of creating life. Colin decides that he wants to utilize his little clay men to kill Doctor Starr. Although he failed in his first attempt to kill Doctor Starr, he succeeds by having his clay man rip his throat open.
Robert Bloch’s Mannikins of Horror is greatly influenced by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in its creator and creation, and the violence of the thing made. Colin is similar to Victor Frankenstein in a sense that they are both very skilled makers of new beings. There was a point in the short story where Colin compares himself to Frankenstein, but then proceeds to compare himself to God since he has brought his clay figures to life. Although Victor Frankenstein did not forcibly use his creation to kill people unlike Colin, both of their creations still killed others in malicious ways.
Administrative Notes: Natallia Mak , CSUF; Annette Morrison, CSUF (editing)