Brazil, 2019. As in a horror movie nightmare, ghosts of the military dictatorship come out of their graves to haunt us. The far right takes power in a questionable election. Censorship is back to rage in the arts and education. The attack on democratic achievements is as constant as the unacceptable glorification of violence as a method. A new AI-5 is unceremoniously claimed by government officials.
 2019 is also the year in which Julio Yoshinobu Shimamoto, Master Shima, completes eight decades of life – six of them dedicated to excellent services rendered to the national comics. Expressionist, he is the artist of frenetic movement, of explosive action. Everything vibrates on your pages.
 Dictator Frankenstein and Other Stories of Horror, Torture and Milicos is an anthology that brings together 12 comics designed by Shimamoto – 11 of them produced between 1978 and 1982, that is, during the military regime. All the comics fall into the horror genre, but are themed around the violence of authoritarian states, the sadism of torturers, censorship and an unshakable yearning for freedom. Just like the incensed feature Bacurau, by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles, the fantastic here serves its noblest function: to discuss the real.
 With scripts by Luiz Antonio Aguiar, Luscar, Nani, Reinaldo Figueiredo and Maria Emília Kubrusly, O Ditador Frankenstein and Other Stories of Horror, Torture and Milicos is a necessary edition. First, because it celebrates the 80 years of life of one of the greatest assets of Brazilian comic books. Also for shed light on the tradition of Brazilian popular comics, opening up possibilities for dialogue with contemporary production. But above all is the shrill warning contained in this anthology. Twelve comic books that should be a record and reminder of a period historically surpassed are, unfortunately, more current than ever.
 The Dictator Frankenstein and Other Stories of Horror, Torture and Milicos
 Publisher: MMarte (www.mmarteproducoes.com)
 Organization and editing: Márcio Jr.
 220 pages B&W
 Format: 21 x 29,7cm
 Carton cover (350g triplex)
 Year: 2019