Essential Werewolf by Night, Vol. 2

Essential Werewolf by Night #2

by Doug Moench, Don Perlin (Illustrator), Vince Colletta (Illustrator)

Jack Russell's struggles against his long-time curse pale before his determination to save his beloved sister from a similar doom! Vicious vigilantism, muscled madmen and intergalactic intrigue highlight the second volume of one of the 70s strangest sagas.

CONTENTS:
Werewolf By Night Issues #22-43
Giant-Size Werewolf #2-5
Marvel Premiere #28

Genres: Graphic Novels, Marvel, Horror, Comics, Comic Book, Werewolves

600 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1977

About the author

Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok. Moench has worked for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics and many other smaller companies; he has written hundreds of issues of many different comics, and created dozens of characters, such as Moon Knight. In 1973, Moench became the de facto lead writer for the Marvel black-and-white magazine imprint Curtis Magazines. He contributed to the entire runs of Planet of the Apes, Rampaging Hulk (continuing on the title when it changed its name to The Hulk!) and Doc Savage, while also serving as a regular scribe for virtually every other Curtis title during the course of the imprint's existence. Moench is perhaps best known for his work on Batman, whose title he wrote from 1983–1986 and then again from 1992–1998. (He also wrote the companion title Detective Comics from 1983–1986.)

Moench is a frequent and longtime collaborator with comics artist Paul Gulacy. The pair are probably best known for their work on Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu, which they worked on together from 1974–1977. They also co-created Six from Sirius, Slash Maraud, and S.C.I. Spy, and have worked together on comics projects featuring Batman, Conan the Barbarian and James Bond.

Moench has frequently been paired with the artist and inker team of Kelley Jones and John Beatty on several Elseworlds Graphic Novels and a long run of the monthly Batman comic.

Reviews

[Rich Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is the way comic books are supposed to be! Fun, interesting, and reliable stories and art! Doug Moench and Don Perlin handle nearly everything in this Essentials volume, which completes the reprinting of both Werewolf By Night and Giant-Size Werewolf. It's pure 70s Marvel goodness, with the introduction of Moon Knight and appearances by Brother Voodoo and, of all people, Iron Man, as Jack Russell's wolf man goes from berserker to hero-in-waiting.

Sure it's all in black-and-white, and Don Perlin's not the flashiest artist out there, but he's one damn fine storyteller. Doug Moench's scripts are excellent - full of characterization and you get a helluva lot of story in a single issue! Definitely recommended!

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote quite a bit about Jack Russell and his hirsute alter-ego in my review of Essential Werewolf by Night, Vol. 1, so here we continue with the rest of it.

This book contains b&w reprints of WBN issues #22-43 (the last issue), Giant-Size Werewolf #2-5 and Marvel Premiere #28 (which featured the non-team "Legion of Monsters"). When not mentioned, the artwork is by workmanlike/kinda-bland artist Don Perlin - who is solid and reliable but doesn't bring much atmosphere. Let's contend with the offshoots before returning to the series...

The GIANT-SIZE WEREWOLF issues allowed the character space to cross pass with other Marvel Horror characters or try out somewhat different stories. Here #2 features a cross-over with Marvel's version of the Frankenstein Monster (recently thawed into present time) - who was always a bit of a drab character and that tepidness kind of continues here, in a story involving a satanic cult (The Brotherhood of Baal) who kidnap Jack's sister and who The Monster has sought out to possibly have their leader swap his soul into a non-monstrous body. The Frankenstein Monster exhibits his own secondary power (see review of volume #1 for the start of this joke) which seems to be the ability for random people on the street to have a discussion about "man's inhumanity to man"/"judging by appearances" JUST before he ironically puts in an appearance. #3 features the return of Topaz (erstwhile & unreliable psychic sorceress) and a return trip to Transylvania to battle an old gypsy woman who has raised an army of the dead (none dare call them zombies, yet - thanks to the Comic's Code) and who turns out to be Jack's grandma. #4 features a rather lackluster battle with Morbius, The Living Vampire (hard to take a guy seriously as a threat when his bones are so hollow he can glide!) at the La Brea Tar Pits, but it does have a great closing line ("The Werewolf was free...others are still trapped" - as Morbius leaves with no solution to his curse) - although the artwork of Virgil Redondo is a nice change of pace (I like his sleek/blank Morbius face). There's also a back-up story (with another devil-cult and a tentacled demon) that features some interesting art by Yong Montano, who then graduates up to supplying the full art for the next issue, #5 "The Plunder Of Paingloss", in which Jack is transported to the fantasy realm of "Biphasia" and the Werewolf becomes involved in an eternal struggle. It's interesting to see Montano's art in the book as he has a more detailed, almost Warren Comics style. Finally, Marvel Premiere #28 features the first and only accidental meeting of the "Legion Of Monsters," written by Bill Mantlo and with artwork by stalwart Golden Age artist Frank Robbins - whose style I was never much of a fan of, but his woodblock/hollow-cheeked/atmospheric look really works on the Monster characters. The story is still an anomaly (for the three other characters it's a "wrong place, wrong time" situation, where Man-Thing is dimensionally transported to events, presumably in his role as guardian of the Nexus of All Realities), and seems likely to never be repeated (although I know they've reused the "Legion" name since).

And so, in the monthly book, we continue the travails of Jack Russell, suffering his family's curse of lycanthropy since they got involved with the Darkhold (Marvel's Necronomicon, for lack of a better identifier). This second volume, sadly, contains some of the strongest stories in the series - sadly, because it was heading towards cancellation. Buck Cowan, Jack's writer friend, takes a lot of punishment, and the return of Topaz leads to a great story (#27-30). First, though, Jack/The Werewolf faces off against the disfigured Hollywood strongman "Atlas," who is killing past associates (and who almost beats the Werewolf to death - returning to that interesting aspect of the monster, that he's not so much "super strong" as resilient, lithe and savage). The story also features a nice bit of misdirection with a silver bullet. Following this Jack is evicted (because of too many unexplained brawls/battles relating to his place - they must have gotten tired of replacing smashed doors and shattered windows) and battles the Jekyll/Hyde character Dr. Winston Redditch/De Prayve before they are both captured by the returning (still insane) Hangman (the accident that leads to De Prayve's creation is pretty funny - his wife, cleaning the lab, switches the serums by mistake).

But issues #27-30 may comprise the best story arc of the book, as we are introduced to the weird, macrodimensional sorceror Dr. Glitternight (who incubates your evil side, hatching it into a monster) in a story that also features the return of Topaz's master Taboo (still dead) and resolves the whole "will Jack's sister Lissa turn into a werewolf when she reaches 18?" subplot. Glitternight is a cool adversary (shame he never showed up in DR. STRANGE) with a strange backstory (which we get later) and an unearthly/blank visage with an almost Lovecraftian vibe about him and his magicks. This is then followed by a very distinctive issue (#31, "Death In White") which brings us back down to earth as a little girl, lost in a blizzard, is stalked by the Werewolf - who fully intends to kill her. Instead, Buck Cowan takes the brunt of the attack and is apparently (but only apparently) killed in her place. The extremely costly (to collect in their original form) issues #32-#33 follow, introducing Moon Knight to the Marvel Universe (kinda their Batman) as a hired mercenary working for evil guys who outfit him in his costume. But after a long, protracted fight (quite well done), Moon Knight decides to side with the Werewolf - it's a good read.

Issues #34-37 comprise what is essentially Doug Moench's homage to Richard Matheson's Hell House as Jack, Topaz, Lissa and Buck Cowan's girlfriend Elaine (along for the ride as Buck still hovers at death's door) agree to investigate "Marcossa House" in hopes of finding a way of saving Buck, or curing Jack, or both. The place houses the powerful, malignant spirit of Belaric Marcossa, who subjects them all to fiendish visions, hallucinations and spectral attack. Following this saga, the book tries a "soft reboot" (Jack quits most of his cast and goes on the run in despair) but is quickly drawn back into unresolved plotlines about police investigations of Jack's lupine depredations, black werewolf character Raymond Coker, the appearance of inter-dimenisonal cosmic beings known as "The Three Who Are All" and a team-up with Brother Voodoo (a pretty cool character as presented here - although how Jack seems to know him by sight, since they've never met, is not explained) against the returning Dr. Glitternight and his horde of zuvembies (still can't call them zombies....yet - thanks Comics Code!). It's a fun comic book fantasy/horror story with all kinds of elements (monsters, superheroes, magicians, dimensional travel, etc.). Sadly, following that high-point there's only a weak crossover with Iron Man (of all characters - the story makes Avenger's butler Jarvis seem almost like a "werewolf fetishist"!) battling the Masked Marauder and his Tri-Ani-Man android before the book is cancelled.

So, there you are. A shame that they couldn't have fit in the scattering of Jack's later appearances (like the second MARVEL TEAM UP with Spider-Man, or his appearance in SPIDER-WOMAN), but the two volumes comprise a solid little look at one of Marvel's (and comics') oddest series characters - who, I've heard, may be appearing in the new MOON KNIGHT tv series (which is only fitting I guess)!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection which ends this series of Werewolf comics contains Werewolf by night #22-43, Giant-size Werewolf #2-5 & Marvel Premiere #28 this subject does not get hindered by its B/W format, it actually does fit this collection of semi-horror quite well.

It is the story of Jack Russell, yes really, who is cursed with the Werewolf bane and as such is hunted or does the hunting himself, he never seems to pass on his curse being a werewolf which makes it quite friendly for the reader. In this collection we meet Dracula, Frankenstein, Moon Knight and even Iron Man.
A really enjoyable collection of stories that work quite well and are grounded in the Marvel universe that is vastly bigger than the stuff we get in the cinema.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one overall, but it did run hot and cold.

The Hot: The first appearance of Moon Knight, appearances by Frankenstein, Morbius, Ghost Rider, Man Thing, Iron Man and a long epic that had to be inspired by Richard Matheson's Hell House.

The Cold: The crazy stuff dealing with other dimensions. It works for Dr. Strange, but here it just felt out of place.

One thing that did surprise me: I had been waiting for Jack Russell to finally gain control of his werewolf side, thinking that the werewolf superhero angle would be interesting. But really, the stronger stories were when he was cursed and had no control. I suppose I just found this better as a horror book rather than a superhero book.

Don Perlin did the majority of the art, and while I did like Mike Ploog's work better, Perlin's work was good as well.

While suffering from the melodrama of typical 1970s comics at times, the Werewolf by Night series was still one of the better horror comics of the era, at least to me.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read these in their original comic form back in the 1980s. Marvel combined the horror and superhero with these comics. Ranging from normal werewolf style stories to fights with super villains made these different than alot of comics. Recommended

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giant-Size Werewolf #2 - 1943 saw the release of the classic Universal Monster mash-up, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and Marvel gives us they’re version with Jack Russell meeting the monster of Dr Frankenstein (although for me, I’ve always found that Victor Frankenstein is the real monster). For all practical purposes this a typical Marvel team-up style narrative. It’s a fun story that also falls along the lines of our werewolf, Jack Russell, meeting Dracula and upon updated Hunchback of Notre-Dame, don’t look for anything earth-shaking here, just some monster our fun. If you’re interested, you can find the full story of Marvel’s Version of “the creature” in The Monster of Frankenstein. (3/5)

Werewolf By Night #22-23 - Buck Cowan is definitely back in Russell’s life now. And a series of film industry related murders gets solved (sort of), with the help of our lovable werewolf. The Moench touch is definitely on display now. (3/5)

Werewolf By Night #24-26 - In the previous volume our furry friend met up with Dracula, and since then he’s met the Monster of Frankenstein, other Loup-Garou like him, at least one witch, and an updated Hunchback of Notre-Dame - now he’s confronted by the arrival of a modern day Jekyll & Hyde. He continues to make Buck Cowen’s life a living hell every 4 weeks, his sister’s 18-birthday is rapidly coming, he’s been kicked out of his apartment at Culden House, and if all that isn’t enough, The Hangman returns. Events are started to unfold in a crazy chaos of rapid fire insanity. No getting board around here. (3/5)

Giant-Size Werewolf #3 - This time we don’t have a clichéd big-name guest-star, but we get the return of Topaz and some interesting background developments for Jack Russell’s family. There a quick trip back to the Transylvanian homeland and minor threat from a zombie hoard. All very standard stuff for a Werewolf by Night. (2/5)

Werewolf By Night #27-30 - The Glitternight Saga. This is when Jack’s sister turns 18. This is when the mystery of Topaz’s weakness is unraveled. This is when Perlin’s art starts to resemble that of Steve Ditko and our team of Perlin and Moench really starts to gel. There is some surprisingly entertaining stuff in these issues, just nothing that’s earth-shaking or sense-shattering. (3/5)

Giant-Size Werewolf #4 - Keeping up with the guest-star monster-mash-up, this time we have Morbius, the living vampire. There’s a couple of flubs (continuity errors?) from Morbius’s perspective, and more inconsistent characterizations for Morbius and Martine, but from the Werewolf By Night perspective this is a fun, face-paced story that tried to tie up some loose ends for Morbius, but really does nothing to advance Jack Russell’s narrative. The second story in this issue is different, it’s definitely a Lovecraft inspired type of tale and a nice cap for this volume, but nothing else all that remarkable here. (3/5) Just as an aside, if you’re looking for more on classic era Morbius, check out: Morbius Epic Collection, Vol. 1: The Living Vampire, Morbius Epic Collection, Vol. 2: The End of a Living Vampire, Vampire Tales 1, Vampire Tales, Volume 2, and Vampire Tales, Volume 3.

Giant-Size Werewolf #5 - Weird, fantasy, head-trip, fever dream. The less said about this one … probably for the best.

Werewolf by Night #31 - What starts as a typical Werewolf by Night story, evolves into something with a lot more weight by the closing pages. Doug Moench and Don Perlin work their magic on this one. On its own, it’s a simple tale, but within the context of the whole Werewolf by Night saga - it’s a killer.

Werewolf by Night #32-33 - These issues, also included in Moon Knight Epic Collection, Vol. 1: Bad Moon Rising, give us the very first appearance of the Fist of Khonshu long before he’d be known by that affectation, in these issues he’s just: Moon Knight. And he was a favorite of mine right off the bat. Moench would later have to retcon some of the details here to make it fit with what Moon Knight would become, but it all works what with the character’s disassociate identity disorder. In any case, Russell’s saga continues and this misadventure is just another knot in the road of destiny.

Marvel Premiere #28 - If it weren’t for the inclusion of Giant-Size Werewolf #5, this would be the weirdest story in this volume. Take four disparate Marvel characters with nothing else in common and throw them into a supernatural team of monsters without rhyme, reason or context. I loved this story of The Legion of Monsters when it first came out precisely because it leaves more unanswered than it answers. I can’t say that any of these characters (Johnny Blaze Ghost Rider, Jack Russell Werewolf by Night, Morbius the Living Vampire and the Man-Thing) were among my favorites, but there were at least some runs with the characters that really stood out as masterpieces. Not so much here. But it was actually the bizarre combination of these four that made this issue work so well, and made it such wild fun. (This is also included in Morbius Epic Collection Vol. 2: The End of a Living Vampire & Ghost Rider Team-up.)

Werewolf by Night #34-37 - This arc is about redemption and it’s set in a house possessed by evil. And it kind of ends with the perfect conclusion for the saga of Jack Russell, Werewolf, at least in a lot ways.

Werewolf by Night #38-41 - This picks up with kind of new direction for Jack Russell, but it is short lived, and purposely so. Lots of dangling plot threads are tied back into the main narrative and we’ve even got appearances by Brother Voodoo throughout everything except chapter one.

Werewolf by Night #42-43 - Moench & Perlin wrap up their run with the Werewolf with the terminal issue of the series. This last story features Russell now in control of his changes into the werewolf and has him able to speak (and reason) as the werewolf. Iron Man shows up to help inaugurate this new “hero” werewolf. The story is itself just the typical cliché Marvel team-up format, but things get resolved fairly quickly. Unfortunately, a new mystery was also started and there wasn’t time to resolve it in the final issue. The mystery of Buck Cowan would have to wait.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second volume of the series, which introduces Moon Knight, Brother Voodoo, and Doctor Glitternight.

It's the beginning of the end as Jack gets control over his transformation.

We also get The Legion of Monsters, an oft reprinted tale that is one of Marvel's worst blown opportunities.

[Timothy Grubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the moon is full in the sky..Jack Russell finds himself turned into…a Werewolf by Night…

Essential Werewolf by Night volume 2 colllects the second half of the original 70s comic.

While Tomb of Dracula utilized the literary character, Jack Russell was a wholly marvel creation with his curse linked to the mystery Darkhold. Throughout his comic he usually operates in California (though some of these stories also have him in Haiti or a pocket dimension).

While he can’t control his werewolf side typically, Russel encounters a range of colorful rogues including The Brute (a Mr Hyde wannabe), the Hangman (a fool killer type vigilante), and Dr Glitterlight (an evil mage) in addition to appearances by heroes like Morbius, Man-Thing, Johnny Blaze, and Iron man?

Two key issues are the first appearances of Moo Knight. Oddly, most of that story is retconned in later moon knight comics, but Moon Knight and Jack Russell have remained linked over the years…

While some horror aspects are used in this comic, it also delves more into reluctant superheroes comic stories…

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doug Moench is one of my favorite comic book writers, and I picked this up with fond memories of Werewolf by Night from my childhood. The themes and vocabulary in the issues curated in this volume are sophisticated; he did not talk down to his readers. Don Perlin's art is alright. It kind of reminds me of Herb Trimpe. The stories are reprinted in black and white, as they are in all of the Essential series of trade paperbacks. I knew that going in, but still, occasionally a description in the narrative or the action is contingent on color and you lose that in this book. Still, pretty good walk down yesteryear.

[Brent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly average, a couple of highlights but nothing I think I'll ever feel the need to read again.

[Jason Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really good at being better than you'd expect for the generally mediocre genre of Marvel horror comics.

If you thought that was confusing, try tolerating the stories here. Doug Moench, a horror writer staple who is never good, is a little better here. There are some definite strengths. The characters of Jack Russell and his friend Buck Cowan, sister Lissa and girlfriend-ish Topaz are likable. Mostly because terrible things happen to them, like Jack turning into a malicious werewolf 1/10th of every month, and they're well meaning people. And the fact that Jack narrates with a lot of sarcastic humor makes it much more approachable than a preachy Tales Of The Zombie, as an example of something else.

But it just sort of repeats itself. In one annual it's a Dali-esque kingdom where night and day have separate realms and powers, in another issue there's a guy named Glitternight who shoots lights out of his chest, or maybe its Belaric Marcosa the hypnotist, etc. It's always the werewolf and his friends getting mentally abused and/or (usually and) mortally wounded, the werewolf is crazy and wants to kill everything that moves. Issue after issue, and there's an awkward mix, like 70 percent status quo and everything is fine, and 30 percent Jack the werewolf guy is slowly going to kill you maybe?

There were some highlights. The main one is a one-issue thing called the "Legion of Monsters", where the Werewolf by Night, Morbius the vampire man, Ghost Rider, and Man-Thing (my favorite) all team-up and get involved with a magical dude. It's a weird premise, and it was also written by Bill Mantlo and drawn by Frank Robbins, who are superior to the talent in this book otherwise, and only did this one story.

The art wasn't as bad as Moench's writing, but it's not great. Don Perlin, who did almost everything, I think he overinks, making it like an old comic strip, not something to marvel at with all the supernatural. But not really bad. In general, very bland.

And they tried to "fix" the Werewolf from a Lon Chaney style werewolf into a generic superhero. It's not a terrible move, if nothing else just came on very late and the commentary about it happened 10 times in one issue ("you can do that at will?" "I can now..." "Got to change into the werewolf..." etc.)

All in all, not really worth the read unless you're a completist, or the kind of horror junkie who likes anything with the phrase "kind of scary" attached.

[Terry Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know, reading twenty-some odd issues of Marvel's 1970s phantasmagoria WEREWOLF BY NIGHT in succession is a very strange experience. Some issues are quite well done - others are obviously by the numbers. Still, other than the occasional sense of Déjà vu (in many ways, the entire concept was almost impossible to maintain, as evidenced by the last year or so of the book), the entire experience was rather entertaining. Here are my parting thoughts having finally finished this brick of a collection:

1. Doug Moench created some great names for villains - my favorite? The Amazing Dr. Glitternight (who appeared several times in the series). I liked how even Jack Russell (our furry hero) referred to him with the adjective.

2. Don Perlin developed the true "classic" look for the werewolf, especially in how he handled facial expressions ... when Jack was able to maintain control over the werewolf form, there were times the monster was positively cuddly in Perlin's renditions.

3. Speaking of Perlin, while at times his pages could be crude, he continued to develop as he stayed on the book ... and was always his own best inker.

4. During the last days of the series, Perlin was called upon a draw a second werewolf - and kept the character's eyeglasses intact when in wolf form. I think this was the first - and the only time - I ever saw a werewolf with spectacles. Unintentionally hilarious.

5. A "new direction" for the series wasn't enough to stave off cancellation. The final two issues featured Iron Man as a guest star and the werewolf (now under Jack's control) as "superhero." The end result was, frankly, terrible. Although Jarvis revealed a kinky side by his admitted fascination with watching Jack transform into the werewolf (and vice versa). Jarvis: "By jove, sir! This is really quite thrilling!" And then he pats the werewolf on the head!

... I really do miss the seventies. Don't you?

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collects the last 22 issues of the Werewolf's own book, along with several Giant-Size issues and a truly awful Legion of Monsters story. I owned all of these when they were new, but I remembered next to nothing about the stories within, other than the basic idea of Jack Russell as the Werewolf, and his sister Lissa being a potential inheritor of the curse when she turned 18. I remembered liking Don Perlin's artwork, but reading these black and white reprints, I have decided Perlin was perhaps the most underrated artist of his time (with the caveat that he was older than a lot of the more celebrated icons of the 70). His storytelling and sense of pacing is brilliant, and the rich use of blacks works incredibly well in black and white. He wasn't good at designing monsters, granted, but the Werewolf didn't encounter that many of those. I remember Moench's work on the impossible-to-reprint Master of Kung Fu as being exemplary, but he does a nice enough job here on the Werewolf, within the parameters of an anti-hero that really can't kill anybody, and then the horrifying decision to turn the horror comic into a superhero book at the tail end. All things come together perfectly, though, on Werewolf By Night #31, which on its own terms may be one of the single greatest comic book stories I've ever read. Its effect is only slightly undercut by what comes after, but when I went to bed on Xmas Eve with this as the last thing in my head, I was kind of devastated.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd mix of the Hulk TV show and Kolchak the nightstalker with more angst than the Twilight saga.

The appearances by other Marvel monsters is fun and the very first Moon Knight story was interesting, but the constant 'Woe is me!' gets boring after a three or four issues and the art is really uneven.

The highlight is the Iron man team up at the end of the book.

Shame that just at the point where Jack learns to control the change and is trying to be more of a hero that the series got the axe.

[Gerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories became ever more predictable and started to remind moreand more of certain TV-Show formats, also with new artists in the mix the standard waned somewhat.
Still a great a value for money Marvel offers here.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its good enough for me to read more of this series, Im surprised by the mature content of this series and again Im happy it wasnt campy or too family friendly. Sometime i felt i was reading a low toned Vampalla tale which i enjoy it.