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Werewolf by Night (1972) #1-43
Werewolf by Night Omnibus
He's Jack Russell by day, but he's the Werewolf By Night! On his 18th birthday, Jack discovers that he has inherited his father's curse - and that's when things really get hairy! Can he save his sister from sharing his fate? Discover how Jack became one of Marvel's supernatural stars of the seventies in these classic adventures, serving up everything from witches to aliens to Dracula himself! But which horrifying heroes will join Jack in the Legion of Monsters?
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT (1971) 2-4, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT (1972) 1-43, MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) 12, TOMB OF DRACULA (1972) 18, GIANT-SIZE CREATURES 1, GIANT-SIZE WEREWOLF 2-5, MARVEL PREMIERE 28
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT (1971) 2-4, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT (1972) 1-43, MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) 12, TOMB OF DRACULA (1972) 18, GIANT-SIZE CREATURES 1, GIANT-SIZE WEREWOLF 2-5, MARVEL PREMIERE 28
1160 pages, Hardcover
First published December 21, 1976
6 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Doug Moench
2,071 books122 followersDoug 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 11, 2022
Excellent omnibus. This series was always the best blend of superhero and horror to me. and the Mike Ploog illustrations are the perfect fit for the the series. Recommended
November 13, 2024
This was not one of Marvel's strongest 1970s series. The stories and situations are very repetitive, and not much about them is memorable. It's also very wordy due to the device of having Jack Russell narrate every story in detail. This is probably the only time you'll see me refer to 1970s comics are wordy; a lot of younger people do, but I grew up in this era. This series, however, is a drag to read. I usually love Doug Moench's work, from Master of Kung Fu to Moon Knight to Batman, but this is a rare miss.
September 30, 2023
This book has been a dream of mine ever since I reentered this hobby in 2003. I had (and still own) some of the originals of this series from days as a quarter box diver in 1983. I've read this stuff before in the Essentials and read this book slowly over the course of eleven months.
The series launched after a trio of Marvel Spotlight issues, which was Marvel aping DC's “try out book” format. If someone picked up issue 1 of this title off of the stands in June of 1972 they would find themselves in the middle of a story. For those of you new to the character, here's the gist. On Jack Russell's 18th birthday he inherited his father's curse...a father who comes from a long line cursed with Lycanthropy. Jack never does find a cure for his affliction in this book but towards the end becomes able to manage it and even talk(!) in his werewolf form.
One of the nagging questions that I had when I started reading this book was the pronunciation of Jack's sister's name, Lissa. As a kid I always pronounced it Lissa, as in short for Melissa, but as an adult I wondered if that were correct. I Tweeted her creator, Gerry Conway, and he confirmed that the correct pronunciation is indeed Lissa, as in short for Melissa. This is why the Internet rules.
I like how the Werewolf is often overpowered by foes and gets out of predicaments by dumb luck or an ironic twist. Seldom does his animal instinct win the day. This series is probably the first ongoing comic book to use first person narrative. All comic books today use it, but in the early 1970s it was groundbreaking. It gave the book an offbeat flavor. Our “hero” was not even heroic. If he saved the day it was almost always by accident.
Mike Ploog is the original artist, and he got better with each issue. My favorite issues in the book are non-Ploog ones, believe it or not. I found #8 and 9 in a quarter box in 1983. I didn't have many comics back then, so the ones that I had I read so many times that I would memorize them. I can still recite those two issues word for word for the most part. #8's “The Lurker Behind The Door!” is a Len Wein masterwork. Werner Roth and Paul Reinman handled the artwork, and little did ten year old me in 1983 realize that those cats were turning out some serious artwork in the 1950s. I read this issue so many times as kid, and Wein really nails a foreboding atmosphere. I love the ending, which I won't spoil for you. Suffice it to say that Krogg, The Lurker From Beyond rules. #9 introduced me to the work of the legendary Tom Sutton. I had no idea what a lucky kid I was.
Issue 12 introduced us to Raymond Coker, Jack's neighbor in his new apartment. Coker is caustic, and there is something about him that raises a flag for Jack. By #18 we learn what that is: Coker is also a werewolf! Coker is featured throughout the series, even curing his werewolf affliction at one point using voodoo. #18 was another quarter box find from 1983, also coincidentally with Don Perlin artwork. Issue 13 introduces Topaz, who would go on to become Jack's love interest throughout the series.
Future Avenger Tigra makes her first appearance in Giant-Size Creatures #1. Glitternight is the most ridiculous villain in this series, a problem made worse by Doug Moench heaping even more importance on him toward the end of the series. He is fun in an offbeat, only in the Bronze Age of comics sort of way. I used to own Giant-Size Werewolf #4 as a cheapo back issue in the '80s. I bought it for probably .35-.50 because it had Morbius The Living Vampire in it. These old monster comics were worthless back then.
Doug Moench wrote the majority of the series. While Moench is best remembered for Shang-Chi, Master Of Kung Fu and his work on Batman this is where he made me a fan. If I had to pick a favorite issue of his run it may have to be Giant-Size Werewolf #5. It's filled with all of the Hollywood inspired faux occult goodness that you could possibly want. Yong Montano's artwork on that issue is exquisite. He was a Filipino comic artist who did some work in the '70s and one or two things after, but other than that is among the largely forgotten artists from the Filipino comic book scene who did so much good work in the Warren Magazines in the '70s.
Another thing that Moench is remembered for is his co-creation Moon Knight, who first appeared in #32 and would go on to become a fan favorite. He is a mercenary who was hired by The Committee, an ongoing threat to the Werewolf throughout the series, but revolts after he is paid and sets the Werewolf free. Moench ramps things up, but the radical shift in tone at the very end of the series is evidence that he was trying to bring the Werewolf more into the main Marvel Universe by featuring Brother Voodoo and then Iron Man. The second issue of the two-parter with Iron Man, #43, was another quarter box find for me in 1983. Unbeknownst to me and every other reader of that issue at the time, it was the final issue of the series. Moench explains on that issue's letters page, reprinted here. In a pre-Internet world I wondered how many issues there were in this series, and now I knew. I found it in a quarter box as a kid and was bummed with the series ending. The book ended on a whimper, with Iron Man being the final one on stage, so to speak. It bothered me as a 10 year old kid how the series ended, and it bothers me now. Obviously the plug was pulled with little notice, and I always wonder what would have happened next if Marvel would have allowed him to wrap things up.
The only downside to these Bronze Age monster comics is that they are set within a superhero framework. It's always fun to see monsters duke it out, so who's complaining? Werewolf By Night was considered crap by the “serious” comic collectors who scoffed at this scruffy kid poring over quarter boxes at Magina Books in Lincoln Park, MI back in 1983. I always thought that the joke's on you; you don't get it. All these years later it appears we were both right. It is crap compared to serious comics of the day, but it is fondly remembered fun crap. This title remains a not-so guilty pleasure of mine and I will always scream it's greatness from the top of the rooftops of the Internet.
The series launched after a trio of Marvel Spotlight issues, which was Marvel aping DC's “try out book” format. If someone picked up issue 1 of this title off of the stands in June of 1972 they would find themselves in the middle of a story. For those of you new to the character, here's the gist. On Jack Russell's 18th birthday he inherited his father's curse...a father who comes from a long line cursed with Lycanthropy. Jack never does find a cure for his affliction in this book but towards the end becomes able to manage it and even talk(!) in his werewolf form.
One of the nagging questions that I had when I started reading this book was the pronunciation of Jack's sister's name, Lissa. As a kid I always pronounced it Lissa, as in short for Melissa, but as an adult I wondered if that were correct. I Tweeted her creator, Gerry Conway, and he confirmed that the correct pronunciation is indeed Lissa, as in short for Melissa. This is why the Internet rules.
I like how the Werewolf is often overpowered by foes and gets out of predicaments by dumb luck or an ironic twist. Seldom does his animal instinct win the day. This series is probably the first ongoing comic book to use first person narrative. All comic books today use it, but in the early 1970s it was groundbreaking. It gave the book an offbeat flavor. Our “hero” was not even heroic. If he saved the day it was almost always by accident.
Mike Ploog is the original artist, and he got better with each issue. My favorite issues in the book are non-Ploog ones, believe it or not. I found #8 and 9 in a quarter box in 1983. I didn't have many comics back then, so the ones that I had I read so many times that I would memorize them. I can still recite those two issues word for word for the most part. #8's “The Lurker Behind The Door!” is a Len Wein masterwork. Werner Roth and Paul Reinman handled the artwork, and little did ten year old me in 1983 realize that those cats were turning out some serious artwork in the 1950s. I read this issue so many times as kid, and Wein really nails a foreboding atmosphere. I love the ending, which I won't spoil for you. Suffice it to say that Krogg, The Lurker From Beyond rules. #9 introduced me to the work of the legendary Tom Sutton. I had no idea what a lucky kid I was.
Issue 12 introduced us to Raymond Coker, Jack's neighbor in his new apartment. Coker is caustic, and there is something about him that raises a flag for Jack. By #18 we learn what that is: Coker is also a werewolf! Coker is featured throughout the series, even curing his werewolf affliction at one point using voodoo. #18 was another quarter box find from 1983, also coincidentally with Don Perlin artwork. Issue 13 introduces Topaz, who would go on to become Jack's love interest throughout the series.
Future Avenger Tigra makes her first appearance in Giant-Size Creatures #1. Glitternight is the most ridiculous villain in this series, a problem made worse by Doug Moench heaping even more importance on him toward the end of the series. He is fun in an offbeat, only in the Bronze Age of comics sort of way. I used to own Giant-Size Werewolf #4 as a cheapo back issue in the '80s. I bought it for probably .35-.50 because it had Morbius The Living Vampire in it. These old monster comics were worthless back then.
Doug Moench wrote the majority of the series. While Moench is best remembered for Shang-Chi, Master Of Kung Fu and his work on Batman this is where he made me a fan. If I had to pick a favorite issue of his run it may have to be Giant-Size Werewolf #5. It's filled with all of the Hollywood inspired faux occult goodness that you could possibly want. Yong Montano's artwork on that issue is exquisite. He was a Filipino comic artist who did some work in the '70s and one or two things after, but other than that is among the largely forgotten artists from the Filipino comic book scene who did so much good work in the Warren Magazines in the '70s.
Another thing that Moench is remembered for is his co-creation Moon Knight, who first appeared in #32 and would go on to become a fan favorite. He is a mercenary who was hired by The Committee, an ongoing threat to the Werewolf throughout the series, but revolts after he is paid and sets the Werewolf free. Moench ramps things up, but the radical shift in tone at the very end of the series is evidence that he was trying to bring the Werewolf more into the main Marvel Universe by featuring Brother Voodoo and then Iron Man. The second issue of the two-parter with Iron Man, #43, was another quarter box find for me in 1983. Unbeknownst to me and every other reader of that issue at the time, it was the final issue of the series. Moench explains on that issue's letters page, reprinted here. In a pre-Internet world I wondered how many issues there were in this series, and now I knew. I found it in a quarter box as a kid and was bummed with the series ending. The book ended on a whimper, with Iron Man being the final one on stage, so to speak. It bothered me as a 10 year old kid how the series ended, and it bothers me now. Obviously the plug was pulled with little notice, and I always wonder what would have happened next if Marvel would have allowed him to wrap things up.
The only downside to these Bronze Age monster comics is that they are set within a superhero framework. It's always fun to see monsters duke it out, so who's complaining? Werewolf By Night was considered crap by the “serious” comic collectors who scoffed at this scruffy kid poring over quarter boxes at Magina Books in Lincoln Park, MI back in 1983. I always thought that the joke's on you; you don't get it. All these years later it appears we were both right. It is crap compared to serious comics of the day, but it is fondly remembered fun crap. This title remains a not-so guilty pleasure of mine and I will always scream it's greatness from the top of the rooftops of the Internet.
February 13, 2022
Grande omnibus nel senso che il recupero di queste storie della prima metà degli anni '70 era doveroso, perché gli albi originali sono praticamente introvabili.
Come scrive nella pagina della posta dell'ultimo numero Doug Moench, scrittore di quasi metà della serie, questa è la prima serie su un licantropo narrata dal punto di vista del licantropo stesso.
I punti deboli della serie: una certa ripetitività nei soggetti, specialmente per la parte in cui Jack Russell arriva a ridosso delle 3 notti di luna piena al mese sempre impreparato. I disegni, francamente non sufficienti, della seconda metà della serie, di Don Perlin. La mancanza frequente dell'elemento orrorifico in una serie di storie che dovrebbero essere dell'orrore, manca spesso una coerenza nella serie stessa. Altro punto debole, in generale, è la rogue gallery del personaggio. Non c'è, onestamente, un solo villain di rilievo.
I punti di forza della serie: i comprimari, senza dubbio. Topaz, la strana ragazza esper che tornerà più volte; la sorella di Russell stesso che rischia di diventare anche lei licantropa; Cowan, lo scrittore suo amico che farà di tutto per cercare di liberarlo dalla maledizione, rimanendo su una sedia a rotelle ad opera del Werewolf stesso. Poi l'haitiano, licantropo anche lui, salvato dalla maledizione nell'unico modo noto: uccidere un altro licantropo.
I disegni di Mike Ploog e Tom Sutton nei primi numeri, decisamente buoni. La vena grottesca di Ploog in particolare si rivela decisiva in storie carenti dal punto di vista horror.
Altro punto di forza sono i rapporti familiari: lo scontro tra l'adolescente Jack e il suo patrigno dopo la morte della madre, e la scoperta che è in realtà suo zio e che cercava di proteggerlo dal "Comitato" che più volte, goffamente, cercherà di rapirlo per usarlo con non ben chiari obiettivi.
Le storie migliori sono le quattro, verso la fine della serie, che vedono la casa maledetta di Belaric Marcosa il luogo dell'azione. Ecco, questa è davvero l'unica vera bella storia horror della serie, una storia inquietante e con lati veramente spaventosi. Una storia fondamentale, perché qui Jack scopre come controllare la maledizione.
Poi ci sono i cross-over, i team-up. Discreto quello con Dracula, appena sufficiente quello con la Creatura di Frankenstein, sufficiente quello con Brother Voodoo e scarso quello con Iron-Man e Jarvis. Scarso perché negli ultimi due numeri della serie questo incontro porta chiaramente a virare il tema della maledizione del licantropo per farne solo un altro super eroe. Pessima idea.
Nel complesso 2 stelle sono poche, anche se probabilmente sarebbe la valutazione più corretta. Ma a tratti la serie ha mostrato delle belle idee e delle belle storie, pertanto qualcosa in più la merita.
Come scrive nella pagina della posta dell'ultimo numero Doug Moench, scrittore di quasi metà della serie, questa è la prima serie su un licantropo narrata dal punto di vista del licantropo stesso.
I punti deboli della serie: una certa ripetitività nei soggetti, specialmente per la parte in cui Jack Russell arriva a ridosso delle 3 notti di luna piena al mese sempre impreparato. I disegni, francamente non sufficienti, della seconda metà della serie, di Don Perlin. La mancanza frequente dell'elemento orrorifico in una serie di storie che dovrebbero essere dell'orrore, manca spesso una coerenza nella serie stessa. Altro punto debole, in generale, è la rogue gallery del personaggio. Non c'è, onestamente, un solo villain di rilievo.
I punti di forza della serie: i comprimari, senza dubbio. Topaz, la strana ragazza esper che tornerà più volte; la sorella di Russell stesso che rischia di diventare anche lei licantropa; Cowan, lo scrittore suo amico che farà di tutto per cercare di liberarlo dalla maledizione, rimanendo su una sedia a rotelle ad opera del Werewolf stesso. Poi l'haitiano, licantropo anche lui, salvato dalla maledizione nell'unico modo noto: uccidere un altro licantropo.
I disegni di Mike Ploog e Tom Sutton nei primi numeri, decisamente buoni. La vena grottesca di Ploog in particolare si rivela decisiva in storie carenti dal punto di vista horror.
Altro punto di forza sono i rapporti familiari: lo scontro tra l'adolescente Jack e il suo patrigno dopo la morte della madre, e la scoperta che è in realtà suo zio e che cercava di proteggerlo dal "Comitato" che più volte, goffamente, cercherà di rapirlo per usarlo con non ben chiari obiettivi.
Le storie migliori sono le quattro, verso la fine della serie, che vedono la casa maledetta di Belaric Marcosa il luogo dell'azione. Ecco, questa è davvero l'unica vera bella storia horror della serie, una storia inquietante e con lati veramente spaventosi. Una storia fondamentale, perché qui Jack scopre come controllare la maledizione.
Poi ci sono i cross-over, i team-up. Discreto quello con Dracula, appena sufficiente quello con la Creatura di Frankenstein, sufficiente quello con Brother Voodoo e scarso quello con Iron-Man e Jarvis. Scarso perché negli ultimi due numeri della serie questo incontro porta chiaramente a virare il tema della maledizione del licantropo per farne solo un altro super eroe. Pessima idea.
Nel complesso 2 stelle sono poche, anche se probabilmente sarebbe la valutazione più corretta. Ma a tratti la serie ha mostrato delle belle idee e delle belle storie, pertanto qualcosa in più la merita.
April 28, 2024
Jack Russell, Werewolf by Night, got his start in the pages of Marvel Spotlight. This was a try-out book that Marvel used to see if a new character concept was going to sell well enough to warrant getting their own title. Obviously some characters did better than others. Jack Russell did better than many, but not as well as Ghost Rider, who followed the Werewolf as the featured star of the title.
Marvel Spotlight #2-4 - Gerry Conway and the incomparable Mike Ploog served up a truly different character this time. Jack Russell has just turned 18 and now he can’t escape his family’s curse: lycanthropy. Every month, for three consecutive nights, during the full moon, Russell becomes a werewolf. The opening pair of issues, set up the main cast of characters and the basic backstory. But issue #4 moves things into a sort of loose adaptation of The Island of Doctor Moreau, with a couple more introductions of characters and concepts that would become quite important (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #1-4 - Conway & Ploog continue their story. The Book of the Darkhold is introduced (although the past as presented here isn’t quite as malevolent as it will be developed). The progression of the narrative and the development of supporting characters is clear and the they set a solid direction for the title (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #5-7 - Len Wein replaces Conway as writer, although Ploog’s art anchors the story with some continuity. While Wein seems to wrap up some “loose ends” from the previous issue, he’s actually taking things in an unexpected direction and then spins a multi-issue arc about a circus. Not the greatest of stories, but the art holds up. Although some of Ploog’s inkers are better at handling his style than others, and it shows (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #8 - A guest-artist fills-in for Ploog, and while Werner Roth isn’t Ploog by any measure, he offers up a nice look for the issue featuring a demon-possessed rabbit in the wild (3/5).
Marvel Team-Up #12 - Wein & Conway team up on this story, with artists Ross Andru & Don Perlin handling the pretty pictures, the latter will become very prominent on this book a bit later, for this typical team-up style narrative. This is fast-paced and pretty loose with the credibility, but it’s a fun, quick read (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #9-10 - Conway & Tom Sutton delivered this 2-part story that pits the Werewolf again a cult lead by a kind of Piped Piper type. First mention of the Committee by name (this will become very important) and other interesting developments (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #11-12 - Marv Wolfman takes over the writing duties and Gil Kane steps in to handle the artistic ones. This 2-parter introduces the character of The Hangman and offers some unexpected new twists for Jack Russell (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #13-14 - Ploog returns! While the guest artists have been fine, it’s pretty clear that Ploog is THE artist for this title. This story develops things in some rather unexpected directions and motivations become a bit muddled at times. I attribute this to the changes in writers and the narrative going in some different directions than was perhaps originally intended. We also get first appearances of Taboo and Topaz (4/5).
Tomb of Dracula #18 (also a page of relevant material from #17) & Werewolf By Night #15 - This 2-part crossover/team-up/“monster” mash-up is a mess. It is just one contrived cliché after another. But at the least the art by Gene Colan and Ploog makes up for some of the flimsy clichés (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #16 - Oh Mike Ploog, it’s so sad to see you leave. This is Ploog’s last issue with the title and it’s a fascinating look at reimagining the titular character classic The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. It’s not the same character, but the similarities are used as a plot device to basically get the “Hunchback vs the Werewolf” as if it was an old Universal Monster film. It’s a fun story, really fast paced, but doesn’t have much else going for it other than the gimmick and that it’s Ploog’s final issue. (3/5)
Werewolf By Night #17-19 - And this is writer Mike Friedrich final arc as the writer. So there’s some attempts at wrapping up a few loose threads or at least doing something with them so the next writer might have an idea where to take the narrative. We get a golem-esque knock-off with the Behemoth, a vicious cleaning lady witch (think Rosa Klebb from From Russia With Love) and add spells, another neighborhood werewolf, and more Committee intrigue. Fun, but not really any conclusions or wrap-ups. (3/5)
Giant-Size Creatures #1 - Tigra! This is basically Tigra’s re-origin (for lack of a better word) as her short-lived career as The Cat never really got past the “kitten” stage. Still, it is very intriguing and certainly caught the attention of my young mind back when I first read it. It’s pretty normal superhero-monster (aka hero-horror or horror-hero) fair from that era, but it’s still lots of fun. Written by Tony Isabella with art by Perlin, the story also pits HYDRA against our werewolf and Tigra. Also see TIGRA: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION for her “complete” story (it’s also included in Giant-Size Marvel TPB). (3/5)
Werewolf By Night #20-21 - Big welcome aboard to new regular writer Doug Moench (a personal favorite of mine). With Moench and Perlin now on as the regular creative team, a lot of inconsistencies start to disappear. But we’ve got to cut through a lot of dangling entrails that are still making an unsightly mess. In no time at all, Moench takes care of the Coker and Lt Hackett narratives and then Baron Thunder and the Committee. It’s kind of a whirlwind considering how long much of this stuff was simmering. Some of it is a bit rushed, but honestly, it gets things moving again. (3/5)
Giant-Size Werewolf #2 - 1943 saw the release of the classic Universal Monster mash-up, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and Marvel gives us their 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 is 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 an updated Hunchback of Notre-Dame, don’t look for anything earth-shaking here, just some monster mashup 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 bored 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 macabre Man-Thing) were among my favorites, but there were at least some runs with the characters that really stood out as masterpieces, more often than not drawn by Mike Ploog or Gil Kane. Not so much here. Frank Robbins has never been a favorite of mine, his characters seem to be dancing a ballet more than struggling to survive. Sure it’s operatic, but it just never looked right to me. Actually the bizarre combination of the presence of these four characters is that made this issue work so well for me, 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.
Marvel Spotlight #2-4 - Gerry Conway and the incomparable Mike Ploog served up a truly different character this time. Jack Russell has just turned 18 and now he can’t escape his family’s curse: lycanthropy. Every month, for three consecutive nights, during the full moon, Russell becomes a werewolf. The opening pair of issues, set up the main cast of characters and the basic backstory. But issue #4 moves things into a sort of loose adaptation of The Island of Doctor Moreau, with a couple more introductions of characters and concepts that would become quite important (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #1-4 - Conway & Ploog continue their story. The Book of the Darkhold is introduced (although the past as presented here isn’t quite as malevolent as it will be developed). The progression of the narrative and the development of supporting characters is clear and the they set a solid direction for the title (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #5-7 - Len Wein replaces Conway as writer, although Ploog’s art anchors the story with some continuity. While Wein seems to wrap up some “loose ends” from the previous issue, he’s actually taking things in an unexpected direction and then spins a multi-issue arc about a circus. Not the greatest of stories, but the art holds up. Although some of Ploog’s inkers are better at handling his style than others, and it shows (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #8 - A guest-artist fills-in for Ploog, and while Werner Roth isn’t Ploog by any measure, he offers up a nice look for the issue featuring a demon-possessed rabbit in the wild (3/5).
Marvel Team-Up #12 - Wein & Conway team up on this story, with artists Ross Andru & Don Perlin handling the pretty pictures, the latter will become very prominent on this book a bit later, for this typical team-up style narrative. This is fast-paced and pretty loose with the credibility, but it’s a fun, quick read (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #9-10 - Conway & Tom Sutton delivered this 2-part story that pits the Werewolf again a cult lead by a kind of Piped Piper type. First mention of the Committee by name (this will become very important) and other interesting developments (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #11-12 - Marv Wolfman takes over the writing duties and Gil Kane steps in to handle the artistic ones. This 2-parter introduces the character of The Hangman and offers some unexpected new twists for Jack Russell (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #13-14 - Ploog returns! While the guest artists have been fine, it’s pretty clear that Ploog is THE artist for this title. This story develops things in some rather unexpected directions and motivations become a bit muddled at times. I attribute this to the changes in writers and the narrative going in some different directions than was perhaps originally intended. We also get first appearances of Taboo and Topaz (4/5).
Tomb of Dracula #18 (also a page of relevant material from #17) & Werewolf By Night #15 - This 2-part crossover/team-up/“monster” mash-up is a mess. It is just one contrived cliché after another. But at the least the art by Gene Colan and Ploog makes up for some of the flimsy clichés (3/5).
Werewolf By Night #16 - Oh Mike Ploog, it’s so sad to see you leave. This is Ploog’s last issue with the title and it’s a fascinating look at reimagining the titular character classic The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. It’s not the same character, but the similarities are used as a plot device to basically get the “Hunchback vs the Werewolf” as if it was an old Universal Monster film. It’s a fun story, really fast paced, but doesn’t have much else going for it other than the gimmick and that it’s Ploog’s final issue. (3/5)
Werewolf By Night #17-19 - And this is writer Mike Friedrich final arc as the writer. So there’s some attempts at wrapping up a few loose threads or at least doing something with them so the next writer might have an idea where to take the narrative. We get a golem-esque knock-off with the Behemoth, a vicious cleaning lady witch (think Rosa Klebb from From Russia With Love) and add spells, another neighborhood werewolf, and more Committee intrigue. Fun, but not really any conclusions or wrap-ups. (3/5)
Giant-Size Creatures #1 - Tigra! This is basically Tigra’s re-origin (for lack of a better word) as her short-lived career as The Cat never really got past the “kitten” stage. Still, it is very intriguing and certainly caught the attention of my young mind back when I first read it. It’s pretty normal superhero-monster (aka hero-horror or horror-hero) fair from that era, but it’s still lots of fun. Written by Tony Isabella with art by Perlin, the story also pits HYDRA against our werewolf and Tigra. Also see TIGRA: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION for her “complete” story (it’s also included in Giant-Size Marvel TPB). (3/5)
Werewolf By Night #20-21 - Big welcome aboard to new regular writer Doug Moench (a personal favorite of mine). With Moench and Perlin now on as the regular creative team, a lot of inconsistencies start to disappear. But we’ve got to cut through a lot of dangling entrails that are still making an unsightly mess. In no time at all, Moench takes care of the Coker and Lt Hackett narratives and then Baron Thunder and the Committee. It’s kind of a whirlwind considering how long much of this stuff was simmering. Some of it is a bit rushed, but honestly, it gets things moving again. (3/5)
Giant-Size Werewolf #2 - 1943 saw the release of the classic Universal Monster mash-up, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and Marvel gives us their 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 is 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 an updated Hunchback of Notre-Dame, don’t look for anything earth-shaking here, just some monster mashup 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 bored 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 macabre Man-Thing) were among my favorites, but there were at least some runs with the characters that really stood out as masterpieces, more often than not drawn by Mike Ploog or Gil Kane. Not so much here. Frank Robbins has never been a favorite of mine, his characters seem to be dancing a ballet more than struggling to survive. Sure it’s operatic, but it just never looked right to me. Actually the bizarre combination of the presence of these four characters is that made this issue work so well for me, 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.
September 5, 2018
WEREWOLF BY NIGHT OMNIBUS review:
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April 6, 2019
Meh. Angsty werewolf teenage boy kinda tortured super-being thing going on here. Like Riverdale, but from the 70s and just as irrelevant to me.
February 3, 2017
I'm a really big fan of classic 70's Marvel Comics and the weirder they are, the better. Why did I struggle to get through this book? Was it the art? Not a chance, Mike Ploog is amazing and the majority of the fill-in artists are incredible too. It took a little while to appreciate Don Perlin, but I was sold on his work by those last dozen issues.
Then was it the writing? I guess yes and no. I love Doug Moench. The stuff he did on Master of Kung Fu is my all-time favorite. What I don't like is what he did with the main character. Jack Russell (who I guess is ironically named after a dog breed) isn't much more than a cypher. He's noble and courageous, blah blah blah; but he doesn't really do much more than react. When he is a werewolf, he is nothing more than a plot device. At least until the last three issues. But once the wolf could think like a man, there didn't seem to be much point. He was just another super-hero. Had I loved the character, this would have been an amazing series.
A final note on the book. The production value on this edition is amazing. The cover is nicely designed. The colors and reproduction, at least to my untrained eye, are really nice. If you are some kind of comic historian or 70's Marvel completist looking to add to your library, then buy this immediately. If not, snag a couple of copies of the comic and see how much you like it then.
Then was it the writing? I guess yes and no. I love Doug Moench. The stuff he did on Master of Kung Fu is my all-time favorite. What I don't like is what he did with the main character. Jack Russell (who I guess is ironically named after a dog breed) isn't much more than a cypher. He's noble and courageous, blah blah blah; but he doesn't really do much more than react. When he is a werewolf, he is nothing more than a plot device. At least until the last three issues. But once the wolf could think like a man, there didn't seem to be much point. He was just another super-hero. Had I loved the character, this would have been an amazing series.
A final note on the book. The production value on this edition is amazing. The cover is nicely designed. The colors and reproduction, at least to my untrained eye, are really nice. If you are some kind of comic historian or 70's Marvel completist looking to add to your library, then buy this immediately. If not, snag a couple of copies of the comic and see how much you like it then.
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