Werewolf by Night

Publication history

Prior to the formation of the Comics Code Authority in 1954, Marvel's predecessor Atlas Comics published a five-page short story titled "Werewolf by Night!" in Marvel Tales (1949 series) #116 (July 1953 issue). With the relaxation of the Comics Code Authority's rules in 1971, it became possible for the first time to publish code-approved comic books with werewolves. The Jack Russell version of Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #2 (February 1972) and was based on an idea by Roy Thomas. The series name was suggested by Stan Lee and the initial creative team was Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog, who worked from a plot by Roy and Jean Thomas for the first issue. Readers have often pointed out that the lead character's name, Jack Russell, is also a breed of dog. Conway has said that while he does not remember how he came up with the name, it is unlikely that he was making this canine reference consciously, since he did not own a dog and never lived with one growing up.

After the test run in Marvel Spotlight #2-4, the character graduated to his own eponymous series in September 1972. Conway described working on the series as "a lot of fun" because the horror genre made a refreshing change from the superhero stories that had been the staple of mainstream comics for years. Werewolf by Night was published for 43 issues and ran through March 1977. During the series' run, the editorship could not resist the opportunity to assign one of their most popular writers, Marv Wolfman, to write some stories for the series with a playful note: "At last -- WEREWOLF -- written by a WOLFMAN."

Issue #32 (August 1975) contains the first appearance of the Moon Knight. Jack Russell co-starred with Tigra in Giant-Size Creatures #1 (July 1974), which was the first appearance of Greer Grant Nelson as Tigra instead of as the Cat. That series was retitled Giant-Size Werewolf with its second issue. Jack Russell was dormant for most of the 1980s. The character's appearance was radically revamped in Moon Knight #29 (March 1983). He guest-starred in various issues of Spider-Woman, West Coast Avengers, and Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme. The Werewolf by Night was later revived in the pages of Marvel Comics Presents, where he appeared irregularly from 1991 to 1993. He made regular appearances as a supporting cast member in the pages of Morbius: The Living Vampire from 1993 to 1995. A letters page in an issue of Morbius mentioned that a Werewolf by Night miniseries by Len Kaminski and James Fry was in the works, but the miniseries was never published. Werewolf by Night vol. 2 ran for six issues in 1998. The series was written by Paul Jenkins and penciled by Leonardo Manco. After the book's cancellation, the story was continued in the pages of Strange Tales, which also featured the Man-Thing. That volume of Strange Tales was canceled after only two issues due to poor sales. In early 2007, Marvel published a one-shot entitled Legion of Monsters: Werewolf by Night, with art by Greg Land. In January 2009, Jack Russell was featured in the four-issue limited series Dead of Night Featuring Werewolf by Night, from Marvel's mature readers MAX imprint. The series was written by Duane Swierczynski, with art by Mico Suayan. He was featured as a member of the Midnight Sons team led by Morbius in Marvel Zombies 4 in 2009.

Fictional character biography

While reports of lycanthropy (shapeshifting into a werewolf) in the Russoff line stretch back many centuries, the first confirmed manifestation was Grigori Russoff in 1795. Dracula slew Grigori's wife Louisa after he refused to acknowledge Dracula's primacy upon his return to Transylvania. Grigori then ambushed and destroyed Dracula, but was mutated into a werewolf by Lydia, a werewolf formerly imprisoned by the vampire lord. Grigori took a second wife and accounts vary as to why lycanthropy did not pass to his descendants. Sometime prior to May 1930 Grigori's descendant Gregor obtained the legendary Darkhold scrolls, binding them back into book form. Reading lycanthropy's origins in the Darkhold under a full moon triggered the dormant curse, mutating Gregor. He further transcribed much of the Darkhold into Grigori's diary, essentially creating a Darkhold copy which he used as his own diary. Gregor sold part of his estate — including Wundagore Mountain — to Jonathon Drew, who shared it with partner Herbert Wyndham (the future High Evolutionary). The Russoff werewolf slew Jonathon's wife Merriem while Wyndham designed a suit of silver-coated armor to protect himself, enabling Russoff's capture. Russoff stayed with the Evolutionary who kept the werewolf safely contained for decades. Russoff eventually used the Darkhold to summon Chthon to cure him. The Elder God nearly broke through the earthly plane; Magnus the Sorcerer forced Russoff to banish Chthon, who lashed out and slew Gregor. The Gregor Russoff who stayed with the High Evolutionary seems to have been the grandfather (or great-grandfather) of Jack Russell. Having the same name and presumably using the same diary, contributed to earlier confusion.

Decades later another Gregor Russoff married Laura, the former girlfriend of his younger brother Philip. Jacob was born in Mediaș, Transylvania soon after, and Laura was pregnant with Lissa within two years of marriage. When lightning struck Russoff's Transylvanian castle during a full moon, the werewolf Gregor escaped confinement and began attacking villagers and ended up killed by silver bullets. Gregor's mother Maria was stoned and driven from the village, living with gypsies and learning magic. After Gregor's death, Laura found his brother Philip again (who had moved to Los Angeles and anglicized his name to Russell) and they married after a year.

Approximately 15 years later, the criminal organization known as the Committee learned of Gregor's curse and blackmailed Philip, threatening to reveal the secret. To protect Laura's name, Philip intended to pay them but had second thoughts and canceled, causing the Committee to send Max Grant after Laura. Critically injured in a car crash on her son Jack's 18th birthday, Laura barely had time to tell him about his true father and the werewolf curse. She made Jack promise not to harm Philip, before dying. Having inherited lycanthropy the night before, Jack slew Max Grant, yet blamed Philip for his mother's death for some time. Laura left Castle Russoff in Jack's name, but Philip sold the castle to Miles Blackgar who had it moved to an island off the California coast. Jack battled a motorcycle gang, infecting its members with lycanthropy.

Powers and abilities

Jack Russell is a descendant of the mystically altered offshoot of humans known as Lycanthropes. During the night of the full moon and the two nights surrounding it he is forced to mutate into a werewolf, a large, powerful form which is a hybrid of human and wolf, and loses his human intellect. He is also capable of transforming voluntarily outside of the full moon, at which time he remains in control of himself. As a werewolf, Jack gains the proportionate physical advantages of a wolf. In this form, he possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, reflexes, and acute senses. He possesses a superhuman sense of smell, which carries over to his human form. He has powerful teeth and claws that are able to rend light metals. The Werewolf is resistant to many forms of conventional injury and very difficult to kill by conventional means. Though he can be severely wounded, his accelerated healing factor allows him to recover from non-fatal wounds much faster than a human would. He is vulnerable to magical attacks and, like all werewolves, he can be killed by weapons made of silver, due to its inherent mystical "purity."

Reception

Critical response

Martyn Warren of Screen Rant included Jack Russell in their "Top 10 Werewolves In Comics" list, while George Chrysostomou ranked him 5th in their "Marvel Comics: 10 Most Powerful Werewolves" list. Comic Book Resources ranked the Jack Russell 2nd in their "10 Best Members Of Marvel's Legion Of Monsters" list, 2nd in their "10 Strongest Moon Knight Villains" list, 6th in their "10 Best Wolf-Inspired Characters in Comics" list, 8th in their "Scariest Comic Book Werewolves" list, and 9th in their "10 Most Powerful Members of Marvel's Midnight Sons" list. Marc Buxton of Den of Geek ranked the Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf 6th in their "Marvel's 31 Best Monsters" list, writing, "Who ever thought a werewolf named Jack Russell could be so awesome? Werewolf by Night was part of the Marvel monster surge of the early '70s and remains one of Marvel's most heroic classic monsters."

Other versions

Infinity Wars

Norman Russell / Goblin by Night, a composite character based on Werewolf by Night and Norman Osborn / Green Goblin, appears in Infinity Wars.

Marvel Adventures

An alternate universe version of Jack Russell from Earth-20051 appears in Marvel Adventures.

Supernatural Tourbook and Supernaturals

An alternate version of Jack Russell appears in Supernatural Tourbook and Supernaturals.

In other media

Television

Werewolf by Night appears in The Super Hero Squad Show episode "This Man-Thing, This Monster! (Six Against Infinity, Part 3)," voiced by Rob Paulsen. This version hails from an alternate reality populated primarily by monsters and is a founding member of the Supernatural Hero Squad.

Jack Russell / Werewolf by Night appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man two-part episode "Blade and the Howling Commandos", voiced by Ross Lynch. This version is a member of the Howling Commandos.

Werewolf by Night appears in Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., voiced by Nolan North. This version is a member of the Howling Commandos.

Additionally, Jack's grandfather Gregor Russoff (also voiced by North) appears in the episode "Days of Future Smash, Part 3: Dracula".

Jack Russell / Werewolf by Night appears in a self-titled Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) television special, portrayed by Gael García Bernal.

Film

An original incarnation of Werewolf by Night, Jake Lightman, was intended to appear in a film written by Robert Nelson Jacobs prior to its cancellation.

Video games

Jack Russell / Werewolf by Night appears as a non-playable character in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

Jack Russell / Werewolf by Night appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.

Jack Russell / Werewolf by Night appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Avengers Academy, voiced by Alec Hadden.