Werewolf By Night
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The Werewolf by Night (usually referred to by other characters simply as the Werewolf) is the name applied to two
fictional character In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
s who are
werewolves In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely ...
appearing in American comic books published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
. The first incarnation of Werewolf by Night, Jack Russell, first appeared in ''
Marvel Spotlight ''Marvel Spotlight'' is a comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics as a try-out book. It stood out from Marvel's other try-out books in that most of the featured characters made their first appearance in the series. The series origin ...
'' #2 (February 1972), while the second incarnation, Jake Gomez, debuted in ''Werewolf by Night'' #1 (October 2020). The Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf by Night appeared in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
feature ''
Werewolf by Night The Werewolf by Night (usually referred to by other characters simply as the Werewolf) is the name applied to two fictional characters who are werewolves appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first incarnation of We ...
'' TV special, portrayed by
Gael García Bernal Gael García Bernal (; born 30 November 1978) is a Mexican actor and producer. He is best known for his performances in the films '' Bad Education'', '' The Motorcycle Diaries'', '' Amores perros'', ''Y tu mamá también'', ''Babel'', '' Coco'', ...
.


Publication history

Prior to the formation of the
Comics Code Authority The Comics Code Authority (CCA) was formed in 1954 by the Comics Magazine Association of America as an alternative to government regulation. The CCA allowed the comic publishers to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. ...
in 1954, Marvel's predecessor Atlas Comics published a five-page short story titled "Werewolf by Night!" in '' Marvel Tales'' #116 (July 1953). 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 ''Marvel Spotlight'' is a comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics as a try-out book. It stood out from Marvel's other try-out books in that most of the featured characters made their first appearance in the series. The series origin ...
'' #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 Gerard Francis Conway Thomas, Roy. "Roy's Rostrum" ("Bullpen Bulletins") in '' Marvel Super-Heroes'' #43 and other Marvel Comics cover-dated May 1974. (born September 10, 1952) is an American comic book writer, comic book editor, screenwriter, t ...
and
Mike Ploog Michael G. Ploog (; born July 13, 1940 or 1942) is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for films. In comics, Ploog is best known for his work on Marvel Comics' 1970s ''Man-Thing'' and '' The Monster of Frankenst ...
, who worked from a plot by Roy and Jeanie 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 cannot 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 Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's '' The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade, and DC Comics's ''The New Te ...
, 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 In American comic books and other stories with a long history, first appearance refers to the first issue to feature a fictional character. These issues are often highly valued by collectors due to their rarity and iconic status. Reader interes ...
of the Moon Knight. Jack Russell co-starred with
Tigra Tigra (Greer Grant Nelson) is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Introduced as the superpowered and gadget-wielding crime fighter the Cat in ''The Claws of the Cat'' #1 (November 1972). The ...
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 Spider-Woman is the code name of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and original version is Jessica Drew (later impersonated by Veranke), the second version is Julia Carpenter, and the third vers ...
'', ''
West Coast Avengers The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1984), created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall. It was the fi ...
'', 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 Leonardo Manco (born 16 December 1971) is an Argentine comic book artist. Career Manco is best known for his dark and gritty style on such titles as Marvel Comics’ ''Hellstorm'' (1994), '' Blaze of Glory'' (2000, #1-4), '' Apache Skies'' ( ...
. After the book's cancellation, the story was continued in the pages of ''
Strange Tales ''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics anthology series. The title was revived in different forms on multiple occasions. Doctor Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their debuts in ''Strange Tales''. It was a showcase for the science ...
'', which also featured the
Man-Thing The Man-Thing (Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in ''S ...
. 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 Greg Land (born 1956) is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on books such as ''Uncanny X-Men'', ''Birds of Prey'', and ''Fantastic Four''. Career Greg Land first got a job with an independent publisher as the artist for ''Stor ...
. In January 2009, Jack Russell was featured in the four-issue
limited series Limited series may refer to: *Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series *Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered *Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
'' Dead of Night Featuring Werewolf by Night'', from Marvel's mature readers MAX imprint. The series was written by
Duane Swierczynski Duane Louis Swierczynski (born February 22, 1972) is an American crime writer known for his work in non-fiction books, novels and comic books. Early life Duane Swierczynski was born and raised in Frankford, a neighborhood in lower Northeast Phi ...
, with art by Mico Suayan. He was featured as a member of Morbius' Midnight Sons in ''
Marvel Zombies 4 ''Marvel Zombies 4'' is a four-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics beginning in April 2009. It is part of the ''Marvel Zombies'' series. The series is written by Fred Van Lente, penciled by Kev Walker, with covers by Greg ...
'' in 2009. A second Werewolf by Night first appeared in the third volume of ''Werewolf by Night'' and was created by
Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
of the
Black-Eyed Peas The black-eyed pea or black-eyed bean is a legume grown around the world for its medium-sized, edible bean. It is a subspecies of the cowpea, an Old World plant domesticated in Africa, and is sometimes simply called a cowpea. The common comme ...
, Benjamin Jackendoff, and Scot Eaton.


Fictional character biography


Jack Russell

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 failed to pass to his descendants. Sometime prior to May 1930 Grigori's descendant Gregor obtained the legendary
Darkhold The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features. Places Certain places fe ...
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 High Evolutionary (Herbert Edgar Wyndham) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Chukwudi Iwuji will portray the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3''. ...
). 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 M-11 Originally known as the Human Robot, the character was given the name "M-11" in the 2006 to 2007 ''Agents of Atlas'' miniseries as an allusion to its first appearance in '' Menace'' #11 from Marvel Comics' 1950s predecessor, Atlas Comics. ...
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 Mediaș (; german: Mediasch, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Medwesch''/''Medveš'', hu, Medgyes) is the second largest town in Sibiu County, Transylvania, Romania. Geographic location Mediaș is located in the middle basin of Târnava Mare River, ...
, 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. Jack spent the next few years as a traveler, shapeshifting into a savage werewolf on the three nights of the full moon. He learned of the Darkhold from Nathan and Agatha Timly who briefly kidnapped the Werewolf only to meet grisly ends. Befriending writer Buck Cowan, Jack snuck into Blackgar's castle and stole the Darkhold. There he encountered Miles Blackgar and his daughter Marlene, whose petrifying power slew both Blackgars. After fighting off the deformed Cephalos' plot to drain his power to stabilize Cephalos' form, Jack had Father Ramon Joaquez translate the Darkhold. The priest died after being possessed by the Darkhold's former custodian, the 12th-century mad monk Aelfric, and the indestructible Darkhold vanished. Jack encountered Joshua Kane and his brother Luther, who hunted the Werewolf and offered to prevent Lissa from mutating into a werewolf in exchange for Jack kidnapping billionaire-turned-recluse Judson Hemp. Jack met mentalist Swami Rihva who sought the Werewolf's blood to reveal the treasure map of the ancient sorcerer Kaman-Ru on his "Bloodstone", the possessing demon Krogg, and Spider-Man and Moondark the Magician. Jack then fought the sonic-weapons of Sarnak, his first brush with the criminal organization known as the Committee, who wished to enslave the Werewolf. After fighting the sociopathic Hangman (Harlan Krueger), Jack was entranced by Topaz, the
familiar In European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars (sometimes referred to as familiar spirits) were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. According to r ...
of the sorcerer Taboo, who sought the Darkhold. Taboo had used the tome decades before to grant his son Algon a golden touch, but had lost the book in mid-spell, trapping Algon in a mindless state. Lacking the Darkhold, Taboo transferred Philip Russell's mind into Algon but both Algon and Taboo died, restoring Philip, who explained Laura's death and reconciled with both Jack and Lissa. Traveling to Transylvania alongside Topaz, Jack discovered the Russoff diary/Darkhold copy, the Werewolf battled Dracula and the book was lost in the Alps. Jack and Topaz encountered the kyphotic Half-Mad before returning to the U.S. where Jack fought the Committee's Behemoth robot and then Ma Mayhem, assisted by werewolf Raymond Coker. Jack joined the newly mutated
Tigra Tigra (Greer Grant Nelson) is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Introduced as the superpowered and gadget-wielding crime fighter the Cat in ''The Claws of the Cat'' #1 (November 1972). The ...
against HYDRA, battled vampires Louis Belski and Liza Pyne, opposed Ma Mayhem and her ally Baron Thunder, and joined Coker against Lou Hackett (a corrupt policeman who could also shapeshift into a werewolf by using a magic ring). The Werewolf joined the
Frankenstein Monster Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compare ...
against the Satanic Brotherhood of Baal who had abducted Lissa, then fought the disfigured Atlas and the Jekyll/Hyde-like DePrayve. Jack briefly returned to Transylvania following Topaz's psychic summons and encountered Maria Russoff, who used Gypsy magic to raise zombies against the villagers who had driven her off. Maria sacrificed herself to save Jack from her zombies upon learning that he was her grandson. In Blackgar's castle, the Werewolf, Topaz and the repentant spirit fragment of Taboo battled the necromancer
Doctor Glitternight Dagger Dagoth Dagoth is a demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange. Daken Dakimh the Enchanter Damballah Daniel Whitehall Daniel Whitehall is a British intelligence agent also known as the Kraken. An elite assassin and member of the ...
, who mutated Lissa Russell into a were-demoness. The process of curing Lissa also purged her of the threat of lycanthropy, though she would still pass it on to her children. After battling
Morbius, the Living Vampire Morbius the Living Vampire, real name Michael Alexander Morbius, M.D.,''Morbius the Living Vampire'' (vol. 1) #1. Marvel Comics. Ph.D., is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy ...
and slaying the demon worshipped by Brad Wrangle, the Werewolf was briefly transported to the divided dimension Biphasia by Satanist Joaquin Zaire where he aided Paingloss against the sorcerer Sardanus. During a subsequent ski trip, the Werewolf nearly slew Buck Cowan after which he was captured by the Committee-paid mercenary known as the Moon Knight, who set him free when he realized Jack's humanity and the Committee's intentions. The Werewolf then joined the
Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...
, the
Man-Thing The Man-Thing (Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in ''S ...
, and Morbius in unwittingly slaying the benevolent alien Starseed, who had intended to cure them all. The Werewolf, Topaz and others then battled and were nearly driven mad by the ghost of 19th-century black magician Belaric Marcosa, but they freed the trapped spirits of Marcosa's victims, who destroyed him. One of the grateful spirits, magician Gideon Blaine, healed Buck. The enigmatic Three Who Are All (the Hooded One, the Burning Snake and the Goat Child) — an ancient extra-dimensional group — sent Jack, Topaz, Raymond Coker and
Brother Voodoo Brother Voodoo (Jericho Drumm) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #169 (September 1973). The character was created by publisher Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Len W ...
to Haiti, where the Werewolf and Fire-Eyes destroyed former group member Glitternight once and for all. In the process, Jack gained control of his Werewolf persona to the extent that he only shapeshifted under moonlight and still lost control during the three nights of the full moon. The Werewolf joined with
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
against the Maggia's
Masked Marauder The Masked Marauder is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He briefly served as the central villain of the '' Daredevil'' title. Publication history The Masked Marauder first appeared in '' Daredev ...
and his Tri-Animan and he teamed with
Spider-Woman Spider-Woman is the code name of several fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and original version is Jessica Drew (later impersonated by Veranke), the second version is Julia Carpenter, and the third vers ...
against the mercenary the
Enforcer Enforcer or enforcers may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Comics * Enforcer (comics), a Marvel Comics character * Enforcers (comics), a Marvel Comics team * New Enforcers, another Marvel Comics team Film and television * ''The Enforcer ...
. The mad scientist Dr.
Karl Malus Dr. Karl Malus () is a fictional mad scientist and criminal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He played a part in the origins of Armadillo, Hornet, Falcon II, and many other characters. Dr. Karl Malus appeared in t ...
captured and performed scientific experiments on Russell to control him and use him against Spider-Woman; Russell escaped and apprehended Malus with the aid of Spider-Woman. Russell joined Spider-Man against the Tatterdemalion, a former agent of Sarnak. After being temporarily captured alongside a number of costumed adventurers by the Locksmith and Tick-Tock, Russell began mutating into a more savage and lupine form, a late effect from Malus' treatment. He fled Satanists Morning Star (Schuyler Belial) and his Left Hand Path, who wished to use his blood to mutate into werewolves, then sought aid from the now-human Michael Morbius in controlling his savage self, leading to a battle with the
West Coast Avengers The West Coast Avengers is a fictional group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team first appeared in ''The West Coast Avengers'' #1 (Sept. 1984), created by Roger Stern and Bob Hall. It was the fi ...
. With assistance from
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
, he later saved Lissa from Morgan Le Fay's attempt to possess her. He was subsequently mind-controlled into joining the mostly-criminal Night Shift by
Dansen Macabre Dagger Dagoth Dagoth is a demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange. Daken Dakimh the Enchanter Damballah Daniel Whitehall Daniel Whitehall is a British intelligence agent also known as the Kraken. An elite assassin and member of the ...
. Russell was the only member who knew their leader, the
Shroud Shroud usually refers to an item, such as a cloth, that covers or protects some other object. The term is most often used in reference to '' burial sheets'', mound shroud, grave clothes, winding-cloths or winding-sheets, such as the famous S ...
, was using the group to oppose other criminals and to prevent them from harming innocents. After encounters with Captain America, the Moon Knight and the
Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
, the Werewolf eventually developed resistance to Macabre's powers and turned on the Night Shift, after which he went solo. After briefly battling the Hulk in the Midwest, Jack contacted his father Gregor's spirit to cure his lycanthropy, but was told that he would die unless he accepted his beast. During the ensuing battle with the religious zealot Silver Dagger and the Braineaters, a cult of werewolves mutated in the past by Russell, Jack fully accepted his wolf-self and his personae merged, altering his powers and granting him full control and the best of both selves. Russell assisted Doctor Strange against the alien Possessors, the Night Shift against an L.A. street gang and the Ghost Rider against a new group of Braineaters; Jack battles with Sabretooth but before Jack can kill Sabretooth three locals show up with rifles and save Sabretooth by shooting at Jack. and fought an unidentified
Wendigo Wendigo () is a mythological creature or evil spirit originating from the folklore of Plains and Great Lakes Natives as well as some First Nations. It is based in and around the East Coast forests of Canada, the Great Plains region of the U ...
in Canada. Russell was captured by criminal scientist Nightshade who used his blood to create the Night Patrol, a group of werewolves in Starkesboro, Massachusetts. Captain America - also mutated into a werewolf - freed Russell and led the werewolves to defeat Nightshade's master,
Dredmund the Druid Dredmund Druid is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Dredmund Druid, also referred to simply as the Druid, appeared as a subversive cult leader with knowledge of alchemy and advanced technology. ...
, who had used the Godstone (the former gem of the
Man-Wolf John Jonah Jameson III (also known as Colonel Jupiter, the Man-Wolf and the Stargod) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the son of J. Jonah Jameson, and a friend to ...
) to briefly mutate into the powerful Starwolf. The Night Patrol was cured, after which Russell was drawn into a conflict involving the Midnight Sons and was slain by Switchblade (the insane Darkhold-powered
Blade A blade is the portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to puncture, chop, slice or scrape surfaces or materials. Blades are typically made from materials that are harder than those they are to be used on. Historic ...
), but Jack was revived once Professor Louise Hastings broke Switchblade's spell. Russell befriended the again pseudo-vampiric (and now demon-possessed) Morbius, had a vision of advertisements on the moon causing mass insanity and fought the Lilin Goblins,
Mr. Hyde Dr. Henry Jekyll, nicknamed in some copies of the story as Harry Jekyll, and his alternative personality, Mr. Edward Hyde, is the central character of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novella ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde''. In the story, ...
and the sadist Morphine. Jack had an affair with Morbius' possessed former girlfriend Martine Bancroft. Jack again began losing control of the Werewolf, locking himself in a cage while under the full moons, and even glimpsing visions of Hell as he shapeshifted. From the Cult of the Third Moon's dying leader, Walter Clark, Russell learned that only the legendary Wolfblade could control his lupine self. With the aid of Smedley, a mysterious benefactor, Russell recovered all three parts of the Wolfblade, battled the original Wolf Demon in a branch of Hell, completed the puzzle by reaccepting both selves and seemingly regained control. However, after Jack visited friends Freddie and the disfigured Lump, Smedley sent him to investigate a series of killings in which the evidence pointed to Jack as the killer. As Russell began to mutate further, Smedley said Jack just had not been careful enough in his wish to be freed from the Wolf Demon and that he must embrace the disease, or it would destroy him. Uncertain how to accomplish this, Jack found a confidant in the Lump, who cared for the Werewolf as he hid out in the sewers. While Jack's new girlfriend, Roxanna, remained blissfully unaware of his dual existence, the Werewolf was tracked down by a pair of detectives, escaping only after they were slain by the Cult of the Third Moon. Though Jack's subsequent fate is unknown, he was later seen sensing the arrival of the mystic assassin Hellphyr. In the ''Legion of Monsters: Werewolf by Night'' one-shot, Jack Russell came to Salvage, Alabama to save a family of law-abiding werewolves from a group of townsfolk led by Cal Escher. Young Rhonda was the only one left in the family after her mother and her sister Suzie chose death by gun or knife. The girl was drowning her sorrows in Sullivan's bar next to the cemetery when the gang attacked her, revealing her werewolf nature by means of a
tarot The tarot (, first known as '' trionfi'' and later as ''tarocchi'' or ''tarocks'') is a pack of playing cards, used from at least the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play card games such as Tarocchini. From their Italian roots ...
card ("The Moon") and then trying to kill her. Russell interfered, mutating into the Werewolf while Rhonda decided to do the same. After killing the violent gang, Russell and Rhonda left the town, determined to control their afflictions and live their lives without fear. The Moon Knight rescues Jack from a criminal enterprise wherein samples of his blood are used to temporarily mutate homeless people into pseudo-werewolves, who are then provoked into fighting each other as a spectator sport. The Moon Knight frees Jack, who has degenerated into a near-mindless feral state, from his captors; the Werewolf proceeds to go on a rampage, attacking both his tormentors and the Moon Knight, who subdues him before restoring his freedom to him. The Werewolf appears as part of the new
Midnight Sons The Midnight Sons is a fictional team of supernatural superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Including Ghost Riders Danny Ketch and Johnny Blaze, Blade, and Morbius, the original team first formed as part of ...
team to hunt down zombies who escaped A.R.M.O.R. headquarters and prevent the contagion from spreading. Prior to the team's mission, he records a video will and testament telling his sister that he is happy in life. He was given a vaccine developed by
Morbius, the Living Vampire Morbius the Living Vampire, real name Michael Alexander Morbius, M.D.,''Morbius the Living Vampire'' (vol. 1) #1. Marvel Comics. Ph.D., is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy ...
. In their search for the missing zombie Deadpool, the team battles and kills zombie Men-Fish and their leader, the
Piranha A piranha or piraña (, , or ; or , ) is one of a number of freshwater fish in the family Serrasalmidae, or the subfamily Serrasalminae within the tetra family, Characidae in order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, fl ...
. After battling the Hood's Night Shift and watching ally the
Man-Thing The Man-Thing (Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in ''S ...
seemingly die in a battle against Deadpool, Russell's vaccine fails him and he becomes a zombie. He then confronts
Jennifer Kale Jennifer Kale is a fictional character, a sorceress appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Gerber and Rich Buckler in 1972, she was originally a supporting character in Man-Thing comic books. Since h ...
. He battles Morbius, who realizes that Jack's werewolf form is not subject to the virus, and
Jennifer Kale Jennifer Kale is a fictional character, a sorceress appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Gerber and Rich Buckler in 1972, she was originally a supporting character in Man-Thing comic books. Since h ...
summons a moonlight spell to mutate him into the Werewolf. Jack is later restored to normal by Morbius, who developed a cure for the zombie virus using Spider-Man's blood and samples of the zombie virus from different realities. After the death of Frank Castle, Morbius pieces the
Punisher The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...
together again and enlists his help in saving monsters from extinction. Jack Russell, the Man-Thing and the
Living Mummy Mummies are commonly featured in horror genres as undead creatures wrapped in bandages. Similar undead include skeletons and zombies. History The mummy genre has its origins in the 19th century when Egypt was being colonized by France and, subse ...
are part of the Legion of Monsters, who fight those who would wipe out all monsters. The Punisher aids this group in protecting an underground city that has many innocent, sentient monsters. Russell appears among many mystical beings of lupine and feline nature drawn to the headquarters of
X-Factor Investigations X-Factor Investigations is a fictional detective agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The organization was created by writer Peter David for the comic book series ''X-Factor'' (vol. 3). The agency first appears und ...
by the imminent birth of the mutant Wolfsbane's child. While many of the gathered beings wish to acquire the child for their own ends, Russell seems intent on protecting mother and child. Once the child is born, it is rejected by a shaken Wolfsbane due to its vicious, feral nature and her own religious beliefs. The cub appears to be caught up in a convergence of the mystic forces seeking it, vanishing explosively from the Earth; however, Russell finds the child hiding in a cave and takes it under his care.
Deadpool Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
later discovered that Russell had an affair with his wife Shiklah. Deadpool then promptly blew off Jack's head with a blunderbuss, but Shiklah revealed that Jack would survive.


Jake Gomez

Jake Gomez is a boy of Hopi descent who underwent his first werewolf transformation at the age of 13 due to a curse in his family. He was able to get control over his werewolf form with the help of his grandmother Rora and his friend Molly where the music helped with controlling his emotions unlike how Jake's father operated. Jake first appeared when hunters were hunting rabbits on Hopi tribal lands and fought them off. Rora advised him to be careful in the mission at Life Pharmaceuticals where he worked in the day due to the government going after teenage superheroes. Jake attacks two vehicles leaving Life Pharmaceuticals and finds that one of them contains the people who have gone missing from the Rez in the past month. He is then confronted by three monstrous figures with cybernetic parts on them.


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. Through a series of events, he is also capable of mutating 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 nearly 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 razor-sharp 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." Jake Gomez has the same transformation abilities as Jack Russell.


Reception


Accolades

* In 2015, ''
Den of Geek ''Den of Geek'' is a US and UK-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture. The website also issues a bi-annual magazine. History ''Den of Geek'' was founded in 2007 by Simon Brew in London. In 2012, DoG Tech LLC licensed ...
'' ranked the Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf 6th in their "Marvel’s 31 Best Monsters" list. * In 2019, ''
CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' ranked the Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf 9th in their "10 Most Powerful Members of Marvel’s Midnight Sons" list. * In 2021, ''
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' ranked the Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf 5th and the Jake Gomez incarnation of Werewolf 4th in their "Marvel Comics: 10 Most Powerful Werewolves" list. * In 2022, ''
CBR.com ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
'' ranked the Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf 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, and 8th in their "Scariest Comic Book Werewolves" list.


Other versions

In Marvel's Earth-666, a variation of the Jack Russell version of the Werewolf appeared in ''Supernatural Tourbook'' and ''Supernaturals'' #1-4. In the ''
Marvel Adventures Marvel Adventures, formerly Marvel Age, was an imprint of Marvel Comics intended for younger audiences, including small children. Unlike the standard comics published by Marvel, which often take place in story arcs spanning several issues, each Marv ...
'' continuity, Jack Russell's family home is in Queens, New York. This brings him into conflict with Spider-Man after he reluctantly mutates the somewhat-innocent
Flash Thompson Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 196 ...
into a werewolf. Fortunately, Dr. Strange's knowledge of lycanthropy saves Flash. During "
Infinity Wars "Infinity Wars" is a 2018 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics as a follow-up to " Infinity Countdown." Premise The premise involves the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe deal with the outcome of the search for the new Infin ...
", when the universe was folded, Jack Russell got fused with
Norman Osborn Norman Osborn is a fictional character, fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July ...
to create the Goblin by Night. Norman Russell was cursed to be the Goblin by Night, killed Ben and May Spector and nearly killed Peter Spector, leaving Peter to become the ArachKnight. During a battle with Peter, Norman got injured and got saved by his son, Harry Russell. While Harry was taking care of his father, Norman lost control and bit Harry, passing the curse on to him. Harry, now as the new Goblin by Night, starts using the glider that Peter built prior to him to becoming the Goblin, leaving Norman free from the curse, being forgiven by Peter and deciding to find a way to cure Harry.


In other media


Television

* The Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf by Night appears in ''
The Super Hero Squad Show ''The Super Hero Squad Show'' is an American superhero animated series produced by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the Avengers, the X-Men, and various other characters ...
'' episode "This Man-Thing, This Monster! (Six Against Infinity, Part 3)", voiced by Rob Paulsen. After his girlfriend, Ellen, is kidnapped by an army of mummies led by
N'Kantu, the Living Mummy N'Kantu the Living Mummy is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character's first run was from 1973 to 1975, and was based on the popular undead mummy trope of horror fiction. Publication his ...
on Dracula's behalf, the Werewolf by Night joins forces with the
Man-Thing The Man-Thing (Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in ''S ...
and an alternate universe-displaced
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...
to rescue her. While they succeed in defeating the vampire and the mummies, they learn Ellen had been turned into a vampiress. Nevertheless, Werewolf by Night, Ellen, and the Man-Thing are inspired by Iron Man to form the Supernatural Hero Squad to defend their town from future monster attacks. * The Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf by Night appears in the ''
Ultimate Spider-Man ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate ...
'' two-part episode "Blade and the Howling Commandos", voiced by
Ross Lynch Ross Shor Lynch (born December 29, 1995) is an American actor, singer, and musician. He was the lead vocalist of the pop rock band R5 and is one half of the band the Driver Era (with his brother Rocky Lynch). As an actor, he rose to recogniti ...
. This version is a member of the
Howling Commandos The Howling Commandos is the name of several fictional groups appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Fictional team history World War II The first group of Howling Commandos (introduced in their own 1963 comic book seri ...
. * The Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf by Night appears in ''
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. ''Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.'' is an American animated television series based on the superhero character by Marvel Comics. The series premiered on August 11, 2013, on Disney XD as part of the ''Marvel Universe'' block, and ended on June 2 ...
'', voiced by
Nolan North Nolan North (born October 31, 1970) is an American actor best known for his voice acting roles. After his breakthrough role as Dr. Chris Ramsey on the ABC soap opera '' Port Charles'' in 1997, North moved into voice acting when the show ended ...
. This version is a member of the Howling Commandos. Additionally, Werewolf by Night's grandfather, Gregor Russoff (also voiced by North), appears in the episode "Days of Future Smash, Part 3: Dracula". * A
television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...
based on Werewolf by Night and set in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
was released on
Disney+ Disney+ is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by the Media and Entertainment Distribution division of The Walt Disney Company. The service primarily distributes films and television se ...
in October 2022, with Jack Russell portrayed by
Gael García Bernal Gael García Bernal (; born 30 November 1978) is a Mexican actor and producer. He is best known for his performances in the films '' Bad Education'', '' The Motorcycle Diaries'', '' Amores perros'', ''Y tu mamá también'', ''Babel'', '' Coco'', ...
. He infiltrates a hunting event held by Verussa Bloodstone to rescue his friend
Man-Thing The Man-Thing (Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in ''S ...
with
Elsa Bloodstone Elsa Bloodstone is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appears in Marvel's ''Bloodstone'' mini-series of 2001 written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. She is the daughter of the previously ...
's help.


Film

* A film adaptation of ''Werewolf by Night'', written by Robert Nelson Jacobs, was announced and due to begin filming in 2005. However, no further developments took place since. The film would have featured an original version of the character named Jake Lightman and Silver Dagger, a Doctor Strange character, as the main villain.


Video games

* The Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf by Night makes a cameo appearance in
Jill Valentine Jill Valentine is a character in '' Resident Evil'' (''Biohazard'' in Japan), a survival horror video game series created by Japanese company Capcom. She was introduced as one of two player characters in the original '' Resident Evil'' (199 ...
's ending in '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds'' and ''
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a crossover fighting game developed by Capcom in collaboration with Eighting. It is an updated version of '' Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds''. The game features characters from both Capcom's video game franchises and comic book se ...
''. * The Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf by Night appeared as an unlockable playable character in ''
Marvel Super Hero Squad Online ''Marvel Super Hero Squad Online'' was a massively multiplayer online game for younger audiences based on the ''Marvel Super Hero Squad'', developed by American video game companies The Amazing Society and Gazillion Entertainment. The open beta ...
''. * The Jack Russell incarnation of Werewolf by Night appeared as an unlockable playable character in ''
Marvel Avengers Academy ''Marvel Avengers Academy'' was a freemium mobile game for iOS and Android, based on the characters featured in Marvel Comics. It was released on February 4, 2016. The game was shut down three years later. Despite the name, the game was not rel ...
''.


Collected editions


References


External links


Werewolf by Night
at Marvel.com *

{{Moon Knight Articles about multiple fictional characters 1972 comics debuts Characters created by Gerry Conway Characters created by Mike Ploog Characters created by Roy Thomas Comics by Doug Moench Comics by Gerry Conway Comics by Marv Wolfman Comics characters introduced in 1972 Defunct American comics Fictional characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability Fictional characters with superhuman senses Fictional Romanian people Fictional werewolves Horror comics Marvel Comics characters who are shapeshifters Marvel Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds Marvel Comics characters with accelerated healing Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Marvel Comics superheroes Marvel Comics titles Midnight Sons Werewolf comics