Re:tro Re:view - Werewolf By Night #1!

Werewolf By Night #1 offers some strong art and an interesting lead!  The character was originally Jack Russell, Jacob Russoff, and was introduced in Marvel Spotlight #2 (1972).  He inherited his lycanthorpy and became a werewolf when he turned 18.  His first self-titled series started in 1972 with the creative team of Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog, ooth of whom worked on his first appearance.  A Disney+ Halloween special is planned for Werewolf By Night in 2022.  The character is described as a “Latino male in his 30s.”  Which really points to the third volume of Werewolf By Night in the 2020 limited series.  The first issue is written by Taboo, singer for the Black Eyed Peas, and B. Earl, Benjamin Earl. The art is by Scot Eaton, who pencilled many DC and Marvel titles including Friendly Neighorhood Spider-Man. The credits page has a moody, purplish sunset with a moon overhead.  The colorist is Miroslave Mrva.  This focuses on a rabbit in the “Arizona Desert, Hopi Tribal Lands.”  The Hopi Tribe is in northeastern Arizona.  A gunshot scares off the rabbit.  

Hunters, one with a Life Pharmacutical t-shirt, are watching the escape.  This is a new corporation for Marvel.  Russ has a rear mounted .50 caliber gun!  A woman rides up on a motorcycle telling them that they are on tribal land.  She has pink-streaked, dark hair.  The woman hears a howl and says that “He’s here.”  The hunters in shadow from the full moon start opening fire as a mass of hair passes them.  Then, we get a splash page of the werewolf with his claws out.  He starts tearing through the hunters, nice close-up of the werewolf snarling and reaching out with a claw, until the hunters leave in their truck.  The hunter closes towards the woman, we see their eyes locked.  The werewolf takes hold of the woman.  Captions explain that the werewolf curse is inherited.  Music is played and the werewolf transforms.  He notes that Molly, the biker, and his grandmother saved him.  He says his name is Jake.  Simliar to the first Werewolf by Night.  Then, we have Red Wolf is driving with his U.S. Marshal partner, J.J., a red-haired woman.  Red Wolf, William Talltrees, first appeared in Avengers #80 (1970), one of my favorite characters.  He has an orange caption box too, which got me a little confused, but Jake has a red lined box.  

They reach a building and start a search that ends with some green liquid.  The duo finds a man with fleshy tendrils from his head, calling himself the Pathmind, downloading computer data.  Pathmind is able to control automated guns and Red Wolf throws several knives.  J.J. fires a net that tangles the strange man.  They cuff him and take him away though he is still dangerous with his data he stole, a computer virus could wipe it away.  This shifts to Mal Mart where Molly and Jake are shopping, she wants to convince him to break into Life Pharmaceuticals.  They are looking for liquid to clear the drains from Jake’s shedding.  Granny Rora notes Jake’s earbuds that allow Molly to play music.  He wonders if there was a book to tell him how to live as a werewolf.  The Navajos call shapeshifters, skin-walkers.  Granny Rora tells him that he should write a book for his child with Molly.  At Life Pharmacueticals, a blocky building with a tower, Jake and another worker are scubbing a bathroom.  A bit confusing how Jake was a U.S. marshal and now a custodian.  They are interrupted by Mr. Wagner, a businessman, who tells them they are needed to help clean up a lab accident. 

They head to the third floor to clean the lab.  There is wreckage in the lab with wokres cleaning up in hazmat suits.  Mr. Wagner has them clean up without suits.  Jake has enhanced senses even in his human form, he can see something unusual with the greenish liquid and hears a conversation from an observation window.  The men are expects more subjects to arrive.  Later, Granny Mora relates a story from Jake’s mother of a girl who met a loving red she-wolf and a vicious grey wolf.  Molly spots a man and a woman driving a vehicle with night vision binoculars.  She sends Jake in werewolf form to take the first jeep while she watches on the cliff.  Werewolf stops the truck rips the door away and finds a mystery plus some dangerous protection!  The plot is a bit confusing, I do like Jake and Molly as a team, but questions remain about what is his purpose except to save the missing people.  Werewolf By Night #1 has some good werewolf action, an interesting main character, with some confusing plot points.   

Three Earbuds out of Five!  

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