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Full Moon Fever
In the early to mid-1970's... Marvel Comics hit upon a peculiar notion, re: "fads."
That the comics readership would periodically, en masse, succumb to a lemming-like urge to swarm all in one particular storytelling direction was a "given." (A few years later, for instance, they would all be noisily clamoring for super-hero team books; the more of 'em, the better. Which is why we were "blessed" with such offerings as, say, FREEDOM FIGHTERS, SHOGUN WARRIORS and THE MICRONAUTS. But... I digress.) It was -- and is, still, to this day -- part and parcel of the market and the medium.
However: after a sales debacle during which time a stunned and disbelieving Marvel watched no fewer than six heavily-promoted new monthly titles sink beneath the marketplace waves, with nary a ripple to mark their passing (DOC SAVAGE; CLAWS OF THE CAT; GUNHAWKS; NIGHT NURSE; etc.)... the company begain to wonder...
... was it at all possible to artificially manufacture a sales "fad" within the readership...?
Thus: the Marvel horror comics "mini-boom" of the 1970's.
This naked attempt to manipulate the marketplace to the company's own profit was not entirely a meretricious one, however. For every irretreivably lame offering churned out by Marvel during that period (MORBIUS, THE LIVING VAMPIRE; GHOST RIDER; THE LIVING MUMMY; etc.), there were an equivalent number of titles which were -- taken on their own terms -- as well-crafted and enjoyable as anything to be found within the spandexed segment of the company's line.
The Marv Wolfman/Gene Colan run on TOMB OF DRACULA was one, surely; the Steve Gerber/Mike Ploog issues of MAN-THING, yet another...
... and then there was WEREWOLF BY NIGHT.
As initially conceived and interpreted by Gerry Conway (writer) and the grossly underrated Mike Ploog (artist), the series revolved around the continuing plight of one "Jack Russell": a typical, 70's-style teenage California beach bum and layabout, who just happened to discover -- on the evening of his eighteenth birthday -- that he suffered from the curse of lycanthropy: the uncontrollable transformation from man to man-wolf, during occurances of the full moon.
As birthday presents go... he undoubtedly would have prefered a Subaru.
The earliest issues used the spur of a mysterious tome known only as "the Darkhold" -- a sorcerous canon which contained (it was rumored) the secret to curing the lycanthropic disorder, among other necromantic lore -- to keep the (necessarily) episodic storyline moving forward at a nice enough clip. An additional sub-plot concerning the possibility that Jack's step-father was something other than the staid and respectable retired businessman he appeared to be added some spice to the mix, as well.
Some of the most interesting notes sounded uponthe werewolf theme, however, were those involving Jack's beloved sister, "Lissa." The possibility was raised, early on, that she, too -- sharing the Russell bloodline -- might also have inherited the lycanthropic curse, as well. This loaned an additional impetus of desperation to Jack's frantic scrabbling about for the oft-referenced "Darkhold," as well as raising the emotional stakes for the readership (both Jack and his sister being eminently sympathetic characters, throughout the series' initial run).
By far,however -- at least, in the eyes of this young (at the time) reader -- the undisputed "star" of the proceedings was neither the writer, nor Jack himself; it was the show-stopping artistry of one Michael Ploog.
Using the decades-agone influence of comics legend Will Eisner (THE SPIRIT) as his launching pad, Ploog's work was as beautifully realized and evocative as anything being done in the medium, at that point. Each and every panel was freighted with a sense of texture and substantiality; and when he was playing at the top of his not-inconsiderable game... he simply blew everyone else out of the water. [See examples, from top of page above to here.]
This artistic virtuousity would serve the series ingood stead throughout the first two years or so of its initial run, as the essential storytelling foundation was being set for what was yet to come. Additional ongoing characters (such as the mysterious and alluring psychic known only as "Topaz") were introduced, and assigned their roles within the unfolding drama. [See panels, accompanying]
A bloody encounter with Marvel's other horror comic sales success, at that point -- the vampire lord, Dracula -- over possession of the finally-located "Darkhold" brought the final extended story arc to a satisfying conclusion, and helped to send off the talented Ploog off in suitably high style, to be sure...
... but: who, then, to replace him on the WEREWOLF title...?
One intriguing (although, regrettably, short-lived) attempt was made by long-time impressario Gil Kane, during the "Hangman" story arc [see panels, accompanying].
The title character, in this instance, was a bad and bent individual whose mania for "protecting the innocent" was so ferocious and all-consuming that -- taking the standard "super-hero" mind-set to its scary (if perversely "logical" conclusion) -- he not only Punished the Wicked, but Housed the Good In Safety...
... forever.
Whether they wanted it or not. [See panels, directly above]Eventually, however... it was the methodical, "old school"-style Don Perlin who manned the helm for what proved to be the Werewolf's second (and most interesting) period, in tandem with writer Doug Moench.
Issue #32 of WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, for instance, servedas the premiere appearance of fan favorite character "Moon Knight" within the Marvel Universe. [See panels, accompanying]
Originally conceived as a villain -- or, at the very least, a less-than-savory "anti-hero" type -- the Moon Knight was hired by a criminal consortium of businessmen who sought their own "pet" werewolf in order to effect the... ahhhhh... "removal" of particularly stubborn or entrenched business rivals.
It wasn't until the mercenary hero/villain had all but pounded the Werewolf
into a coma -- and handed him over to the rapacious cartel -- that his
stunted sympathies were finally engaged on the creature's behalf.
The Moon Knight threw his lot in with his putative prey, instead... and,
just that quickly: the company had an unlikely new "hero" on its hands.
By far the most ambitious and intriguing offering in therseries' initial run, however, was the "Bellaric Marcosa" story arc, in issues #34 through #37 [see cover, accompanying]: a clever pastiche of Richard Matheson's THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE and Shirley Jackson's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE.
The Werewolf (along with his sister, Lissa; girlfriend, Topaz, and
best friend, Buck) finds himself trapped within a haunted demanse
which makes such famous haunting sites as England's "Borley Rectory" look
like the set for a "Mary-Kate and Ashley" video. Jack Russell finally
learns the dark secret(s) behind his family's generations-old lycanthropic
curse; the connection of the Alastair Crowley-like "Marcosa" to same;
and -- as a result -- not every member of the supporting cast makes it
through the length of the storyline unscathed. A harrowing and well-executed
tale, to be sure.
One might even, in fact, be forgiven for describing such an effort
as being truly "hair-raising."
MONSTERS, HEROES AND GOOD/BAD MEN
PAGE ONE (The Silver Age DOOM PATROL)
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