Summary
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Werewolf by Night #1
In recent years, Bruce Banner and theHulkhave mended much of their broken relationship and reforged a new partnership, however, a classic Marvel monster is gearing up to fill the green Goliath’s shoes - theWerewolf by Night. For Banner, the night used to belong to the Hulk whether Bruce wanted to or not. Now, the genetically cursed lycanthrope is losing control, with or without the moon.
Werewolf by Night#1 by Jason Loo and Sergio Dávila reintroduces readers to Jack Russell aka the Werewolf by Night. Russel has all the same traits as any classic werewolf;an unassuming man by day but a vicious beast under the full moon’s lightor by his own free will.
However,after the events ofBlood Hunt, which cast the world in an endless darkness,Russell’s powers have grown and he’s losing control. Now, Jack has to figure out what is causing his transformations without killing any more of his friends along the way.
Marvel Gives Werewolf by Night a Heart-Breaking New Status Quo
The struggle to contain the beast within has driven Werewolf by Night for years, and his hear-breaking new status quo shows he has a way to go.
Recently, Jack has isolated himself on a lake-locked island hidden deep within the Rocky Mountains. While hidden from the rest of the world, he’s developed a close acquaintance with the nearby locals. However, when he wakes up to discover his claws have torn through his neighbors, Jack locks himself away, hoping to die in his cell. While he notices a scent unfamiliar to him at the sight of the murders, Russell can’t help but feel he is entirely to blame. However,Jack isn’t the first cursed hero to lose control in the darkness of night.
Jack’s sudden nightly transformations may be due to something entirely beyond his control.
Early on in Bruce Banner and Hulk’s original comics,Hulk only emerged when the sun had set. This became a staple for the character before he became synonymous with being a reactive force to Banner’s emotions. Every time Bruce woke up he would have to face the horrors his Other left behind. While Banner has long overcome this aspect of his and Hulk’s relationship,Jack Russell is only falling deeper down the rabbit hole.However, Jack’s sudden nightly transformations may be due to something entirely beyond his control.
The Powers of the Darkhold Rest Heavily on Jack Russell’s Soul
He Has Lost Control Over More Than Just His Powers
After Varnae’s defeat, and the death and disbandment of his vampire army,many of the world’s eldritch monstrosities have gone into hiding but are searching for the one artifact to free them from extinction- the Darkhold. Jack Russell’s blood curse, much like vampirism, can be traced back to the Darkhold itself. If Jack is struggling to contain the might of his curse, thegrowing war to seize the Darkholdmay be the cause. Currently, the powers of Chthon’s ancient tome arecontained within the Scarlet Witchand inside a living construct created by Agatha Harkness.
Jack Russell is a good man at heart, struggling to control the beast within. Like Bruce Banner, Jack is terrified that every time the sun sets there is another opportunity that the wolf could take to kill the innocent. Fortunately, Jack, like Banner, isn’t alone. Elsa Bloodstone, a master monster hunter, understands Jack’s plight just as Bruce has Rick Jones to ground him. While his terror of himself is justified, theWerewolf by Night, much like theHulk, isn’t completely lost and has a chance to redeem his horrific actions in the rest of the series to come.
Werewolf by Night#1 (2024)
Marvel’s Werewolf By Night
Cast
Werewolf By Night is a Marvel film centered around a group of monstrous characters within the Marvel Universe. The story follows Jack Russell, a man cursed with the ability to transform into a werewolf. As he navigates his dual identity, he becomes entangled in a dark world filled with other supernatural beings.
Hulk
The Hulk, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, is physicist Bruce Banner transformed by gamma radiation. He morphs into a giant, green-skinned creature of immense strength and invulnerability when angered. Struggling with his transformations, Hulk allies with other heroes, battling villains while balancing his intellect with uncontrollable rage, making him a central figure in Marvel’s universe.
