Marvel Database
Register
Advertisement

The Werewolf or "Lycanthrope"[1] is an individual, usually human, that can shapeshift into a wolf or therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse or affliction (often a bite or scratch from another werewolf) with the transformations occurring on the night of a full Moon.

History

Origins[]

Like many super-natural races that exist on Earth, the true origins of werewolves is shrouded in mystery. Further there are many other species that have similar characteristics.

  • While traditionally, werewolves appear to have a mystical background, their origins are tied to the Wolf Demon, the Wolf Gods, and the Wolf-Men, a race of lupine humanoids that existed circa 18,000 BC.[2]
  • One account suggests the lycanthropy was a gift handed down by the Elder Gods.[3] There are passages in the Book of Darkhold that contain information regarding a werewolf curse which suggests that there may be some connection between werewolves and Chthon.[4]
  • The Caretakers of Arcturus were also involved in the creation of the Werewolf curse.[5]
  • Khonshu was said to have started the curse to create super-powered slaves controlled by his moon and vulnerable to the silver his followers used.[6]

Though they were created only circa 8,000 BC, following the post-Hyborian cataclysm,[7] or after the Great Cataclysm,[8] there were mentions of them and even known werewolves in the Pre-Cataclysmic[9][10] and the Hyborian Age.[11] such as Demontur.[9] Given Werewolves are distant relatives of the Wolf-Men,[8] it can be assumed mention of "Werewolves" predating the Great Cataclysm are related to the Wolf-Men.

Hyborian Age[]

By the Hyborian age, the Werewolves were already a subject of fear and superstition among humanity.[11][12]

18th century[]

Grigory Russoff who was transformed into a werewolf by Lydia Varadi in the 18th Century.[13] His family was cursed so that every successive member of the Russoff family would under go transformations into werewolves after their 18th birthday.[4]

In October 1760, in the British colony of New York; Duncan Vess was attacked by a Werewolf and turned into one in the process. He tried to turn his back on his werewolf heritage to live among humans.[14]

19th century[]

At the end of the 19th century, Nadja Hellsgaard was turned into a Werewolf. Her husband Robert Hellsgaard was forced to kill after she killed her kids.[15]

20th century[]

In the early 1900s Claudia Russell was working at the Ravencroft Institute when it was revealed she was a werewolf. Dr. Nathaniel Essex captured and dissected her as part of his studies.[16]

In the 1940s, the other-dimensional Vision encountered Llhupa and Gordon Sanders. According to Sanders' accounts, he found Llhupa while exploring the lost city of Howling Demons in Tibet. There he and his colleague were attacked by a wolf which they later discovered to be Llhupa. Sanders was cursed with lycanthropy and his colleague murdered. Returning to America to try and find a cure, Sanders was eventually slain by the transformed Llhupa, who in turn was be slain by the Vision. These werewolves would transform into either partially or fully lupine forms at night and be consumed with a berserker rage. They appeared to be vulnerable to normal means of injury or death.[17] In 1946, the Human Torch and Toro encountered Mr. Taylor, who turned into a werewolf during a full moon. He appeared to be a typical werewolf, although he was able to be killed by having his neck broken and shot by conventional bullets.[18]

Also in the 1950s, Joe Bronson hatched a plan to ransom the seeing eye dog of Albert, a wealthy man. However it was revealed the man could see and the dog was actually a blind, retired werewolf.[19]

Modern Age[]

The most recent member of the Russoff line dealing with the curse is Jack Russell, also known as the Werewolf by Night.[4]

During Khonshu's take over of Earth, the some Werewolves were seen as members of the Cult of Khonshu. They were known as the Werewolf Guard and tried to help the rest of the cult in fighting the Avengers.[20]

Biology[]

Birth[]

According to Montague Summers, all Werewolves are born at Christmas Eve, which proved true at least for Ares Pelagian.[21]

Artificial Werewolves[]

Some "Werewolves" are in fact product of recent science:

  • According to the Angel a mixture of the rare herbs Sitsuie and Hirsasu could transform an individual into a werewolf if they were injected by this. He would clash with two such werewolves, the Pakistani Singa and his hapless victim Robert Harrison. The Angel would slay Singa and cure Harrison. How to cure such a transformation remains unknown. These werewolves had enhanced strength, were consumed by a savage fury. They appeared to remain in lupine form indefinably, and were vulnerable no mortal means of death.[22]
  • Nightshade created a Werewolf Serum, which useful to Dredmund, the Demon Druid. She helped him create a small army of werewolves, and even temporarily transformed Captain America into a werewolf.[23]

Mistaken for Werewolves[]

Due to their wolf-like characteristics many individuals have confused them for Werewolves but they are not;

Alternate Realities[]

Earth-9997[]

It was revealed that werewolves were not magical creatures at all, but the product of mutation implanted into humanity centuries ago by the Celestials. Humanity prior to this manipulation were a more feral and animal like in appearance. All mutates on Earth who adopted a more primitive form, including those classified as werewolves were in reality mutates that would regress to an earlier state in human evolution.[32]

Blade Movie Universe (Earth-26320)[]

In the Blade movie universe, werewolf populations have spiked since the Daystar Virus circulated around the world.[33]

Earth-7085[]

Earth-7085 is the reality Ashley J. Williams finally settled on when he escaped from the Marvel Zombies Reality. It is infected by superpowered werewolves.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Typically, Werewolves have enhanced strength, can transform between human form and wolf form, and into various stages of midway transformation. In their lupine forms they have enhanced senses, speed, and agility. Most mystically-created werewolf transformations are controlled by the phases of the moon. The phases of the moon also effect how much of their human mind remains intact during their transformations. Typically, mystically created werewolves are immune to most conventional forms of physical harm and have enhanced healing abilities.

Artificially-made werewolves have various strength, and limitations that depend on the varying factors.

Weaknesses

Mystically-created werewolves usually have a weakness to silver. This element can cause them permanent harm or even kill them.

Habitat

Habitat

Earthlike

Gravity

Earthlike

Atmosphere

Earthlike

Population

Varied

Miscellaneous

Type of Government

Varied. If werewolves organize, they do so in a pack.

Representatives

Trivia

Apparently, there is a "virus" on Earth-7085 that turned all heroes into lycanthropes in the same way that the hunger virus of Earth-2149 did, the cause and how it changed its history with respect to the hunger virus is unknown.

See Also

Links and References

References

Advertisement