

Appearing in "The Sinister Secret of Sarnak!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- 🢐 Lissa Russell 🢒
- LAPD
- 🢐 Lt. Lou Hackett 🢒
- Vince (Hackett's partner)
- 🢐 Phillip Russell 🢒
- 🢐 Buck Cowan 🢒
Antagonists:
- Committee (First appearance)
- 🢐 Sidney Sarnak (Last appearance) (Main story and flashback)
- Army of Fear
- Mr. Carruthers (Only in flashback) (First appearance) (Committee Financier)
- Smith (Only in flashback) (First appearance) (Committee Financier)
- John Sammartinez (First appearance) (Unnamed) (Committee Muscle)
- Bruno (First appearance) (Committee Muscle)
Other Characters:
- Unnamed LAPD Sergeant
- Thor (Odinson) (Referenced)
- Spider-Man (Peter Parker) (Referenced)
- Jim Kerry (First appearance) (Sound Engineer)
- Lon Chaney (Referenced)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earthspace
- Heavens (Invoked)
Items:
- Sarnak's Control Whistle
- Model M-17 Sonic Screen (First appearance)
Synopsis for "The Sinister Secret of Sarnak!"
As Sarnak gloats from above the pit, the Werewolf struggles to break free. Even though he succeeds in loosening the chains from the stone walls, he cannot scale the side of the pit to freedom. While Lissa pleads for help, Sarnak explains why the Committee hired him to kidnap the Russells. It is their intent to stimulate the economy by sewing seeds of paranoia and discord throughout the city by way of Jack's werewolf powers.
Elsewhere, detective Lou Hackett and his partner, Vince, discover Phillip Russell’s drivers license inside of the car Jack had been driving. They make their way towards the Russell estate, but unfortunately, members of the Committee have arrived ahead of them. The Committee wants Phillip to pay his debt to them, and so they knock him unconscious and drag him away from the house moments before Hackett and Vince arrive on the scene.
Later, the Werewolf changes back into Jack Russell and he is able to climb out of Sarnak's pit. Without the power of the werewolf's strength however, he cannot free Lissa from her bonds. Jack leaves the dungeon, and makes his way to Buck's place. He asks Buck if he knows anyone who specializes in sound technology, and Buck arranges for a meeting with a friend named Jim Kerry. Kerry agrees to provide Jack with something to help him out.
Meanwhile, Sarnak uses his control whistle to assemble a crowd of mutated freaks, which he calls the Legion of Fear. The Legion rampages through the streets of L.A., attacking innocent civilians and overturning cars. Police officers arrive on the scene, but they are woefully outnumbered.
As the evening presses on, Jack arrives in the guise of the werewolf. Attached to his arm is a remote sonic screen – a device given to him by Jim Kerry. The screen blocks out all of the effects of Sarnak’s control whistle. No longer forced to obey his commands, the Legion of Fear turns on Sarnak and attack him. The werewolf takes the opportunity to free Lissa, and Sarnak flees into the sewers.
Notes
- This issue introduces the villainous organization known as the Committee. The Committee will become adversaries of not only Jack Russell, but the hero known as Moon Knight as well.
- Sarnak appeared last in Werewolf by Night #9. Although he does not actually die during the course of this storyline, it is reasonable to assume that the Legion of Fear chased him into the sewer and finished him off. Final appearance to date.
Trivia
- A small child makes references to Spider-Man and Thor in this issue.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Werewolf by Night (Volume 1) Vol 1 1-43
- Werewolf by Night (Volume 2) Vol 1 1-6
- Giant-Size Werewolf Vol 1 1-4
- Marvel Spotlight Vol 1 2-4
- Moon Knight (Volume 1) Vol 1 29-30
- Spider-Woman (Volume 1) Vol 1 6, 48-50
Links and References
- Werewolf by Night series index at the Grand Comics Database (creator credits)
- The Marvel Chronology Project (character appearances)
- Werewolf by Night series article at Wikipedia
- Werewolf by Night series review at Photon Torpedoes
- Werewolf article at the Marvel Universe
- Werewolf by Night article at the Marvel Appendix