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 three nights of the full Moon.
History
Origins[]
Like many supernatural races that exist on Earth, the true origins of werewolves vary in many accounts. Furthermore, 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 that lycanthropy was a gift handed down by the Elder Gods.[3] There are passages in the 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 that 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 both the Pre-Cataclysmic Age[9][10] and the Hyborian Age.[11] such as Demontur.[9] Given that 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 undergo 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 her after she killed their children.[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 hero the 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 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]
In the 1950s, Joe Bronson hatched a plan to ransom the seeing-eye dog of Albert, a wealthy man. However it was revealed that the man could actually see and that the dog was actually a blind, retired werewolf.[19]
According to Montague Summers, all werewolves are born on Christmas Eve, which proved true at least for Ares Pelagian.[20]
Modern Age[]
The most recent member of the Russoff line dealing with the family curse is Jack Russell, also known as the Werewolf by Night or the Werewolf for short.[4]
The Braineaters were a biker gang of werewolves. One sect was operating on the West Coast, where it was responsible for a slaughter in Los Angeles. Jack Russell encountered them, and they took him under their wing. He began to enjoy his wild side – until he witnessed them murder innocents at a drive-in theater. Russell attacked the Braineaters, eventually leading to a gas leak explosion. Wounded, he retreated and was later found by the Braineaters, and a battle ensued once more. Soon the Sword of the Lord, a werewolf hunting group, arrived and attacked them. Each side fought to the bitter end until only Jack Russell remained.[21]
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A biker gang of werewolves
Another set of the Braineaters, which was on a cross-country murdering spree, encountered both the Ghost Rider and Jack Russell in New York City, where the gang was taking its victims to Central Park as part of a murderous ritual. After several clashes, the gang was finally defeated when the Ghost Rider fired silver bullets from his chain at the Braineaters. As they were hit while in their human forms, they discovered they would die if they turned back into their werewolf forms when one of their members did so.[22]
During Khonshu's takeover of Earth, 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.[23]
Pseudo-werewolves[]
Artificial Werewolves[]
Some "werewolves" are, in fact, a 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 with it. 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 and were consumed by a savage fury. They appeared to remain in lupine form indefinably, and were vulnerable to no mortal means of death.[24]
- Nightshade created a Werewolf Serum, which was useful to Dredmund the Demon Druid. She helped him create a small army of werewolves, and even temporarily transformed Captain America into a werewolf.[25]
Mistaken for Werewolves[]
Due to their wolf-like characteristics, many individuals have been confused for werewolves, but they are not.
- The X-Gene causes many mutants to take on lupine characteristics. This includes: Romulus, Remus, Blondie, Pup, Wolverine, Sabretooth, Wolfsbane, Wolf Cub, the Vivisector, the Native, the Wild Child, the Aardwolf, Maximus Lobo, Thornn, Feral,[26] and possibly the Hunter in Darkness.[27]
- Tier was the offspring of a mutant and a Wolf God.[28]
- John Jameson was the Man-Wolf a.k.a. the Stargod, the result of an extraterrestrial virus that transforms people who come in contact with the Godstone[29] and a race of Weirdworld.[30]
- Many scientists have uplifted normal wolves to give them humanoid characteristics, such as:
- The Man-Beast, one of the New Men created by the High Evolutionary.[31]
- Fera, created by Master Khan.[32]
- In the 1950s, Joel Dennis found himself becoming a werewolf. He went to Dr. Herme Slovak, who injected him with a serum that transformed the man into his true form of an actual wolf.[33]
Alternate Realities[]
Earth-7085[]
Earth-7085 was the reality where Ashley J. Williams finally settled on when he escaped from the Marvel Zombies reality. It was infested with super-powered werewolves.
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 was 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.[34]
Earth-26320[]
Werewolf populations spiked since the Daystar Virus circulated around the world.[35]Powers and Abilities
Powers
Typically, werewolves have enhanced strength and can transform both between human form and wolf form and into various stages of mid-way 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 levels of strength and limitations that depend on the varying factors.Weaknesses
Habitat
Habitat
Gravity
Atmosphere
Population
Miscellaneous
Type of Government
Representatives
Trivia
- Apparently, there is a "virus" on Earth-7085 that turned all its heroes and villains into lycanthropes in the same way that the hunger virus of Earth-2149 turned its heroes and villains into zombies; its cause and how it changed its Earth's history with respect to the hunger virus is unknown.
- Ian McNee found out that werewolves were one of the four main mystical threats which could be traced back to Chthon, the other three being vampires, zombies and the N'Garai.[36]
See Also
- 292 appearance(s) of Werewolves
- 2 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Werewolves
- 57 minor appearance(s) of Werewolves
- 129 mention(s) of Werewolves
- 4 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Werewolves
- 14 image(s) of Werewolves
- 96 representative(s) of Werewolves
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Werewolf by Night (Vol. 2) #1
- ↑ Kull the Conqueror (Vol. 2) #2
- ↑ Marvel Comics Presents #55
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Werewolf by Night #1
- ↑ Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #27
- ↑ Moon Knight Annual (Vol. 3) #1
- ↑ Mystic Arcana: The Book of Marvel Magic #1 ; Tribe of the Moon's profile
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Various Monstrosities #1 ; Werewolves profile
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Kull the Conqueror #7
- ↑ Conan Saga #97 ; The Kull Comics Chronology: Prophecy and Peril
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Savage Sword of Conan #2
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #219 ; The Black Hound of Death
- ↑ Werewolf by Night #15
- ↑ Wolverine 1999 #1
- ↑ Punisher (Vol. 8) #14
- ↑ Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth #1
- ↑ Marvel Mystery Comics #14
- ↑ Human Torch #24
- ↑ Uncanny Tales #22
- ↑ Haunt of Horror (Vol. 2) #1 ; His Own Kind!
- ↑ Marvel Comics Presents #54–55
- ↑ Marvel Comics Presents #107–112
- ↑ Avengers (Vol. 8) #37
- ↑ Marvel Mystery Comics #17
- ↑ Captain America #404–407
- ↑ Wolverine (Vol. 4) #312
- ↑ All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update #1
- ↑ X-Factor (Vol. 3) #224
- ↑ Deadpool (Vol. 4) #45
- ↑ Weirdworld #5
- ↑ Thor #134
- ↑ Power Man and Iron Fist #97
- ↑ Strange Tales #32
- ↑ Paradise X #4
- ↑ Blade: Trinity
- ↑ Marvel Tarot #1