The Werewolf by Night (also known as the Werewolf) is a fictional character and werewolf appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Werewolf by Night is the alias of Jack Russell, who first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #2 (February 1972).
Werewolf by Night appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe TV special Werewolf by Night (2022), portrayed by Gael García Bernal.
Publication history Prior to the formation of the Comics Code Authority in 1954, Marvel's predecessor Atlas Comics published a five-page short story titled "Werewolf by Night!" in Marvel Tales (1949 series) #116 (July 1953 issue). With the relaxation of the Comics Code Authority's rules in 1971, it became possible for the first time to publish code-approved comic books with werewolves. The Jack Russell version of Werewolf by Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #2 (February 1972) and was based on an idea by Roy Thomas. The series name was suggested by Stan Lee and the initial creative team was Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog, who worked from a plot by Roy and Jean Thomas for the first issue. Readers have often pointed out that the lead character's name, Jack Russell, is also a breed of dog. Conway has said that while he does not remember how he came up with the name, it is unlikely that he was making this canine reference consciously, since he did not own a dog and never lived with one growing up.
After the test run in Marvel Spotlight #2-4, the character graduated to his own eponymous series in September 1972.Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 157 Conway described working on the series as "a lot of fun" because the horror genre made a refreshing change from the superhero stories that had been the staple of mainstream comics for years. Werewolf by Night was published for 43 issues and ran through March 1977. During the series' run, the editorship could not resist the opportunity to assign one of their most popular writers, Marv Wolfman, to write some stories for the series with a playful note: "At last -- WEREWOLF -- written by a WOLFMAN."
Issue #32 (August 1975) contains the first appearance of the Moon Knight. Jack Russell co-starred with Tigra in Giant-Size Creatures #1 (July 1974), which was the first appearance of Greer Grant Nelson as Tigra instead of as the Cat.Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 165: "Greer Nelson, the super-hero known as the Cat, was exposed to lethal radiation. To save her life, members of an ancient race called the Cat People transformed her into Tigra the Were-Woman, a catlike being." That series was retitled Giant-Size Werewolf with its second issue. Jack Russell was dormant for most of the 1980s. The character's appearance was radically revamped in Moon Knight #29 (March 1983). He guest-starred in various issues of Spider-Woman, West Coast Avengers, and Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme. The Werewolf by Night was later revived in the pages of Marvel Comics Presents, where he appeared irregularly from 1991 to 1993. He made regular appearances as a supporting cast member in the pages of Morbius: The Living Vampire from 1993 to 1995. A letters page in an issue of Morbius mentioned that a Werewolf by Night miniseries by Len Kaminski and James Fry was in the works, but the miniseries was never published. Werewolf by Night vol. 2 ran for six issues in 1998. The series was written by Paul Jenkins and penciled by Leonardo Manco. After the book's cancellation, the story was continued in the pages of Strange Tales, which also featured the Man-Thing. That volume of Strange Tales was canceled after only two issues due to poor sales. In early 2007, Marvel published a one-shot entitled Legion of Monsters: Werewolf by Night, with art by Greg Land. In January 2009, Jack Russell was featured in the four-issue limited series Dead of Night Featuring Werewolf by Night, from Marvel's mature readers MAX imprint. The series was written by Duane Swierczynski, with art by Mico Suayan. He was featured as a member of the Midnight Sons team led by Morbius in Marvel Zombies 4 in 2009.
Fictional character biography
While reports of lycanthropy (shapeshifting into a werewolf) in the Russoff line stretch back many centuries, the first confirmed manifestation was Grigori Russoff in 1795. Dracula slew Grigori's wife Louisa after he refused to acknowledge Dracula's primacy upon his return to Transylvania. Grigori then ambushed and destroyed Dracula, but was mutated into a werewolf by Lydia, a werewolf formerly imprisoned by the vampire lord.Werewolf by Night #15 Grigori took a second wife and accounts vary as to why lycanthropy did not pass to his descendants. Sometime prior to May 1930 Grigori's descendant Gregor obtained the legendary Darkhold scrolls, binding them back into book form. Reading lycanthropy's origins in the Darkhold under a full moon triggered the dormant curse, mutating Gregor. He further transcribed much of the Darkhold into Grigori's diary, essentially creating a Darkhold copy which he used as his own diary. Gregor sold part of his estate — including Wundagore Mountain — to Jonathon Drew, who shared it with partner Herbert Wyndham (the future High Evolutionary). The Russoff werewolf slew Jonathon's wife Merriem while Wyndham designed a suit of silver-coated armor to protect himself, enabling Russoff's capture. Russoff stayed with the Evolutionary who kept the werewolf safely contained for decades. Russoff eventually used the Darkhold to summon Chthon to cure him. The Elder God nearly broke through the earthly plane; Magnus the Sorcerer forced Russoff to banish Chthon, who lashed out and slew Gregor. The Gregor Russoff who stayed with the High Evolutionary seems to have been the grandfather (or great-grandfather) of Jack Russell. Having the same name and presumably using the same diary, contributed to earlier confusion.
Decades later another Gregor Russoff married Laura, the former girlfriend of his younger brother Philip. Jacob was born in Mediaș, Transylvania soon after, and Laura was pregnant with Lissa within two years of marriage. When lightning struck Russoff's Transylvanian castle during a full moon, the werewolf Gregor escaped confinement and began attacking villagers and ended up killed by silver bullets. Gregor's mother Maria was stoned and driven from the village, living with gypsies and learning magic. After Gregor's death, Laura found his brother Philip again (who had moved to Los Angeles and anglicized his name to Russell) and they married after a year.
Approximately 15 years later, the criminal organization known as the Committee learned of Gregor's curse and blackmailed Philip, threatening to reveal the secret. To protect Laura's name, Philip intended to pay them but had second thoughts and canceled, causing the Committee to send Max Grant after Laura. Critically injured in a car crash on her son Jack's 18th birthday, Laura barely had time to tell him about his true father and the werewolf curse. She made Jack promise not to harm Philip, before dying. Having inherited lycanthropy the night before, Jack slew Max Grant, yet blamed Philip for his mother's death for some time. Laura left Castle Russoff in Jack's name, but Philip sold the castle to Miles Blackgar who had it moved to an island off the California coast. Jack battled a motorcycle gang, infecting its members with lycanthropy.
Jack spent the next few years as a traveler, shapeshifting into a savage werewolf on the three nights of the full moon. He learned of the Darkhold from Nathan and Agatha Timly who briefly kidnapped the Werewolf only to meet grisly ends. Befriending writer Buck Cowan, Jack snuck into Blackgar's castle and stole the Darkhold. There he encountered Miles Blackgar and his daughter Marlene, whose petrifying power slew both Blackgars. After fighting off the deformed Cephalos' plot to drain his power to stabilize Cephalos' form, Jack had Father Ramon Joaquez translate the Darkhold. The priest died after being possessed by the Darkhold's former custodian, the 12th-century mad monk Aelfric, and the Darkhold vanished.
Jack encountered Joshua Kane and his brother Luther, who hunted the Werewolf and offered to prevent Lissa from mutating into a werewolf in exchange for Jack kidnapping billionaire-turned-recluse Judson Hemp. Jack met mentalist Swami Rihva who sought the Werewolf's blood to reveal the treasure map of the ancient sorcerer Kaman-Ru on his "Bloodstone", the possessing demon Krogg, and Spider-Man and Moondark the Magician.
Jack then fought the sonic-weapons of Sarnak, his first brush with the criminal organization known as the Committee, who wished to enslave the Werewolf.
After fighting the sociopathic Hangman (Harlan Krueger), Jack was entranced by Topaz, the familiar of the sorcerer Taboo, who sought the Darkhold. Taboo had used the tome decades before to grant his son Algon a golden touch, but had lost the book in mid-spell, trapping Algon in a mindless state. Lacking the Darkhold, Taboo transferred Philip Russell's mind into Algon but both Algon and Taboo died, restoring Philip, who explained Laura's death and reconciled with both Jack and Lissa. Traveling to Transylvania alongside Topaz, Jack discovered the Russoff diary/Darkhold copy, the Werewolf battled Dracula and the book was lost in the Alps. Jack and Topaz encountered the kyphotic Half-Mad before returning to the U.S. where Jack fought the Committee's Behemoth robot and then Ma Mayhem, assisted by werewolf Raymond Coker. Jack joined the newly mutated Tigra against Hydra, battled vampires Louis Belski and Liza Pyne, opposed Ma Mayhem and her ally Baron Thunder, and joined Coker against Lou Hackett (a corrupt policeman who could also shapeshift into a werewolf by using a magic ring). The Werewolf joined the Frankenstein Monster against the Satanic Brotherhood of Baal who had abducted Lissa, then fought the disfigured Atlas and the Jekyll/Hyde-like DePrayve.
Jack briefly returned to Transylvania following Topaz's psychic summons and encountered Maria Russoff, who used Gypsy magic to raise zombies against the villagers who had driven her off. Maria sacrificed herself to save Jack from her zombies upon learning that he was her grandson.