In a time of horror-comics taking on zombies and other beasts, to return to the limited run from publisher MAX (Marvel) an interesting treat for the readers. The storyline involves obviously werewolves, an entry often overlooked, unless one seeks out Ferals from Avatar Press and few others, but this series generates rich and explicit panels for the fans to enjoy. Unfortunately, due to copyright laws I’m unable to display those images, only the covers, however one should seek them out, as the disappointment won’t appear I purchased all four individual issues a few years ago. Duane Swierczynski served as writer on the entire series, due to the popularity of the series it found itself reprinted from the single issues to the trade paperbacks in first ‘Dead of Night Featuring Werewolf by Night’ (2009) and then a year later in ‘100% Marvel MAX: Licantropus’ (2010).
The first issue published in March 2009 entitled “Part One: In the Blood” leads the reader into the world and life of Jack Russell who enjoys a normal life, with his beautiful wife and expecting the birth of his first child, for the first 28 days each month everything seems perfectly blissful. However, on October 22, 1983, a massacre occurs, 57-people killed, the worst Wisconsin state history. This madman ate the parts of his victims, men and women, young and old, and children, sparing only an infant, but the bloodstains splattered everywhere. By the second issue in April 2009 Jack finds himself at the center of the controversy and crime spree, this mystery and horrific tale continues in May’s third issue. Here, Jack follows darken paths surrounding the brutal attacks, uncovering unanswered questions and secrets making a gore-hound squeal with delights to the savage blood drenched pages. Finally it all concludes in the June issue, entitled “Blood Memory” with all monsters revealed, human and otherwise.
The comic and story contain wonderful slick graphics, and an impressive but simple story to follow, filled with plenty of gore and outrageous acts contain to satisfied many. Needless to say, one can tell, I highly approve of this comic series and am a fan of lycanthropy stories, both in film and novels, always finding another element to sink one’s teeth into, the entire species spawned many variations on telling the same general story. Hence, I feel it’s an area of the subgenre seeking a rebirth, excluding some the mindless adventures of both Twilight movies and The Howling franchise, to inherit the pages of comics and fill fans minds with sheer delightful terrors.