Marvel Comics Presents #54-59 (1990): Werewolf By Night

I really want to like stories about Werewolf by Night, because he strikes me a character with a lot of potential.  Sadly, it is usually unrealized.  In this six-part story, with chapter titles like “The moon is a harsh mistress,” “Leader of the pack,” and “Reborn to be wild!”, Jack Russel is back in his “I can’t control my werewolf side” state.  He had been in Night Shift, where Danse Macabre’s powers kept his savage side in check, but he built up a tolerance and now he’s popping pills in Michael Morbius’ basement every full moon.

See, having Russel and Morbius hanging out together has tons of potential too, since they both have aspects of their supernatural sides that lead to murder.  Lots of potential.

Instead, we get another story about a rogue werewolf killing people, with Russell being falsely accused. Werewolf hunter Silver Dagger believing Russel is the culprit, and eventually him being vindicated.  It’s not bad, it’s just not great. And it could have been.

It ends with him back to being in control of his Werewolf side. Russel decides in the end that he will make it his mission to make sure other werewolves (and monster/humans) aren’t wrongfully accused of crimes.  Which is a cool concept that, sadly, never made it to series.

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