If you missed the last one…
Back for more hairy werewolves with Charlton Comics, the most under-appreciated of all comic companies. Steve Ditko is back for a strip. Like last time we have several stories from my favorite Charlton artist, Tom Sutton. Tom began to write his own comics. The werewolves are not always central to the story but they have their moments.
“The Wolves of Dark Mountain” (The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves #29, December 1971) was written by Joe Gill. Not your usual lycanthrope story. The Grand Duke has a fear of the wolves of his dark European mountains. When he becomes a wolf, he runs at the front of the pack. Not as leader, but as one fleeing their sharp fangs.
“How To Become a Werewolf” (Haunted #17, July 1974) was written by Nicola Cuti. Fawcett’s Worlds of Fear #10 did a similar one-pager back in June 1953.
“The Game Keeper” (Ghostly Haunts #40, September 1974) was written and drawn by Tom Sutton. Avis marries into the family Drood and goes to a creepy castle to live. Her husband tells her she must never venture outside at night. When he does in the form of werewolf, she follows to find who really rules at Castle Drood. Tom chose that great last panel for the reprint cover.
“Curse of the Kolukoffs” (Ghost Manor #26, November 1975) was written by Joe Gill. Baron Sergei von Kolukoff leads his werewolves on the hunt. When his cousin, Leonidas, shows up the two men argue over the shooting of wolves. In the end, Leonides kills Sergei and his wolf-kind. For Leonides is a vampire, and one who knows about silver bullets. Steve Ditko drew a new cover when the story was reprinted.
“The Werewolf’s Ghost” (Haunted #26, March 1976) was written by Nicola Cuti. Willie Brennan is protecting his girl, Kathleen, from a werewolf. He kills the monster with a silver bullet. Unfortunately, Willie was wounded by the monster and inherits its curse. He drives the werewolf’s ghost out with exorcism. He and Kathleen can now be together. Except Kate got wounded too, and is now a werewolf.
I found this one interesting because it reminded me of Robert E. Howard’s “In the Forest of Villefere” and “Wolfshead”, where wounding the lycanthrope gives you the curse. REH also had a weird ghostly spirit land on the man to transform it. His version of the “Wolf Man” predates the Hollywood icons.
“Brain Fever” (Haunted #27, May 1976 (reprinted in Haunted #58, October 1981) was written by Mike Pellowski. The mad scientist, Van Steiger, and his beautiful daughter (or course) are buying dead people parts for their Frankenstein monster. Too bad they got the brain of a werewolf. Their creature turns into a wolf-man and runs off.
“Subway Stop” (Haunted #31, September 1977) was written and drawn by Tom Sutton. This dream-like (or nightmare-like) story has Roderick seeking a doctor, not Caligari or Frankenstein, but Jekyll. His friends, a werewolf and a Frankenstein monster, try to help but the spirit of Poe leads the poor Roderick to the fall of his house. Or is it a train? A Gothic masterpiece by Sutton.
“The Summer People” (Haunted #33, December 1977) was written by Joe Gill. (We began with Pete Morisi, and we will finish with him.) Hubert Blye, the realtor, is hiding something from Raymond Poole and his wife, Evelyn. The summer visitors are told to stay away from a locked room. Unbeknowst to old Hubie, the couple are a werewolf and a vampire. In their supernatural forms they investigate, and learn that the house is haunted by ghosts. The supernatural beings, worried about being lonely during the winter months, are only too happy to buy the place along with its phantoms.
