Werewolves in Black & White seems like the perfect way to follow our Conan Black & White series. Why? Because a good werewolf tale has as much action and atmosphere as a good Sword & Sorcery tale. (When I get both, like in Keith Taylor’s “Buried Silver” (Fantastic, February 1977) or Karl Edward Wagner’s “Reflections for the Winter of My Soul” (Death Angel’s Shadow, 1973), my toes absolutely curl!
Another reason is the fact that the greatest werewolf movies, The Werewolf of London (1935) and The Wolf-Man (1941) appeared in black & white. The b&w magazine with lush images falls back to this tradition in a way that Universal era monsters have. This same feeling creeps from the best of these 1960s and early 1970s pieces. Not surprising it is Warren Publications and their copy-cat Skywald that are represented here. Later Marvel will try their hand. (And two of those will be Sword & Sorcery!)
1960s
“Werewolf!” (Creepy #1, 1964) was written by Larry Ivey. I suppose another reason for black & white werewolves is the first artist to set the werewolf strip firmly in the Warren catalogue was Frank Frazetta. His “Werewolf!” is hard to top in any magazine. (The early Warrens were lucky to have Frank doing covers for them too.) Demmon the big game hunter is hired to destroy a werewolf that is haunting the villages. Too bad he didn’t know who ever killed it took over its curse.
“Creepy’s Loathsome Lore” (Creepy #2, 1965) was written by Archie Goodwin. A nice run through werewolf history from berserkers to psychopaths.
“Eerie”s Monster Gallery #1 — The Werewolf!” (Eerie #2, March 1966) was probably written by Archie Goodwin. John Severin gives us a good version of Victorian London.
“Blood of the Werewolf” (Creepy #12, December 1966) was written by Archie Goodwin. The plot has a man on a bender wake up to the evil experiments of Dr. Nigel. Later when he attacks his shrink, he is shot with silver bullets. How did he know? When your father is Dr. Nigel, you have the edge. Everyone always associates Steve Ditko with Spider-Man but I prefer his work he did for Warren more. It has subtle shadings and way more depth.
“Wolf Bait!” (Eerie#8, March 1967) was written by Buddy Saunders and Archie Goodwin. Wilma and chemist, Bruce, are engaged but he-man Thad keeps pressing Wilma to go with him. There is a werewolf out there killing people and it’s Thad. He kills the chemist but Wilma injects him with Bruce’s last experiment, a solution with a base of silver nitrate. The doomed love triangle tale is an old chestnut in Horror comics, even in 1967. Rocco Mastroserio was an old pro from the 1950s Horror comics. His work in the 1960s hasn’t lost its power.
“Two Silver Bullets” (Vampirella #1, September 1969) was written by that master of comics, Don Glut. Glut uses a story similar to Weird Tales like “Lupa” by Robert Barbour Johnson and “The Woman From Loon Lake” by August Derleth & Mark Shorer. (Read an interview with Don here about his other Horror character, Dr. Spektor.) This one also appeals to me because it is a strange Northern. A wolf attacks Maria in the Big Woods of Canada. Her father shoots the beast twice but doesn’t hurt it. Maria is only bite a little. While dad goes on a crusade to kill the loup garou, getting blessed bullets from a priest, Maria is dreaming of running with the wolves. She does, taking off her clothes and becoming a wolf. Later, her father shoots her and the wolf that changed her. Reed Crandall’s drawing is good, with all the expected log cabin stuff. His wolves aren’t scary but sympathetic.
1970s
“I, Werewolf” (Eerie #30, November 1970) was written by Ken Barr. In Austria in 1867, gypsies rescue Eric Feldman in the forest. He has been bitten by animals. Theresa, the beautiful young gypsy convinces her grandmother to save him, though the old woman knows it is trouble. Later Eric becomes a werewolf and eats gram, while the vampire Kargos drinks Theresa’s blood and kills her. Inspector Zanbert takes an interest in the Feldman and follows him. Eric turns into a wolfman and finds Kargos. The two fight, with the werewolf destroying the vamp. Zanbert thanks Eric for this act and lets him go. Barr includes a wolfman versus vampire scene worthy of Frazetta (think Creepy covers #4 and 7).
“The Deadly Mark of the Beast” (Nightmare #1, December 1970) was written by Len Wein. Len’s title sounds like Rudyard Kipling’s classic “The Mark of the Beast” though the plot has nothing to do with it. An area is terrorized by a werewolf. One of the locals figures the beast to be Squire Blake. They visit him. He is a blind man who is seen walking the moors at night with his dog. The locals set a trap for the beast and almost succeed in catching him. During the episode with the net, Clare is killed. Her distraught husband goes to the Squire with a gun filled with a silver bullet. He shoots and kills the old man. But Blake is not the werewolf. His dog turns into the monster and kills him. It is a were-man.
“Whence Stalked the Werewolf” (Nightmare #5, August 1971) was written by Len Brown. We begin on the streets of Victorian London, where two prostitutes fight over territory. The loser is taken by a mysterious figure in a Hansom cab. We jump to 1971 and two psychologists experimenting in past lives hypnosis. Dr. Tracy, the younger cautions Dr. Lund, the older, about hurting patients. Lund doesn’t care, only wants to bring Science ahead. Another jump to the past: this time it is a crowd chasing a werewolf. Again Lund pushes his patient beyond safe protocols. Dr. Tracy leaves to get a policeman. When they return, Lund is dead and the patient has become a werewolf!
Conclusion
These early werewolf comics show a nice variety. Some are obviously inspired by Universal’s Wolf-Man while others give a nod back to old stories and folklore. European settings are traditional, since the old classics come from there. (In the Victorian age, the tales are always set in Styria, what will become known as Transylvania, in later years.) The French Canadien loup garou is the Old World bringing its legends to the New World. Werewolves in Black & White fill these tales with menace and surprises.
We continue with nine more hairy tales next time…
