Werewolf By Night

[destro]

I recently picked up a cheap copy of Werewolf by Night #35 by Doug Moench and Don Perlin and was kind of intrigued. This is one of the few Marvel titles I know almost nothing about.

1st, I never knew that Moench worked on the title. How long was he on the book? The only issue I have ever read of WWBN before this was Moon Knight's 1st appearance, I'm guessing that Moench wrote that as well since he did a lot of work later on the character.

Anyway #35 was much more gory and violent than I would have expected, even for something that came out during the 70s horror boom. The story is pretty damned close to Richard Matheson's Hell House. Belaric Marcosa is the name of the villain here and the novel's villain is named Emeric Belasco... Their origin stories are extremely similar, down to the maimed leg/legs, gathering up a group of people who quickly descended into debauchery, etc..I'm guessing Doug must have just read the book? It's a bit too close actually.

I'm just interested in the quality of the rest of the series and what people have to say about this comic. I hardly ever see anyone talking about it, Tomb of Dracula seems to have had a lot more fans.

[Brian Gravity]

Great run of comics right there. I have around 25 issues and the bulk of them feature quality artwork by the likes of Gil Kane, Don Perlin, Mike Ploog, and John Romita. The earlier stories by Gerry Conway are fantastic, classic 70's camp. Marv Wolfman kicks it into high gear in #11 starting with "Full Moon, Fear Moon" and following with, "Cry Monster". Wolfman continues with the classic Dracula vs. Wolfman arc.

But it is the Doug Moench run (beginning in I believe #20) that takes the series over the top. As you mentioned, the series becomes a darker, bloodier comic under Moench's helm...going down in history as the man to introduce the world to Moon Knight.

Werewolf by Night is one of those comics that fit perfectly for it's decade, much like Man-Thing and Ghost Rider. Oddly enough the issues keep going up in value, and not just the 1st Moon Knight app. either. That's only because it's classic bronze-age Marvel horror at it's very best.

[destro]

Great run of comics right there. I have around 25 issues and the bulk of them feature quality artwork by the likes of Gil Kane, Don Perlin, Mike Ploog, and John Romita. The earlier stories by Gerry Conway are fantastic, classic 70's camp. Marv Wolfman kicks it into high gear in #11 starting with "Full Moon, Fear Moon" and following with, "Cry Monster". Wolfman continues with the classic Dracula vs. Wolfman arc.

But it is the Doug Moench run (beginning in I believe #20) that takes the series over the top. As you mentioned, the series becomes a darker, bloodier comic under Moench's helm...going down in history as the man to introduce the world to Moon Knight.

Werewolf by Night is one of those comics that fit perfectly for it's decade, much like Man-Thing and Ghost Rider. Oddly enough the issues keep going up in value, and not just the 1st Moon Knight app. either. That's only because it's classic bronze-age Marvel horror at it's very best.

Cool, thanks for the info. I think I'm going to pick up the 2nd Marvel Essential collection that starts at #21 because I'm mainly interested in the Moench stuff and want to avoid the Conway stories..not a big Gerry Conway fan.

[berk]

The Conway stories aren't bad, but the main attraction of the series before Moench took over is Mike Ploog's artwork. IIRC, Moench took a few issues to get going, but by the late #20s the writing really started to pick up. Don Perlin's artwork really came into its own around the same time, once he was doing his own inks. It's too bad the series was cancelled so soon, I had the feeling that Moench and Perlin were just getting started.

And yeah, the Belasco haunted house story was a straight lift from Matheson's novel, and I'm sure Moench would acknowledge it as such. I don't recall anyone mentioning it on the letters page. I had no idea myself until I happened to read Hell House years afterwards and of course immediately went, "hey, wait a minute ...". I don't imagine you'd get away with that kind of thing now.

[destro]

The Conway stories aren't bad, but the main attraction of the series before Moench took over is Mike Ploog's artwork. IIRC, Moench took a few issues to get going, but by the late #20s the writing really started to pick up. Don Perlin's artwork really came into its own around the same time, once he was doing his own inks. It's too bad the series was cancelled so soon, I had the feeling that Moench and Perlin were just getting started.

And yeah, the Belasco haunted house story was a straight lift from Matheson's novel, and I'm sure Moench would acknowledge it as such. I don't recall anyone mentioning it on the letters page. I had no idea myself until I happened to read Hell House years afterwards and of course immediately went, "hey, wait a minute ...". I don't imagine you'd get away with that kind of thing now.

I've just made it a rule to avoid EVERYTHING by Gerry Conway, he's one of my all time least favorite writers. But I do like Ploog, hmmm..dammit! I'm still going to start with the 2nd essential collection and depending on how I feel about it I might have to go back and check out the 1st, Conway or no...

Okay thanks, I'm glad it wasn't just me on the Hell House thing. I've been 10 years since I read the novel, but I immediately noticed the similarities there. I suppose if you're going to "borrow" off a story you might as well pick a good one like Hell House.

[berk]

I usually avoid Conway's writing myself as well, but his WbN stories aren't the worst things he ever did and the Ploog art makes them worthwhile IMO. Marv Wolfman did a short stint on the series as well and I believe introduced Topaz there, the character that later appeared in Tomb of Dracula. I just had a look at Lonestar and you can get most of the Werewolf by Night issues pretty cheap, many for only a buck or two. Of course the character's intro in Marvel Spotlight and the two Moon Knight issues are quite expensive, unfortunately.

[Richard Bishop]

I just won an eBay auction for 10 issues of Werewolf by Night for $37. Most of the books are between issue #5 and #14, with a #34 and a Giant-Size #5 thrown in as well. I also picked up a number of these in the mid-20's for $1 (yeah, I know) from the LCS near my office; they aren't pristine, but they are complete and perfectly readable.

It's a good series, about a cut below Tomb of Dracula in terms of quality, but worth picking up.

[dan bailey]

Definitely one of my favorite series back when it was coming out. By the time I started buying it, Ploog would've left, but I know from memory that I subsequently managed to pick up a solid assortment of his issues, & for that matter I quite liked Don Perlin's work on the strip as well.

[pinkfloydsound17]

I just won an eBay auction for 10 issues of Werewolf by Night for $37. Most of the books are between issue #5 and #14, with a #34 and a Giant-Size #5 thrown in as well. I also picked up a number of these in the mid-20's for $1 (yeah, I know) from the LCS near my office; they aren't pristine, but they are complete and perfectly readable.

It's a good series, about a cut below Tomb of Dracula in terms of quality, but worth picking up.

I was watching that one! Had a few issues in my possesion a few years ago, but sold them in favour for other titles. I do really want to collect them though.

For those who do (or know more than me), I have always wondered why the first Moon Knight app. is so highly sought after....someone have a history lesson for me? Was he just plain cool like Punisher when he came out? What gives?

[destro]

I was watching that one! Had a few issues in my possesion a few years ago, but sold them in favour for other titles. I do really want to collect them though.

For those who do (or know more than me), I have always wondered why the first Moon Knight app. is so highly sought after....someone have a history lesson for me? Was he just plain cool like Punisher when he came out? What gives?

Well yes he's cool! But he never reached anything like Punisher levels of popularity. He's a long time (well relatively speaking anyway) solid C list character, that's probably enough to make it worth something. Moon Knight has had 4 or 5 (more?) on going series at this point, was a West Coast Avenger for at time and has always had a cult following. If you're interested, check out his 1st ongoing by Doug Moench and Bill Seinkiewicz. Or his back up stories in the Rampaging Hulk magazine. I think most people would probably agree that this was when the character was at his best.

He's probably on the same level of popularity as say...someone like Iron Fist.

As for what makes the character interesting, he's kind of a Batman type of character with some mysticism thrown in. For a long period he had multiple personalities, a millionaire named Steven Grant, a cab driver named Jake Lockley, his original mercenary identity Marc Spectre and his Super hero identity of Moon Knight. That alone set him apart from many characters. Eventually this was dropped. In his most recent series which I have not read (not a Bendis fan at all) they bought this back I've heard.

Also his 1st series was one of the 1st Marvel comics to be a direct market only title. I don't think it started out that way, but at some point it happened. All ads were dropped aside from inhouse stuff, and they did some nice text features, blue prints of his equipment, back up stories, etc.. to fill up the extra pages.

[pinkfloydsound17]

Well yes he's cool! But he never reached anything like Punisher levels of popularity. He's a long time (well relatively speaking anyway) solid C list character, that's probably enough to make it worth something. Moon Knight has had 4 or 5 (more?) on going series at this point, was a West Coast Avenger for at time and has always had a cult following. If you're interested, check out his 1st ongoing by Doug Moench and Bill Seinkiewicz. Or his back up stories in the Rampaging Hulk magazine. I think most people would probably agree that this was when the character was at his best.

He's probably on the same level of popularity as say...someone like Iron Fist.

As for what makes the character interesting, he's kind of a Batman type of character with some mysticism thrown in. For a long period he had multiple personalities, a millionaire named Steven Grant, a cab driver named Jake Lockley, his original mercenary identity Marc Spectre and his Super hero identity of Moon Knight. That alone set him apart from many characters. Eventually this was dropped. In his most recent series which I have not read (not a Bendis fan at all) they bought this back I've heard.

Also his 1st series was one of the 1st Marvel comics to be a direct market only title. I don't think it started out that way, but at some point it happened. All ads were dropped aside from inhouse stuff, and they did some nice text features, blue prints of his equipment, back up stories, etc.. to fill up the extra pages.

Thanks for the insight! And I just threw Punisher's name out there... I know Moon Knight not near that level at all. Iron Fist makes more sense. Maybe I will dive into some of his stories someday.

[Richard Bishop]

I was watching that one! Had a few issues in my possesion a few years ago, but sold them in favour for other titles. I do really want to collect them though.

For those who do (or know more than me), I have always wondered why the first Moon Knight app. is so highly sought after....someone have a history lesson for me? Was he just plain cool like Punisher when he came out? What gives?

I should be receiving them tomorrow. Looking forward to reading them very much.

I would assume that the Moon Knight appearance is highly sought after may have something to do with print run on Werewolf by Night. I cannot imagine that WbN was selling tons of copies, so for an issue in the final year of the series to feature the first appearance of a solid MU character (not a superstar but still one with a long history), the number of copies available most likely isn't the same as if Moon Knight had debuted in an issue of Avengers and as such has a higher price.

[Romero]

WBN is one of those series I really want all the original issues of. I am only maybe halfway there though. One of my anniversary gifts was "Marvel Spotlight #2" which is WBN first appearance. Ploog drew that one too and you can tell that his style really improved once things got going. I also have at least one earlier issue that Tom Sutton did which is awesome as well.

Homage to "Hell House" it may be, that Marcosa storyline is one of my favorites in any comic ever. Some of Perlin's best work.

[shaxper]

This is definitely on my "to acquire/read" list for the near future, and I've been trying to find an inexpensive copy of that dang first Moon Knight appearance for months now!

Over the past year, I've come to realize that Doug Moench is my favorite comic writer of all time. It's amazing he isn't more celebrated in the comic community.

[Romero]

Over the past year, I've come to realize that Doug Moench is my favorite comic writer of all time. It's amazing he isn't more celebrated in the comic community.

I've also come to realize that if he isn't my favorite, he is right there at 2 or 3. The stuff he was doing in WBN and especially Master of Kung Fu was pretty epic. Big, multipart, mature stories enhanced by uniformly awesome art work. Heck, the guy even made a Godzilla comic not a complete joke!

I think you're right though. I don't know that I have ever seen him get quite the love that some of his contemporaries get.