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Marvel’s Werewolf by Night Has Returned to Moon Knight With an All-New Title
Marvel's Werewolf by Night Has Returned to Moon Knight With an All-New Title,Moon Knight Annual #1 introduces a version of the MCU's newly introduced Werewolf by Night who is quite different from what has been seen before.

Marvel’s Werewolf by Night Has Returned to Moon Knight With an All-New Title

The following contains spoilers for Moon Knight Annual #1, on sale now from Marvel Comics.

In the recent Werewolf by Night Halloween Special on Disney+, Jack Russell is a werewolf out to rescue his friend, the Man-Thing from a group of monster hunters. However, in the Marvel Universe, Russell has a much richer and tumultuous history. The character's origin has all the trappings of a traditional werewolf curse; his father was infected in Transylvania by one of Dracula’s minions, and his mother escaped with him to America where Russell learned of his curse as a teen.

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Once the curse takes hold, Russell’s life also takes a turn. An organization called the Committee hires the monster hunter Moon Knight (aka Marc Spector) to hunt down the werewolf. However, the hired hand sees the Committee as a far worse monster than Russell and frees him. This interaction is the catalyst that pushes Russell into a life filled with suspense and horror.

Werewolf by Night is Now King of All Wolves

The 2022 Moon Knight Annual (by Jed MacKay, Federico Sabbatini, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC's Cory Petit) reinvents Jack Russell as an equally dangerous character to his feral counterpart. In a plot to fulfill a prophecy to free himself and all werewolves from their curses, Jack kidnaps Spector’s daughter in an attempt to lure Moon Knight to his death. In the past, Jack Russell has had control over his alter ego, and led a life of relative heroism. Although his intent is altruistic, his methods here are very much seated in villainy.

In the annual, Russell looks less like a man desperate to rid himself of a curse and more like someone who’s embraced it. His hair and beard are long, he’s shirtless and displaying his battle scars with pride, and he’s surrounded by his werewolf minions. In explaining to his captive, Spector’s daughter Diatrice, why he has taken her, he comes off as strange and grizzled, referring to her as “Chicken”. He mentions having read the Darkhold and claims that he has not lost his mind, although his actions tell a much different story.

Marvel's Darkhold May Have Affected Werewolf By Night

Marvel's Darkhold is an evil book written by the wicked Elder God, Chthon. It has driven most of its readers mad and could not even be controlled by the Scarlett Witch. It has held sway over Carnage, Baron Zemo, and Doctor Doom, and has even corrupted heroes like Iron Man, Black Bolt, Spider-Man, and Blade. Therefore, it isn’t a stretch to assume that a feral monster like Jack Russell wasn’t able to withstand the power of the Darkhold, regardless of what he may think.

As the King of All Wolves, Jack Russell has become more than just the Werewolf by Night. He is now a leader and a powerful influence over the monsters of the Marvel Universe. This, along with his possible corruption by the Darkhold may make Russell too much for Moon Knight to handle as he evolves into a form more powerful than either one of them has seen before.