Under the cover of a full moon, we shed a light on Jack Russell, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT! How many Warren Zevon references do we fit into this episode? Listen now to find out!
- Intro
- Apologies for delays in episodes - Doc and I going thru stuff (separately)
- Reminder that Shenanicon registration is now open - still no word on exact date & time of Baccano panel
- Background (3:13)
- Jack Russell, Werewolf by Night, created by Roy Thomas, Jeanie Thomas, Gerry Conway, & Mike Ploog in Marvel Spotlight #2 (Feb. 1972)
- Jacob Russoff is the son of Gregor Russoff, a Transylvanian baron whose ancestor was bitten by a werewolf working for Vlad Dracula in 1795
- Gregor acquired the Darkhold and read it, triggering the latent curse and turning him into a werewolf - after he was killed, his wife Laura moved to America and remarried her brother-in-law Phillip Russell, and Jacob became Jack Russell
- Jack’s curse took effect on his 18th birthday, and shortly thereafter his family’s driver sabotaged his mother’s car to crash under Phillip’s orders - before her death she told Jack the truth about his heritage and made him promise not to take revenge on Phillip (no promise was made about the driver, though…)
- Spent most of the next few years on the run from the Committee, who wanted to capture him and use him for their own purposes - among the many people hired by the Committee was Moon Knight, who defeated Jack before having a change of heart and teaming up with Jack to escape
- Spends a chunk of the 80s on a motorcycle driving around the country - after a battle with the Hulk, his father’s spirit tells him he must accept his beastly nature or die; he does, and gains control over his transformation and abilities
- Unfortunately his control didn’t last, and he began seeing visions of Hell during his transformations - this drove him to alcoholism and suicidal thoughts until he encountered a woman similarly afflicted and under siege by a small town - they killed the leaders and agreed to help each other live free
- He was given a vaccine by Michael Morbius that helped him regain control, and he joined the Midnight Sons - his new mindset was that of acceptance, and he was determined to find other “monsters” around the world and help them the way he had been helped - this includes Rahne Sinclair’s son, who she rejected because the child was feral
- He had his head blown off by Deadpool after Wade found him in bed with his wife - he survived, but it took some time for his head to grow back
- Issues - Theme is “a sheep in wolf’s clothing” (7:46)
- Finally reached an acceptance of his werewolf nature, even if the world hasn’t
- Formerly suicidal alcoholic (14:10)
- A drifter who’s unattached to any one place for too long (24:28)
- Break (32:12)
- Treatment
- In-universe - Treat yo self
- Out of universe - Focus on the addiction issues first, and then work on the other things
- Skit (41:40)