Marvel presents the latest edition of Werewolf By Night #1, the third modern reboot of Gerry Conway's 1970s horror classic. Written by renowned novelist Derek Landy of Skulduggery Pleasant fame, illustrated and colored by The Amazing Spider-Man alumni Fran Galan, with letters by VC's Joe Sabino. The titular King of the Wolves, Jack Russell, is trapped in a race against time to foil Doktor Nekromantik and destined to cross paths with old flame, Elsa Bloodstone, who is also out to thwart dastardly Teutonic plans.
Werewolf By Night #1 opens in the mountains, with Russell cutting a path through the forest and hoards of undead towards the castle of Doktor Nekromantik. Elsewhere, Bloodstone opts to travel in style, the former lovers joining forces when they bump into each other mid-slaughter in the castle. Nekromantik waits below, and stopping his latest scheme will test the duo's power and wits like never before.
Werewolf By Night #1 shines consistently in its writing. Landy has crafted a fantastic short one-shot story. Although the opening starts a little shaky, the narrative voice of Bloodstone is where Landy really hits his stride and the comic moves from strength to strength after that. The weakness of the introduction lies in the lack of a counterpoint for Russell. The contrast between Bloodstone and Russell is the absolute center of the comic. The pair share terrific interplay in their dialogue and their internal monologues, which make great use of dramatic irony and are laugh-out-loud funny in several places. The comic is packed with sharply witty and dramatic lines, especially in the dialogue, written incisively and with stunning mastery of tone. Landy makes great use of generic conventions but isn't afraid to subvert them. This is echoed by the great and unexpected conclusion, with a real sense of denouement that speaks to how excellently the whole comic is structured, moving from duality to one narrative thread and back again.
Galan's illustration is fantastic throughout Werewolf By Night #1. All the character design is terrific except for the werewolf, who lacks a definitive aesthetic and, as a result, feels underwhelming. The use of different mediums is really inventive and novel, the use of all pencils vs. all inks acting as a great visual shorthand for Russell and Bloodstone, giving them distinct flavors with stunning flair. The action scenes scattered throughout have some amazing panels and set pieces but lack a feeling of fluidity and momentum that makes them feel static despite their individual merit. The smattering of full-page panels is a great opportunity for Galan to flex his remarkable sense of composition, punctuating the comic at pivotal story beats with a superb sense of gravitas.
The colors are striking and do a great deal of narrative work in Werewolf By Night #1. Galan elevates his art with creative and dramatic choices. The monochromes that characterize Russell are atmospheric and moody, but they miss some essential gothic element that makes them fall a bit flat early on. The orange and warm tones of Bloodstone's section are much more visually engaging, unconventional, and oozing with style. The interpolating of both color schemes for the rest of the comic creates an utterly unique visual texture. Sabino's letters are clear throughout, doing well to capture the radically different cadences of Russell and Bloodstone. The colorful narrative boxes are great, although his more generic word balloons feel out of place alongside such exciting, unconventional artwork.
Werewolf By Night #1 is an excellent comic, slipping into the world of cosmic horror with style and whip-sharp humor. Landy and Galan deliver a gem of a one-shot that demonstrates how much a talented creative team can do with a limited page count. Visually arresting, expertly constructed, and with charm to spare, Werewolf By Night #1 should not be missed.