Werewolf by Night: Blood Moon Rise #1 Bites More Than it Can Chew (Review)

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For many years, Jack Russell, the original Werewolf by Night, has been a crucial element in Marvel Comics’ horror realm. Ever since his introduction in the 70s, he has portrayed the sorrowful character of a cursed hero, a man constantly battling the beast within him. Although he was cherished among long-time comic enthusiasts, he primarily remained confined to that specific part of the universe. However, this changed with the launch of the highly praised Disney+ special, Werewolf by Night, which brought the character into mainstream prominence. It’s only fitting, then, that the director of the special, Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino, who successfully introduced Werewolf by Night to a new audience, is now venturing into comic book writing with a fresh story featuring this werewolf.

Unfortunately, the first issue of “Werewolf by Night: Blood Moon Rise” struggles to maintain its ambitious goals. Advertised as a standalone issue, it feels more like an unconnected prelude to a larger, undefined event, rather than a complete story in itself. This lack of clarity takes away from the project’s potential appeal and leaves readers with more queries than they started with.

The tale of “Blood Moon Rise” initiates with a chilling supernatural setting. Jack Russell finds himself imprisoned in the icy dungeons of Dracula’s castle. Here, he discovers that Dracula, the Master Vampire, has been keeping him under his control for an unspecified duration, manipulating his thoughts. As Jack struggles to escape, he starts piecing together pieces of a larger puzzle, coming to understand that Dracula’s plan goes beyond him and involves other nighttime creatures, who are being used as chess pieces in a hidden game.

In these initial scenes, Giacchino’s script gleams with brilliance, capturing the dark, monstrously atmospheric vibe reminiscent of Universal Monsters, which made his film so impactful. The narrative immediately delves into Jack’s internal turmoil, the heart-wrenching battle between his yearning to be a virtuous man and the primal instincts of the wolf yearning for liberation. This struggle has been Jack Russell’s defining characteristic for over half a century, and by revisiting these fundamentals, Giacchino shows a deep insight into Jack’s core personality. The sadness of his life resonates deeply, making Blood Moon Rise seem like an ideal comic book sequel to Giacchino’s work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Initially, when the narrative shifts from the character’s personal turmoil to confronting Dracula, it starts to lose coherence. The narrative brings in two beloved monsters from Marvel and an enigmatic werewolf, yet fails to provide reasons for their appearance other than hinting at their role in Dracula’s scheme. Regrettably, by the conclusion of the issue, Dracula’s objectives remain infuriatingly unclear, and the nature of the larger peril that this journey seems to foreshadow is never disclosed.

This tale seems disconnected, residing in a peculiar narrative no man’s land. It might be seen as a prelude to the MCU special’s events or perhaps a prologue for another comic series, such as the latest “Werewolf by Night: Red Band”. However, lacking any clear ties to established elements, the story falls short on all accounts. It doesn’t deliver as a standalone piece, nor does it effectively set up a larger project. Consequently, the final page’s cryptic “The… End…?” appears less like an intriguing cliffhanger and more like a confession that Marvel Comics plans to carry on this narrative elsewhere, which makes this particular issue unsatisfactory in its own right.

Enhancing the main narrative’s challenges comes the typography, which at times feels overbearing and disruptive. The style aims to echo the horror comics of Marvel from the 1970s, a period characterized by large, dramatic sound effects dominating the pages. Though an admirable concept theoretically, it contradicts contemporary artistic tastes. David Messina’s artwork is cinematic and rich in detail, but it is frequently overshadowed by excessively large lettering that steals attention from the art. In today’s comic world where lettering has evolved to be more refined and SFX have become subtler, these space-consuming elements make the pages seem cluttered.

Interestingly, it’s the five-page side story by Jason Loo, titled “A Howling Nightmare,” that effectively resolves the main issue in this comic. This brief tale introduces Jack, his sister Lissa, and the latest Werewolf by Night, Jake Gomez, who find themselves in a bizarre dreamworld under the control of the classic adversary Nightmare. In stark contrast to the lengthy main feature, Loo demonstrates expert skills in succinct storytelling within these few pages. The narrative is straightforward, the characters’ intentions are crystal clear, and the conflict culminates in a genuinely fulfilling resolution. This compact story offers just the right amount of context for new readers while offering long-time fans an enjoyable treat.

Above all, “A Howling Nightmare” delves into the internal struggles of its werewolf characters, which makes the contrast with the confusing development of the main story even more striking. In essence, “A Howling Nightmare” demonstrates that engaging Werewolf by Night tales can thrive in a concise format. The achievement of this story serves as an indication that Blood Moon Rise was conceived as part of something much larger than what could be effectively addressed within the scope of a single one-shot comic.

Rating: 3 out of 5 

How did you find the first issue of “Werewolf by Night: Blood Moon Rise”? Did you also enjoy the supplementary story as the highlight? Let’s share our thoughts below!

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2025-07-30 15:10