Comics Fondle

This issue barely qualifies as a Werewolf by Night, with Isabella focusing mostly on Tigra. Jack Russell shows up for the first couple pages (he forgets it’s going to be a full moon, down in Mexico on vacation). Then he turns into the werewolf and stays the werewolf the rest of the issue. There’s even a sequence where the werewolf gets knocked out for twenty-four hours (Jack sleeping through the human-time).

But the issue’s darn good. Isabella writes Tigra well–it’s her origin as a cat-woman here–and comes up with an interesting bit for the werewolf. In explaining why the werewolf thinks to fight alongside her, it’s because the werewolf’s developed a crush. The end of the comic, after the crush is broken and the werewolf is alone, Isabella comes up with the simplest, yet most effective moment in the series so far. A single “third night” panel with the werewolf alone.

What Isabella does, using the werewolf as a supporting character (though Jack’s ever-present narration is ever-present), is give the werewolf (not Jack) some real development. Isabella writes the creature as lonely and somewhat confused, sympathetic and… human. The closest the series writers have ever come is with the werewolf’s concern for family members.

Perlin’s art here is also better than it is in the regular book. The werewolf looks less goofy–maybe Perlin just needs him in an action setting versus a horror one.

As for Tigra’s story, it’s a good cat people versus Hydra yarn. Isabella brings a lot of humor into it (Hydra members chastising each other and so on) and some good character development ones too. Isabella’s exposition is also real nice.

It’s a shame this issue is the best Werewolf by Night in so long.

B+

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