Capwolf And The Howling Commandos - Volume 01 Issue 01

My Rating

“Capwolf And The Howling Commandos – Part 01”

Europe – 1945, Nazi occupied France has been liberated thanks to brave men such as Sgt. Nick Fury and his Howling Commandos. Now desperate to hold every inch of ground he can, Adolf Hitler has turned to his arsenal of wonder weapons and the strange occult rituals of Heinrich Himmler’s Black Sun division for victory. All is not lost for Germany, but the Führer’s options have become limited.

Nighttime over the Ardennes Forest, a single C-47 transport plane makes its way toward a classified drop point. Inside, a tense argument has erupted between commando leader Dum-Dum Dugan and Captain Steve Rogers. No one has led the Howling Commandos into battle before except Nick Fury. The General may have placed Captain America in charge of the mission, but in Dugan’s mind, the separation of powers was implied. With Nick Fury temporarily out of action, Dugan should be in charge of the men, dammit!

Two hours later, as the men make their way through the German forest towards their objective, Dugan throws salt on the already festering wound of leadership. Captain America is but a marketing gimmick used to sell war bonds to the old ladies back in the states. His battle experience has been limited to a few specialized engagements. So what if he can rip the hatch cover off of a tank with his bare hands. How does that demonstrate true leadership?

Before Steve Rogers can respond to Dugan’s idiotic rant, the sound of several wolves howling in the nearby treeline interrupts the spirited debate. The Commandos begin to spread out as the nerve-racking symphony of noise grows closer and closer to their position. As the men ready their weapons several large beasts lunge at them from the mist and shadows.

Does Captain America have enough experience to lead the combat tested men of the 107th Infantry Regiment? What secrets are being kept inside the Nazi bunker complex deep inside the Ardennes Forest. Are the legendary monsters of Hollywood’s silver screen based on living creatures in tye real world? Collect the series to find out!

Reviewer Notes

Wow, supernatural forces have made their way onto the battlefields of 1945 Germany. Sgt. Rock and the boys of Easy Company have defeated a battalion of undead soldiers created by Hitler’s own Doctor Morell. Now it appears Captain America and the Howling Commandos have discovered a pack of Werewolves inside the Ardennes Forest. Next President Truman will tell us there are inhuman saucer men living in a secret base on the moon. Oh, the humanity!

I don’t know the exact details of the original Captain America werewolf story arc, so I’m assuming this new series is based on events leading up to him becoming cursed. I liked the writing and art here, but the concept has become a bit stale. Most recently, DC Comics released Sgt. Rock Vs. The Army of the Dead which pits the U S. Military against horrifying monsters summoned from beyond the grave.

Over the past ten years there have been a myriad of horror movies released through various movie studios and cable television networks. I’m not saying I dislike the genre or the quality of said productions, I’m just pointing out the fruit is plentiful.

I do want to mention, however, that I’m taking points off my final review for the gigantic blunder in the tank battle scene. Carlos Magno depicts Captain America and the Howling Commandos fighting off a mysterious new “German” super heavy battle tank. Being a minor World War II history buff myself, I decided to do a little research to see if Carlos’ tank design was based on an actual, real life vehicle. To my surprise, Captain America tears off the turret hatch of a prototype American design. Is Captain America a traitor?!? Not exactly.

The tank shown in the battle is the American T28 Super Heavy Tank, also referred to as the Gun Motor Carriage T95. First developed by the United States military to counter Germany’s own super heavy battle tanks, this design saw very limited use during the war. In my opinion, to be historically accurate,

Carlos Magno should have used the Panzerkampfwagen VIII “Maus”. Yes, there were only two made, but hey at least it’s German engineering.

My overall rating for this introductory issue is three out of five stars. Now if Stephanie Phillips can work in the Nazi Die Glocke “Bell”, or Stalin’s “Humanzee” super-soldier project, we are talking major points!