My Rating
“Carnival of Fear!”
Captured by the sinister swami Rihva, Jack Russell has become a circus sideshow freak for the mysterious Calliope’s Carnival and Circus. Now known as the Wildman of Borneo, the young Californian has been put on display the very “first night” of the full moon. As the Carnival barker whips the gathering Carnival goers into a frenzied awe the werewolf begins to take shape. Some believe this to be real, while others mock in protest to cheap Hollywood effects. None however would believe what would happen next.
Wednesday morning, two detectives are about to meet at the 23rd district police headquarters building in downtown Los Angeles. Lt. Hackett had finished reading the journal of the murdered big game hunter named Joshua Kane the night before. Vince, a fellow detective and the office gossip, walks in with a copy of the Los Angeles Times newspaper; the headline reads “Werewolf On The Loose!”. Lou Hackett frowns at the words printed in all caps. Their reporters sure like to sensationalize the most unlikely garbage in order to stir up subscriptions. But there is mounting evidence of something strange stalking the streets. It’s time to put the rumors to sleep.
Why did Jack Russell abandon Buck and Lissa at the carnival midway? Is the Great Rihva controlling both man and beast with his powerful swami magic? Will Lt. Hackett uncover the truth behind the Los Angeles county werewolf attacks? Collect the series to find out!
Reviewer Notes
Mike Ploog is my favorite Marvel bronze age comic book artist, and his work in issue number six of Werewolf By Night is a true masterwork. Everything from Rihva’s crystal ball insets, to the faces on the truck drivers looking to protect their cargo, the art is done with such detail it’s easy to forget this book was drawn almost fifty years ago. The werewolf transformation scene alone is worth the price of the book.
Ploog’s werewolf designs maintain that classic look made famous by Universal Studios during the silver screen era. With the resurgence of the monster movie during the 1970s, it is clear that many artists like Ploog and writer Len Wein were inspired by independent studios like Hammer Films. The quality and the overall production of this book is the reason I’m giving it a five star rating.
If you want to check out the series, or this specific issue, I definitely think it is worth the price tag. If you don’t have the funds, I suggest visiting the various websites out there offering full page scans of the books in question. For me, issue six is a true classic and should be in every horror comic book owner’s collection.
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