Werewolves, also known as Lycanthropes or Wolfmen, are mythological humans with the ability to shapeshift into wolves or wolf-like creatures, either purposely, being bitten by another werewolf or after being placed under a curse.

History

Most werewolves develop common physical attributes including enhanced strength, speed, reflexes and sharpened senses. Some legends maintain that a human will only transform into a werewolf on the three nights of the full moon, but this is not true in all matters and there have been several documented cases of people assuming a wolf-like shape during various lunar cycles.

Pre-Crisis

On Earth-Two in 1936, Doctor Occult encountered and defeated Mrs. Daniels, the leader of the Wolf Cult, and her pack of werewolves.^[4][5][6]

On Earth-Two in 1939, Batman matched wits against an alleged werewolf known as the Mad Monk. Though he was referred to as a werewolf and did demonstrate the ability to transform into a wolf, the Mad Monk's abilities were more in line with those of a vampire than an actual werewolf. These two categories of monster are not necessarily exclusive, that is, nothing prevents a living werewolf from being turned, willingly or unwillingly, into a vampire by a vampire.^[7]

In the Quality Universe in 1944, the mysterious crime-fighter Destiny teleported himself to Nazi-occupied Warsaw, Poland, and there encountered a werewolf.^[8]

In the Quality Universe in 1947, Captain Triumph's girlfriend Kim was kidnapped by a man named Raffrey, who, in reality, was a self-made werewolf. Captain Triumph punched him to death, then he reverted to human form, and died.^[9]

Post-Crisis

During the early 1940s, Warren Griffith was a werewolf who served within a special military detachment known as the Creature Commandos.^[10]

Professor Achilles Milo developed a drug that would cure Anthony Lupus's headaches, but ended up turning him into a werewolf. This was deliberate on Prof. Milo's part, as he wanted to manipulate Lupus into killing Batman.^[11]

Years later, the teen super-hero known as Robin briefly found himself afflicted with lycanthropy.^[12]

In The Sandman, we read the story of Vassily, part of a somewhat different kind of werewolves known simply as The People.^[13]

More recently, Superman and Batman began investigating a bizarre string of attacks in the Gotham City area which involved both werewolves and vampires.^[14]

In the alternate reality known as "Fables", one of the most influential denizens of Fabletown is Bigby Wolf, aka, the Big Bad Wolf; arguably the most famous werewolf of all time.^[15]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Lycanthropy
  • Transformation
    • Claws
    • Enhanced Senses
    • Fangs
    • Invulnerability
    • Superhuman Reflexes
    • Superhuman Stamina
    • Superhuman Strength

Weaknesses

• Most werewolves are vulnerable to physical contact with silver. A silver bullet fired at a strategic locale, such as the head or the heart will kill a werewolf. The same applies to bladed weapons made of silver including swords, spears and daggers. Repeated blows from a blunt object made of silver will eventually kill a werewolf.

Miscellaneous

Type of Government:

None; Werewolves are generally solitary creatures and rarely congregate with one another. One of the few exceptions is the Werewolf Nation from Earth-50 continuity, which is a monarchy.

Representatives:

• Anthony Lupus
• Armand Waering
• Bigby Wolf
• Cadejos
• Kyle Abbot
• Lar-On
• Rover
• Scratch
• Warren Griffith
• Rina
• Turk
  

Notes

• This character or object is an adaptation of Werewolf, a character or object in traditional stories. These include, but may not be limited to, religious texts, myth, and/or folklore. More information on the original can be found at Wikipedia.org.
• On Pre-Crisis Earth-AD, one of the many races that existed were the Wolf People. These beings were the result of scientific mutation and were not true werewolves.
• In Earth-One continuity, werewolves existed on the planet Krypton as well. In one instance, Superman was briefly turned into a Werewolf and fought against his colleague Batman.^[16]
• Robin was once briefly turned into a werewolf.^[17]
• Earth-C had the legend of the "Wuz-Wolf": a wolf who was cursed to transform into a mythical being called a human. A. Wolf came under such a curse due to a medallion affected by the same meteorite that gave the Zoo Crew their powers. ^[18]

See Also

• Appearances of Werewolves
• Race Gallery: Werewolves
• Images of Werewolves

Links and References