Once upon a time, Deadly Nightshade turned Captain America into a werewolf, but in the multiverse, even the most minor character has a world of their own. Your Major Spoilers review of Capwolf and the Howling Commandos #1 from Marvel Comics awaits!

CAPWOLF AND THE HOWLING COMMANDOS #1

Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Carlos Magno
Colorist: Espen Grundetjern
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Editor: Alanna Smith
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: October 11, 2023

Previously in Capwolf and the Howling Commandos: When Captain America is transformed into a werewolf on the front lines of World War II, he’ll need the help of the Howling Commandos to take down a band of Nazi cultists who intend to use supernatural forces to turn the tide of battle. But can Cap control the skeptical, jaded Commandos when he can barely control himself?

DATELINE: FRANCE, 1944

In the waning days of World War II, Sergeant Nick Fury and his crack squad, code-named The Howling Commandos, are under siege by German troops. The Howlers are close to overcoming their opponents when a strange, armored vehicle arrives out of nowhere. With Fury trapped, things look bleak, until the sudden arrival of Captain America, whose indestructible shield repels a cannon burst that would have liquefied Nick. Together, they deal with the tank, then debrief with the U.S. Army, where it becomes clear that the Nazis are desperate. Worse still, the Howlers discover a secret plan labeled Wulfsschanze or Wolf’s Lair. Not far away, with a little help from a mystic woman, the SS officers put their Wolf’s Lair plan into motion, which leads to a fierce combat between wolf-men and combat-happy goldbricks.

And then, one of the werewolves slashes Captain America.

WEIRD WAR TALES

As a reviewer, I’ve found that more and more, the solicitation copy for comic books tends to explain (or perhaps over-explain) the premise of the entire series. What that means is a lot of first issues that seem to be hiding things we already know, and a lot of first issues that spend the whole time getting to the point of the premise. This is the latter, and other than a little bit of conflict between Dum-Dum Dugan and Captain America, there aren’t really a lot of surprises in this issue. That leaves the action and the dialogue to do the work, which ends up being a mixed bag. The battle sequences are strong and well-drawn for the most part, with Captain America versus a tank standing out as a striking reveal of the hero. (The creative team also chooses to let him keep his original shield, which makes for a pretty great visual.) The dialogue, on the other hand, is more 2023 than it is Greatest Generation, especially when it comes to the likes of Dugan, Dino Manelli, and Junior Juniper, none of whom sound like soldiers of 1944 or like whatever Stan Lee was doing back in ’63.

BOTTOM LINE: SPOOKY STUFF

All in all, Capwolf and the Howling Commandos #1 is a pretty solid debut issue, even with some narrative wobbles that undermine the reality of its 1940s setting, with a strong premise and some well-done art that pull things together for 3 out of 5 stars overall. Not every story needs to be filled with big swerves or surprises, so it will be interesting to see if the rest of the series has this same no-frills storytelling aesthetic.

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