Horror and patriotism—they go together like chocolate and peanut butter! Don’t believe me? Then clearly you’re unfamiliar with that time in 1992 when Marvel Comics’ star-spangled superhero, Captain America, got turned into a werewolf. No, better than a werewolf—a Capwolf!
Yes, there was a time in the Star-Spangled Avenger’s history (1992, to be specific) when he became a shield-slinging, red-white-and-blue lycanthrope—after all, there’s no idea ridiculous enough that the comic industry isn’t willing to try it at least once. It happened during a mystical storyline in Captain America #402–408, written by Mark Gruenwald, that involved a whole bunch of supernatural characters from the Marvel rosters, including Man-Wolf and Werewolf by Night, and Cap getting injected with a werewolf serum. And of course he wound up fighting Marvel’s most popular character, the X-Man called Wolverine, which is almost a requirement at the House of Ideas—then and now.
Well, happy 4th of July, Capwolf—we’ll save you a steak at this year’s barbecue. You like it rare, don’t you?
(Cover art from Captain America #405 by Rik Levins and Danny Bulandi.)
And for further evidence of horror patriots, head over to the Pandora Zwieback blog and check out that little known midnight ride of Paul Revere…and Marvel’s supernatural motorcyclist, Ghost Rider!
So happy 245th birthday, America, and from all of us at ’Warp Central, have a fun—and safe—holiday weekend!
