This was Jack Russell's short-lived second series, and he seems to have lost some of his supporting cast (and support system) and replaced them with booze. He also seems pretty tight-lipped about his condition, since he plays pool with a priest and later ducks out on his girlfriend when the full moon was coming; and neither had any idea. (His girlfriend's name is Roxanne, which made me wonder if he was seeing Johnny Blaze's girl...) Jack takes a little drive--with a bottle of bourbon as his co-pilot--to a creepy mansion in Texas, where he's turned away by an armed guard.
As Jack transforms in the woods, a cult in the mansion sacrifices a man, then the Werewolf smashes through a window, in a very nice two-page spread. The Werewolf tears through the cultists, as their wheelchair-bound leader attempts to flee, and takes a header down the stairs. Jack, seemingly in control, confronts him for information about the "wolfsblade," with which he could take complete control. But the wolfsblade is only one of three parts...
Later, at a carnival with Roxanne, while she goes to the bathroom Jack is greeted by someone claiming to represent parties that would like to work with Jack, and could show him where to find the other two pieces. They're in the "Ghost Train" attraction, which may actually be a gateway to hell. Jack is only given seventeen seconds to decide, but seems to just shrug and mosey on in.
I'm not sure I love the plot, but I always think Leonardo Manco should be a bigger name. He's a guy that always seems to understand the assignment!
Agreed. Manco should've been a bigger attraction than he became. I don't get it because I also appreciated & enjoyed his highly-detailed art.
ReplyDeleteJack banging Blaze's girl would be a hell of a hook for a fight between the two. I remember when they teamed up in GR (2nd series) #58 against Mr. Hyde. Good stuff.