Even in his spookiest form, Captain America remains the ideal hero in the Marvel Universe. Over the years, Steve Rogers has consistently managed to maintain the essential characteristics of a hero, no matter what his villains and writers alike have thrown at him. Save for his most out-of-line interpretations, like his controversial stint as a Hydra agent, he typically retains his heroic qualities.
CapWolf and the Howling Commandos #1 by Stephanie Phillips, Carlos Magno, Espen Grundetjern, and VC’s Travis Lanham – proves this to remain true for Cap, even as a werewolf.
The four-part series is a callback to “Man and Wolf,” a 1992 arc from Mark Gruenwald and Rik Levin. In both stories, Steve is turned into a werewolf, but maintains his mental faculties that make up the hero he’s always been.
Capwolf Believes He Has To Be Put Down
In CapWolf and the Howling Commandos #1, while Sgt. Nick Fury is out of action with an injury, Cap is tasked with leading the Commandos into storming the Wolfsschanze, which translates to Wolf’s Lair. The bunker is guarded by the Nazis, but what’s being guarded is unclear until it’s too late. Once on-ground, they are attacked by an onslaught of giant werewolves. The troops fend them off until the wolves retreat, but Steve is bitten in the scuffle, and almost instantly starts transforming into the CapWolf. Knowing firsthand how dangerous these wolves are, and that he could lose control any second, Steve urges his teammates to kill him.
At this point in CapWolf #1, there is a lot of confusion in the air, with the Commandos debating what they actually just crossed paths with; they question if werewolves are real, and what’s happening to Steve as he goes through his painful transformation. While Captain American quickly morphs into lupine form, he continues to insist that he needs to be put down. The Commandos insist that none of them are expers on the supernatural, and no one knows whether Cap will turn into a rabid animal that can’t be tamed.
CapWolf Maintains The Essence Of A Hero
CapWolf and the Howling Commandos #1 ends on this note – with the full reveal of Captain America’s werewolf form, and his insistence that he is a threat that needs to be neutralized. Rather than run the risk of hurting his men, or anyone else, his first instinct is to ask for his death. That is the kind of quick thinking that has always made Captain America a hero. Within a moment’s notice, he’s willing to make a noble sacrifice for the betterment of those around him. It a difficult decision he’s willing to make time and time again. Whether he’s Captain America or CapWolf, Steve Rogers is an ace example of the perfect hero.