The Astounding Wolf-Man
From Image Comics Database
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History
The Astounding Wolf-Man is a comic book series that launched in the United States on May 5th, 2007. Its first issue was given away for free as part of Free Comic Book Day. The series was created and is written by Robert Kirkman with Jason Howard handling the artwork.
The Astounding Wolf-Man tells the story of workaholic CEO Gary Hampton, who is bitten by a werewolf while on a rare family vacation. Cursed to live out his nights as a werewolf, Gary seeks to find a positive purpose in his horrific new existence. A struggle to do good when his body is designed for evil. In his first experience of being a werewolf, Gary was still recovering in a hospital after being mauled by the werewolf that gave him his powers a few days back. Gary became a ravage beast. On this night, he killed a man. The next morning, miraculously healed. thought it was only a dream.
One month later Gary is back home wih his family living a normal life, except for one thing. Due to the events that happened on his camping trip, Gary had taken a major toll financially. The next full moon turned Gary turned into a vicious werewolf again, but luckily did not harm anyone. The following morning Gary and his wife, Rebecca Hampton, woke up making some startling discoveries. Then a stranger suddenly appears inside their house and he tells Gary that he can help him with his "problem" because he "has experience with the super-natural". This man is later to be revealed as a vampire by the name of Zechariah.
Zechariah begins to mentor and tutor Gary and help him to harness his werewolf abilities. They visit super-hero outfitter and tailor Art Rosenbaum, who designs a costume for the newly christened "Wolf-Man". The costume includes two arm apparatuses that harness moonlight, so that if Gary is ever caught in sunlight, he will have some time to take cover before transforming and a bullet proof vest with a picture of a wolf's head on it. Gary's first night performing as a super-hero has him teaming up with a group of other heroes, called the "Actioneers", who he helps take down a multiple-headed monster. Later on, Gary, as an uncontrollable monster, kills "Sergeant Superior" who was a member of the Actioneers.
Some time later, Gary confronts Zechariah about not telling he would be so out of control during a full moon. Zechariah explained to Gary that he wanted him to know what it felt like so as to fully understand it. The next evening whild on patrol with Zechariah, he finds himself in an ambush situation with four other werewolves, one of which had Zechariah by the neck. Wolf-Man fights off the werewolves, and Zechariah turns into his mist form and escapes. The werewolves retreat, stating they will be ready for an 'Elder Brood' (Wolf-Man) and Zechariah next time. Wolf-man (Gary Hampton) tried asking what the event was about, but Zechariah told him that he would explain it later. He turned into bat form and flew away.
The next morning, over breakfast, Gary reveals to his wife that he has been voted out of his company by the board of directors, before his employee Dunford comes in to tell him that a "group of men" are at the door, and are there to evict Gary and his family from their house.
Gary and his family try to cope with their recent financial troubles. With his family now relocated to his hideout and his daughter, Chloe Hampton, made aware of his condition, Gary continues his work as a superhero. While Gary as Wolf-Man and his tutor Zechariah were out on patrol, Wolf-Man was viciously attacked by the same group of werewolves that he and Zechariah were ambushed by before, except this time in larger numbers. Zecheriah intervened trying to give Wolf-Man time to regenerate. The group of werewolves stop attacking Wolf-Man for a moment to explain why they were after Zechariah. They told him that Zechariah had killed a daughter of one of the pack members. Wolf-Man began yelling at and questioning Zechariah until he sliced off Zechariah's head with his claws. After the group of werewolves left satisfied, Zechariah came back in mist form with his head back on and turned out that this was planned between the two. Wolf-Man empathized with Zechariah since he had also accidentally killed innocent people due to his condition.
Gary came to find that he has lost all respect from both his daughter and his wife and leaves to do some hero work with Zechariah. When Wolf-Man was fighting a villain, the commotion attracted the Actioneers who helped him defeat the villian, but immediately begin to attack Wolf-Man. They brutally beat Wolf-Man and nearly kill him only to stopped by Sergeant Superior himself. Sergeant Superior told the Actioneers to release Wolf-Man. After Wolf-Man leaves, he encountered Zecheriah and demanded an explanation. Zecheriah explained that he had brought Sergeant Superior back to life by turning him into a vampire. Wolf-man, furious because of Zecheriah's secrecy, told him that he no long wants his help and to never contact him again.
Gary returned home after the dispute with Zecheriah to tell his wife what he did, but finds that Rebecca was leaving. Confused, Gary tells Rebecca and they immediately reconciled. Later while Rebecca is unpacking her things, Zecheriah shows up. She tries telling him to leave, but the confrontation leads to Zechariah killing Rebecca. Gary unexpectedly walks in and finds Zechariah drinking his wife's blood. Gary transforms into Wolf-Man and tried to attack Zechariah, but Zechariah manages to elude him and escapes in mist form. Seconds later, Chloe walks and sees the situation and assumed that he killed her mother. Gary tries to explain what happened, but she was not listening and pleading for her life. He turned back into human form and started walking away. He encountered Dunford, and emplyee of Gary, and told him to promise to take care of Chloe. Dunford confusingly agreed. As Gary left Dunford looked over and saw Rebecca dead with Chloe near her sitting down with her hands and her face, crying. The last scenes of the issue show the Actioneers lying on the floor in a building convered in their own blood. Sergeant Superior had killed the Actioneers by the command of none other than Zechariah.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Super humanly acrobatic, strong, and agile. Super hearing, sight, smell, and taste.
Abilities
Wolf-Man never needs to sleep.
Strength level
Undetermined
Weaknesses
Gary Hampton can not turn into Wolf-Man during the day without his moon light aparatuses. During a full moon, Gary looses all control of his powers and becomes a vicious monster.
Notes
Until #7 of The Astounding Wolf-Man, the series was distributed on a bi-monthly schedual. It is now a monthly series.
Trivia
- No trivia.
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See Also
- Appearances of The Astounding Wolf-Man
- Character Gallery: The Astounding Wolf-Man
- Fan-Art Gallery: The Astounding Wolf-Man
- Quotations by The Astounding Wolf-Man
Discover and Discuss
- Search News for: The Astounding Wolf-Man · Gary Hampton · The Astounding Wolf-Man
- Search Forums for: The Astounding Wolf-Man · Gary Hampton · The Astounding Wolf-Man
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Links and References
External link
References
http://www.imagecomics.com/news.php?content=wolfman01
