Curse Writers Michael Moreci and Tim Daniel Share Their Favorite Werewolf Movies

BOOM! Studios recently announced a January release for Curse, a new series from Michael Moreci (Hoax Hunters), Tim Daniel (Enormous), Riley Rossmo (Rebel Blood) and Colin Lorimer (UXB) that promises to put a new spin on werewolf mythology. The first issue will be available on Wednesday and Michael Morci and Tim Daniel have shared their favorite werewolf movies with us:

"Laney Griffith is a man who will do anything to save his son from leukemia, but the cost of treatment has broken him financially. When he pursues an elusive murderer in the wilderness of his small, rural community, in the hopes of securing a substantial bounty, Laney is confronted with something he never could have expected: a werewolf. The captive lycan, in human form, turns Laney’s life upside-down, forcing him to confront his haunted past and race against the clock—because the wolf will return, and Laney’s son’s condition continues to worsen. CURSE is a story of a family’s survival at all costs."

MICHAEL MORECI'S FAVORITE

Teen Wolf, 1985

Werewolves. Father-son relationship. Done. <drops mic>

TIM DANIEL'S FAVORITES

Hot mic check one, two – is this thing still on?

Well, my list involves a mixture of personal favorites and sources of inspiration for our tale. In reviewing the list, it’s easy to see why I gravitated towards each choice, at least in my own mind, since each werewolf hews pretty closely to tradition while bringing a fresh element to the mythology, something we aspired to in the making of Curse and our werewolf, Anton Chavoy.

An American Werewolf in London, 1981

I was a teenager at the time when John Landis’ movie came out and it scared the daylights out of me as I watched it repeatedly on Showtime and VHS. It also thoroughly fascinated me at the same time. The initial transformation scene is so visceral and Rick Baker’s make-up effects sicken on every level with each bone cracking snap. After all this time, there’s something to be said about practical effects and the weight they carry in terms of impact to the viewer.

The Wolf Man, 1941

Lon Chaney Jr.’s werewolf – animalistic yet full of humanity. The beast’s iconic design is really brought to life and fleshed out by Chaney’s performance which relies so much on his expressive eyes with the actor running the gamut from fear and anxiety to seething rage.  A troubled man haunted by the uncontrollable impulses of the beast within. I watch it annually every Fall because it’s the perfect gloomy tragedy.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula, 1992

While this film’s crowning achievement is the spectacular art direction the standout scene for me is when Dracula ravages Lucy atop a grave while taking the form of a cross between a bat and wolf. I found Dracula’s appearance in this scene to be more spellbinding than any other rendition of a werewolf I had seen to date.  There’s a ravenous, sexual bloodlust conveyed in that scene by both the make-up design and Gary Oldman’s acting. I was simultaneously baffled and pinned back in my seat at the beast’s appearance.

Curse of The Werewolf, 1961

Oliver Reed’s deep set red-rimmed eyes and anvil brows exude a dark brooding humanity and the lighting of his transformation scene toward the conclusion of the film is so perfect as he moves from shadow to light, man to beast.  Reed’s bloodied, jutting-jaw makes for great contrast with the lighter hair and make-up.

The Last Werewolf, 2011

The last entry here is a novel, so author Glen Duncan’s werewolf, Jacob Marlowe, lives purely in my imagination for now. And a vivid portrait it is – romantic, contemporary and as gory as one can expect. Duncan’s language is poetic, especially when

Marlowe is recounting every blood soaked victim he’s consumed throughout the centuries.

Marlowe served as strong inspiration for our werewolf Anton Chavoy.

Highly recommend this, Duncan’s work is in my opinion, the definitive werewolf novel in a fairly barren field.

---------

 Learn more about Curse below and check back tomorrow for preview pages from the first issue:

"Award-winning publisher BOOM! Studios is excited to announce the January debut of its newest horror comic series, CURSE, which puts a fresh twist on the werewolf mythology. The title features a creative team who are no strangers to the horror genre: writers Michael Moreci (Hoax Hunters) and Tim Daniel (Enormous), and artists Riley Rossmo (Drumhellar) and Colin Lorimer (UXB).

WHY WE LOVE IT: BOOM! Studios has a long history of publishing some of the industry’s best modern horror, and CURSE takes us back to our roots with a werewolf story unlike any you’ve ever seen.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE IT: The CURSE creative team practically screams “horror”—from writers Michael Moreci (Hoax Hunters) and Tim Daniel (Enormous) to artists Riley Rossmo (Drumhellar) and Colin Lorimer (UXB), you’re in store for a smart, realistic, and haunting read.

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Laney Griffith is a man who will do anything to save his son from leukemia, but the cost of treatment has broken him financially. When he pursues an elusive murderer in the wilderness of his small, rural community, in the hopes of securing a substantial bounty, Laney is confronted with something he never could have expected: a werewolf. The captive lycan, in human form, turns Laney’s life upside-down, forcing him to confront his haunted past and race against the clock—because the wolf will return, and Laney’s son’s condition continues to worsen. CURSE is a story of a family’s survival at all costs.

CURSE #1 arrives in comic shops on January 15th with a cover price of $3.99 under Diamond order code NOV130863. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one! It’s also available for order directly from boom-studios.com."