Jack Russell (Earth-7045)

Jack Russell was born as Jacob Russoff, the son of a Transylvanian baron who activated a dormant werewolf curse in his family line through Darkhold, the curse itself having been possible through that same tome. Sent off to America with his mother and sister for their protection, Jack would soon transform into a werewolf himself on a full moon night when he was 18 years old in 2016. Jack would then become a drifter for the next 2 years, learning how to cope with the lifestyle of becoming a Werewolf by Night.

Jack is sometimes affectionately chided for seeming a little sensitive. However he is actually quite resilient when viewing his issues in the full context of his dysfunctional family history and his mystical curse. He was certainly dismayed by the troubles he faced when he first became a werewolf. Yet he quickly worked to address the practical issues of his monthly transformations by isolating himself in the short-term when necessary while seeking a permanent cure. This also provided the emotional space Jack needed to sort out his feelings about his family, though this process was not completed until his reconciliation with his stepfather.

Though Russell initially referred to the werewolf as a separate personality, the wolfman form was essentially Jack with his higher mental faculties curtailed and an overriding set of instinctual urges. Jack himself would come to acknowledge this as he adjusted to his curse. As the wolf, Jack’s primary motivations are to return to the forest and run free, enjoying the wilderness and defeating any other predators that infringe on his territory.

Nevertheless, the werewolf will ignore these drives if there were other more serious concerns on Jack’s mind. Examples include protecting Jack’s loved ones or fighting his enemies even if he cannot entirely understand why he feels the need to do so. Jack makes a variety of efforts to note the nights of the full moon and to make preparations for them. Yet, it often slips his mind when those nights have arrived until the change begins. He is thus often caught off-guard when he transforms, sometimes even in the middle of the three-night cycle. Given Jack's natural intelligence & caution, his great concerns regarding the potential collateral damage that can be inflicted by the werewolf’s rampages, and he aforementioned efforts to keep those dates in mind; it seems extremely out of character that he would simply forget that the full moon is due to rise on a certain date. These memory lapses may thus be part of the curse.

Having embraced the curse as best he can, Jack now focuses on using his bestial form responsibly when he can and restraining it when he cannot. Taking on a more active heroic role has included tracking down old enemies such as the Tatterdemalion when he learns he has appeared in public again. He has also grown accustomed to the stresses of his unusual lifestyle and takes many strange situations in stride.

History
to be added

Powers

 * Lycanthropy:
 * Superhuman Strength
 * Superhuman Stamina
 * Superhuman Agility
 * Superhuman Reflexes
 * Superhuman Speed
 * Superhumanly Acute Senses
 * Superhuman Durability
 * Sharp Claws and Teeth
 * Regenerative Healing Factor

Abilities
Jack is a formidable hand to hand combatant, although he has had no formal training. He also has some expertise in dealing with occult and supernatural forces.

Weaknesses
Jack's werewolf form has a special vulnerability to objects or weapons composed of silver. Silver is useful against many supernatural or demonic creatures due to its mystical purity. If he receives what would be a fatal injury to an ordinary human, such as being shot through the heart, with a silver bullet, he will die within a matter of minutes. If he is merely injured by a silver weapon, it will take him much longer to heal than it would from being injured by a weapon composed of conventional material.

Trivia

 * The character's name may be an unintentional pun. There is a breed of terrier called the Jack Russell.