Tournament of Werewolves: International Bracket
On day one of our ultimate werewolf showdown, we have two head-to-head competitions in the International bracket, and two more over in our American Man-Wolves division.
ROUND 1: CAPTAIN RICHARD RYAN vs. COUNT WALDEMAR DANINSKY
Captain Richard Ryan (Dog Soldiers, 2002): Originating in the Scottish Highlands, the virtual origin point for werewolf mythology, these monsters are not only cunning because of their animal instincts, but because of their military training. That said, they rely on gun jams and other questionable choices on the part of their prey in order to defeat their dinner, but they do possess the ability to suppress their transformation, even if the moon hangs full in the sky. Best Moment: They're Brits, which means that though they may tear you to pieces, they'll be unfailingly polite while doing it.
Count Waldemar Daninsky (Mark of the Wolfman, 1968): Waldemar is a tortured, lovelorn lycanthrope, and it's this reservoir of pain that makes him such a successful predator. Not only does he square off against the same twice-resurrected werewolf that infected him with lycanthropy, but also a series of bloodsucking adversaries who have their sights set on making him - and anybody else with blood in their veins - slaves to their fiendish designs. Nicknamed “His Satanic Majesty” even before he became a wolf, Waldemar's wallet is the one that says “Bad M.F.” on it, not the least of which because he refuses to be shuffled off into the next life unless it's by his true love. Best moment: After dispatching the particularly resilient werewolf who made him who he is, Daninsky fights two vampires - and defeats one without even transforming!
ROUND 1: LEON CORLEDO vs. THE BEAST
Leon Corledo (Curse of the Werewolf, 1961): "Curse" is right: born of a poor girl who dies days after childbirth after being raped by an insane prisoner, Leon seems to have every right to have a chip on his shoulder – if he could remember how he took it out on people. Transforming obliviously to take out his frustrations on livestock and an unfortunate kitten, Leon is an embodiment of forbidden love, looking for one fine woman who might offer him enough affection to keep his metamorphoses from taking place. Best moment: Suffice it to say a happy ending with Miss Right doesn't seem imminent for poor Leon, but in the meantime he attracts a few Miss Right Nows.
The Beast (Brotherhood of the Wolf, 2001): Not only is this wolf a mankiller, but it's a political tool. Employed by a brotherhood determined to undermine the sovereignty of the king, the creature is remarkably powerful, and augmented with man-made armor that not only protects it from attack but strengthens its natural abilities when hunting its prey. Alas, the beast has a master and is unfortunately non-human in most of its thinking, but this particular competitor gets extra points for presenting itself in a way that will scare man or beast. Best moment: revealing itself as a werewolf not only with fur and fangs, but metal armor, implants in its jaw and enough attitude to take on any adversary, manor beast.
Winners of these two match-ups will face off on Friday, February 5, along with the survivors from our American, She-Wolf and Teen Wolf brackets.
