MARTIN KILLIAN

Real Name: Martin Killian

Identity/Class: Human lycanthrope (Pre-Modern Era)

Occupation: Artist

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Butch, Joe, Dr. Craig Wade, Susan Wade

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: A forest somewhere in the USA

First Appearance: Creatures on the Loose I#13 (September, 1971)

Powers/Abilities: Martin normally possessed no superhuman abilities and suffered from blindness. After being exposed to the spinal fluid of a werewolf, he became a werewolf himself but because the fluid had been diluted, he retained his normal human intelligence. On nights of the full moon, he transformed into a humanoid wolf-like creature. His strength was higher than human norms (possibly enhanced human level) and he had sharpened teeth and claws on his fingers. His blindness would resume when he transformed back into his human self.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6'1")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 180 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

History:
(Creatures on the Loose I#13/3 (fb) - BTS) - An artist, Martin Killian was dating Susan when he introduced her to his friend Dr. Craig Wade. Susan wound up falling in love with Craig instead and married him. Martin continued to harbor some resentment towards Craig for this but he kept it to himself. In time, Martin discovered he was becoming blind and progressively losing more of his vision. He began using his dog Butch to help guide him. To save Martin's eyesight and help him retain his artistic career, Craig conceived of a risky procedure to restore Martin's vision using the lenses and spinal fluid of a wolf.

(Creatures on the Loose I#13/3) - Martin, Butch and Craig went into the woods nearby Craig's mountainside home to find a wolf for Craig's experiment. Sure enough, they came upon what seemed to be a normal wolf and Craig shot it. They brought the dead animal back to the laboratory in Craig's home, where Craig went to work on Martin in his operating theater, placing the wolf's lenses into Martin's eyes and using the wolf's spinal fluid to supplement the lenses so that the graft would take. 

Three weeks after the operation, Martin was still wearing his bandages and waiting to learn if his vision had truly been restored. He began to grow paranoid, reflecting on how Susan had married Craig, and wondered if Craig's operation had truly worked. Suddenly, under the light of a full moon, Martin began to transform into a werewolf. Discovering that his vision had returned, Martin beheld himself in a mirror and saw what he had become, realizing then that the "wolf" Craig killed had actually been a werewolf. He struck and apparently killed Butch when the dog threatened him. Martin decided to have his revenge on Craig, for taking away his humanity and Susan.

While stalking towards Craig's home, Martin found Joe and another hunter relaxing at a campfire. He attacked and killed both men then carried on. As he invaded Craig's property, Craig heard him outside and ventured out with a handgun. Martin confronted Craig near the side of a cliff, revealing how he had transformed, and announced he would have his revenge on Craig. However, the sun began to rise and Martin started to revert to his human form. Consequently, Martin's blindness returned to him. Unable to see Craig, he lunged at him but went over the cliff and fell to his death.

Comments: Created by Len Wein and Reed Crandall.

    This was the first Marvel Comics werewolf story since the Comics Code had been adopted. It might seem a little crude but Martin Killian walked so that Jack Russell could lope.

    This profile was completed 12/15/2022, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Martin Killian should not be confused with:

Butch

Butch was Martin's pet dog who worked as his seeing-eye pet. Butch accompanied Martin and Craig as they hunted for the wolf which Craig then used in his operation to cure Martin's blindness (way to put yourself out of work, pooch). Three weeks later, Martin discovered the wolf had been a werewolf when he transformed into one himself. Butch was frightened by Martin's transformation and growled at him. Martin reacted by striking Butch into a wall; the blow might have killed Butch.



--Creatures on the Loose I#13/3

Joe

Joe and his friend were hunters who were relaxing with beer at a campfire when they were attacked by Martin. Joe and his friend were both killed by Martin.






--Creatures on the Loose I#13/3

Dr. Craig Wade

Dr. Craig Wade was a friend to Martin Killian for many years. Martin introduced his girlfriend Susan to Craig at some point and Craig fell in love with and married her. When Martin began to progressively lose his eyesight, Craig conceived of a procedure to restore his vision using the lenses and spinal fluid of a wolf. Craig hunted and killed a wolf in the woods nearby his mountainside home and operated on Martin in his home's operating theater. However, the "wolf" was actually a werewolf and three weeks later under the light of a full moon, Martin became a werewolf. Resenting Craig both for marrying Susan and taking away his humanity, Martin stalked onto Craig's property to kill him but as they faced each other on a cliff outside Craig's house, the sun began to rise. Martin's blindness returned as he became human again. He lunged blindly at Craig, only to fall off the cliff to his doom.







--Creatures on the Loose I#13/3



Susan Wade

Susan was once Martin Killian's girlfriend and through him met Dr. Craig Wade. Susan and Craig then fell in love and were married, leaving Martin harboring a certain amount of jealousy. Susan was present at the time of Craig's operation on Martin in an attempt to cure his blindness. When Martin came stalking onto their property as a werewolf, Susan remained indoors while Craig confronted Martin.







--Creatures on the Loose I#13/3



images: (without ads)
Creatures on the Loose I#13/3, page 4, panel 6 (Martin, main)
 Creatures on the Loose I#13/3, page 7, panel 2 (Martin, wolf face)
Creatures on the Loose I#13/3, page 1 (Martin, normal human form)
Creatures on the Loose I#13/3, page 1 (Butch)
Creatures on the Loose I#13/3, page 5, panel 5 (Joe)
Creatures on the Loose I#13/3, page 3, panel 2 (Craig)
Creatures on the Loose I#13/3, page 3, panel 2 (Susan)

Appearances:
Creatures on the Loose I#13/3 (September, 1971) - Len Wein (writer), Reed Crandall (artist), Stan Lee (editor)

First posted: 09/25/2026
Last updated: 12/15/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to http://www.g-mart.com/ for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters