Real Wolfmen!
Posted by: Nick Redfern on April 19th, 2012
Yes, I know (believe me, I know!) that some people roll their eyes when there is any mention of werewolves in the realm of reality rather than solely in the domain of fiction. And I also know that there are those within Cryptozoology who take the view that even if the phenomenon is a real one (which I believe it to be, although I think the traditional scenario of shape-shifting humans cannot, under any circumstances, provide a credible answer to the puzzle), it should be studied by definitive Forteans, rather than Cryptozoologists.
Fair enough. And, what, for the readers of Cryptomundo, defines a Cryptid and what does not, is an issue that genuinely interests and intrigues me. But, while that’s something I’ll address at a deeper level in an upcoming post, for now, back to those creatures of a full moon and a bit of notable news: Linda Godfrey, almost certainly the most prolific author – ever – on all-things lycanthrope-themed, has yet another book on the subject looming on the horizon!
This one (which will sit alongside her previous books on the subject, including The Beast of Bray Road and Hunting the American Werewolf) will be titled Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Modern America, and will be published in just 4 months from now.
And here’s what the publisher – Tarcher – has to say about Real Wolfmen:
“What’s hiding in the woods? Here is the definitive account of today’s nationwide sightings of upright, canine creatures – which resemble traditional werewolves – and a thorough exploration of the nature and possible origins of the mysterious beast.
“The U.S. has been invaded – if many dozens of eyewitnesses are to be believed – by upright, canine creatures that look like traditional werewolves and act as if they own our woods, fields, and highways. Sightings from coast to coast dating back to the 1930s compel us to ask exactly what these beasts are, and what they want.
“Researcher, author and newspaper reporter Linda S. Godfrey has been tracking the manwolf since the early 1990. In Real Wolfmen she presents the only large-scale cataloging and investigation of reports of modern sightings of anomalous, upright canids. First-person accounts from Godfrey’s witnesses – who have encountered these creatures everywhere from outside their car windows to face-to-face on a late night stroll – describe the same human-sized canines: They are able to walk upright and hold food in their paws, interact fearlessly with humans, and suddenly and mysteriously disappear.
“Godfrey explores the most compelling cases from the modern history of such sightings, along with the latest reports, and undertakes a thorough exploration of the nature and possible origins of the creature.”
I will, of course, be reviewing Real Wolfmen right here, just as soon as I have devoured its monstrous pages…
About Nick Redfern
Punk music fan, Tennents Super and Carlsberg Special Brew beer fan, horror film fan, chocolate fan, like to wear black clothes, like to stay up late. Work as a writer.
I pre-ordered this a few weeks ago Good to see the cover artwork.
In a previous post, I mentioned one prehistoric animal that comes closest to the big Bear like werewolves featured in some of these sightings (One person seeing the Beast of Bray road guessed its weight at 600 lbs, and was enormous. Though guess weights tend to be exaggerated, the big burly bear-like werewolf has been seen there). That was Amphicyon Ingens, the giant Bear Dog.
However, an unrelated group of African Primates, which have been considered by some scholars as the source to Herodotus’ Dog-headed men (Cynocephali), and similar creatures also found in Africa, in some ways resemble a anthropoid canine.
Baboons are noted for their dog-like faces. They have long tails, they are covered with hair, yet they are primates, monkeys, and subsequently have bodies more manlike than wolf-like.
Both Drills and Mandrills are also similar to Baboons: notice the monstrous (werewolf-like, despite the coloring?) appearance of the Mandrill;
Nice teeth, hey? Now imagine a Baboon or Mandrill: make it solid black, make the ears long and pointed, make it two or three times bigger, and all you need left is a full Moon and some damsel in distress, and you have a wolfman…
Course, it seems highly doubtful that a Baboon or Mandrill-like beast could be native to American soil, or that a population of exotic monkeys could go unnoticed without being hit by a car. Then again, on the Ohio Grassman Episode of Monsterquest, a Baboon skull was indeed found in Ohio woods.
Question: could an Olive Baboon, seen at night, be mistaken for a werewolf? I doubt it, but it makes for interesting possibilities…
BTW: A relative of the Mandrill, the lesser known drill, also has this odd combo of anthropoid body complete with long, dog-like face and tail, not to mention a wicked set of canines in its own right. The only things its needs are (like the other monkey canidates), longer, pointed ears, maybe a somewhat more doglike snout, solid black or Grey hair, and a pension for shapeshifting full moons and B-horror movies, and it could be a stunt double for any Lon Chaney wannabe.
(Notice the werewolf-like black face on the above Drill)
Say Ahh…yikes!
A mouth fit for any Howling Movie.