JUSTIN CABEL
JUSTIN CABEL
Real Name: Justin Cabel
Identity/Class: Human (werewolf);
English citizen;
16th century
Occupation: None
Group Membership: Werewolves of Earth
Affiliations: (Human form) Solomon Kane,
(werewolf form) None (unless you count the werewolf who transformed him, who was also his step-uncle)
Enemies: (Human form) the werewolf who transformed him
(werewolf form) Solomon Kane, Nathan and Marta Cabel; an elderly woman, a watchman, a horse, and a drunkard in an alley
Known Relatives: Nathan Cabel (father, presumably deceased), Cara Cabel (mother, deceased), Marta Cabel (step- and/or adoptive mother, deceased), Marta's brother (step- and/or adoptive uncle)
Aliases: "Godless spawn" (in werewolf form; by Solomon Kane)
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
grew up and died on his father's property in the Black Forest outside Aubermach, Germany;
formerly England
First Appearance: (Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (November, 1985)
Powers/Abilities: Justin Cabel was a young boy, experienced in living in the snow-covered rural wilderness of 16th century Germany. He had some experience in hunting and/or trapping rabbits, at least.
Afflicted as a werewolf (see comments), Justin shifted
between human
and werewolf form, becoming werewolf during a full moon
(at least; or perhaps becoming most dangerous during the full moon).
Regardless, in werewolf form, Justin was a savage predator and killer,
possessing no memory (or at least control) of himself.
As a werewolf, he
was more wolf than man in form, although his forelimbs were close to
arms than a wolf's forelimbs, and he ran on all fours, had enlarged
canine teeth and sharp claws. He presumably possessed low-level
superhuman ("enhanced human") strength, speed, durability, agility, reflexes, stamina, and senses. He likely had enhanced olfactory senses and night vision.
Like most werewolves, it was likely immune to a steel, but he could certainly be injured or slain by silver. He may have been vulnerable other magical assaults, and possibly to wolfsbane, etc.
His bites and scratches presumably could have transformed other into werewolves.
Height:
Unrevealed (approximately 5'8"; a little shorter than Kane, who is
likely between 5'10" and 6'); (werewolf form) unrevealed (likely 6' to
6'6" long; perhaps 3' tall at the shoulder/withers)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 140 lbs.); (werewolf form) unrevealed (likely 220 lbs.)
Eyes: Light blue; (werewolf form) red
Hair: Strawberry blond; (werewolf form) brown
History:
((Sword
of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb)) - Almost from the first, the infant and
toddler Justin had an affinity for Solomon Kane, a close friend and
fellow Puritan of his father and mother, Nathan and Cara Cabel, who
spent a lot of time at their home in England.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) - While Nathan was off serving alongside Solomon as mercenaries in Germany, Cara became gravely ill. Justin did all he could for his mother, but to no avail.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb)) - Justin knelt helplessly by his mother's bed when his father returned home.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) - The non-Puritans around the Cabels refused their requests for medical assistance. Nathan's fervant prayers for Cara seemed in vain as she grew worse.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb)) - Nathan led Justin to take Cara aboard a ship bound for Germany, where they sought the aid of Marta, a Gypsy woman whose "strange herbs" had saved Nathan from seemingly fatal battle wounds. However, Marta's treatments also failed, and Cara died.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) - Believing they were too late in finding Marta, Nathan cursed and renounced God (Yahweh).
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb)) <1545 A.D.> - Marta stayed with Nathan and Justin, and Nathan and Marta eventually fell in love, were married, and remained in Aubermach, Germany.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) - Nathan told Justin that Solomon had once beat the strongest man in England in a fight.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) <1554 or before> - Justin began trying to talk his father into starting a root cellar.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) <1555 A.D.> - In the Black Forest, Justin either trapped or hunted a rabbit.
((Sword
of) Solomon Kane#2) - Returning home with the day's catch, Justin was
stalked and attacked by a werewolf (secretly the warlock brother of
Marta, who had allegedly vowed vengeance on her for using her skills to
aid the sick). 
Having been drawn to the region by his wanderlust following his return form Africa, Solomon heard the sounds of the struggle and rushed on horseback to the conflict, where he tackled the seeming wolf before beheading it with his silver-coated rapier. Not having seen each other in at least a decade, neither Justin nor Solomon recognized the other, and Justin fled, despite Solomon's assurance that the danger was passed and his offer to tend to his wound.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 - BTS) - Turning to find the wolf he had slain to now be in the form of a decapitated man, Solomon picked up the werewolf's fallen amulet (given to him by his father) and then buried the body.
In Aubermach, Solomon was reunited with Nathan, who updated him on the last ten years of his family history and invited him back to their cabin.
After Solomon told Marta of his wolf-man encounter, he gave her the amulet he had found, as she wished to study it,and he did not want it on his person.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2) - When Justin returned home, he and Solomon recognized each other from the recent encounter, and Solomon appeciated the youth to be Nathan's son, while Justin confirmed that Solomon had saved his life.
In the
ensuing hours, Solomon regaled his hosts with tales of his exotic
encounters on his continents-spanning quests.
((Sword
of) Solomon Kane#2 - BTS) - That night, as the others slept, Marta
compared the amulet to one the one her father had given her, and she
realized that the wolf who had attacked Justin was her brother.
At some point, she shared this information with Nathan, but certainly
not with Solomon and presumably not with Justin.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2) - Meanwhile, the sleeping Justin writhed in agony under the rays of the full moon.
The following morning, Solomon and Justin headed into the forest, observing the beauty of a hawk in flight, partaking in nature's bounty in preparation for the evening meal. While Solomon skinned a rabbit and Justin cleaned a bird, Solomon asked why he fled after the wolf had been killed, and Justin noted that he guessed he was still in shock, and seeing the tall, darkly-clad man standing there had scared him almost as much as the wolf had.
The next day, as they carried wood for the fireplace, Justin noted that he had never seen anyone carry that much wood at one time, and he further shared that his father had told him of Solomon beating the strongest man in England in a fight. Solomon told Justin that his father exaggerated, before bragging (or at least mirthfully noting) that he himself was the strongest man in England.
As Solomon and Justin dug out a root cellar, Justin noted how Solomon had started in a day what his father had not done in a year, but Solomon advised Justin that the art of running the entire farm was much with which to contend, and he assured him that his father would have gotten to it sooner or later. Telling Solomon he was sure that there wasn't anything Solomon couldn't do, Justin asked him to stay with them a long time.
That night, the sleeping Justin again twisted in agony under the light of the moon before despartately opening his window for air, after which the moon's light transformed into a werewolf. Diving out the window, Justin rushed into town, apparenlty slaying an elderly woman, a watchman, a horse, and a drunkard in an alley who thought he was a little dog and asked him to cuddle up to keep him warm. Its hunger sated, the werewolf returned to Justin's room and collapsed in fitful slumber.
((Sword
of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) - As the night ended, so did the first
cycle of the wolf; Justin reverted back to human form.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) - The following morning, the townspeople noted how a wolf had rampaged through town, ripping out the victims' throats. As was typical of the superstitious folk, they believed that Marta had something to do with it. Venturing into town, Nathan heard these accounts and accusations.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2) - Solomon saw animal tracks and found them leading to Justin's room. Looking in through the open window, Solomon observed the naked youth, with dirt and dried blood on the mattress.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 - BTS) - As Solomon considered that the work of Satan had been done there, Nathan returned and told Solomon of the reports of a marauding wolf and the accusations against Marta. Solomon regretfully informed Nathan that his son was that marauding wolf. Solomon and Nathan then shared this information with Marta.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2) - Solomon confronted Justin, telling him what had happened. After Justin noted he only had memories of crying out in a nightmare, Solomon showed him the tracks, dirt, and dried blood, and his own wounds. Devastated, Justin noted how he had murdered innocents, and though his father tried to soothe him, Justin rushed to Solomon, crying out that only Solomon could save him and begging him to save him. Telling Justin to fear not as God's will would be done, Solomon told the family that he had things to attend to in town, and that he would return that evening. Marta assured Justin that she knew things to help him through this.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) - While Solomon purchased a volume of silver-coated wire, Marta had Justin bound and gagged atop wooden logs while she burned incense and candles and apparently spoke incantations and performed spells over him.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2)) - When the returning Solomon questioned these rituals, Nathan told Solomon of his desperation and of Marta's knowledge of rituals that may affect the curse. Solomon told the tearing Justin to have faith in the Lord that they would meet again.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 - BTS) - Solomon
went outside and used the silver-coated wire to form a corral to
contain the creature, finishing as the moon slipped out between the
clouds. Loading silver-coated bullets into his pistols, Solomon waited,
knowing the wait would be brief.
Hearing
screams and the sound of shattering glass, Solomon concluded that the
Gypsy rituals had failed, as he knew they would.
((Sword
of) Solomon Kane#2) - As the werewolf dashed past him, Solomon swiftly
strung the silver wire between the last two trees. Reaching the
barrier, the wolf sensed the nearby shadowy figure to be responsible
for its entrapment, while Solomon's appreciation of the limitations of
his weapons' accuracy at any distance prompted the Puritan to enter the
trap. However, the werewolf's speed in assaulting him caused Solomon to
miss with his bullet, allowing the creature to tackle him and knock
away one of his pistols. While Solomon used the creature's momentum to
slip it over him, it was swiftly gained the advantage, and he struggled
to hold its teeth and claws at bay.
When Marta rushed out and told Justin not to kill again, Solomon warned her away and told her she had had her chance, but a single swipe of the werewolf's claws ended Marta's life.
Although Solomon warned the "Godless spawn" to beware his silver-coated sword, the werewolf tensed and sprung, knocking Solomon's sword out of his hands while knocking him to the ground. While Solomon struggled to hold the beast at bay, Nathan approached, and Solomon urged Nathan to grab his sword and slay the beast. Nathan argued that this wasn't a beast, but his own son, but when Solomon advised Nathan that he should find his faith and strike to save Justin's everlasting soul from being condemned as a pawn of Satan.
Asking Justin to forgive him, Nathan drove Solomon's rapier into
Justin's back. The werewolf turned and roared at Nathan, but died as it
dove into his arms, with Nathan asking his son to hold him; as Justin
reverted in death, Justin futilely begged him not to die and leave him
alone.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (fb) - BTS) - The next morning, Solomon and Nathan buried Justin and Marta next to Cara's grave.
((Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 - BTS) - Solomon assured Nathan that Justin was a fine boy and that he had reason to be proud. Discussing the matters reaffirmed Nathan's faith, and he revealed to Solomon that the wolf who had transformed Justin was Marta's evil brother.
Comments: Created by Ralph Macchio and Bret Blevins.
Werewolves were created by the power of Chthon, rather than Satan, but, as far as Solomon Kane is concerned, what's the difference?
This profile was completed 09/09/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Justin Cabel should be distinguished from:
Appearances:
(Sword of) Solomon Kane#2 (November, 1985) - Ralph Macchio (scripter), Bret Blevins (artist), Carl Potts (editor)
First posted: 09/16/2021
Last updated: 11/07/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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