Cycle of the Werewolf

This novella was originally conceived as a calendar project, with each chapter corresponding to a month of the year. While it stands alone as a complete narrative, its themes of small-town horror and the hidden monstrous within a community resonate with elements found in some of King's other works.

Yes, this novella was adapted into the 1985 film 'Silver Bullet.' The film expands on the story and characters, offering a cinematic interpretation of the werewolf attacks in Tarker's Mills.

The novel was illustrated by Bernie Wrightson, best known for his illustrated edition of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and his co-creation of the DC Comics character Swamp Thing. Wrightson's dense, gothic pen-and-ink illustrations accompany each chapter and are considered an integral part of the book.

The story is told in twelve chapters, one per month of the year, each complete in itself—a vignette of a different victim's encounter with the werewolf during that month's full moon. The narrative gradually focuses on Marty Coslaw, a wheelchair-bound child who becomes the key witness.

Yes. The 1985 film Silver Bullet was adapted from the novel with a screenplay written by King himself. The title was changed because the plot expanded significantly from the original text. Corey Haim starred as Marty Coslaw, with Gary Busey as his uncle.

Cycle of the Werewolf was originally commissioned as a 1983 illustrated calendar—twelve short prose pieces by King, one per month, to accompany Wrightson's art. The project grew beyond calendar scale and was published as a standalone illustrated book. Its compressed, monthly structure still reflects its origin.