When the Comics Code Authority went into action in the 1950s, the horror genre was the most affected by it. But in 1971, the code was finally revised and the creatures of the night finally got some leeway. A lot of restrictions were still in place, but the undead monsters starting to make a comeback. Before Werewolves and Vampires became prominent again, muck monsters got their chance to scare the readers.
Launched by DC Comics in House of Secrets #92, Swamp Thing created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson was thought of as a one-off character. In another one-shot simply titled The Heap #1, Skywald Publishing revived The Heap, a swamp monster from the 1950s (another version of the character also appeared in Skywald’s magazine Psycho). And Marvel had of course the Man-Thing.
The timing was strange, but those characters were different enough from one another to avoid any conflict (even if Marvel thought about suing DC for a time). Also, muck monsters were not a new thing in the comics world.
At Marvel Comics, everything started with editor Stan Lee and writer Roy Thomas who conceived the idea for the black-and-white comics-magazine anthology Savage Tales #1. Thomas then worked with writer Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow to develop an 11-page origin story. Conway was then Len Wein’s roommate when he was working on the story. Wein ended up writing Swamp Thing whose origin story was similar, even if he pretended not to think this was the case. At the end, it was filed as a coincidence, and the characters rapidly evolved in different directions.
The origin story of Man-Thing revolves around Dr. Ted Sallis, a brilliant biochemist working in the Everglades as part of a team of researchers trying to replicate the Super-Soldier Serum that created Captain America. Betrayed by his lover (or wife, depending on the era), Ellen Brandt, who was an agent working for the sinister organization AIM (Advanced Idea Mechanics), Sallis injected himself with the experimental serum and crashed his car into the swamp. The combination of the serum, the mystical energies of the swamp, and the forces of the Nexus of All Realities transformed Sallis into the monstrous creature known as Man-Thing.
Man-Thing isn’t known for his intelligence or human personality. Instead, he operates more as a force of nature, tied to the mystical elements of the swamp. Sallis’ mind is not there anymore–even if he occasionally reappeared briefly through the years.
After Conway wrote a few stories, writer Steve Gerber took over and became the main writer of the newly launched (in 1973) first Man-Thing ongoing series–in which he introduced Howard The Duck.
Man-Thing Comics Reading Order
Man-Thing Comics by Steve Gerber
- Man-Thing Omnibus
Collects Astonishing Tales #12-13, Fear #11-19, Man-Thing (vol. 1) #1-22, Giant-Size Man-Thing #1-3, Incredible Hulk #197-198, Marvel Team-Up #68, Marvel Two-in-One #43, Man-Thing (vol. 2) #1-11, Doctor Strange #41; material from Savage Tales #1; Fear #10; Giant-Size Man-Thing #4-5; Monsters Unleashed #5, #8-9; Rampaging Hulk #7
Those stories are also available in the “Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection”
- Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 1
Collects Astonishing Tales #12-13, Fear #11-19, Marvel Two-in-One #1 and Man-Thing (vol. 1) #1-8, plus material from Savage Tales #1, Fear #10 and Monsters Unleashed #5. - Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 2
Collects Giant Size Man-Thing #1-5, Daredevil (vol. 1) #113-114, Man-Thing (vol. 1) #9-18; material from Monsters Unleashed #8-9. - Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 3
Collects Man-Thing (vol. 1) #19-22, Iron Man Annual #3, Howard the Duck (vol. 1) #22-23, Infernal Man-Thing #1-3; material from Rampaging Hulk #7, Web of Spider-Man Annual #4, Marvel Comics Presents #1-12.
Man-Thing Stories from the 1980s through the 2000s
In 1979, the second Man-Thing ongoing series was launched. The whole series has only been collected in the Man-Thing Omnibus. Though, multiple issues (#4-8 and #10-11) are also collected in the Marvel Universe By Chris Claremont Omnibus.
After that, the Man-Thing occasionally appeared as guest stars for one or two issues in other series through the years, most notably at the end of the 1980s as a backup feature in Marvel Comics Presents #1-12 which was written by Steve Gerber and collected in the Man-Thing by Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 3.
The Man-Thing didn’t appear in a lot of books during the 1990s. A (not collected) story written by Simon Jowett in Marvel Comics Presents #164–168 took a look at Ted Sallis soon after his transformation, but in an anachronic way.
J.M. DeMatteis and other wrote stories featuring the Man-Thing with the Generation X team that are now available in the Generation X Epic Collection: The Secret of M–including the miniseries Daydreamers #1-3, and Generation X #25. Then, DeMatteis wrote the third Man-Thing ongoing series that only lasted 8 issues that have not been collected yet.
The 2000s were more of the same, a few apparitions here and there. Most notably, the one-shots Marvel Knights Double Shot #2 (in 2002) and Legion of Monsters: Man-Thing (in 2007).
Then, in 2008, writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Kano, as part of the Marvel MAX imprint, delivered the Dead Of Night Featuring Man-Thing miniseries that was a retold of the origin story of the character.
Man-Thing, the Thunderbolts, and the Howling Commandos
Man-Thing was more visible during the 2010s as he joined the Thunderbolts team, starting with issue #144 up to #162, then following a Fear Itself tie-in miniseries, he was part of the Dark Avengers.
- Thunderbolts: Uncaged Omnibus
Collects Thunderbolts #144-174, Enter the Heroic Age #1 (E Story), Dark Avengers #175-190. For a more detailed reading order, visit the article about the team.- Fear Itself: Deadpool/Fearsome Four
Collects Fear Itself: Deadpool #1-3 and Fear Itself: Fearsome Four #1-4.
- Fear Itself: Deadpool/Fearsome Four
After the Dark Avengers, Man-Thing went back to his position as a guest star, appearing in titles like Wolverine, Red She-Hulk, and Deadpool, before joining the Howling Commandos.
- Mrs. Deadpool and the Howling Commandos
Collects Mrs. Deadpool and the Howling Commandos #1-4 and Werewolf By Night (1972) #1. - Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Monster Squad
Collects Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1-6 and material from S.H.I.E.L.D. (2014) #9.
Then, in 2017, popular author R.L. Stine penned a 5-issue miniseries:
- Man-Thing by R.L. Stine
Collects Man-Thing (vol. 5) #1-5.
Following the Secret Empire event, Man-Thing was part of the Doctor Strange Damnation crossover, before appearing in a supporting role in the Weapon H series. He then became the center of attention in his own crossover story:
- Curse of the Man-Thing
Collects Avengers: Curse Of The Man-Thing #1, Spider-Man: Curse Of The Man-Thing #1, X-Men: Curse Of The Man-Thing #1. - Since then, Man-Thing continued to pop up here and there, still as a guest star in multiple series… waiting for his own new ongoing, one day maybe.
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