The first trailer for Marvel Studios' Werewolf By Night revealed that Man-Thing will appear in the Halloween-themed special. Man-Thing's comic book past likely points toward his MCU future, as he is one of many horror-themed characters like Werewolf who debuted around the same time in the early 1970s when restrictions by the Comics Code Authority eased.
This mysterious plant-like creature may not share the recognition many other Marvel Comics characters do, but fans know he plays a key role in the Marvel Universe. His connection to the Nexus of All Realities and the multiverse likely makes his comics key reading for fans as the MCU heads toward The Multiverse Saga.
Not The First Man-Thing
As is the case with some other classic Marvel Comics monsters from the Silver Age, Man-Thing shares his name with earlier characters. The first appeared in Tales Of Suspense #7, which predated the Marvel Universe by a year. The first Man-Thing appeared a monster made of molten lava, not unlike the later Molten Man.
Another Man-Thing appeared in Tales Of Suspense #81 from 1966. Red Skull created this version to fight Captain America after the powerful supervillain acquired the Cosmic Cube.
Savage Tales
The Bronze Age Man-Thing first appeared in Savage Tales #1 in 1971 the same year as the vampiric Spider-Man comic book villain Morbius and a year before Werewolf By Night. Co-created by the brain trust of Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, and Gray Morrow, Man-Thing owes his existence to the shifting landscape in comics at the time.
The Comics Code Authority relaxed its guidelines on what publishers could depict in comics aimed at children, leading to an avalanche of horror-themed characters and titles like Blade and Moon Knight, many of whom are now appearing in the MCU or are about to.
Tragic Origin
Man-Thing's tragic origin really only comes to light nearly a decade after his debut. An editorial page in Savage Tales #1 only hints at the creature's backstory but 1979's Man-Thing #1 offers details the MCU likely leans on. Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis went to the Florida Everglades seeking to recreate the Super Soldier serum that created Captain America in World War II.
When he runs into A.I.M. agents, he tries to flee. He injects himself with his recreated serum to try and fight A.I.M. but his car crashes into the swamp, transforming him into the living-plant creature. At first, he possesses little memory of himself and can barely speak, leading to confusion about his true identity.
Similarities To Swamp Thing
Savage Tales #1 published as a black and white magazine, and Man-Thing first appeared properly in Marvel color comic books in 1972's Astonishing Tales #12. That distinction serves a purpose as some comic book fans confuse Man-Thing and DC Comics' Swamp Thing, who debuted within months of each other.
Man-Thing appeared in May 1971 and Swamp Thing in July. Len Wein wrote the Astonishing Tales story, which had been completed in 1971 but didn't appear until a year after, since Savage Tales was canceled. Before it did, Wein's first Swamp Thing story appeared in House of Secrets #92. Confusion and debate over their similarities only increased with 1972's Swamp Thing #1, where Alec Holland's origin shared more qualities with Man-Thing's.
Mystical Powers
Man-Thing derived superhuman strength, stamina, and endurance from taking the Super Soldier serum. His unique physiology as a plant creature also affords him advantages that aren't immediately obvious. Thanks to his somewhat amorphous physical form, practical weapons often prove useless. He also possesses vast mystical powers.
Fear #13, a key issue written by Steve Gerber, established that the swamp Sallis crashed in possessed mystical qualities. These qualities owe entirely to the swamp's being the location of the Nexus of All Realities.
The Nexus of All Realities
The Nexus of All Realities stands as a doorway to the entire multiverse. This gateway often leads to beings from other realities arriving on Earth, including some with ill-intent. Man-Thing serves as the guardian of the gate and sometimes travels through it himself. Given the MCU's focus on the multiverse, the Nexus likely appears in live-action.
Different s exist on the Nexus' origin. One suggests Dr. Sallis inadvertently created the Nexus when he bargained with the Devil to make his serum work. When his blood mixed with the magic he obtained from the Devil for the serum as well as the swamp, the Nexus formed.
Helping The Lizard
Man-Thing shares a key connection to The Lizard, among the most powerful Spider-Man villains in Marvel Comics, that could play out in live-action. Comic book fans know that Ted Sallis and Dr. Curt Connors served together in combat, and Sallis helped Connors develop an early serum to help Connors restore his lost limb.
This serum eventually transformed Connors into The Lizard, thanks to its experimental and dangerous use of reptilian DNA. Their shared backstory first unfolded in Web of Spider-Man #6 from 2009.
Fighting She-Hulk
Man-Thing potentially appears before the Werewolf By Night special if the MCU leans into his comic book history. He fought She-Hulk in Savage She-Hulk #8 and proved his immense strength and stamina by enduring She-Hulk's full might. She eventually overcomes him with her own anger, which the empathic Man-Thing couldn't process.
Given the many cameos that She-Hulk: Attorney At Law features, the possibility remains the show references Man-Thing before it wraps up.
Legion Of Monsters
Man-Thing likely s a team in the MCU as Marvel fans know he did in the comics. The Legion of Monsters seems the most likely given its roster. The supernatural team including Werewolf and Morbius first appeared in Marvel Premiere #28 in 1975. The team came together to find out why an entity called The Starseed affected them so severely.
Later versions included different like Manphibian and The Living Mummy. They organized to protect monsters from persecution and attacks and operated from the Monster Metropolis.
Thunderbolts
Marvel Comics fans know Man-Thing served on the Thunderbolts as well, meaning he potentially does in live-action. Man-Thing ed the team led by Luke Cage and played a substantial role in their adventures. He used the Nexus of All Realities to transport them around the world and all existence.
With a Thunderbolts movie coming in 2024, Man-Thing potentially s future rosters or perhaps one of his variants from the multiverse do, of which there are many.
