The Second First Issue of Man-Thing!

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alligator, Bob Wiacek, first issue, Jim Mooney, Man-Thing, Man-Thing Omnibus, Michael Fleisher

Whatever knows fear… Blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here is the marvelous muck monster in his very first issue… No… wait a damn minute…

Okay, this is the second time Man-Thing has a first issue! It isn’t his real first issue, nor his first appearance. Regardless, it opens with an ass-kicking alligator fight! YEAH! If only the whole series had been as cool as these opening pages.

Collector’s Guide:
– From Man-Thing Vol 2, #1; Marvel, 1979.
– Reprinted in color in the Man-Thing Omnibus Hardcover; 2012.
– Reprinted in black and white in Essential Man-Thing #2, soft cover.

Man-Thing’s Second Appearance!

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Astonishing Tales, John Buscema, John Romita, Ka-zar, Len Wein, Man-Thing, Neal Adams, Roy Thomas, Zabu

As Zabu fans, our favorite part of this comic is Zabu kicking major alligator ass. He needs no help from any human brother! But listen, this comic is also important for being the second appearance of Man-Thing.

Manny first appeared in Savage Tales #1 in 1971. Len Wein and Neal Adams created a second Man-Thing story that didn’t make it into Savage Tales. That story is integrated in its entirety right into the middle of this two-part Ka-zar story by Roy Thomas and John Buscema. It’s fitting, because Thomas wrote that very first Man-Thing story.

Len Wein went on to write the first issues of Swamp Thing for DC Comics with Berni Wrightson. The star-studded “Terror Stalks the Everglades!” also features inker Dan Adkins and John Romita, Sr., who provided retouches to the original black-and-white Neal Adams artwork.

Collector’s Guide: From Astonishing Tales #12 Featuring Ka-Zar; Marvel, 1972. Story continues in Astonishing Tales #13.

Val Mayerik: Man-Thing Splash Panel Gallery!

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Adventure into Fear, Fear, Man-Thing, Steve Gerber, Val Mayerik

Let’s have a look at some splash pages by Val Mayerik from 1972 and 1973 for some of Man-Thing’s earliest adventures. The book was published under the straight-forward title Fear. But, beginning with Steve Gerber’s Man-Thing stories in #10, the covers proclaimed “Adventure into Fear with the Man-Thing.” Man-Thing starred until #19 with old Marvel horror story back-ups. Then Morbius the Living Vampire took over until the final 31st issue, as Man-Thing shambled off to find his own title.

Collector’s Guide: From Fear #11-17; Marvel. Reprinted in Essential Man-Thing.

Man-Thing in Legion of Monsters: First Issue!

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Charlie Huston, eating Man-Thing, first issue, Greg Land, Klaus Janson, Legion of Monsters, Man-Thing

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. Kind of makes you want to inject yourself with mutagens and wander the depths of the Everglades!

Today’s Man-Thing Memento comes from a one-shot called Legion of Monsters after a 1970s Marvel comic. This story is so creepy it may be our favorite short Man-Thing story of all time. Guess what’s for dinner, Martians!

Collector’s Guide: From Legion of Monsters Man-Thing #1; Marvel, 2007.

Man-Thing Returns to Marvel Two-in-One!

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Captain America, Cosmic Cube, Essential Marvel Two-in-One, John Byrne, Man-Thing, Man-Thing Omnibus, Marvel Two-in-One

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. Today’s Man-Thing Memoir rocks the second Marvel Two-in-One appearance of Man-Thing. If you missed it, we also have his first appearance in Marvel-Two-In-One.

In fact, this a three-in-one with Captain America. Sadly, not even John Byrne artwork can rescue this disaster. Man-Thing does get the Cosmic Cube for a while and that’s cool!

Collector’s Guide:
– From Marvel Two-In-One #43; 1978.
– Reprinted in color in the Man-Thing Omnibus Hardcover; 2012.
– Reprinted in black and white in Essential Marvel Two-In-One TPB #2.

For a review and recap of the first 100 issues of Marvel Two-in-One, see our friends at the Longbox Graveyard.

Man-Thing: Elements of Terror Part 1!

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Elements of Terror, Man-Thing, Marvel Comics Presents, Steve Gerber, Tom Sutton

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Today’s Man-Thing Memento begins a sprawling multi-part saga serialized in the first twelve issues of Marvel Comics Presents. This was the best story they had going on at that time and it’s a shame it has never been collected. Instead, we have to dig up a bunch of sub-par anthology stories to get the muck monster madness we need. Digging the creepy Tom Sutton art!

Collector’s Guide: From Marvel Comics Presents #1; Marvel, 1988.

Man-Thing in Marvel Two-in-One: First Issue!

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Essential Marvel Two-in-One, Gil Kane, Man-Thing, Marvel Two-in-One, Molecule Man, Steve Gerber, Thing, Vengeance of the Molecule Man

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. We bet you never knew injecting yourself with chemical mutagens and fatally wrecking your car would be so much fun!

Today’s Man-Thing memoir rocks the first issue of Marvel Two-in-One starring the ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing. Man-Thing would next slime the pages of Marvel Two-in-One in #43.

For a review and recap of the first 100 issues of Marvel Two-in-One, see our friends at the Longbox Graveyard.

Ok, now cue the Team Up!

Collector’s Guide: From Marvel Two-In-One #1; 1974. Reprinted in black and white in Essential Marvel Two-In-One TPB #1.

Man-Thing Meets Silver Surfer in Strange Tales!

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Christie Scheele, first issue, JM DeMatteis, Liam Sharp, Man-Thing, Silver Surfer, Strange Tales

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. We bet you never knew injecting yourself with chemical mutagens and fatally wrecking your car would be so much fun!

Today’s Man-Thing Memoir is so trippy we don’t even know what to say. Man-Thing and Silver Surfer team up to save the universe in a hail of really beautiful, twisted artwork by Liam Sharp and colorist supreme Christie Scheele.

Collector’s Guide: From Strange Tales #1; Marvel, 1998.

Man-Thing 17: A Book Burns in Citrusville!

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Book Burns in Citrusville, Essential Man-Thing, Jim Mooney, Man-Thing, Man-Thing Omnibus, Steve Gerber

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. We bet you never knew injecting yourself with chemical mutagens and fatally wrecking your car would be so much fun!

Man-Thing #17 may be our favorite issue from the 1974 series. Dig this cosmic double-splash! Plus, book-burning religious nuts get grouped with guys that dress in their underwear and put on Conan hats. That’s about right!

Collector’s Guide:
– From Man-Thing #1; Marvel, 1974.
– Reprinted in color in the Man-Thing Omnibus Hardcover; 2012.
– Reprinted in black and white in Essential Man-Thing #2.

Man-Thing: First Issue!

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Essential Man-Thing, first issue, Howard the Duck, Man-Thing, Man-Thing Omnibus, Steve Gerber, Val Mayerik

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. We bet you never knew injecting yourself with chemical mutagens and fatally wrecking your car would be so much fun!

Today’s Man-Thing memoir rises from the muck of the first issue of Man-Thing’s very own monthly mag, hot on the heels of his swampy stint in Fear. Steve Gerber, Val Mayerik, and Howard the Duck are the guilty parties.

Collector’s Guide:
– From Man-Thing #1; Marvel, 1974.
– Reprinted in color in the Man-Thing Omnibus Hardcover; 2012.
– Reprinted in black and white in Essential Man-Thing #1.

Man-Thing: No Choice of Colors!

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Adventure into Fear, Essential Man-Thing, Fear, Jim Starlin, Man-Thing, Man-Thing Omnibus, No Choice of Colors, Rich Buckler, Steve Gerber

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. We bet you never knew injecting yourself with chemical mutagens and fatally wrecking your car would be so much fun!

Today’s Man-Thing memoir rises from the muck of Adventure into Fear. Man-Thing’s most famous writer Steve Gerber mans the helm, with a smashing art team of Jim Starlin and Rich Buckler.

Collector’s Guide:
– From Fear #12 (a/k/a Adventure into Fear); Marvel, 1973.
– Reprinted in color in the Man-Thing Omnibus Hardcover; 2012.
– Reprinted in black and white in Essential Man-Thing TPB #1

Man-Thing Vs. Swamp Thing!

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Man-Thang, Man-Thing, Peter B Gillis, Peter Gillis, Swamp Thang, Swamp Thing, What The

Whatever knows fear, blogs at the touch of Man-Thing! Here he is, Marvel’s mucky monstrosity in some of our favorite swamp stories. We bet you never knew injecting yourself with chemical mutagens and fatally wrecking your car would be so much fun!

It’s a time-honored geek pasttime to debate who is better: Man-Thing or Swamp Thing. Our favorite take on it comes from Peter Gillis in the pages of What The?! Dig Swamp Thing as a tuber-tripping swamp hippy!

Collector’s Guide: From What The–? #6; Marvel, 1990.

You Used to Throw Alligators Like This Back in Germany!

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Indie Comics, Man-Thing, Pre Teen Dirty Gene Kung Fu Kangaroos, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, TMNT

Here is a guest appearance of one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in an issue of Pre-Teen Dirty Gene Kung Fu Kangaroos! Did you get all that? And to top it off, a guest (parody) appearance of the Man-Thing in Adolescent Radioactive BlackBelt Hamsters. That’s a lot of freakin’ mutants. Have fun!