Funko Pop N°492 Marvel SDCC 2019 Man-Thing Exclusive Vinyl Figure

Man-Thing: Marvel’s swamp monster with a burning touch

Created in 1971 by Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, and Gray Morrow, Man-Thing first appeared in Savage Tales #1. He began as Ted Sallis, a scientist trying to recreate the super-soldier serum. Betrayed and left for dead in the Florida swamps, he injected himself with the formula and was transformed into a hulking, plant-like creature.

Unlike DC’s Swamp Thing, Man-Thing became deeply tied to the mystical side of Marvel. He guards the Nexus of All Realities, a gateway between universes, making him both a monster and a cosmic sentinel.

His most chilling trait? “Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing’s touch.” Anyone who feels fear ignites when touched by him, making him as terrifying as he is tragic.

In the 70s, Man-Thing headlined several horror-inspired comics, especially under writer Steve Gerber, who gave the character a poetic and existential edge. Often silent, he serves as an observer of human folly as much as an active participant.

Outside comics, he’s appeared in:

• A low-budget 2005 TV film that failed to impress fans.

• A stunning return in Marvel’s Werewolf by Night (2022), where he finally regained his eerie, mystical presence.

Man-Thing remains one of Marvel’s strangest creations: a tragic monster, a living embodiment of fear, and a cult figure for fans of horror comics.