Marvel Explained: Man-Thing is Science Meets Magic Meets Swamp
Thanks to Werewolf by Night, the MCU has its first plant-based creature feature! The internet is wild for Ted – who is Marvel’s Man-Thing?
Is he a man or a monster? Or maybe some kind of monstera? Grab a bottle of fertilizer and a straw*, it’s another Super-Soldier-gone-awry situation! It’s wild how many times that happens in the Marvel universe… He’s a thing that was formed near a swamp, but he’s not Swamp-Thing, he’s – MAN-THING!
*Please don’t drink the fertilizer, kids.
Created by: Steve Gerber, Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, & Gray Morrow
First appearance: Savage Tales #1 (1974)
The Birth of the Man-Thing
Theodore “Ted” Sallis was a biochemist hired by the U.S. government in one of many attempts to replicate the Super Soldier Serum. He and his lady-love Ellen Brandt moved out to the wetlands of the Everglades in order to focus on his work, but his wife became bitter about being ignored (oof!) and betrayed him!
The possibilities of Ted’s research attracted the attention of A.I.M., a private organization bent on overthrowing all government through scientific and technological means. After Ted had completed what he called his SO-2 serum, he destroyed all evidence of his research and committed the formula to memory. Ellen helped to arrange an ambush, forcing Ted to flee into the surrounding swamp – injecting himself with the last vial of the SO-2 serum.
He transformed into the Man-Thing and, as his mind started to fade, he demolished the A.I.M. agents. He also unintentionally badly burned Ellen. Don’t worry. She does get better.
Powers, Abilities, & Characteristics
Thanks to the properties of the serum and the surrounding swampland, Man-Thing looks like a gigantic vegetative beast. His plantlike nature allows him to expand his shape or fit into very small spaces, and this also allows him to “regenerate” by creating a new body.
In the comics, Ted’s consciousness is more or less gone, and Man-Thing himself is absent of emotion or thought. He is, however, drawn to emotions. If he senses violence, his natural instinct is to defeat it – which has resulted in Man-Thing taking out abusers and villains through his long history in the comics.
Moreover, aggressive emotions in others cause Man-Thing to produce sulfuric acid from his “skin”, burning those he comes into contact with. Not that it often happens, but when the extreme emotional response subsides, he secretes mucus that helps to heal the burns.
Man-Thing Moments
Man-Thing has had a spotlight on a few major Marvel teams over the years. His first big superhero moment occurred when Ted helped defend the Earth from Dormammu. As his story develops, his swamp is identified as the Nexus of all Realities, a cross-dimensional doorway to any and all realities. Talk about real estate value!
Since Man-Thing is the guardian of the swamp, he’s also the guardian of the Nexus. This sees his traveling across several realities, but some of his best stories take place on Earth-616.
Man-Thing teamed up with Ghost Rider, Morbius, and the Werewolf by Night to form the Legion of Monsters. He’s fought alongside Iron Man, the Hulk, She-Hulk, Thor, the Thunderbolts, and Howard the Duck. He was also a member of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Howling Commandos “monster” team.
Ted Comes to the MCU
In the MCU’s new seasonal special Werewolf by Night, Ted appears as the monster being hunted in a supernatural sporting match to acquire the Bloodstone. This version of the Man-Thing, while not exactly talkative, does appear to have some faculties when it comes to communicating with his fellow Marvel Monster Jack Russel.
It’s highly likely that we’ll see the character appear again in a future MCU story. With upcoming projects like the Agatha Harkness spinoff and Blade, Marvel is clearly embracing the darker, more magical side of the comics. As an avid comic book fan and gardener, I personally can’t wait to see this delightful muck monster bring more chlorophyll-goodness to his adoring audience.
