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Man-Thing
Man-Thing
Whatever knows fear burns at the touch of... the Man-Thing!
Alter Ego: Dr. Theodore "Ted" Sallis
First Appearance: Savage Tales #1 (May, 1971)
Man-Thing is a powerful swamp creature and guardian of the Nexus of all Realities. He was once human and turned himself into a monster as a last act of defense and a way too avoid his serum falling in the wrong hands.
- Achilles' Heel: Man-Thing's is being dried out.
- Acid Attack: His most iconic power; when driven to true aggression by the presence of fear, his body secretes a highly caustic chemical that allows him to lethally burn whatever he touches.
- Ascended Meme: In Thunderbolts, a mystical transformation Man-Thing goes through, combined with the events of Fear Itself, temporarily turn him into a literal "Giant Size Man-Thing"; he is even called such by Songbird. It's not the first time
the meme's ascended, either. - Body Horror: The transformation that turned Sallis into Man-Thing. Not only did he lose his mind, but he also lost all physical form, Man-Things body isn't flesh and bone, it's just swamp muck, roots and other vegetative detritus in humanoid shape.
- Came Back Wrong: Beyond a shadow of a doubt. It's made quite clear that there is nothing left of Sallis beyond a few vague and dreamy memories that are usually locked away in the depths of Man-Thing's skull, and the few occasions when Sallis' mind is restored are so traumatic that reverting Man-Thing to mindlessness is treated as the only moral thing to do so long as a physical cure remains out of reach.
- Combo Platter Powers: The Man-Thing has quite a variety of powers after his transformation, including empathy, a Healing Factor, acidic sweat, Nigh-Invulnerability, Combat Tentacles, Teleportation and Super-Strength. In 2021's Curse of the Man-Thing event, he can also perform Summon Magic.
- Creepy Good: Almost everyone who meets him is at the very least disturbed by Man-Things appearance and behavior, but he is firmly on the side of good, if only by chance, as his power tends to target evildoers. Man-Thing itself has little understanding of good or evil, just that evil hurts it, and that makes it angry!
- Cthulhumanoid: In appearance at least, since his "face" is framed by several large root-tentacles, and a rare heroic example.
- Deal with the Devil: In the 2021 Curse of the Man-Thing event, it turns out Sallis made contacted one of the Hells and made a deal with Belasco to help with the super-soldier serum. This would lead to the creation of the Man-Thing.
- Elemental Embodiment: Man-Thing is the incarnate elemental spirit of the swamp he lives in.
- The Empath: Man-Thing's main form of interpersonal interaction is his ability to sense emotions, which triggers an instinctive response.
- Empty Shell: What Dr. Sallis becomes after his transformation into Man-Thing.
- Freak Lab Accident: While working in a swamp trying to recreate Captain America's super-soldier serum, Dr. Ted Sallis is betrayed and injects himself in an attempt to escape, but crashes into the swamp where he is transformed...
- Healing Factor: Because his "flesh" is just algae and moss draped over a flexible root-based skeleton, he can swiftly regrow any bits that get blasted away or chopped off as long as he is in the presence of moisture.
- Lawyer-Friendly Cameo:
- "The Prison Without Walls", an episode of the Dungeons & Dragons (1983) cartoon penned by Steve Gerber after his fallout with Marvel, features a Shambling Mound (a monster from the tabletop game derived from Man-Thing, Swamp Thing and The Heap) which has been visually redesigned to clearly reference Man-Thing himself.
- Man-Thing frequently appears as one of the members of the Parliament of Trees in Swamp Thing.
- Logical Weakness: He burns anyone who feels fear. This of course means that if something can make Man-Thing feel even a flicker of fear than he'll be immolated by his own powers. He's actually died this way twice.
- Nature Hero: By virtue of living in and defending a swamp.
- Never Smile at a Crocodile: Man-Thing frequently crosses paths with alligators, although it usually turns out badly for them. Eventually they start to avoid him like the plague.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: Man-Thing has the Healing Factor and Feel No Pain combination; because his body-mass is all slimy plant-muck, he doesn't feel any damage when his body is struck and quickly replaces any bio-matter that's scoured away by attackers. He's been blown to pieces and regenerated fully (though that takes a bit longer).
- Nominal Hero: The Man-Thing doesn't really intend to do anything heroic, being a mindless and instinct-driven abomination. It's simply good fortune that its instincts and empathic nature cause it to violently lash out at anything causing/feeling fear and that evil hurts it like a burning brand in the brain, driving it to attack the truly monstrous. When not embroiled in some adventure, Man-Thing will usually just ignore the people around it, even allies. It simply lacks the capacity to form human bonds.
- Phrase Catcher: Expect at least one character around him to comment how "Whatever knows fear burns at the Man-Thing's touch!" (or a variation) whenever he shows up, even if the character never heard of Man-Thing before.
- Plant Person: Light on the 'person', but Man-Thing counts as one, if only in the sense that he's a mobile plant in a vaguely humanoid shape.
- Pulling Themselves Together: Almost every Man-Thing combat seems to involve pieces coming off... and then clumping back into shape.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Man-Thing's eyes are large, lidless, and pure red in color — and there is plenty of reason to be afraid of an ugly, nigh-infinitely regenerating giant with superhuman strength and corrosive secretions who does not want you in its swamp.
- The Speechless: Out of necessity, seeing as how Man-Thing has no mouth.
- Sufficiently Analyzed Magic: In the 2021 Curse of the Man-Thing event, Man-Thing is as much a product of this as Salli's expertise in biochemistry. It turns out that he actually couldn't come up with the maths for his super-soldier serum. His calculations kept coming out wrong, so in despair he conjures up Belasco and makes a deal with him. Belasco gives him a string of calculations involving supernatural maths and this completes the serum.
- Super-Strength: Man-Thing has immense strength, well beyond that of a human being.
- Swamp Monster: Man-Thing is one of the most famous examples alongside Swamp Thing, specifically of the Muck Monster variety. Both of them were inspired by The Heap.
- Took a Level in Badass: Man-Thing's burning touch against "anyone that feels fear", has been upgraded from mundane acid sweat to being an extremely powerful supernatural ability. Man-Thing roasts a rogue Hyperion in his days with the Thunderbolts, and his 'son'/sproutling Boy-Thing is able to harm Cosmic Ghost Rider, who was possessing the armor of a Prime Celestial.
- Tragic Hero: Man-Thing Was Once a Man but will never be one again, his existence is fated to carry on forever as this shambling, mute and animalistic monstrosity with next to no recollection of the man he used to be.
- Translator Microbes: Man-Thing is able to speak the universal language X'zelzi'ohr at the end of his Thunderbolts appearances, which carries into his more recent Red She-Hulk appearances.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: A pretty far example, but still noteworthy. He ended up meeting Curt Connors back when he was in the hospital for the loss of his arm and the two talked about Ted's attempts for the super-soldier serum. He was also vital for Connors' cell regeneration research, which is what would lead Connors to the path that would eventually lead him to becoming the Lizard. Given what happens to Ted after he joins Project Gladiator, both men suffer alot.
- Was Once a Man: Until he tried to keep a recreated version of Captain America's Super-Soldier serum away from foreign spies. Cornered and with no options left, he injected the serum into himself, moments before the spies gunned him down. The serum, combined with the mystical energies of the swamp, transformed the scientist into a shambling, mindless monstrosity.
- Weirdness Magnet: It's not so much him as his habitat, but since Man-Thing's swamp is a Nexus of Realities, not to mention saturated with mystical energy, weird and strange things tend to pop up there more often than not.
- When Trees Attack: Man-Thing fights one infected with a personification of hate.
- Wipe That Smile Off Your Face: Man-Thing's "face" can only be described as rudimentary; it has three roots forming a crude frame of a face, and two large, staring eyes, but no semblance of a mouth.
Allies
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck
Alter Ego: Howard Duckson
First Appearance: Fear #19 (December, 1973) (Unnamed); Man-Thing #1 (January, 1974) (Name Revealed)
Howard is a cigar-smoking anthropomorphic duck who lived in New Stork City on the planet Duckworld (in a parallel dimension). He was transported to and became trapped on our world, where he became close friends with Beverly Switzler. Most people of Earth simply do not believe that he is a talking duck.
See Howard the Duck
Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale
Alter Ego: Jennifer Kale
Notable Aliases: Witch Woman
First Appearance: Fear #11 (December, 1972)
A young woman whom encountered the Man-Thing. She became a powerful and skilled sorceress with extensive knowledge of magic and arcane lore. She is also the cousin of Johnny Blaze and Dan Ketch.
- Badass Family: She's the cousin of two Ghost Riders and she's pretty powerful in her own right.
- Bare Midriffs Are Feminine: She is a beautiful sorceress whose outfits show her midsection.
- Hot Witch: She's very attractive and a sorceress.
- Magic Is Feminine: Female magic user and was even part of a trio of witches alongside Satana Hellstrom and Topaz.
- Signature Headgear: Just like other female sorceresses, Jennifer usually wears a silver crown-like headset.
- Stripperiffic: Her original sorceress outfit was essentially a silver bikini and a cape. Subsequent outfits were more covering but still quite flattering.
Richard Rory
Richard Rory
First Appearance: Man-Thing #2 (February, 1974)
Richard Rory is a former disc jockey with an unlucky habit of getting tangled up in superhuman affairs.
- Alliterative Name: Richard Rory.
- Born Unlucky: How he views himself. Given that he was introduced stranded in the swamp after his van broke down while on the run from a crazed killer he might not be wrong.
Dakimh the Enchanter
Dakimh the Enchanter
Alter Ego: Dakimh
First Appearance: Fear #14 (June, 1973)
Dakimh is a 20,000 year old sorcerer and magician, whose former apprentice was Jennifer Kale. He allied himself with several other supernatural characters like the Man-Thing, Korrek, and Howard the Duck during their many adventures.
- The Mentor: Offered mentor Jennifer in how to control her powers.
Aquarian
Wundarr the Aquarian
Alter Ego: Wundarr
First Appearance: Fear #17 (October, 1973)
Wundarr the Aquarian is a powerful pacifist who was attached to Project Pegasus. He is friends with the Thing among others. More recently, he proved to be the only person ever to be bitten by a Marvel-Zombie and live to tell the tale, purging the disease out of his body.
- Energy Absorption: Initially he constantly absorbed any excess energy he came into contact with. After exposure to a cosmic cube, this expanded to a field around him that nullifies energies above specific thresholds.
- Flying Brick: He has the typical powerset of being super strong and able to fly.
- The Immune: He's the only known person that survived being bitten by a zombie and purging the Hunger Virus.
- Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Always illustrated with long hair and he's not bad looking at all.
- Pent-Up Power Peril: His initial energy absorption powers caused him to release stored energy explosively when his body reached capacity, periodically devastating everything around him.
- Superman Substitute: Aquarian's early life history is a clear pastiche to that of Superman. The nature of Wundarr's creation was to create a take on Superman that had the mind of a child operating the body of an adult and the powers of a Kryptonian.
Enemies
Foolkiller
Foolkiller
Alter Ego: Ross G. Everbest
First Appearance: Man-Thing #3 (March, 1974)
The first person to become the Foolkiller. He is a vigilante serial-killer on a mission to eliminate the amoral "fools" in society. There have been five people who have assumed the mantle.
See Foolkiller
Glob
Thog the Nether-Spawn
Thog the Nether-Spawn
Alter Ego: Thog
Notable Aliases: Netherspawn, Overmaster, Satan
First Appearance: Fear #11 (December, 1972)
Thog the Netherspawn is an ancient demon lord from another dimension and major enemy of the Man-Thing.
- Big Red Devil: Looks like a typical red demon with horns and a tail.
- Voluntary Shapeshifting: Thog can physically alter his shape and size, taking on the appearance of an inhuman winged monstrosity. He can also assume a humanoid appearance, albeit with demonic characteristics (pointed ears, sharpened canines, tail, etc.)
Col. Jody Choate
Colonel Jody Choate
Click here to see Choate after his mutation
- "Jody Choate is a realist, Senator, but he's also a religious man. He prayed before he undertook those endeavors. And he can stand before God and this congress and say—he did what he thought was right."
Notable Aliases: Steel (code name)
First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents #1/2 (September, 1988)
A shining example of American patriotism and honor, Choate is a distinguished U.S. Colonel who would do anything to protect his country... and we do mean anything. Choate is secretly a high-ranking official of Project Glamor, an abominable government operation to recreate Ted Sallis' doomed Super Serum, which gets its funding from the sales of drugs and military arms. After seeing the project fall into chaos as parties turn on each other with the Man-Thing's involvement, the Colonel decided to take matters into his own hands.- Affably Evil: Choate is overall a friendly and personable figure despite his various atrocities.
- Colonel Badass: A proficient Lieutenant Colonel who eventually becomes a superhuman monster.
- Body Horror: He eventually subjected himself and his squad to the Project Glamor serum, mutating into warped, lanky abominations with extended necks and visible bone on their bodies. They actually got lucky compared to the previous test subjects.
- Death by Irony: He's generally a stalwart and iron-willed man, showing no fear of putting himself through the agonizing transformation of becoming a Super Soldier. And yet it's his fear that destroys him in the end, because how does the Man-Thing's slogan go again?
- Dragon-in-Chief: While Selbert is higher ranking, Choate is still the most prominent villain and the final threat confronted by Man-Thing.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: He seems to be a loving husband to his wife Debbie.
- Even Evil Has Standards: After his transformation into a Super-Soldier, he expresses his revulsion for Dr. MacDonald, as the latter partakes in these atrocious experiments not out of duty, but for profit. He then tears the doctor's heart out.
- Evil Counterpart/Foil: Choate is almost a warped reflection of Ted Sallis. Like Ted, Choate was a man who played God in the name of military advancement with a flawed super-soldier serum. While Sallis was disgusted with himself for what this would unleash, Choate subjected live test subjects to horrific experiments with barely any remorse, and while Sallis became the mindless and fearsome yet benevolent Man-Thing, Choate became a similarly warped and superhumanly strong monstrosity yet maintained his human mind, showcasing that he's always been a monster human or not.
- A Father to His Men: He's a very charismatic leader and inspires such loyalty in his troops that they volunteer to become mutant behemoths along with their commander.
- Kick The Son Of A Bitch: He delivers a brutal and well-deserved end to Dr. MacDonald, one of the project's scientists, as while he's just as guilty in Glamor's horrors, at least he doesn't do it just for money.
- Killed Off for Real: As with most villains who cross the swamp beast's path, Choate is burned to ash by Man-Thing in their only confrontation and hasn't been heard from since.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Choate seems to be one for Colonel Oliver North, who was court-martialed at the time of the comic's publishing for his role in paramilitary occupation in Iran.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: To the Colonel, his monstrous actions, ranging from human experimentation to mass-murder are justifiable to keep the people safe.
Doctor Railsback
Dr. Lawrence Railsback
Click here to see Railsback after his mutation
Notable Aliases: Brew (code name)
First Appearance: Marvel Comics Presents #2/2 (September 1988)
The head scientist of Project Glamor's inhumane experiments in creating Super-Soldiers, and no less morally bankrupt than required for the job. When Railsback has one failed experiment too many, his superiors phase him out as head scientist, and use him as a test subject for the refined process. This bit them in the ass when the already depraved doctor became a hulking, horrifically deformed beast with inhuman strength and a lust for revenge.- Asshole Victim: If it had to be anyone going through something as horrific and agonizing as Project Glamor's experiments, you couldn't pick a better guy than the man in charge of them.
- Ax-Crazy: Railsback was already a sociopathic human being but generally pretty easy-going. Then he gets a taste of his own medicine and devolves physically and mentally into a shrieking, bloodthirsty animal.
- The Berserker: As a mutant monster, he's in a constant state of rage and prone to ripping apart his prey like a savage ape.
- Body Horror: The Super-Soldier experiments he oversees are among the most horrifying, disgusting and agonizing transformations in all of Marvel's history, with most subjects not even surviving. Fittingly, he ends up on the receiving end himself and his mind is apparently warped as much as his body.
- Bolivian Army Ending: Railsback is last seen in a confrontation with Choate's mutated soldiers. The outcome is never revealed, and while it's shown that some of Choate's men survived, Railsback's fate is up in the air.
- Evil Counterpart: Like the Man-Thing, he was a scientist who experimented with super-soldier serum and became a hulking abomination after betrayal. Unlike Sallis, he was an inhuman bastard with zero remorse for his actions until they became his undoing. Also, while Man-Thing is guided by instinct and pretty passive, the mutated Railsback is driven by vicious, berserk rage.
- Evil Is Hammy: Not so much as a human being, but after his horrible transformation, he goes on long tangents of Angrish.
- Evil vs. Evil: He goes on a rampage against his superiors, killing General Selbert and facing off against a similarly transformed Choate and his super-soldiers.
- Hate Sink: In case the rest of this entry wasn't clear, he's an appallingly depraved individual with a chillingly casual attitude to his atrocious work and a disgusting sense of superiority. Becoming a disfigured behemoth was almost an improvement.
- Kick The Son Of A Bitch: Gets on the receiving end from his monstrous superiors, who subject him to the same grotesque and painful process he put others through in his work. Later, he returns the favor by slaughtering the vile General Seibert.
- Mad Scientist: Horrifically mutating people for a steady paycheck would require you to have some seriously messed up credentials.
- More Despicable Minion: Both Choate and Railsback are horrifying sociopaths complicit in the same atrocities, but while Choate has good (if warped) goals, Railsback is merely in it to for his sick curiosity and need for validation.
- Revenge Myopia: He doesn't blink an eye at the unthinkable agony he puts his subjects through, but when he ends up on the operating table and transformed by his own vile procedure, he wants revenge on all of Project Glamor.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: He goes on a brutal one against the Project when his super-soldier transformation works a little too well.
- Unskilled, but Strong: He's a scientist, not a soldier. When he becomes a monstrous hulk however, his newly superhuman strength and homicidal lust for revenge makes him a dangerous combatant.
