Swamp Thing or Man-Thing? [Archive]

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The Toyroom

Jun 7, '07, 9:36 PM

Cast my vote for Swamp Thing....from the Wein/Wrightson beginnings to the early Pasko/Yeates revival to Alan Moore's classic run with Bissette and Totleben, I've always found something enjoyable in almost every incarnation.

I'll admit though that I haven't read Swampy's last few series attempts. Although I liked the adult approach Moore initiated, I always liked when Swampy was more integrated with the rest of the DC Universe.....his team-ups with Batman are classic and I still dig his DC Comics Presents team-up with Supes against Solomon Grundy. Maybe it's time to have him leave the "Vertigo" universe and bring him back to mainstream DC to give him a shot in the arm so to speak...

As for Man-Thing, I still get an adolescent chuckle whenever I read "Whoever knows fear burns at the touch of the Man-Thing" and "Giant-Size Man-Thing", but other than that I've never gotten the hook of the character. But he does have great visuals.

Megospidey

Jun 7, '07, 10:09 PM

Doesn't Swamp-Thing talk? I've always had a hard time with a thing from the swamp that looks like that and talks. He shouldn't be that intelligent.

Man-thing is a mindless pile of earthen goo....as he should be! My vote: Man-thing! (Besides....Man-Thing is a Marvel character - I can't vote for a DC character Anthony! It goes against my religion)

The Toyroom

Jun 7, '07, 10:15 PM

Look Marvel Boy:grin:...Swamp Thing was originally Dr. Alec Holland*, the creator of the Bio-Restorative Formula, so I think he has some intelligence (as does Man-Thing's alter ego Dr. Ted Sallis, but his mind seems to have stagnated since the transformation). When he talks, it's very difficult and sounds raspy....most of the time he's a yellow encrusted thought balloon kind of guy (although I think his speech got better in the Moore run).

* or absorbed Alec Holland's essence if you go with the Moore retcon.

Marvelmania

Jun 7, '07, 10:23 PM

As another "Marvel Boy" I'd go with Man-Thing. I just never did read a Swamp Thing comic.:biggrin:

Bionic Joe

Jun 7, '07, 10:58 PM

Megospidey

Jun 7, '07, 11:42 PM

hate to break it to you two marvel boys but swamp thing is better and was better writen and had better art man-thing only had a short run with great art when mike ploog drew the book and the handful of issues by frank brunner but the writing on man-thing was always weak :yes:

Ploog rocks! Loved him with Man-Thing and Werewolf by Night....so you just reminded me of ANOTHER reason why I loved Man-Thing. I thought the writing was FANTASTIC! It was a Marvel comic after all :grin:

Anthony, doesn't DC stand for Degenerative Crap??? :smiley1:

Bionic Joe

Jun 7, '07, 11:56 PM

Megospidey

Jun 8, '07, 12:07 AM

like i said ploogs short run the art was great but the writing was still on the poor side, and marvel ain't that great anymore, i don't hate marvel i have a good sized collection of marvel but mostly from the 60s to early 80s but sad to say marvel is a pale compairason to what it useto be

Yes, we can agree on this: Marvel today is not the Marvel of old.

When I think of Marvel Comics (I'm 40), I think mainly of the 1960's and 1970's. Today's stuff is very, very bad for the most part.

Marvelmania

Jun 8, '07, 6:25 AM

I don't collect any comics past 1980 except for Marvel Secret Wars.

The Toyroom

Jun 8, '07, 7:15 AM

Doesn't DC stand for Degenerative Crap??? :smiley1:

Traditionally DC stands for Detective Comics :biggrin:....but I'm sure you already knew that. Marvel always referred to DC as the Distinguished Competition....but that's was back in the Stan Lee days when Marvel was the House of Ideas. What are the old architects thinking of today's Marvel I wonder...?

ramsey37

Jun 8, '07, 8:25 AM

Man-Thing has a cooler, more monstrous look, but Swamp Thing's stories are usually better.
George

palitoy

Jun 8, '07, 8:37 AM

Swamp Thing for me, the early issues are great, one of the cooler anti heroes of the 70's.

Comic Book Geek

Jun 8, '07, 9:25 AM

I like Man Thing for his look. he's creepy I like that. I can't really think of a single story invloving him even though I've owned quite a few issues that included him.

Swamp thing however has a definite story line I remember liking. The Alan Moore run was great.

kingdom warrior

Jun 8, '07, 5:33 PM

For me hands down it's SwampThing I loved Wein's and Wrightson's run and Alan Moore's version was Classic....Plus I loved the campy movies and Adrienne Barbeau's R rated Boobie version...I also was a fan of the TV show.....It would be nice if DC would do a new movie with an Alan Moore screenplay wishful thinking :grin:

Earth 2 Chris

Jun 8, '07, 7:34 PM

Swamp Thing. I always liked that he wasn't REALLY a monster. He was misunderstood. Man-Thing was a monster. He burned people and killed them. He also has a carrot for a nose.

Chris

samurainoir

Jun 9, '07, 2:03 AM

Swamp Thing all the way.

Highlights include the original Lein/Wrightson run, The Alan Moore/Bissette/Totleben/Veitch/etc era, the Grant Morrison/Mark Millar/Phil Hester finale.

Honourable Mention: Brian Vaughn's run which followed Swamp Thing's daughter Tefe. A bold experiment which moved the concept forward in an interesting and compelling manner. Probably a bit too bold for an audience that wasn't prepared for such a radical departure.

Low Points... DC refusing to publish the conclusion to Vietch's run, and the recent revival which brought Swamp Thing back to his tired Swamp Monster Roots in a pointless retread (with the exception finally seeing Richard Corben drawing Swamp Thing).

As for Man Thing...

Steve Gerber wrote some really sharp scripts in the seventies and was certainly an innovator. Liam Sharps art was pretty impressive in the latest ongoing from a few years back.

Plus... the immortal title GIANT SIZED MAN THING.

DocDrako

Jun 9, '07, 3:37 AM

I like Swamp Thing better, but of the two movies, I like Man-Thing better. His movie was creepy, even if it wasn't the most awesome movie in the world.

:grin:

thunderbolt

Jun 9, '07, 5:35 AM

I like Marvel's better for the name alone. Its great when someone posts about a custom 8 inch Man Thing. :D The Heap is better than both.

Meule

Jun 9, '07, 6:51 AM

Swamp Thing of course, what else :grin:

samurainoir

Jun 10, '07, 7:53 AM

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/62/Man-Thing_1_(1974).jpg/250px-Man-Thing_1_(1974).jpg

http://www.zeuscomics.com/images/toys/man-thing-bowen-statue.jpg

http://www.incrediblehulk.com/manthingresistance.jpg

http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/movies/Man_Thing.JPG

http://www.toonopedia.com/manthing.jpg

http://www.impawards.com/2004/posters/man_thing.jpg

http://www.genreonline.net/Genre_files/ManThingLarge.jpg

http://mikewhalen.net/images/man_thing.jpg

http://www.tommycastillo.com/paintings/man-thing.JPG

http://www.fangoriatv.com/images/MT_slurpee.jpg

samurainoir

Jun 10, '07, 8:11 AM

http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/features/images/MLMonsters/MLMFrankManThing.jpg

http://www.headinjurytheater.com/images/Man-Thing.decent%20man%20thing.jpg

http://www.fangoriatv.com/images/MT_2cover.jpg

http://www.thecomicfanatic.com/new%20images/liamhulkmt.jpg

http://www.thecomicfanatic.com/new%20images/liammanthing1.jpg

http://hdespierre.free.fr/vo/manthingv3/1.jpg
__________________________________________

samurainoir

Jun 10, '07, 8:13 AM

http://www.headinjurytheater.com/images/swt2%20thumbs%20up.jpg

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jimthing/swamp-thing-23.jpg

http://www.actuabd.com/IMG/jpg/swamp-thing-case.jpg

http://progressives.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/swamp_thing.jpg

http://www.clivebarker.info/swamp2.JPG

brineb

Jun 11, '07, 7:46 AM

The Sentry

Jun 11, '07, 12:36 PM

Man, this is a tough one, I mean I have an answer for every little reason in my life 'cept for this one. I love them both equally. Alec and Ted are both wonderful characters in their own respect. I can't decide! DRAW I SAY! :yeah:

samurainoir

Jun 11, '07, 2:38 PM

It's a tough call for me I like them both about the same. I did like the Swamp-Thing movies and TV show, I never saw the Man-Thing movie. I also think that The Heap is even cooler!!! I remember in the early 70s when there was a revival of The Heap in a B&W magazine, I think it was PSYCHO.

The Heap was the original inspiration for both Swamp Thing and Man Thing.

I liked his cameo in the pages of Swamp Thing when Alec visited the Parliament of Trees for the first time.

He also was revived by Eclipse in the pages of Airboy.

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/02022211398.3.GIF

brineb

Jun 12, '07, 6:51 AM

The Heap was the original inspiration for both Swamp Thing and Man Thing.

I liked his cameo in the pages of Swamp Thing when Alec visited the Parliament of Trees for the first time.

He also was revived by Eclipse in the pages of Airboy.

I have a bunch of those Airboys just because of The Heap!!! For some reason I just dig Muck Monsters!!!

emeraldknight47

Aug 16, '11, 11:26 PM

This is an easy call for me: Swamp Thing rules. I mean, look at his lineage and the amount of fantastic writers and artists who have contributed to his mythos. Plus, if you think about it, if there were never a Heap, there would likely never have been a Swamp Thing and even more likely, never a Man Thing...!

P.S. Of all the people who actually did Man Thing, I think Michael Golden probably laid down the best graphite for the character....

bobws

Aug 17, '11, 1:10 AM

Never read either characters stories but,i would vote for Swamp Thing for the Movies and tv series. Adrienne and Heather on those posters and box art sold those movies for me.

rche

Aug 17, '11, 2:13 AM

swampy has long been one of my favorites; even through the Vietch crazyness and Morrison's ... well Morrisonness .

I never really could get past the Popeye goon similarity with the ManThing, either.
http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/public/news_images/4/79511_196145_2.jpg

johnmiic

Aug 17, '11, 2:24 AM

Swamp Thing. Alan Moore had a long, consistently good run on the book. He gave the series new life and incorporated many under-used DC horror characters. The artists helped set the mood with their unconventional styles. It was exactly what the book needed. The issue where Swampy really took off, The Anatomy Lesson begins very cleverly with the narrator asking, "I wonder if there will be blood?" From that point on you know you're in for a real wild ride! Folks if you want to read some of the best horror comics ever written start at that point. It's the origin spun on its head; not re-imagined. As for those of you who like the Swamp Thing movies or TV series or cartoon-FORGET IT! Read the comic if you never have before. The comic is Swamp Thing. Everything else is junk.

Man-Thing didn't have a creative team on the book long enough to make as much of an impact. Mike Ploog admits this when interviewed in Modern Masters. The comic suffered for it. Marvel should have been able to make the book work as they had many successful Monster Comics but I guess what they needed was a horror writer and not a monster writer. Man-Thing is good but he's still waiting for lightening to strike.

"I wonder if there will be blood?"

http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/underwire/images/2009/02/07/swampsaga_21.jpghttp://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/img/s/SwampThing.jpghttp://i.newsarama.com/images/Swamp-thing_02.jpg
http://images.wikia.com/marvel_dc/images/6/66/Swamp_Thing_Vol_2_34.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Swampthing93totleben.jpghttp://images.comicbookcollector.net/large/49/49_119525_0_SwampThingVol2Annual2DownAmong.jpghttp ://images.comiccollectorlive.com/covers/fa0/fa0e06d5-d360-4554-bbbd-397668be08e5.jpg

The Toyroom

Aug 17, '11, 6:56 AM

I think part of Swamp Thing's popularity over the years is that as a reader you're often able to get inside the character's head...he thinks, he speaks, he acts...

Man-Thing just shambles along....

samurainoir

Aug 17, '11, 7:10 AM

Gerber got another kick at the can with Sludge. I have been meaning to check it out.
http://d1466nnw0ex81e.cloudfront.net/iss/400w/249/152491/557970.jpg

samurainoir

Aug 17, '11, 7:13 AM

I'm hugely disappointed two morrows Muck Monsters book is apparently not coming out.
http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_li0givHPzB1qh5euso1_500.jpg

Great Frank Cho cover

The Toyroom

Aug 17, '11, 7:15 AM

Why? What happened to that project?

Bruce Banner

Aug 17, '11, 7:29 AM

Man-Thing vs Swamp Thing was always a Marvel/DC crossover I wanted to see.
Too bad they never did one.

http://a1.l3-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/88/4631906c6c2e4139a544acc9bb58a63e/l.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HAFh92j6pl0/TeJk_bcDduI/AAAAAAAABt0/jesupP3JA9A/s1600/man-thing-vs-swamp-thing.jpg

MEMEGO

Aug 17, '11, 8:46 AM

I Like Swamp-thing, He Is My Fav Of The Two. The New Sdcc Swamp-thing Action Figure In My Opinion Fits Right In With The Classic Mego Line. What Do You All Think? Let Me Know.

emeraldknight47

Aug 17, '11, 9:24 AM

emeraldknight47

Aug 17, '11, 9:35 AM

Swamp Thing. Alan Moore had a long, consistently good run on the book. He gave the series new life and incorporated many under-used DC horror characters. The artists helped set the mood with their unconventional styles. It was exactly what the book needed. The issue where Swampy really took off, The Anatomy Lesson begins very cleverly with the narrator asking, "I wonder if there will be blood?" From that point on you know you're in for a real wild ride! Folks if you want to read some of the best horror comics ever written start at that point. It's the origin spun on its head; not re-imagined. As for those of you who like the Swamp Thing movies or TV series or cartoon-FORGET IT! Read the comic if you never have before. The comic is Swamp Thing. Everything else is junk.

Man-Thing didn't have a creative team on the book long enough to make as much of an impact. Mike Ploog admits this when interviewed in Modern Masters. The comic suffered for it. Marvel should have been able to make the book work as they had many successful Monster Comics but I guess what they needed was a horror writer and not a monster writer. Man-Thing is good but he's still waiting for lightening to strike.

You are SO right on the money with this statement, johnmiic. Moore took Swamp Thing to places that comics had never ever been before, especially with a relatively "obscure" character. When I read "The Anatomy Lesson" I was in awe, thinking to myself "Now THIS is what a comic should be." I think that between Moore, Bissette and Tottlebens's SWAMP THING and Miller's DARK KNIGHT, they probably, collectively, drew more people into the comics genre than had been seen for quite some time. These were pieces that were viewed more as literature rather than "funny books."

And I do keep forgetting that Man Thing DID used to be a man, Ted Sallis, but MARVEL has never found a writer who can really seem to do for Manny what Moore did for Swampy, methinks because whatever they did would seem, basically, fairly derivative of Moore's work on SWAMP THING. Not saying it can't be done, but it would difficult to do. Wouldn't mind seeing someone try. Think of a retooled Man Thing by, let's say, Grant Morrison or (and I'm dreaming here, so bear with me) Stephen King....!

kingdom warrior

Aug 17, '11, 10:35 AM

Swamp thing.....never liked mandingo thing......:smiley1:

samurainoir

Aug 17, '11, 10:47 AM

I guess we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for the Shocker Toys Heap action figure?
http://www.shockertoys.com/res/Heap1.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/08/Airboy-Heap.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZFrLvO_VJBU/TXaVS708MYI/AAAAAAAAI1Y/i82bOQg1Boc/AirboyV03-04-30.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/pop/bay55/SwampThing/Heap.gif

http://www.thecomicshop.com.au/covers/comics/a/airboy-27-eclipse-nm.jpg

I thought the Macfarlane reinvention was kind of fun. Love the street sign in there.
http://www.mcfarlanes-figures.com/image-files/the-heap-repaint.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/439096603_4463464a85.jpg

http://www.comicoo.com/spawn/Spawn073/images/spawn%20-%2073_15.jpg

and of course Swamp thing appearance...

samurainoir

Aug 17, '11, 10:51 AM

http://comiccoverage.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/03/stranger_14.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/3191785374_834563f157_b.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/pop/bay55/SwampThing/WhatThe2.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/pop/bay55/SwampThing/WhatThe3.jpg

samurainoir

Aug 17, '11, 11:05 AM

Also Green Man from Astro City.
http://comicsmedia.ign.com/comics/image/object/059/059582/the-dark-age-book-four-1_final-cover-artboxart_160w.jpg

Bionic Joe

Aug 17, '11, 1:19 PM

number 6

Aug 17, '11, 4:02 PM

My vote goes for Swamp Thing, mostly because so the Wrightson issues. Number 3 of the original run is probably my all-time favorite comic cover. I was too young to get the original series on the newstand when it came out (issue 1 was on the stands the month and year I was born!), I discovered it years later. But I remember when Saga of the Swamp Thing #1 came out, I found it at Safeway and was extremely excited to get it.

I think the only problem I had with Alec Holland/Swamp Thing is that he's scientist, I mean the first issue is pretty much a science fiction story. But starting with the second issue he gets confronted with all kinds of supernatural stuff, and he never once as a man of science expresses any disbelief or questions it, he just seems to accept it as though it's all to be expected.

I thought Man-Thing was cool as a kid, I mean visually speaking. But I never had any of his comics as a kid (my exposure was through ads in Marvel Comics). When I finally came across his comics I never really could get into them.

samurainoir

Aug 17, '11, 8:30 PM

Speaking of The Heap, I had no idea he returned this week from Moonstone.
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/8633/heap1oroboroscps001.jpg

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/1665/heap1oroboroscps002.jpg

Bionic Joe

Aug 17, '11, 8:42 PM

^^^Damn i wish there was a store near me so i could check it out, the Heap looks like a good read

samurainoir

Aug 18, '11, 12:19 PM

I just read this first issue of the Heap and found it interesting enough. As you can see they have added in some Norse mythology, and set it in Ww 2 nazi Germany. The heap has intelligence and retains the personality of the WW1 German pilot. There is an Anton arcane type mad scientist who is doing mad science experiments in the concentration camps. Intriguing enough that I'll pick up the subsequent issues.

The Toyroom

Aug 18, '11, 12:53 PM

http://comiccoverage.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/03/stranger_14.jpg

Interesting....this issue is dated from August 1971 and the story was written by Len Wein.

Swamp Thing 1st appeared in House of Secrets #92 (July '71) while Man-Thing 1st appeared in Savage Tales #1 (May '71).

The "Spectre of the Stalking Swamp" looks a lot more like Man-Thing than it does Swamp Thing so maybe Wein DID rip-off his old roommate Gerry Conway???

Roy Thomas:

Gerry and I thought that, unconsciously, the origin in Swamp Thing #1 was a bit too similar to the origin of Man-Thing a year-and-a-half earlier. There was vague talk at the time around Marvel of legal action, but it was never really pursued. I don't know if any letters even changed hands between Marvel and DC. [...] We weren't happy with the situation over the Swamp Thing #1 origin, but we figured it was an accident. Gerry was rooming with Len at the time and tried to talk him into changing the Swamp Thing's origin. Len didn't see the similarities, so he went ahead with what he was going to do. The two characters verged off after that origin, so it didn't make much difference, anyway

Megospidey

Aug 18, '11, 1:31 PM

^ Yeah, that's Man-thing with a reworked "face" - no doubt.

I've gone back over the past couple of years and re-read a bunch of Swamp Thing and Man-thing comics (now have a complete run of Man-thing)

Swamp Thing is a better read story wise -- Man-thing is very dark and brooding. Basically deals with 2 themes that were popular in the 70's: the rising tide of ecology and environmentalism and psycho-analysis.

As far as artwork goes - I STILL like Man-things look over Swamp Thing.

johnmiic

Aug 18, '11, 1:47 PM

The House of Secrets Cover does have Swamp Things characteristic triangular mouth. I like the tribute in ish #33:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1xs9uQ-IpXs/TDKdeLbnnbI/AAAAAAAAB5E/KXB0DG9LlTs/s1600/HOS92.jpghttp://images.comiccollectorlive.com/covers/5ac/5acd6204-d89c-47d3-86b8-de9217470096.jpg

That Man-Thing pose must have a common starting point. Michael Golden seemed to copy that stance a few times. It looks like the pose was flipped here:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k3eQBAeNC6k/Tj25pn7oR2I/AAAAAAAACBE/3NuUCdUI6k8/s1600/micronauts-7.jpghttp://geek-news.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/manthing1.jpg

I love this one as well:

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/4/18486-3053-20674-1-savage-she-hulk-the_super.jpg