Man-Thing #1
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Man-Thing #1

Writer: R. L. Stine Artist: German Peralta, Daniel Johnson Publisher: Marvel Comics Release Date: March 8, 2017 Cover Price: $3.99 Critic Reviews: 17 User Reviews: 19
7.1Critic Rating
6.7User Rating

MARVEL WELCOMES R.L. STINE!
Beloved writer R.L. STINE (Goosebumps, Fear Street) brings his special brand of horror to MAN-THING!
After working for years, MAN-THING has regained his ability to speak and has taken Hollywood by storm...But when an ancient and mysterious danger threatens the swamp, Man-Thing is going to have to choose between his new life and celebrity, and the world he used to call home...
PLUS! A bone-chilling new horror story, written by the master himself, R.L. STINE, and illustrated by the incomparable Daniel Warren Johnson!
Parental Advisory

  • 10
    Comicosity - Doug Zawisza Mar 11, 2017

    Man-Thing #1 is a solid offering from a strong creative team. This comic is a fine introduction for new readers and a good reminder for returning muck monster fans. It stands equally in creepiness, campiness, and classic, giving readers a lot to look forward to in upcoming issues. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Chuck's Comic Of The Day - Chuck Mar 9, 2017

    It's a solid start (and a great re-start) for this classic character! Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    Weird Science - Branden Murray Mar 13, 2017

    R.L. Stinedoes an excellent job of setting the tone and establishing the premise for the beginningof this story raising a few questions along the way I'm excited to find theanswers to.  Both art teams present on thestories in the book do a great job of capturing the tone and emotions presentmaking this something I wholeheartedly recommended to any fan of ahorror/comedy type of comic book. Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    Comicsverse - A. Chowder Mar 10, 2017

    With this comic debut, R.L. Stine invites readers to look beneath the muck of Man-Thing and discover a re-imagined story. Adding both elements of mild horror and comedy, MAN-THING #1 is solid footing for the miniseries. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    All-Comic - Jeremy Matcho Mar 11, 2017

    This was an amazing debut into comics for R.L. Stine. Its hard to make people care about a character like Man-Thing, but Stinemanages to do it. With the help some wonderful art, Man-Thing #1 is an excellent book and should be read by anyone who just loves a good story. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Newsarama - Joey Edsall Mar 8, 2017

    This is a comic that knows what it is and wants to have fun with it. The writing fluctuates between notably interesting and frustratingly on-the-nose but is overall an inventive and fresh direction for Man-Thing. The art captures everything in the broad tonal range necessary to tell this story effectively and is a visual treat. Despite a few faults, it's undeniably entertaining. Even the backup story manages to seize interest as it reminds readers of a universally acknowledged truth: overly ambitious pianists are just the worst. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    We Got This Covered - Christian Bone Mar 8, 2017

    Though it won't be for everyone, Man-Thing #1 is an enjoyable comic book debut from R.L. Stine which brings his unique tongue-in-cheek pulp horror style to a classic Marvel character. Read Full Review

  • 7.8
    Graphic Policy - Brett Mar 8, 2017

    Man-Thing #1 is a bit of a mixed bag. Half isn't what I expected and it's still entertaining. But, what is presented caught me so off guard I was taken out of it a bit. The second half though nails the horror comic perfectly. It's more of what I expected and wanted. Who knows what future issues will hold and maybe now I know what to expect I can enjoy it a bit more. If nothing else, even with a high profile writer things can still surprise. Read Full Review

  • 7.6
    Multiversity Comics - Rowan Grover Mar 9, 2017

    Man-Thing #1 is filled with unique scares that's only held back by dated narration. Read Full Review

  • 7.5
    NerdEnt.Net - Flame Hawk Mar 8, 2017

    While I was expecting more out of this issue due to Stine's writing and Peralta's art I knew there would be a learning curve. As this series progresses expect it to get exponentially better each issue before becoming an outstanding book. Read Full Review

  • 7.5
    IGN - Jesse Schedeen Mar 8, 2017

    Man-Thing #1 is hardly a flawless debut for the series, as the choppy structure prevents either story in this issue from reaching its full potential. Still, it offers a clever, campy take on the iconic monster hero, and the art in both stories is very easy on the eyes.This promises to be a fun ride for fans of the Marvel Monsters. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    The Beat - AJ Frost Mar 8, 2017

    Even though I was never into Stine's literary oeuvre when I was growing up, I'm glad a gave this comic a chance. It's setting up for something interesting, but it just lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. All the cards are there, but it needs to show more of its hand. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    Comics: The Gathering - Forrest Hollingsworth Mar 8, 2017

    It’s not the strongest of introductory issues, certainly not as strong as one might expect from Stine, but it is more than enough to entice at least until the second issue. Fans of Tales-From-The-Crypt-esque writing and visuals should tune in. Read Full Review

  • 6.0
    AIPT - Ken Petti Mar 8, 2017

    Man-Thing #1 is a risky book full of charm, but it doesn't quite sell the main character to newcomers. If the retro feel and the 4th grade nostalgia are up your alley, I think Man-Thing is worth checking out for at least a few issues. Read Full Review

  • 5.5
    CourtOfNerds - Kevin Carley Mar 8, 2017

    So, no, I can't really recommend this book. Marvel fumbled again. We don't even get the phrase "Whatever knows fear, will burn at the touch of the Man-Thing" inside the actual comic. Maybe it's coming, but I won't be around to find out. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    The Brazen Bull - Dave Robbins Mar 10, 2017

    So far, I have to say I'm on Team Gerber, not Team Stine. I'm curious how this might pan out, so I'll give it another shot. The issue ends abruptly with a surprising encounter and standard punch out followed by a throwaway short "weird tale." Read Full Review

  • 2.0
    411Mania - RobF Mar 16, 2017

    Stine took some serious risks here and in doing so he created a polarizing story; you will either love it or you won't. If you are looking for a story with a retro feel this one is for you. Otherwise steer clear. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    RustonLF Mar 9, 2017

    What R.L. Stine is trying to do with the character does not seem entirely clear to me yet. Most of the issue is used to recap the character and introduce you to who he is. Where I really got into the issue was how he chooses to write. Hints of his young horror roots shine through as he tries to establish Man-Things horror not just in the art but in the dialog as well. Describing smells and reactions to the sight of him. The inner narration is some of the best since Deadpool. The artist does a great job of giving the book a subtle Tales of Horror type look that is fitting. The end also carries an unrelated horror tale that, while simple, makes the feel of a horror magazine feel complete. This title was more thought out then it may seem becau more

  • 7.5
    Spock's Brain Mar 13, 2017

    That was different. I am not a Man-Thing fan, but was curious enough to give this a try. It reads like a 70s-80s comic with the 3rd person narration, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing (though some of the jokes were groan-inducing...like an old comic). At 42, I think I'm too old to have read any "Goosebumps," but this left me entertained enough to try issue 2 as well.

  • 7.5
    BloodyNinja Mar 8, 2017

    What an amusing plot twist right in the beginning of the issue! I just loved it. And the flashback scenes are great. The way he is feared and disgusting is also a good point in the narrative. Unfortunately, the last pages are not as exciting as I expected them to be. It’s not really cool to see Man-Thing fighting a personification of his old-self. Also, the magical background concerning the character is completely neglected.

  • 6.0
    CrazyforRAMU Oct 31, 2017

    A talkative version of the Man-Thing squares off against the classic mindless beast version. So existential! Kiddie horror megastar RL Stine tries his hand at comics. He's undeniably a big fan of the Silver Age; besides overblown dialogue and narration, this issue features a bonafide four-page weirdie as a backup story. The curious thing is that Mr. Stine is throwing Man-Thing back about a decade past his origins and heaving overboard all of the mature cynicism that made Steve Gerber's original a formative influence on the gritty Bronze Age. Overall quality-wise, I'm not sure if this experiment is a success. It was probably a blast for the creators, but so far this feels like too much of a departure from the established character and the no more

  • 5.0
    Gizmo Mar 14, 2017

    I was curious what R.L. Stine would bring to Man-Thing, but given that he writes children's horror, I suppose that I shouldn't have been surprised with what I got with this book. He makes an attempt at an Adventure Into Fear format, which is actually more successful in the backup story. I'd say the backup story is much better than the main story, and the backup doesn't even feature Man-Thing. Without the backup story, I think I'd rate this book even lower. The main story can't establish a tone, it attempts to straddle the line between goofy and serious and ends up landing in a detached no man's land. Stine experiments with giving Man-Thing thought and speech, which I do not like at all, it does not even feel like a Man-Thing book now, it fe more

  • 5.0
    Aquamano Mar 13, 2017

    Man-Thing by R.L. Stine sounded like an awesome idea. An incredibly succesful horror writer doing one of the flagship horror characters in the MU. Unfortunately, Stine's debut in comics lacks a lot of comic book-style story. He does not take advantage of the medium and the freedom it gives: The story is abruptly interrupted by a flashback, and although it began with an interesting idea, it boils down to a cliched "fight with itself" at final pages. Also, Stine erases one of the most interesting character traits of Man-Thing: His lack of speech.

    The art, though, is pretty good and its combination with the colorizing fits the horror nature of the character.

    At the end, the artwork saves the issue, and stops it from bein more

  • 5.0
    Hero Realm Mar 12, 2017

    Overall the art is fine and works well, but I wanted a bit more "Horror" than what I got with this issue. I wanted to burn at the touch of this book (for those that get that), yet my hands were left as cold as ever. This is my first Stine work, but I fear the writing is ... just not for me. That said, and truthfully, I am struggling to decide if my lack of enjoyment is due to the writing and dialog itself or the fact that I am so unhappy with the tone of the book. That the element of horror that I desired is absent within these pages and I am judging everything on that feeling. Sadly, I think it's a little of both.

  • 5.0
    Mister Bungle Mar 8, 2017

    Not for me.

  • 8.5
    MKW69 Mar 13, 2017

  • 8.5
    darkfire369 Mar 8, 2017

  • 8.0
    CSPatterson Apr 25, 2017

  • 8.0
    Jason The Dude Mar 13, 2017

  • 7.5
    jimiseadawg Mar 11, 2017

  • 7.0
    Sherman The Wonder Dog Jan 12, 2018

  • 7.0
    StanielK Apr 8, 2017

  • 7.0
    jmprados Apr 1, 2017

  • 6.5
    JCP Jan 22, 2018

  • 6.0
    Yippeekiyay Apr 12, 2017

  • 3.5
    Jabberwocky_Superfly Mar 9, 2017

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