The Eternal Debate: Swamp Thing vs Man-Thing

Swamp Thing from DC debuted in 1971. Man-Thing from Marvel Comics also debuted in 1971. Which character actually premiered first? And is one character a rip-off of the other? This is an in-depth look at the history of swamp creatures in comics, the beginnings of the two swamp monsters in question and an attempt to provide a solution to this eternal question.
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#MarvelComics #DCComics #ManThing #SwampThing #Comics #BronzeAge #ModernAge #OverlordComics

[@aaronwilder2775]

I have to say that I like Man-Thing's design more than Swap Thing's. While, yes, Swamp Thing has had much more growth in character over the years, I like the sort of simplicity that is integral to Man-Thing's

[@maryfrancess93]

Lol, I always love how marvel or dc fans will fight to the death over which character is copying which, when the reality is that in the golden age of comics both companies were doing this 24/7. It was a competitive market. I think what matters is how the characters have then evolved.tbh.

[@sciencefantastic]

Swamp Thing is a superhero with horror elements, Man Thing is a horror character in a superhero universe.

[@tacobellalugosi2527]

rip off or not im a fan of both man-thing and swamp thing they both have something that is just really cool to both there stories

[@infinitehwd2103]

Like that Horror vibe..

[@Cybernaut551]

Agreed.

[@Cervando]

Marvel could not sue DC, because if they had it would have led to them being sued for copying The Heap. You also missed out that Roy Thomas was a huge fan of the Heap and had been trying to get Marvel to let him publish stories about a similar character for months. Another interesting tidbit is that DC already had a character that was a human who died in a swamp and came back to life, Solomon Grundy, albeit he didn't have a similar appearance to the others.

[@frankvizen5480]

I love Manthing. He's one of my favorite comic book creations and Steve Gerber did a great job applying him to cooky stories that he was perfect for.

[@JohnSmith-lp1kd]

I know swamp thing is more well known but I prefer man thing, I think what people forget is that man things original stories were much more psychological because he was incapable of thought it focused on people he came in contact with ie it actually focuses more on characterization than action and Steve gerber introduced the the nexus of reality which was way ahead of his time, he’s writing so intimately directly to the reader. It’s like jaws you get so invested in human characters when the creature shows up it’s that more powerful. It could be said alan Moore may have taken a page out of man thing, but hey you be the judge

[@unrulysimian3897]

I thoroughly enjoy these knowledge bombs you drop. I was collecting in the early 70s and distinctly remember both these characters arrival. However, I was completely ignorant of these details. I actually always had the impression that Swamp Thing was first.

[@adinocc2042]

I love them both. And I'm happy to own the Marvel Legends Man-Thing BAF. It's so neat to have a nice figure for such a semi-obscure character like him.

[@donkey0303]

Very informative, didn't know about the glob or heap

[@plasticweapon]

my eyebrows stood up when i saw how much longer the "powers and abilities" section of man thing's wikipedia page was compared to swamp thing's.

[@bradenhogan2]

Interesting video, but honestly the whole debate seems silly to me. Both characters are founded on monster horror cliches. Both characters are completely valid and deserve to be judged in and of themselves. I think the real debate the kind of people who get bent out of shape over this stuff want to have is which character has more to offer (or maybe just which company has more to offer.) As of now, Swamp Thing has certainly had more impact and a higher level talent to make him popular (obviously I’m referring to the legendary Alan Moore run), but there’s nothing keeping anybody from loving Man Thing and no reason he can’t have great stories built for him specifically

[@NoraInuG]

I like how Man-Thing's face looks like a man's thing. BEST NAME EVER!!!

[@iwasanangryyoungman]

Especially when it's GIANT SIZE

[@wardandy1889]

Didn't the Heap return in Mcfarlane's corner of the Image Universe?

[@zaleeeric2783]

Yep I have that action figure

[@wardandy1889]

@@zaleeeric2783 considered getting at one time. But got to fiddle with it in a shop. Nice figure.

[@ClarenceDass]

What a great video. I just got my hands on the 70s run of both Man-Thing and Swamp-Thing. I can not believe it took em so long to get into these characters as they are exactly what I love as a horror fan. The setting, the body horror and the super natural elements.

[@youraveragecrownofthorns8919]

This video motivated me to go back and reread IT by Sturgeon. It is fairly simple, but still holds up pretty well. Thanks,as always!

[@vitodamico8688]

You are my favorite comic related KZbin channel. And your subscriber count should be 10x what it is. I pray you do not grow disheartened by it. It would be a great loss. I know I'm being greedy when I say this but I can't help it.

[@polkadotproductions3459]

Fun fact, the guys who created swamp thing and man thing were room mates.

[@johnminehan1148]

Gerber also asked Wein where he was going with the book and went in another direction.

[@theunknowngamer5477]

The THINGS.....love them both. Those gossip and myth details congeal into the direction of an answer...thanks!

[@bisexualichigo4227]

Marvel & DC have taken concepts from each other. So I doubt either of them would win in a court when it comes of rip-offs.

[@frankieclayton9303]

I hope that we can get a DC movie of swamp thing

[@jeremycline9542]

I would read a comic book about accountancy if it were drawn by Gray Morrow.

[@cjhepburn7406]

Hmmmm...numbers!

[@unstopitable]

Bro, you really do your research. Mad props.

[@WiseMaximal]

Man thing predates swamp thing by a couple months but grundy predates both of them by 27 years and the heap predates swamp thing and man thing by 29 years but only predates grundy by 2

[@Jdawgwatchr56]

Me and my sister were talking about this last night. Just the different characteristics between them.

[@yellowpig1026]

@Timothy James Michael if you call someone a DC fanboy when they prefer a similar character from DC. that means you're a marvel fanboy

[@yellowpig1026]

@Timothy James Michael okay yeah, no. you're a troll. anyone who says "u" while also saying something this stupid then you're a troll

[@michaelnemo7629]

Man-Thing is supernatural. The Nexus changed Ted and the serum just helped.

[@willgillies5670]

Would you consider Solomon Grundy part of the muck monster clan, though he's more humanoid?

[@mmickle6191]

Seems like this is a bigger argument than British Dennis the Menace vs American Dennis the Menace! My impression is Swamp Thing is the better known, perhaps slightly more popular and relatable character. But I think Man Thing has a way cooler, more monstrous face!

[@jreliford34]

Marvel = super soldier serum, DC = lab accident......yeah that checks out

[@biswaruproy5457]

@Balasaheb Lone Did u just say dc is more realistic? LMAO Joker isn't legend. How many people knew joker and batman before those 1950s' tv series and especially the dark knight movie? Heath Ledger was legend, not joker certainly, its same as spidey, and venom, people love venom more, just like people like joker more than batman. Check out top 100 supervillains from ign, no 1 is magneto.

[@lwr7751]

@Balasaheb Lone dc heroes are never realistic.... so what are you talking about? LMAOOO

[@tellmesomething2412]

@Balasaheb Lone Joker was effected by chemicals, though. Sooooo....

[@CobraSamurai56]

It's don't matter to me. I like them both

[@plasticweapon]

that's the spirit.

[@tony0000]

Very informative and well done!

[@krisscanlon4051]

Very hard to argue this one...love Swampy but like Manthing...I suppose Swampy personality is fleshed out better and his speaking emotes better than MT. Tough debate...

[@josephducey3852]

A little late but that was awesome. Swamp Thing was one of my favorites, still have the comics. The information with the art and story lines, really great job. I loved it, what a flashback. It's weird, I just stumbled across this channel by an image I ran across in a random search of the "Fat Fury". That was awesome too. I liked and subscribed, gonna check out the rest. Maybe I can hit you up with a suggestion for future pieces. I'll try to come up with a good one. Once again, loved it.

[@frankieclayton9303]

We need a swamp thing movie in 2023-2024

[@DropBearJroc]

Man-Thing for the win.

[@Rechargerator]

There was also the Heap comic published by Skywald comics just a bit earlier which probably stimulated interest in the idea.

[@djtwister6997]

Marvel Man-thing might of been first but I like DC swamp thing more. Don’t know why, hits seems more appealing.

[@benderchump]

I wonder if Hedorah is also connected,he was a toxic sludge monster with glowing red eyes that came out in 1971.

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

Great doc.

[@cjhepburn7406]

Don't h8 on me but just from this vid, I'm feeling Man-Thing...

[@mattro7107]

Jjust watch Swamp Thing TV Series(2019) on DVD and it was good! It's cool to see a modern TV version and there some really cool scenes for the fans! Was there ever a Man-Thing show?

[@elrandohorse]

Get my Man-Thing outta your Swamp-Thing

[@pulsarstargrave256]

Where does SOLOMON GRUNDY fit into this video?

[@_Peremalfait]

While the origin stories are similar, I think the point can be made that there's nothing very original in either. The lab accident or experiment gone wrong as an origin story is as old as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and pretty standard fare in superhero origin stories as well. In the end, as a comic book fan, I didn't really care if one was a rip off of the other. I loved both, and as the video points out, apart from their origins, the two creatures and the stories were very different from each other.

[@joshwelllopez1418]

u surely havent read swamp thing by alan moore who re invented the character from not just being a man with an experiment gone bad and become a hideous thing.

[@_Peremalfait]

@@joshwelllopez1418 I'm not familiar with his work. I understand it was quite good, however.

[@MiguelAngelPenagosGalvis]

Man-Thing is better

[@MiguelAngelPenagosGalvis]

@Randian Winn They are two reasons mainly: I prefer their appearance and because it was the first

[@MiguelAngelPenagosGalvis]

Do you think I've read all the comics of man thing? Besides, I also talk about physical appearance and stuff. besides I don't have to give you explanations, if it's better for me it's better

[@vigilante23]

​@@MiguelAngelPenagosGalvis Swamp Thing has better comics and is a more iconic character so I prefer him.

[@MiguelAngelPenagosGalvis]

@@vigilante23 I can see that you are an DC fan, it's obvious and your answer too

[@BlackHeartRise]

@@vigilante23 true he's more iconic but I wouldn't t say better comics Steve Gerber is a little better than Alan Moore

[@frankieclayton9303]

We need James gunn or someone else to take it up for the DC Universe for the fans

[@CH0SEN_0NE]

I am a Marvel guy through and through but there is no denying that no matter who came first Swamp Thing is just a better character all around.

[@turbomoisty]

No he isn't better he's just a shity rip off

[@turbomoisty]

@@proto2122 how about you go first

[@turbomoisty]

@Timothy James Michael who

[@turbomoisty]

@Timothy James Michael oh ok

[@turbomoisty]

@Timothy James Michael Man thing

[@paulmiller996]

Man-Thing used to creep me the hell out as a kid

[@phillipmontano7664]

I've always liked both characters I really don't care about rip offs There both awesome characters they are simular but both awesome the heap was an awesome character too the globb was and awesome character too

[@plasticweapon]

i agree.

[@rexmundi3108]

I read the Theodore Sturgeon story in Creatures From Beyond, an anthology published for the Science Fiction Book Club in the 70s. Not sure if that's any easier to find though...Worth reading if you get the chance.

[@Bunbunfunfun]

Is there a third more obscure version of the swampy/ muddy creature in a comic ?

[@sethleoric2598]

I personally think it's kind of unfair to compare the two of them, other than the names and their whole schtick, they're honestly pretty different. They just fill in each company's stereotypical swamp monster archetype. Plus, i believe both have incredibly different themes within their stories, Swamp Thing is more of a mystical character and his best tales are about him being a magic tree god. Man Thing is more of a sci-fi monster.

[@RightTurnClyde]

Savage Tales wasn't a one off. There were 12 issues across a sporadic publication schedule. Man-Thing never appeared in it again though.

[@nuro_editz]

the man thing is like really broken his powers are litrarly derived from the devine creator he is basically responsible to keepp dream from colliding with reality let me tell devine creator is above toaa(according to writter) or atleast in the same level (maybe) devine creator is out of fiction he is making sure that we live in a dream that he created for us .. now some may argue how does a fictional character be above fiction , but according to the Writter divine creator is the representation of the god that he thinks exist in this universe (our universe) his powers are : Tiering System: 1-A Name: God, The Creator, Divine Creator Origin: Marvel Comics Gender: Genderless Age: Is older than the concept of time and creation itself (Created characters that was even before the concept of Galactus) Classification: God, Satan Powers and Abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Immortality (Types 1, 2, 4, 5 and 10), Dream Manipulation, Conceptual Manipulation (Type 1), Acausality (Type 5), Transduality, Empathic Manipulation, Omnipotent, Omnipresence, Omniscience, Higher-Dimensional Manipulation, Fate Manipulation, Law Manipulation , Duality Manipulation, Existence Erasure, Regeneration (At least High-Godly), Mind Manipulation, Lower-Dimensional Manipulation, Conceptual Lordship, Spatial Manipulation, Nonexistence Manipulation, Probability Manipulation, Victory Manipulation, Logic Manipulation, Mathematics Manipulation, Physics Manipulation, Causality Manipulation, Matter Manipulation, Antimatter Manipulation, Light Manipulation, Darkness Manipulation, Death Manipulation, Power Bestowal, Life Manipulation, Sealing, BFR, Memory Manipulation, Soul Manipulation, Summoning, Power Mimicry, Power Nullification, Beyond-Dimensional Existence (Type 2), Large Size (Type 11), Dreaming Existence (At least Type 3) Attack Potency: Outerverse level (The Creator views creation itself, all concepts as fiction, which has been consistently established as Infinite-Dimensional, all planes, time, space, dimensions are apart of his subconsciousness. The nexus of all realities, which encompasses all planes of existence within it, is still viewed as fiction by The Creator. A glimpse of its power has both the power to empower and transcend Oblivion like he transcended Creation. It created The Fallen Star including Cleito and Adam K'admon. However, it is still below The One Above All) Speed: Omnipresent (Encompasses all of creation within its being) Lifting Strength: Irrelevant Striking Strength: Outerversal Durability: Outerverse level Stamina: Irrelevant Range: Irrelevant Standard Equipment: The Creator Staff (Former) Intelligence: Omniscient (Governs and observes the past, present, and future; every dimension and plane of reality; and has nigh-omniscient entities within its dream, as well as the book of life, which has the history of all things and all beings written within it). Mindless when creation ends (The Divine Creator will fall into a deep dreamless sleep) Weaknesses: Rejection of the dream so if someone rejects his dream, he has no control over the character or the person , but that doesnt mean he can be defeated

[@penelopegreene]

Firstly, Giant-Sized Man-Thing Number One...

[@sandyhausler5290]

Wasn’t Solomon Grundy a human who was transformed into a muck monster?

[@cjhepburn7406]

That a JRJR piccy on the youtube thumbnail?

[@jaystargaming172]

I kinda wanted DC to be first..... *I got a swapthing add bruh*

[@gilfredyacevedo8129]

JayStarGaming 1 fear not as they are instances were Marvel rip some things off from DC

[@shotz8259]

SupraSanicsKrublAwrD Yee dc rips off marvel a lot

[@jacknick3642]

Why marvel better>

[@solonsaturngaming3727]

Tbh what i usually say look at there release dates as thats who started it first than the other, like Aqua Man and Namor as Namor was first than Aqua man as just look at there release date but sometimes the origins can be similar.

[@TheXipeTotek]

Swamp Thing has amazing stories.

[@masterbeast-sz1yq]

Swamp thing wins ...better powers .better feats..stronger and more intelligence

[@docducttape9270]

I like Swamp things look better but Man thing has better powers.

[@turbomoisty]

Shut up

[@turbomoisty]

@Randian Winn I mean shut up when I meant to say is that he's judging them because of their appearance

[@DR676767]

It’s a comic bro, we can be the judge in a comic

[@davidk6269]

Would Solomon Grundy fit into the resurrected dead man in a swamp creature category? His resurrected body is apparently composed of mystical swamp material, albeit he lacks the same mud/vine appearance.

[@MultiSigen]

What about the similar names? That does not really seem like coincidence.

[@Janzer_]

I guess that means "The Thing" (ben grimm) is a ripoff too. nah it was just generic character names back then.

[@dantehaloc2070]

It's pretty ironic the man thing is looks like a swamp thing Yet the swamp thing looks like man

[@theartistknownaszack9234]

Swamp Thing is better

[@RingsideRebel785]

Man-Thing

[@ronwiggins3339]

I’m a big Man-Thing fan…yet I believe Swamp thing wins this battle

[@aranha6285]

He doesn’t. Man-Thing Transcends Dimensions is a Force of Nature like Galactus and his Heralds. He would rip Swamp Thing apart or just assimilate him while growling:„I hate cheap-Knockoffs.”

[@jasonguinn6075]

Art is influenced by other art. Some are more direct homages others are intentional copies meant to draw attention away from the original or they may be created out of spite. I love both these walking salad saviors. Is it really a ripoff if Len Wein had a hand in developing both characters??

[@fredrikgranstrom6743]

Both for mk

[@turbomoisty]

Man thing is better. Swamp thing is just a copycat

[@arthurtripp6922]

Sorry but it involves a trade of air oboy for kirby art work also green lantrenvillen solimen grundy

[@Bunbunfunfun]

Eternal ? Nope very simple Swamp Thing. No need for that pale imitator man thing .

[@plasticweapon]

the pale imitator who came first?? also, if you think he's "pale" you don't really know anything about what he is or what he can do.

[@cjhepburn7406]

Think Greta ever reads this? Lol

[@gspotcyplick]

for me both characters are of mild significance. man thing introduced Howard the duck, also the swamp thing and return of swamp thing movies were fun .