Man-Thing: Whatever Knows Fear...

Man-Thing (2004) #1-3

by Hans Rodionoff, Kyle Hotz

From the screenwriter of the Man-Thing movie comes this prequel exploring the disappearance of the local sheriff in a backwater bayou town plagued by mysterious and horrific events. Featuring some of the cast from the film, as well as a new character - an unflappable insurance-claims adjuster named Nathan Mehr - this story further explores the mythology and backstory introduced in the movie. Collects Man-Thing #1-3; Savage Tales #1, the creature's first appearance; and Adventure Into Fear #16, the story that inspired the movie!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Fiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little gore. A bit of atmosphere. A protagonist with the odds stacked against him. And of course a monster.

This makes for a good horror comic.

The artwork is stellar. The underdog seeking truth in the dirty south is a narrative I can always get behind.

It reminded me of an episode of X-Files.

It reads super fast, but would be worth a purchase for the art alone.

[Mike Jozic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Great Man-Thing stories are few and far between but Hans Rodionoff has hit paydirt with his "Whatever Knows Fear..." prequel to the MAN-THING film. I had no idea that this was a set-up for the movie but I think I'll have to watch it again now that I've finished this. As for the story itself, great mood, freakin' amazing art by Kyle Hotz (who has never been better than in these pages), interesting characters and I absolutely love the fact that Rodionoff used the Man-Thing himself sparingly. I also loved the little bit where the Man-Thing gets named. Clever.

Anyway, if you like good, moody, supernatural thriller type mysteries, this will probably float your boat. I certainly enjoyed it.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually pretty impressed by this. It serves as a prequel to the Man Thing Movie, and as others have said it was much better than the movie. This plays Man Thing as strictly a horror comic and leaves out the superhero angle. It's pretty close to a Swamp Thing tale with the whole "protect the green" ecology plot. The art is some of the best I've seen from Kyle Hotz.

This is a really good horror comic that is probably under most reader's radar. If you're a Man-Thing (Or Swamp Thing) fan, this one is worth tracking down.

[Nate Deprey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main course of this collection is a fine lead in to a forgettable Man-Thing horror movie that came out four years before Iron Man came along and upset the apple cart of what a super hero story could be. The comics do a better job than the film did of establishing the Man-Thing like the shark in Jaws, this little seen, wordless force in the swamp but that is faint praise at best. What really makes this collection worth the reader's time is the inclusion of Man-Thing's first appearance in Savage Tales #1. It is a gritty, black and white horror magazine from 1971 that holds up shockingly well today.

[R. Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is solid, but the art is stunning. Highly recommended if you enjoy the genre (horror; detective; graphic novel)

[Rhys Causon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the movie that follows this story. Although that doesn’t take much effort.

And loved all the hidden Man-Thing hands and eyes you can see in the art if you pay attention to the panels.

[Tri · Rating 3 out of 5]

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