Man-Thing, a swamp monster introduced by Marvel Comics in 1971, will return in a series beginning in March. The horror comics will be written by someone more than familiar with tales of suspense: R. L. Stine, the author of the “Goosebumps†novellas for children.
For Mr. Stine, 73, writing the five-issue series is something of a lifelong dream. “My first ambition was to be a comic book artist,†he said. “I started doing these little comic books in the fourth grade: ‘Super Stooge,’ the dumbest hero on earth.†Though he shared the stories with his classmates, he quickly realized he had no talent for illustration. “I was terrible,†he said. “I had no choice but to be a writer.â€
The new Man-Thing series, with covers by Tyler Crook and interior artwork by German Peralta and Daniel Johnson, is inspired by the iconic horror comics of the 1950s like Tales From the Crypt, of which Mr. Stine was a big fan.
“They were scary, really gruesome, bloody comics and they always had a twist ending,†he said. “I think they’ve been a major influence in everything I’ve done since,†he said. This was despite his mother’s efforts, who thought the comics were trash and would not let them in the house. Thankfully, the local barbershop had them. “Every Saturday morning, I’d go get a haircut so I could read the comics,†Mr. Stine recalled.
Marvel offered Mr. Stine several characters, but he quickly settled on Man-Thing because of his fondness for swamp monsters, which have been frequent characters in “Goosebumps†stories. Despite being a horror series â€" aimed at teenagers and older â€" Mr. Stine hopes to bring some comedy.
“I’m going to do a lot of action and a lot of great violence and make it creepy, but I’m going to make it funny at the same time,†he said. “It’s what I try to do in my books.â€
In the first story, Man-Thing heads to Burbank, Calif., wondering why he is not starring in a major motion picture. (Comic book purists may balk at one revision to the character: Man-Thing will no longer be mute. “He can talk and he’s very sarcastic,†Mr. Stine noted.)
Each issue will also include a short horror story written by Mr. Stine and drawn by a guest artist.
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