My thoughts on the Thunderbolts - Man-Thing Saga and the way ahead for
Manny.

Man-Thing had a supporting role in the Thunderbolts after Jeff Parker
took over writing the series from issue 138, using the opportunity to
alter the membership of the team and making use of Man-Thing. Prior to
events in this series our favourite Muck Monster had been shown being
arrested by H.A.M.M.E.R. in issue 10 of Dark Avengers. Parker decided
that the authorities had realized that Manny is too powerful a creature
to be left out on the loose, so he was drafted into the Thunderdolts.
Man-Thing forfills a lead logistics role, with the team using his link
to the nexus of all realities as a means of transport to get them where
ever they needed to go.

In most issues Man-Thing played a background role, but Parker portrayed
him in a rather wistful manner, including echo's from Ted's life and
hints of hidden depths, which often gave his usually impulsive team
members pause for thought. Parker also expanded the Man-Thing mythos,
setting up in issue #162 a major turning-point for Manny, with the
reveal finally arriving in issue #176.

When the saga came to an end in Dark Avengers #183 the team broke up and
Man-Thing returned to the Nexus of Realities, intent on finding his
place in the world a changed creature; as Parker described to Robot 6 @
Comic Book Resources "Man-Thing can now talk and think clearly. That was
something Kev was pushing for early on, when he started speaking to me.
I'd really like to do a new Man-Thing comic, I have ideas that would
make it a different kind of book. I established the universal language
he speaks to explain that everyone hears him differently, so he could
never be written wrong."

I think the changes made worked well in the context of a team focused
book where the technique of having each character hear him speak in a
different way got a good work-out. The recent publication of the last
Steve Gerber written Man-Thing story (Infernal Man-Thing) means it would
actually be a fitting time to retire the mindless empath which Steve
made his own in his classic stories with the character.

The strength of Steve's work with Manny has meant previous revamps of
the character have been quick to fade away so for this new incarnation
to stick for the long-term a few other writers will have to show a
willingness to use him.