It! (story)
Encyclopedia
"It!" is an influential horror
short story
by Theodore Sturgeon
, first published in Unknown
August 1940. The story deals with a plant monster that is ultimately revealed to have formed around a human skeleton
, specifically that of Roger Kirk, in a swamp
. P. Schuyler Miller
described "It!" as "probably the most unforgettable story ever published in Unknown."
in Airboy Comics, who debuted in what was intended as a one-time appearance in the feature "Skywolf" in Air Fighters #3 (Dec. 1942). Created by writer Harry Stein and artist Mort Leav
, the Heap became a popular character in return appearances and later an ongoing solo feature.
Early depictions of the Heap look highly similar to the Looney Tunes
/Merrie Melodies
character Gossamer
, an orange-furred, practically featureless monster in sneakers who menaced Bugs Bunny
in the 1946 animated short "Hair-Raising Hare" before going on to other appearances (named "Rudolph" in one).
Solomon Grundy
in All-American Comics
is the result of a criminal having fallen in a swamp, though he did not have a plantlike appearance.
Sturgeon's story continued to show influence after the relaxation of the Comics Code Authority
's restrictions on horror late in 1971. Man-Thing
first appeared (in an unrestricted black and white magazine-size comic) from Marvel Comics
in May 1971, and DC Comics
introduced Swamp Thing
in the anthology comic House of Mystery
#82 in June 1971. A different character, based upon the House of Mystery story, also called Swamp Thing debuted in issue #1 of its own title (November 1971) after popular response to the original story. Gerry Conway
and Len Wein
, the writers who created Man-Thing and Swamp Thing respectively, were good friends and roommates at the time but did not discuss their work with each other.
Marvel also published an adaptation of the original story in Supernatural Thrillers
#1. Tony Isabella
wished to write an ongoing series featuring Sturgeon's creature, but was denied because of the similarity to Man-Thing, reusing the name and logo for It! The Living Colossus since writing duties on Man-Thing were not available.
The 1980s saw the introduction of Bog Swamp Demon
and two Swamp Thing movies, as well as Dave Sim
's Man-Thing and Swamp Thing parodies, Woman-Thing and Sump-Thing, in the pages of Cerebus.
The 1990s introduced more parodies, including Swamp Beast in Harvey Comics
' Monster in My Pocket
and Man-Thang and Swamp-Thang in Marvel's What The--?!
.
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon
Theodore Sturgeon was an American science fiction author.His most famous novel is More Than Human .-Biography:...
, first published in Unknown
Unknown (magazine)
Unknown was an American pulp fantasy fiction magazine, published from 1939 to 1943 by Street & Smith, and edited by John W. Campbell. Unknown was a companion to Street & Smith's science fiction pulp, Astounding Science Fiction, which was also edited by Campbell at the time; many authors and...
August 1940. The story deals with a plant monster that is ultimately revealed to have formed around a human skeleton
Human skeleton
The human skeleton consists of both fused and individual bones supported and supplemented by ligaments, tendons, muscles and cartilage. It serves as a scaffold which supports organs, anchors muscles, and protects organs such as the brain, lungs and heart....
, specifically that of Roger Kirk, in a swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
. P. Schuyler Miller
P. Schuyler Miller
Peter Schuyler Miller was an American science fiction writer and critic.-Life:Miller was raised in New York's Mohawk Valley, which led to a life-long interest in the Iroquois Indians. He pursued this as an amateur archaeologist and a member of the New York State Archaeological Association.He...
described "It!" as "probably the most unforgettable story ever published in Unknown."
Similar characters
The story's seminal nature is indicated by the plant-based swamp monsters that appeared in various comicbooks. Among these characters are Hillman Comics' HeapThe Heap (comics)
The Heap is the name of several fictional comic book muck-monsters, the original of which first appeared in Hillman Periodicals' Air Fighters Comics #3 , during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books...
in Airboy Comics, who debuted in what was intended as a one-time appearance in the feature "Skywolf" in Air Fighters #3 (Dec. 1942). Created by writer Harry Stein and artist Mort Leav
Mort Leav
Mortimer Leav is an American artist best known as co-creator of the influential comic-book character the Heap, and for his advertising art, which included some of the earliest TV commercial storyboards — among them, for Procter & Gamble's venerable Charmin bathroom-tissue character, the...
, the Heap became a popular character in return appearances and later an ongoing solo feature.
Early depictions of the Heap look highly similar to the Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
/Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies
Merrie Melodies is the name of a series of animated cartoons distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures between 1931 and 1969.Originally produced by Harman-Ising Pictures, Merrie Melodies were produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions from 1933 to 1944. Schlesinger sold his studio to Warner Bros. in 1944,...
character Gossamer
Gossamer (Looney Tunes)
Gossamer is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. The character is a hairy, red monster. His rectangular body is perched on two giant tennis shoes, and his heart-shaped face is composed of only two oval eyes and a wide mouth, with...
, an orange-furred, practically featureless monster in sneakers who menaced Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
in the 1946 animated short "Hair-Raising Hare" before going on to other appearances (named "Rudolph" in one).
Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy (comics)
Solomon Grundy is a fictional character, a zombie supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern , but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman and...
in All-American Comics
All-American Comics
All-American Comics was the flagship title of comic book publisher All-American Publications, one of the forerunners of DC Comics. It ran for 102 issues from April 1939 to October 1948, at which time it was renamed All-American Western. In 1952, the title was changed again to All-American Men of...
is the result of a criminal having fallen in a swamp, though he did not have a plantlike appearance.
Sturgeon's story continued to show influence after the relaxation of the Comics Code Authority
Comics Code Authority
The Comics Code Authority was a body created as part of the Comics Magazine Association of America, as a tool for the comics-publishing industry to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. Member publishers submitted comic books to the CCA, which screened them for adherence to...
's restrictions on horror late in 1971. Man-Thing
Man-Thing
The Man-Thing is a fictional character, a monster in publications from Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1 , and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including...
first appeared (in an unrestricted black and white magazine-size comic) from Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
in May 1971, and DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
introduced Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...
in the anthology comic House of Mystery
House of Mystery
The House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:...
#82 in June 1971. A different character, based upon the House of Mystery story, also called Swamp Thing debuted in issue #1 of its own title (November 1971) after popular response to the original story. Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
and Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
, the writers who created Man-Thing and Swamp Thing respectively, were good friends and roommates at the time but did not discuss their work with each other.
Marvel also published an adaptation of the original story in Supernatural Thrillers
Supernatural Thrillers
Supernatural Thrillers was a horror fiction comic book published by Marvel Comics in the 1970s that adapted classic stories of that genre, including works by Robert Louis Stevenson and H.G. Wells, before becoming a vehicle for a supernatural action series starring an original character, The Living...
#1. Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella is an American comic book writer, editor, artist and critic, known as the creator and writer of Marvel Comics' Black Goliath, DC Comics' first major African American superhero, Black Lightning, and as a columnist and critic for the Comics Buyer's Guide.-Marvel Comics:Before he joined...
wished to write an ongoing series featuring Sturgeon's creature, but was denied because of the similarity to Man-Thing, reusing the name and logo for It! The Living Colossus since writing duties on Man-Thing were not available.
The 1980s saw the introduction of Bog Swamp Demon
Bog Swamp Demon
The Bog Swamp Demon is a swamp monster that first appeared in the pages of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series. His adventures are chronicled in issues #4 through #12 of Volume 2 of the Mirage Studios title...
and two Swamp Thing movies, as well as Dave Sim
Dave Sim
David Victor Sim is an award-winning Canadian comic book writer and artist.A pioneer of self-published comics and creators' rights, Sim is best known as the creator of Cerebus the Aardvark, a comic book published from 1977 to 2004, which chronicles its main character in a 6,000-page self-contained...
's Man-Thing and Swamp Thing parodies, Woman-Thing and Sump-Thing, in the pages of Cerebus.
The 1990s introduced more parodies, including Swamp Beast in Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications. His brothers Robert B...
' Monster in My Pocket
Monster in My Pocket
Monster in my Pocket is a media franchise developed by Morrison Entertainment Group, headed by Joe Morrison and John Weems ....
and Man-Thang and Swamp-Thang in Marvel's What The--?!
What The--?!
What The--?! was a Marvel Comics comic book series parodying the Marvel Universe, similar in vein to the 1960s series Not Brand Echh. It was billed as, "The Marvel mag of mirth and mayhem!" The series ran for 26 issues from August 1988 through Winter 1993, with issue #26 being a "Fall Special"...
.