IT
Real Name: Roger Kirk
Identity/Class: Reanimated human corpse/vegatation
mutate
Occupation: Swamp monster
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Alton
Drew, Babe
Drew, Cory
Drew, Kimbo,
"Little
Man in Black"
Known Relatives: unnamed grandson
Aliases: "The Thing That Couldn’t Die"
Base of Operations: Unknown, a rural community somewhere in the U.S.
First Appearance: Supernatural Thrillers#1 (December, 1972); (adapted from short story "It" by Theodore Sturgeon)
Powers/Abilities: It was a composite being, of nothing but mud, mold and other foliage from a forest bottom surrounding a human skeleton. It had some sentience, and could learn from experience. It’s body was somewhat shapeless, within the confines of its host skeleton, and could adjust its shape as needed.
History: (Supernatural Thrillers#1 (fb)-BTS) – Sometime in 1929, around the time of the stock market crash, Roger Kirk died of unknown causes in a forest thicket.
(Supernatural Thrillers#1 (fb)-BTS) – Before he died, Kirk’s grandson wrote a will granting his family’s fortune to whomever could find Kirk’s body.
(Supernatural
Thrillers#1) – Under unknown circumstances, the growth around Kirk’s
skeleton formed into the shape of a being, and became “somewhat” alive.
Shortly after coming into existence, It began to kill things around it,
first plants and trees, then small animals. Soon, it crossed paths with
a dog named Kimbo, and ripped it to shreds. When night came, It did not
understand the concept, thinking it was dead again, and tried to
re-merge with the ground. During that time, Alton Drew walked over it
searching for his dog, Kimbo. At morning, It realized it was not dead,
and in its odd thinking, went to see if the dog too was not dead
anymore. When it returned to the scene, it encountered Alton, who was
waiting for whatever had killed his pet. Shots proved futile against
the creature, and It killed Alton as well. Shortly after, it came
across a little man in black who had been searching for the remains of
Kirk, and scared him off. Cory Drew, Alton’s brother, found his
remains, and began searching for the killer, only to realize at the
same time that it was following the footsteps of Cory’s daughter, Babe.
While out playing, Babe was confronted by the creature, and tried to
hide in a small cul-de-sac in a rock wall. It pulled her from it,
interested in her screams, but soon lost concern, and went on to
explore other things. Babe took the opportunity to run, diving into
a stream. She grabbed a rock and hurled it at the monster, knocking it
too into the water. Perplexed by its new surroundings, It lay at the
bottom of the stream, attempting to learn more about it. The rushing
water, though, began to wash the muck from the skeleton, returning it
to lifelessness. A posse hunting Alton’s killer eventually found it,
and Cory Drew’s family received the money promised in the will.
Comments: Created by Theodore Sturgeon, adapted by Roy Thomas, Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia.
Based on a short novelette by acclaimed writer Theodore Sturgeon, which was originally published in 1948, "It" is obviously the basis for Man-Thing, DC’s Swamp Thing, and just about every other muck monster, although all of the above can be seen as offshoots of two other comic book creatures that pre-dated Sturgeon's novel: The Heap, which first appeared in Air Fighters Comics#3 (December 1942 - published by Hillman), and Solomon Grundy, who first appeared in All-American Comics#61 (1944, revived by DC).
Also, because this story is adapted from an original story, it is not necessarily contained within the Earth-616 reality. Perhaps it is, and was a precursor for the Man-Thing. I’m not sure where the story is set, the comic never says (If anyone knows if the story does, let me know, I’ll revise this).
The alias "the Thing That Couldn’t Die" is only used on the
cover of the comic.
The story was reprinted in the black-and-white magazine
Masters of Terror#1 in 1975.
Profile by Madison Carter
Clarifications:
It has no known connection to:
Alton Drew was a farmer who employed his brother, Cory. After Alton's dog, Kimbo was killed by It, he went into the forest to find it, and was killed as well.
--Supernatural Thrillers#1
The daughter of Cory Drew, Babe frolicked in the forest until encountering it. Believing it to be the boogeyman, she tried to run from it, and caused it to fall into a creek. Afterwards, she spent much time recovering from the shock, but never fully.
--Supernatural Thrillers#1
Cory lived on his brother's farm, and secretly resented working for him. After the skeleton of Roger Kirk was found, his family received a large sum of money.
--Supernatural Thrillers#1
Kimbo was Alton Drew's pet dog, and was killed in a confrontation with It.
--Supernatural Thrillers#1
"The Little Man in Black" arrived in the area to try to locate Kirk's remains and claim his family's fortune. He was accidentally shot in the arm by Cory Drew. He was later confronted by It, and ran screaming.
--Supernatural Thrillers#1
images:
Supernatural Thrillers#1, page 21, panel 1 (It)
page 30, panel 6 (Kirk's skeleton)
page 5, panel 2 (Alton)
page 12, panel 2 (Babe)
page 5, panel 1 (Cory)
page 3, panel 5 (Kimbo)
page 15, panel 2 (Little Man in Black)
Last updated: 12/05/13
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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