The Curse of the Man-Thing is a storyline in the Marvel Comics universe that was published in 2021. It features the character Man-Thing, a creature with supernatural powers and a tormented past. The storyline explores the consequences of the Man-Thing's curse and how it affects those who encounter it. The curse is tied to emotions, particularly fear, and anyone who feels fear in the presence of the Man-Thing is doomed to suffer a horrible fate. The main idea of the Curse of the Man-Thing storyline is the exploration of fear and its power over individuals. It delves into how fear can twist and corrupt, turning people into monsters themselves.
It delves into how fear can twist and corrupt, turning people into monsters themselves. The story also delves into the history and mythology surrounding the Man-Thing, further adding to the complexity of the curse. Overall, the Curse of the Man-Thing storyline is a dark and gripping tale that pushes the boundaries of horror storytelling in the comic book medium.
Meet the co-authors of Upside-Down Magic!
Upside-Down Magic is the first book in a new and exciting middle grade series by bestselling authors Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins. Their story (optioned by Disney for development into a TV series!) weaves themes of friendship, family dynamics, and different styles of learning into a fun and fantastical tale. Upside-Down Magic is on sale today, and to celebrate, we asked all three co-authors to spill their secrets about writing their magical book.
Explain your co-authoring process—maybe each of you can explain one or two steps?
Lauren: We shoot a bunch of emails back and forth. Like, what is this book about? Can it have magic in it? Also we talk about food and family and cupcakes.
Sarah: Once we all agree on the idea, Emily and I go to a coffee shop and brainstorm the book’s structure. Then I write the outline.
Lauren: Because Sarah is AH-MAZING at plot. I am horrid at plot, but I’m good at the getting-it-down-on-paper part, so I write the first draft of the entire book. Also, I’m good at ridiculousness, so often Sarah will say, “Nory goes to the cafeteria and there are hijinks. Got it, Lauren?” And I write wild and crazy stuff. I send Sarah chapters as I go so she can revise the outline as the bigger picture starts to emerge. When I’m done, I send the whole book to Emily in one big caboodle.
Emily: I do a big revision. Really, it is a honking big revision.
Lauren: Because Emily ROCKS THE HECK OUT OF REVISIONS. Revision is hard work, baby. Emily has to fix plot problems (for Sarah!) and tone down craziness (for me!), and so basically she is the Big Cheese. Sarah and I send her chocolate a lot to keep her happy.
Emily: I have not gotten any chocolate. Lauren is fibbing about that part of it.
Sarah: No we’re not! I bought a brownie for you! I might have eaten it before giving it to you. Oops. Anyway. Then I revise Emily’s revision.
Lauren: Then they send it back to me.
Emily: Then to me again.
Sarah: It is an absurdly fun process, because we all write to make each other laugh.
What type of magic do you think each of your co-authors would be best at?
Sarah: It would not surprise me at all if I learned that Lauren was a fuzzy. I once watched her have an entire conversation with a poodle. Emily would be a flare. She is a great cook.
Lauren: Sarah is full of malarkey. I have never had an entire conversation with poodles, as poodles are snooty and they always insist on having the last word. Which means they trot away from me mid-convo.
Emily: Sarah is definitely a flyer. She is a big world-traveler and has no fear of being high in the air.
What character in the book is most like one of your co-authors?
Emily: I think I’m a bit like Nory’s Aunt Margo, who is very practical and independent. I think Lauren is rather like Nory’s teacher, Ms. Starr, who always finds the fun in things. Sarah is probably the most like Nory herself – in that Nory doesn’t let anything get in her way when pursuing her ambitions, and she even gets her friends to help her with her projects.
Did you have a teacher like Ms. Starr (or other adult who encouraged and inspired you) when you were in school?
Sarah: Yes! Her name is Peggy. And she basically taught me how to be a writer.
Emily: No! All my teachers found me annoying and made no secret of it.
Lauren: For me, Mr. Ham Kimzey. He taught me grammar. I loooooooove grammar. He also taught me about integrity and how to think critically and how to be kind. Dang. Mr. Kimzey was a rockstar.
What would you say to adults whose kids or students like Nory might be more “upside down” learners or who might attend “unusual” classes?
Lauren: We’d say, “Awesome! Love ’em up, because they’re awfully special, upside-down or not.” We’d also say, “Is anybody ‘right-side up,’ really?” Because we’re sure not.
Emily: Everyone can make the most of who they are. Everyone has strengths to nurture and be proud of.
Sarah: Yes and yes.
Do you have a favorite literary trio (besides yourselves)?
Sarah: Lauren and I wrote the YA book HOW TO BE BAD with an author named E. Lockhart. She’s pretty awesome. Not as awesome as Emily, but not bad.
Emily: (For those of you who don’t know, I write for young adults under the name E. Lockhart. Sarah is TEASING YOU.) This is a funny question, because how many literary trios are there? It’s not a common thing, really. But I just read Zeroes by Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan and Debora Biancotti. Really, really fun. Westerfeld and I have had some interesting conversations about his trio-writing process as compared to mine. I told him all the dirt on Sarah and Lauren.
Lauren: My favorite writing trio is Sarah, Emily, and Lauren. End of story.
From l-r: Lauren Myracle; Sarah Mlynowski; Emily Jenkins
Lauren: Because Sarah is AH-MAZING at plot. I am horrid at plot, but I’m good at the getting-it-down-on-paper part, so I write the first draft of the entire book. Also, I’m good at ridiculousness, so often Sarah will say, “Nory goes to the cafeteria and there are hijinks. Got it, Lauren?” And I write wild and crazy stuff. I send Sarah chapters as I go so she can revise the outline as the bigger picture starts to emerge. When I’m done, I send the whole book to Emily in one big caboodle.
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Reviews for "The Forbidden Origins of the Man Thing Curse"
1. Michelle - 1/5 stars - I was extremely disappointed with "Curse of the man thing". The storyline was poorly developed and lacked any originality. The characters were one-dimensional and had no depth to them. Additionally, the acting was subpar and the special effects were laughable. Overall, the film felt like a cheap attempt to cash in on the horror genre without putting any effort into creating a compelling and engaging story. I would not recommend wasting your time or money on this movie.
2. John - 2/5 stars - I found "Curse of the man thing" to be quite underwhelming. The plot had potential, but it fell flat due to poor execution. The pacing was off, with long stretches of boredom followed by rushed and confusing action sequences. The dialogue was uninspired and filled with clichés. The film seemed to rely heavily on jump scares and gore without actually building any suspense or tension. While the concept was interesting, the final product was a disappointment.
3. Sarah - 1/5 stars - "Curse of the man thing" was a complete waste of time. The script was poorly written, and the dialogue was cringe-worthy. The acting was unconvincing, and the characters were uninteresting. The film had no originality and felt like a generic horror movie with no substance. The special effects looked cheap and unrealistic. I regret watching this film and would advise others to steer clear of it.
4. Robert - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Curse of the man thing" but unfortunately, it failed to deliver. The plot started off promising, but it quickly became convoluted and confusing. The characters were poorly developed, and it was difficult to care about their fates. The scares were predictable, and the film relied too heavily on jump scares instead of building genuine terror. Overall, it was a mediocre attempt at a horror movie that fell short of its potential.