The Green Thing

History: Having a theory that plants have a low-level intelligence, an unnamed botanist created a serum that would increase their intelligence. Travelling to a small isle off the coast of Australia, the botanist was in search of ignatius rex, a rare but highly developed form of plant life, to inject the serum into. Searching, but having no luck finding the rare plant, the botanist injected half of the serum into an ordinary weed. The weed began to grow and come to life. It began to speak and, uprooting itself, began to walk around. It then told the botanist its dreams of conquest and how it wanted more serum to inject into other vegetable life to form an army. The Green Thing pursued the botanist, who stumbled upon the ignatius rex plant, and injected it with the other half of the serum. Ignatius rex grew and battled the Green Thing. The Green Thing was destroyed by ignatius rex. Ignatius rex vowed to live out the rest of its days on the island and warned the botanist never to tamper with the natural scheme of things.

Height: 9 ft.
Demonstrated Powers: The serum caused a chemical mutation in an ordinary weed, causing it to grow to full size and take on a human shape. It also gave the transformed weed self-awareness. The Green Thing could uproot itself and walk, and was strong enough to lift a boulder. The force of its will was strong enough to compel a tree to move to its commands.

The ignatius rex plant was similarly affected by the serum; the full extent of its chemical mutation is unknown

Comment: This “Green Thing” should not be confused with the similar monster from the story “The Green Thing” in Tales of Suspense # 51 (art by Larry Leiber) (reprinted in Creatures on the Loose # 21); possible connection?

Comment: It is unknown if there is any connection between The Green Thing (and ignatius rex) and the H'ylthri - the sentient plant race living in the dimension of K'un-Lun (introduced in Iron Fist (vol. 1) # 2).

For another entry on the Green Thing, click HERE.

The TOS 51 “Green Thing” was an alien from the planet Fernus. Its powers were natural to it, as all Fernusians used them to dominate humanoids to tend to the Fernusians. The Weed's powers were received accidentally, and the Green Thing's through an experiment.

I don't know if the H'ylthri's origins have ever been spelled out. If they were native to a prehistoric Earth, they could have been descended from the Cotati. Or were the Cotati no closer to prehistory Earth (where life was “trilling its cilia” during the Skrulls' Kree/Cotati test) than the Moon?

Both the existence of the Weed and Green Thing, combined with the Plant-Man's ability to “command” plant life, makes me wonder if Earthly flora (in the Marvel universe) aren't somehow predisposed to semi-intelligence without having actually developed it fully. I believe woody structures are relatively more advanced than leafy ones, or I might suspect Earthly flora from having descended from some of the known “wooden” (xyloform?) aliens, such as Groot, Moomba, the Tree Alien, or the Living Trees. But perhaps TOS 51 wasn't the first time a Fernusian visited Earth…

The planet Fernus (home of the other “Green Thing”) was mentioned in a back-up story in Tales of Suspense # 51.

Thanks. P.S.—-I believe it was established in OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE (v. 1) that the H'ylthri are aboriginal to the parallel universe that includes Kun-Lun. Hence, their hatred of the extra-terrestrial humanoids who settled there.

A really great story that I recently discovered for the first time.
It has a point similar to Frankenstein by Mary Shelly; ” It is not meant for man to meddle in certain aspects of life.”

ADVENTURES INTO TERROR#7 has a story called ''THE VINE'' which,apart from the ''shock-ending''is EXACTLY the same story as this one,the funny thing is that well,i kind of wish that this story was'nt an atlas story,i wish it was a DC story,it could easily be tied in with a certain BATMAN villainess if it was,also,human torch villain PLANT MAN created a similar device in ST#113,but get this…..it worked because it was struck by lightning!!,im not kidding about this get a copy of this comic,it has plenty of pre-hero and post-hero tie-ins!!

............. TURRRRRRRRRRRD THE THING THAT COULD NOT DIE!!!!!!!! :: 04 December 2006

Dear Editor,
I recently discovered this wonderful story for the firs time. It was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed it. I think the original cover was good.
The cover for Tales of Suspense that is. I think the second cover for Where Monsters Dwell is better in a way.
It depicts the scientist running in terror, and the plant monster in the process of grabbing him.
I love the way this monster was drawn. Great job Jack Kirby.

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