Man-Thing #6

The life of Darrel the Clown reenacted! In an effort to put his spirit to rest, members of Garvey's circus play out the clown's life from childhood to death. The strange and twisted saga culminates in final judgment from The Critics.

"And When I Died…!" continues the tragic events of Man-Thing #5 where Darrel Daniel, a depressed clown committed suicide in the swamp. A band of individuals is gathered around the dead man's body as a ghost arises and speaks to them. The ghost announces that his life story is going to be played out in a ghoulish drama in the swamp. Each person at the scene plays a different role: Tragg is Darrel's childhood bully, Ayla is his childhood sweetheart, Richard Rory is Darrel as a boy, Ruth Hart is Darrel's mother, Zoe, and Garvey is Darrel's father.

Three hooded figures are seated near the edge of the stage. They are the "critics" who will pass judgment on the play and where, if anywhere, Darrel Daniel's soul will spend eternity.

Act 1: The Breakfast

The scene opens in the Daniel's home, it is 1944 and breakfast is being served. Darrel's father's attention is consumed by the Wall Street Journal. Zoe is silently sipping hot tea and little Darrel musters up the courage to break the silence. "Papa, did you know there's a circus in town?" he asks. is not interested in the circus and a series of verbal put-downs are issued at Darrel. goes back to his paper as anger swells within the heart of the young boy.

In this macabre scene the Man-Thing energizes the arm of the young boy to lift his cereal bowl and hurl it at his father. Another argument ensues and Darrel leaves the room to sit on the front porch. While sulking, Darrel is visited by Betty Jo, his childhood sweetheart. She encourages him by telling him that he is not stupid and this his life does matter. As they go for a walk, they are confronted by a bully who tries to assault Darrel, striking him on the face. But behind Darrel stands the Man-Thing and as the bully looks into Darrel's eyes he experiences fear. He changes his mind and leaves Darrel and Betty Jo without a fight. At that point, the curtain falls, act one has concluded and the critics applaud.

The cast gathers around Darrel and are changed back into their real identities. Hoping the ordeal is over, the group looks to the critics, who will determine if a second act is necessary or not. They demand a second act and the cast is transformed into new characters.

Act 2: The Passing

The scene opens with sixteen-year-old Darrel attending the funeral service of his father. He is struck by the smile on his dead father's face and begins to laugh. His mother is offended and questions the boy's sanity.

The scene quickly shifts to a psychiatrist's office where Darrel is being analyzed for insanity. The doctor determines that Darrel does have emotional problem but refuses to call him insane. The doctor becomes angry when Darrel presses him for answers and the young patient is thrown out of the office into the street. Rising from the scene is no longer the young Darrel but Richard Rory. The critics are asked if the play can be ended but they decline, insisting that it continue.

Twenty years pass and Darrel is again looking for comfort to ease the pain and torment of his troubled soul. He approaches a circus and seeks employment from the owner, Mr. Garvey. Darrel wants to be a clown but Mr. Garvey promptly turns him down, telling him to get lost. A young and attractive trapeze artists named Ayla tries to convince Mr. Garvey to hire Darrel, promising to train him, but he is still not interested. Tragg, however, tells Mr. Garvey that he has seen Darrel's picture in the newspaper and that Darrel Daniel is a millionaire. The circus has fallen on hard times and needs money—Darrel Daniel's money. So Mr. Garvey hires him and Darrel practices and trains relentlessly until he becomes successful. He finds great fulfillment in making people laugh and he begins to truly enjoy life now.

But the joy is short-lived as Darrel overhears Mr. Garvey tell Ayla that he only hired him for his money. Darrel is crushed and decides to change his circus act from happy and comical to dark and evil. The audience starts getting frightened and Darrel's act starts losing followers. Ayla approaches Darrel one evening and tries to find out why he had changed so much. He explains to Ayla that "money cannot buy laughter." Darrel's evil act continues until it even begins to scare him. Feeling there was no reason to continue living, Darrel drives to the swamp, writes a suicide note and ends his life with a handgun.

The act has ended and Darrel turns to his critics for approval. They ask if he has anything else to show them. There is no answer from Darrel and the critics rise to announce their verdict. They are not moved by his life story and sentence him to total oblivion. Richard Rory protests, however, telling the critics that Darrel's life was important and that he didn't deserve this kind of judgment. Richard is pushed aside and the Man-Thing steps in, sensing that an injustice about to be meted out. There is a terrible battle between the critics and the Man-Thing. Piercing the noise of battle is the sobbing voice of Ayla. She laments that it is her fault Darrel took his life because she refused to stand up to Mr. Garvey. She truly loved Darrel and mourns his tragic end. She begs the critics to take her soul instead of Darrel's. There is more silence.

Moved by her compassion for Darrel, the three critics begin to depart, as one of them points a sword at Darrel's body. The three dissolve into the night and attention is drawn to Darrel's body. His face, though dead, is now smiling. Perhaps the critics agreed with Ayla and allowed him to rest in peace. As the humans contemplate this scene, the Man-Thing slowly exits, lowering himself into the swamp that is his home.