The thin man fairy is a phenomenon seen in several cultures around the world. Known as Fear Dubh, or the Black Man, in Scotland, he haunts woodland areas, causing fear on the solitary footpaths that weave through the forests (Irisi 2009). In Germany, Der Großmann, the Thin Man, prowls the Black Forest, weaving tales of violence and mayhem in his wake. In these stories, he is known as a fairy, a tall one who appears almost like a man, and is known for making children disappear in the night. He even began to have stories in the United States, sometimes taking blame for missing children and mysterious fires. In 2009, users on the Something Awful forum began to accumulate narratives and images of the creature, bringing his presence into a much fuller light both to the online environment, and the users on it.

Or, at least, that is how the story goes. In 2009 on the Something Awful forums, the story of the accumulation of tales from around the world began. Instead, these images and narratives were being created by the users themselves. They created old folktales their families would tell them, and photoshopped images to make sure he fit. They created newspaper articles, government documents, and emails which discuss his presence. Through this process, they created an online mythology which quickly spread to a variety of different virtual locations.