The Mothman was introduced to West Virginia in 1966 with the best newspaper headline ever: "Couples See Man-Sized Bird... Creature... Something." From there, residents all over West Virginia reported seeing the winged, human-like, red-eyed creature around the state, unsure if it was a demon, alien, or genetic experiment gone wrong. Even as recently as 2016, Mothman sightings have made the news. Yes, like the actual news. The myth dates back to that initial newspaper piece, but the legend has been long propagated in pop culture -- inspiring a horror novel and the subsequent Richard Gere film adaptation. In Point Pleasant, where the original incident was recorded, there's a Mothman museum, a Mothman Festival, and a sizable statue. The Mothman has become big business, and if nothing else, he clearly paved the way for tabloid darling, the Bat Child.
