Official Swamp Thing Thread

[Nightcrawler17]

I thought since we just found out a new Swamp Thing ongoing series is starting in March, that I'd start a new thread about him. I want to start picking up some back issues of the old series, and I'm wondering some people's opinions about the series (I know Alan Moore had a long run, and I know he's a great writer, so how about some of the issues he didn't write, are they good too).

Some help would be great thanks!

 

[the defenders]

Swamp Thing is amazing all around. The Wrighston stuff is so cool! If you have money pick it up. Moore is good. This series looks interesting.

 

[Eric Draven]

If only DC would get going and reprint some of the Rick Veitch and Mark Millar runs on Swamp Thing, I wanna read those

 

[Nightcrawler17]

Come on Swamp Thing fans, help keep the thread alive for at least a while!

 

[Themanofbat]

While I am a bigger Man-Thing fan, I also love the Swamp Thing (I guess I have a thing for muck monsters).

Everyone talks about Millar & Moore during the before last series, but I really like it when Nancy Collins wrote the book for about 2 years in the early 100's. She brought back Arcane and really brought Swampy back to his swamp roots (no pun intended). I think it was right after her run that Swamp Thing became Vertigo.

The last series with Tefe had some promise, but the book obviously failed sales wise (like so many Vertigo books usually do, unfortunately), and you could tell that they just wrapped things up.... the senator's daughter storyline looked really good, but they cleaned that up in such a way that it didn't even make any sense.

Oh well.......

I can't wait for the new book.

 

[Nightcrawler17]

I picked up my first issues of Swamp Thing, and it's great! I can't wait until the new series starts in March too!

 

[Eric Draven]

Originally posted by Themanofbat


The last series with Tefe had some promise, but the book obviously failed sales wise (like so many Vertigo books usually do, unfortunately), and you could tell that they just wrapped things up.... the senator's daughter storyline looked really good, but they cleaned that up in such a way that it didn't even make any sense.

Oh well.......

I can't wait for the new book.

You're right, the senator's daughter storyline had so much promise. It freaked me out totally when

Spoiler

it was revealed just how psychotic her father was

. But then I too was disappointed when they just ended the thing with just a brief mention. If only the book sold better, then maybe there would've been a better resolution to the story.

 

[Atomic Angel]

I wonder id DC is relaunching Swamp Thing due to the upcoming Man-Thing movie. Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnn.

 

[Eric Draven]

Swamp Thing is a series that should've stayed around anyways. Hellblazer's been around for 190 plus issues, IMO Swamp Thing should've lasted that long as well...

 

[DavidTyler]

I haven't been a fan of that book since Berni and Len left it.

If they bring that feel back to the book, I'll pick it up again. If not, it's a major 'pass' on my part.

I'm an Alan Moore fan but I wasn't crazy about his take on the character. He has this tendency to turn all of his major characters into gods. I Like Swampy better as a brooding, self pitying monster who finds himself unique and alone in the world.

 

[kamillon66]

I loved the original movie and have a few of the issues of the original series. It's one of my favorite comic series to date

 

[Themanofbat]

Originally posted by Eric Draven
Swamp Thing is a series that should've stayed around anyways. Hellblazer's been around for 190 plus issues, IMO Swamp Thing should've lasted that long as well...

Yep... I don't think that the volume of sales were any different when compared to Constantine's book... (they probably had the same following)... I just think they really couldn't go anywhere with the character after his near-god-like status.....

Hopefully, the new series will be about Alec Holland, and not some new incarnation or Tefe.

 

[Nightcrawler17]

I saw some preview art in the new Wizard, and all I can say is the art looks great. Looks like another great Vertigo book!

 

[Eric Draven]

Originally posted by Themanofbat
Yep... I don't think that the volume of sales were any different when compared to Constantine's book... (they probably had the same following)... I just think they really couldn't go anywhere with the character after his near-god-like status.....

Hopefully, the new series will be about Alec Holland, and not some new incarnation or Tefe.

It's kind of funny how Hellblazer, a book that was basically spun off of Swamp Thing, lasted longer....but I guess if you do count Vaughn's series, Swamp Thing will be in it's 191st issue

And yeah, the new series is about the original Swamp Thing.....however, Tefe Holland will figure significantly in the first arc at least.

 

[Themanofbat]

Originally posted by Eric Draven
It's kind of funny how Hellblazer, a book that was basically spun off of Swamp Thing, lasted longer....but I guess if you do count Vaughn's series, Swamp Thing will be in it's 191st issue

And yeah, the new series is about the original Swamp Thing.....however, Tefe Holland will figure significantly in the first arc at least.

Well, you should count the original 24 issues, which would make Swamp Thing 215 issues strong.

Ironically, right around when Moore started writing Swamp Thing, DC's new historical archive was to ignore the last 4 issues of Swamp Thing's original series, where Swampy turned back into human form for a couple of issues.... which could never have happened according to Moore's twist on the character.

So I guess he'd only be on issue #211...

 

[Themanofbat]

New movie in the works.... just read the Len Wein interview on the main page... sounds awesome.

 

[Nightcrawler17]

Ya, I read the interview too. A CGI Swamp Thing would be pretty cool.

 

[Captain America]

Well, I do plan on picking up the first issues, can someone give me a little background info? I don't know that much about him.

 

[taku]

I was a fan of the first two films and cartoon series when I was a child. Since then I've gotten into the original books. It's great how I could enjoy Swamp Thing then and now. Can't wait for the new books in March, and the new movie.

 

[Themanofbat]

Originally posted by Captain America
Well, I do plan on picking up the first issues, can someone give me a little background info? I don't know that much about him.

Here's something I dug up on the net....

Years ago, bio-scientist Alec Holland was brutally murdered in an explosion and ended up in the swamp of Louisiana. Accumulating leaves, moss, and rotten decay, a body was formed around Holland's mind, and arose as the Swamp Thing. For years, this Swamp Thing believed itself to be Alec Holland mutated into a monster, and vainly sought a cure to restore himself to human (on a couple of occasions, he even succeeded, or so it seemed, but he inevitably transformed to his Swamp Thing self again). During this time, he sometimes allied himself with heroes such as Batman and the Challengers of the Unknown. It wasn't until much later that the creature learned the truth: He wasn't Alec Holland. He was a Plant Elemental, an agent of the Green, a vegetable, with the memories of Alec Holland. After realizing and accepting the truth, the Swamp Thing found a purpose in life as protector of the Earth. He developed his powers and skills, learning how to regenerate himself, control plant life, and travel through the realms and even how to travel back in time. He also started a family with his lifemate Abigail and daughter Tefé (a Plant Elemental in human form and the latest being to be called the Swamp Thing). More recently, however, Swamp Thing absorbed the power of all the Elemental Parliaments - Plants, Stones, Water, Air, and Fire - becoming an omnipotent "World Elemental", intent on recreating the Earth without any animal life. He was ultimately convinced to change his mind about humanity's potential of good, however, and now serves as an Earth protector once again

The elemental stuff about Swampy (in my opinion) had been a bit of a weakness on the character's development... having said that, the focus of the new comic will be (as it should be) the horror aspect to being a muck monster in the Bayou.

 

[DavidTyler]

Originally posted by Themanofbat

The elemental stuff about Swampy (in my opinion) had been a bit of a weakness on the character's development... having said that, the focus of the new comic will be (as it should be) the horror aspect to being a muck monster in the Bayou.

[/B]

I totally agree.

As much as I respect Alan Moore as a writer, I didn't like much of what he did with the character. I'd like to do a 'Bobby Ewing' and forget that elemental stuff ever happened.

The original concept was clean and direct. You could empathize with him. Len Wein's stories were every bit as engaging as Alan's but he kept it uncluttered.

Alan, if you're reading this, I still love your work on other titles - just not this one.

 

[Eric Draven]

Well I picked up Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis today. It has the first 10 issues of Swamp Thing written by Len Wein. It had better be good!

 

[Themanofbat]

Originally posted by Eric Draven
Well I picked up Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis today. It has the first 10 issues of Swamp Thing written by Len Wein. It had better be good!

The art alone is worth the price.

 

[Themanofbat]

Originally posted by DavidTyler
I totally agree.

As much as I respect Alan Moore as a writer, I didn't like much of what he did with the character. I'd like to do a 'Bobby Ewing' and forget that elemental stuff ever happened.

The original concept was clean and direct. You could empathize with him. Len Wein's stories were every bit as engaging as Alan's but he kept it uncluttered.

Alan, if you're reading this, I still love your work on other titles - just not this one.

Well, I really did enjoy Alan's run for the first 30 issues, but after the American Gothic stroyline, it slowed down for me. Veitch's run was decent, and I would have really enjoyed it more if DC hadn't pulled the plug on his idea of going back to Christ... that could have been one of the biggest controversies for comics.... but the one writer whom I absolutely detested after that was Doug Wheeler. Geezus, I really didn't enjoy teh book AT ALL during his crappy run, which was mostly bad elemental writing...

 

[Eric Draven]

The last few issues of Alan Moore's run got very weird....that story in space where that entity was trying to mate with Swamp Thing (at least that's what I think happened, the story got to mumbo jumbo and I skimmed over it to be honest) was just way out there. However, I did like the last couple of issues of Moore's run. Now bring on Veitch's run!