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'''Swamp Thing''', a [[fictional character]], is a [[plant]] [[elemental]] in the {{DC Universe}} originally created by [[Len Wein]] and [[Berni Wrightson]]. He first appeared in ''[[House of Secrets]]'' #92 (July 1971) in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century (plotted by Wein and drawn by Wrightson). The Swamp Thing was then reprised in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in the general DC continuity. The character is a humanoid mass of [[vegetable]] matter who fights to protect his [[swamp]] home, the environment in general, and humanity from various supernatural or terrorist threats.
'''Swamp Thing''', a [[fictional character]], so named after a well renowned IT specialist in Jersey one Jamie 'I like to wear black make-up' Wherry, is a [[plant]] [[elemental]] in the {{DC Universe}} originally created by [[Len Wein]] and [[Berni Wrightson]]. He first appeared in ''[[House of Secrets]]'' #92 (July 1971) in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century (plotted by Wein and drawn by Wrightson). The Swamp Thing was then reprised in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in the general DC continuity. The character is a humanoid mass of [[vegetable]] matter who fights to protect his [[swamp]] home, the environment in general, and humanity from various supernatural or terrorist threats.


The character found perhaps his greatest popularity during the 1980s and early '90s. Outside of an extensive comic book history, the Swamp Thing property has inspired two [[Swamp Thing (film)|theatrical films]], a live-action [[Swamp Thing (TV series)|television series]], and a five-part [[Swamp Thing (1991 TV series)|animated series]] among other media.
The character found perhaps his greatest popularity during the 1980s and early '90s. Outside of an extensive comic book history, the Swamp Thing property has inspired two [[Swamp Thing (film)|theatrical films]], a live-action [[Swamp Thing (TV series)|television series]], and a five-part [[Swamp Thing (1991 TV series)|animated series]] among other media.

Revision as of 13:58, 9 September 2010

"Alex Olsen" redirects here. For the American poet, see Alix Olson.
For other uses, see Swamp Thing (disambiguation).
Swamp Thing
File:Swampthing93totleben.jpg
Swamp Thing vol. 2 #93, (March 1990).
Art by John Totleben
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearance(Alex Olsen)
House of Secrets #92
(July 1971)
(Alec Holland)
Swamp Thing Vol. 1 #1 (November 1972)
(Albert Höllerer)
Swamp Thing Vol. 2 #47
(May 1986)
(Tefé Holland)
Swamp Thing vol. 2 #65 (1987)
(Allan Hallman)
Swamp Thing Vol. 2 #102 (December 1990)
(Aaron Hayley)
Swamp Thing: Roots (1998)
Created byLen Wein (writer)
Bernie Wrightson (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoAlec Holland
Team affiliationsParliament of Trees
PartnershipsJohn Constantine
AbilitiesSuper Strength
Regeneration
  • Control over plantlife and other natural elements.
  • Immunity to all toxins, bacteria and viruses.
  • Toxikinesis

Swamp Thing, a fictional character, so named after a well renowned IT specialist in Jersey one Jamie 'I like to wear black make-up' Wherry, is a plant elemental in the DC Comics Universe originally created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 (July 1971) in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century (plotted by Wein and drawn by Wrightson). The Swamp Thing was then reprised in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in the general DC continuity. The character is a humanoid mass of vegetable matter who fights to protect his swamp home, the environment in general, and humanity from various supernatural or terrorist threats.

The character found perhaps his greatest popularity during the 1980s and early '90s. Outside of an extensive comic book history, the Swamp Thing property has inspired two theatrical films, a live-action television series, and a five-part animated series among other media.

Publication history

Main article: List of Swamp Thing comics

The Swamp Thing has appeared in four comic book series to date, including several specials, and has crossed over into other DC titles. The first Swamp Thing series ran for 24 issues, from 1972 to 1976.

Volume 1

Len Wein was the writer for the first 13 issues before David Michelinie and Gerry Conway finished up the series. Of particular note, famed horror artist Bernie Wrightson drew the first ten issues of the series while Nestor Redondo drew a further thirteen issues, the last issue being drawn by Fred Carrillo. Swamp Thing fought against evil as he sought the men who murdered his wife and caused his monstrous transformation, as well as searching for a means to transform back to human form.

Swamp Thing has since fought many villains, most notably the mad Dr. Anton Arcane. Though they only met twice during the first series, Arcane and his obsession with gaining immortality, aided by his nightmarish army of Un-Men and the tragic Patchwork Man (Arcane's brother Gregori Arcane, who after a land mine explosion was rebuilt as a Frankenstein's Monster-type creature by his brother), became Swamp Thing's arch-nemesis, even as Swamp Thing developed a close bond with Arcane's niece Abigail Arcane. Also involved in the conflict was Swamp Thing's close friend turned enemy Matthew Cable, a federal agent who mistakenly believed Swamp Thing responsible for the deaths of Alec and Linda Holland.

As sales figures plummeted towards the end of the series, the writers attempted to revive interest by introducing fantastical creatures, aliens, and even Alec Holland's brother, Edward (a plot point ignored by later writers) into the picture.

Volume 2

The Saga of the Swamp Thing #21 (Feb. 1984). Cover art by Tom Yeates.

In 1982, DC Comics revived the Swamp Thing series, attempting to capitalize on the summer 1982 release of the Wes Craven film of the same name. (The revival had actually been originally planned for 1978, but was a victim of the DC Implosion.) The new series, called Saga of the Swamp Thing, featured in its first Annual the comic book adaptation of the Craven movie. Now written by Martin Pasko, the book loosely picked up after Swamp Thing's appearance in Challengers of the Unknown, with the character wandering around the swamps of Louisiana as something of an urban legend that was feared by locals. Pasko's main arc depicted Swamp Thing roaming the globe, trying to stop a young girl (and possible Anti-Christ) named Karen Clancy from destroying the world.

When Pasko had to give up work on the title due to increasing television commitments, editor Len Wein assigned the title to British writer Alan Moore. When Karen Berger took over as editor, she gave Moore free rein to revamp the title and the character as he saw fit. Moore reconfigured Swamp Thing's origin to make him a true monster as opposed to a human transformed into a monster. In his first issue, he swept aside most of the supporting cast Pasko had introduced in his year-and-a-half run as writer, and brought the Sunderland Corporation to the forefront, as they hunted Swamp Thing and "killed" him in a hail of bullets.

Moore would later reveal, in an attempt to connect the original one-off Swamp Thing story from House of Secrets to the main Swamp Thing canon, that there had been dozens, perhaps hundreds, of Swamp Things since the dawn of humanity, and that all versions of the creature were designated defenders of the Parliament of Trees, an elemental community also known as "the Green" that connects all plant life on Earth. Moore's Swamp Thing had a profound effect on mainstream comic books, being the first horror comic to approach the genre from a literary point of view since the EC horror comics of the 1950s,[citation needed] and broadened the scope of the series to include ecological and spiritual concerns while retaining its horror-fantasy roots. Saga of the Swamp Thing was the first mainstream comic book series to completely abandon the Comics Code Authority and write directly for adults.[1]

A fan dressed as Swamp Thing, with creator Len Wein, at CONvergence 2005

With issue #65, regular penciler Rick Veitch took over from Moore and began scripting the series, continuing the story in a roughly similar vein for 24 more issues. Veitch's term ended in 1989 in a widely publicized creative dispute, when DC refused to publish issue #88 because of the use of Jesus Christ as a character despite having previously approved the script, in which Swamp Thing is revealed to be the cupbearer who offers Jesus water when he calls for it from the cross.[2][3]

After a period of high creative turnover,[4] in 1991 DC sought to revive interest in Swamp Thing by bringing horror writer Nancy A. Collins on board to write the series. Starting with Swamp Thing Annual #6, Collins moved on to write Swamp Thing #110-138, dramatically overhauling the series and restoring the pre-Alan Moore tone of the series as well as incorporating a new set of supporting cast members into the book.[5] Collins resurrected Anton Arcane along with the Sunderland Corporation as foils for Swamp Thing.

With issue #140 (March 1994), the title was handed over to Grant Morrison for a four-issue arc, co-written by the then unknown Mark Millar. As Collins had destroyed the status quo of the series, Morrison sought to shake the book up with a four-part storyline which had Swamp Thing plunged into a nightmarish dream world scenario where he was split into two separate beings: Alec Holland and Swamp Thing, which was now a mindless being of pure destruction. Millar then took over from Morrison with issue #144, and launched what was initially conceived as an ambitious 25-part storyline where Swamp Thing would be forced to go upon a series of "trials" against rival elemental forces. However, the end was near for the series. Explanations for the cancellation vary, from low sales, to Millar himself having become bored with the series. Many critics and Swamp Thing fans have cited Millar's wandering plotline as being the sole reason for the reduction of sales to cancellation level, and Millar himself has not denied these observations, and reportedly looks back on his run on the book with some disdain.[citation needed]

Volume 3

Written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn by Roger Petersen and Giuseppe Camuncoli in 2001, the third Swamp Thing series focused on the daughter of the Swamp Thing, Tefé Holland. Even though she was chronologically 11-12, the series had Tefe aged into the body of an 18-year-old with a mindwipe in order to try to control her darker impulses, brought about by her exposure to the Parliament of Trees. Due to the circumstances under which she was conceived (Swamp Thing, possessing John Constantine, was not aware he was given a blood transfusion by a demon), she held power over both plants and flesh.

Volume 4

A fourth series began in 2004, with rotating writers of Andy Diggle (#1-6), Will Pfeifer (#7-8) and Joshua Dysart (#9-28). In this latest series, Swamp Thing is reverted to his plant-based Earth Elemental status after the first storyline, and he attempts to live an "eventless" life in the Louisiana swamps. Tefé, likewise, is rendered powerless and mortal. Issue #29 was the final issue of the fourth volume, which was cancelled due to low sales numbers.

Fictional character biography

The Swamp Thing character first appeared in House of Secrets #92 (June-July 1971), with the name Alex Olsen. The comic is set in the early 20th century, when scientist Alex Olsen is caught in a lab explosion caused by his co-worker, Damian Ridge, who intended to kill him to gain the hand of Olsen's wife Linda. Olsen is physically altered by chemicals and the forces within the swamp. He changes into a monstrous creature who kills Ridge before the latter can murder Linda, who has started to suspect Damian. Unable to make Linda realize his true identity, the Swamp Thing sadly ambles to his boggy home.

After the success of the short story in the House of Secrets comic, the original creators were asked to write an ongoing series, depicting a more heroic, more contemporary creature. In Swamp Thing #1 (October-November 1972) Wein and Wrightson updated the time frame to the 1970s and featured a new version character: Alec Holland, a scientist working in the Louisiana swamps on a secret bio-restorative formula "that can make forests out of deserts". Holland is killed by a bomb planted by agents of the mysterious Mr. E (Nathan Ellery), who wants the formula. Splashed with burning chemicals in the massive fire, Holland runs from the lab and falls into the muck-filled swamp, after which a creature resembling a humanoid plant appears some time later. Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway, who co-created Man-Thing for Marvel Comics a year and a half earlier, thought that this origin was too similar to that of their character, and Wein himself had written a Man-Thing story (in fact, the second) that was published with a June 1972 cover date, but he refused to change the origin in spite of some cajoling by Conway, who was his roommate at the time. Marvel, however, never took the issue to court, realizing the similarity of both characters to The Heap.[6]

The creature, called Swamp Thing, was originally conceived as Alec Holland mutating into a vegetable-like creature, a "muck-encrusted mockery of a man". However, under writer Alan Moore, Swamp Thing was reinvented as an elemental entity created upon the death of Alec Holland, having somehow absorbed Holland's memory and personality into itself. He is described as "a plant that thought it was Alec Holland, a plant that was trying its level best to be Alec Holland."[7]. This in turn further diverged the character from Marvel's character, although creatures resembling the Man-Thing likeness appeared in the Parliament of Trees. This was Alan Moore's second "re-invention" of a comic book character, the first being Miracleman.

The major difference between the first and second Swamp Thing is that the latter appears more muscular than shambling, and possesses the power of speech. Being able to speak only with great difficulty, Alex Olsen's speech impediment is a major reason why his wife could not recognize him. In Swamp Thing #33, Alan Moore attempted to reconcile the two versions of Swamp Thing with the revelation that there have been many previous incarnations of Swamp Thing prior to the death and "rebirth" of the Alec Holland incarnation. Three others are notable: Albert Höllerer, a pilot in World War II, appeared briefly and had his story summarized in Swamp Thing #47 (May 1986), and Aaron Hayley appeared in the Swamp Thing: Roots graphic novel (1998) set in the 1940s, and Alan Hallman, the Swamp Thing of the 1950s and 1960s, introduced in Vol. 2 #102 (December 1990) and eventually, after being corrupted by the Gray, killed by Holland. As a result, Holland is known as Swamp Thing IV by the editors of the DCU Guide. The principal two Swamp Things are also connected in that Holland's first wife is Linda Ridge, a descendant of Damian Ridge.

Powers and abilities

Swamp Thing is a plant elemental. After "the Anatomy Lesson," it could be argued that he is in fact a disembodied intelligence without any specific "body" as such, as he can inhabit and animate vegetable matter anywhere(including alien plants, even sentient ones) and construct it into a body for himself. As a result, bodily attacks mean little to him. He can easily regrow damaged or severed body parts, and can even transport himself across the globe by leaving his current form, transferring his consciousness to a new form grown from whatever vegetable matter is present in the location he wishes to reach (he even grew himself a form out of John Constantine's meager tobacco supply on one occasion).

Swamp Thing can control any form of plant life. He can make it move to his will or accelerate its growth. This control even extends to alien life, as he once cured Superman of an infection caused by exposure to a Kryptonian plant that was driving Superman mad and causing his body to burn out its own power.[8]

After the run of Mark Millar, Swamp Thing had also mastered the elements of fire, earth (as stone), water and air, the parliaments of each later killed by the Word, implying that he has retained these abilities and has the power once held by the Parliaments. This has yet to be explicated.

Other versions

  • In issue #28 of the Super Friends comics, Swamp Thing made an appearance as one of the 5 foes that the Super Friends battle.[9]

A pre-Swamp Thing Alec Holland appears in Batman Adventures #16 in a 5-page backup set in the Batman: The Animated Series universe. He lives with the long retired Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy), as well encountering a plant doppelganger she created earlier on to keep Batman from trying to locate her.

Other media

Film

Main article: Swamp Thing (film)
Main article: The Return of Swamp Thing

Swamp Thing's expansion into media outside of comic books began with his first eponymous film in 1982. Directed by Wes Craven, it starred actor/stuntman Dick Durock as the title character. A sequel, The Return of Swamp Thing, was produced in 1989. This was much lower in budget and met with significantly less success than its predecessor.

The aforementioned film series rejected the popular Alan Moore revision of Swamp Thing's origin and portrayed Swamp Thing with his original origin as a man turned into a plant-like entity. They also heavily featured Anton Arcane, who now became the man responsible for causing Alec Holland's transformation into Swamp Thing.

The documentary feature film The Mindscape of Alan Moore contains a psychedelic animation piece based on the "Love and Death" issue of Swamp Thing.

Television

Main article: Swamp Thing (TV series)
Main article: Swamp Thing (1991 TV series)
A comic book ad for the TV series
  • The Swamp Thing television series would first air on USA Network from 1990 to 1993. The series was filmed in the brand-new Universal Studios Florida facilities and soundstages with Dick Durock reprising the role of Swamp Thing. The series ended short of its 100 episode schedule and reran on various networks throughout the following years. Starting in 2008, DVD collections of the episodes have been released via Shout! Factory.
  • DiC Entertainment's Swamp Thing animated series debuted on Fox Kids in April 1991, with Len Carlson providing the voice of the title character. Anton Arcane took the role of the main villain, along with his three Un-Men. The animation style followed a trend similar to Troma's Toxic Crusaders. The program only lasted five episodes and is often considered a mini-series.
  • Much like the films of the 1980s, both the live action series and animated series followed the original version of Swamp Thing rather than Alan Moore's vision. Neither of these incarnations were highly critically or commercially successful, but the live-action series developed a cult following. A moderate collection of merchandise was also produced for the animated series, including an action figure line by Kenner and video games by THQ.
  • In the Justice League Unlimited episode entitled "Initiation," an unknown creature aboard the Justice League Watchtower who is never identified looks remarkably similar to the Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing also has a small cameo at a cantina in the episode "Comfort and Joy," which first aired December 13, 2003. Swamp Thing can also be seen on a poster in the episode "Wake the Dead."

Video games

Swamp Thing inspired two video games based on the 1991 animated series that same year.

Awards

Over the years, the Swamp Thing comic has been nominated for and won several awards. Len Wein won the 1972 Shazam Award for Best Writer (Dramatic Division) for his work on Swamp Thing. Berni Wrightson won the Shazam Award for Best Penciller (Dramatic Division) in 1972 for his work on Swamp Thing. Len Wein and Berni Wrightson won the Shazam Award for Best Individual Story (Dramatic) in 1972 for "Dark Genesis" in Swamp Thing #1. The series won the Shazam Award for Best Continuing Feature in 1973.

Alan Moore won the 1985 and 1986 Jack Kirby Awards for Best Writer for Swamp Thing. Alan Moore, John Totleben, and Steve Bissette won the 1985 Jack Kirby Award for Best Single Issue for Swamp Thing Annual 2. They have also won the 1985, 1986, and 1987 Jack Kirby Awards for Best Continuing Series for Swamp Thing.

Notes

  1. ^ "Comics Code Rejects Saga of Swamp Thing Story; Swamp Thing Rejects Code," The Comics Journal #93 (September 1984), pp. 12-13.
  2. ^ "Swamp Thing Cancellation Begets Protest, Media Attention," The Comics Journal #130 (July 1989), pp. 28–29.
  3. ^ "Rick Veitch Quits Swamp Thing," The Comics Journal #129 (May 1989), pp. 7-11.
  4. ^ "Swamp Thing Team Leaves," The Comics Journal #139 (December 1990), p. 16.
  5. ^ "Nancy Collins: Swamp Thing's New Scripter Speaks," David Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview, #102 (1991), pp. 4-13.
  6. ^ Roy Thomas interview, Alter Ego #81 (October 2008), p. 25.
  7. ^ Saga of the Swamp Thing #21, p.22
  8. ^ DC Comics Presents #85
  9. ^ [1]

References

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to Swamp Thing.
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