In this second collection, The Swamp Thing says goodbye to the illusion of his own humanity after learning that he is 100% plant, meets a crew of benevolent alien invaders inspired by the classic comic strip Pogo (also set in the swamp), and consummates his relationship with Abigail Arcane as only he could. His provocative and groundbreaking writing, combined with masterly artwork by some of the medium’s top artists, made Swamp Thing one of the great comics of the late twentieth century.īook One begins with the story “The Anatomy Lesson,” a haunting origin story that reshapes Swamp Thing mythology with terrifying revelations that begin a journey of discovery and adventure that will take him across the stars and beyond. Alan Moore took the Swamp Thing to new heights in the 1980s with his unique narrative approach. With modern-day issues explored against a backdrop of horror, The Swamp Thing stories became commentaries on environmental, political, and social issues, unflinching in their relevance.Ĭreated out of the Swamp by a freak accident, Swamp Thing is an elemental creature who uses the forces of nature and wisdom of the plant kingdom to fight the polluted world’s self-destruction. His deconstruction of the classic monster stretched the creative boundaries of the medium and became one of the most spectacular series in comic book history.

comic book industry with the revitalization of the horror comic book The Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Vol.All the groundbreaking Saga of the Swamp Thing graphic novels by Alan Moore, the writer of Watchmen and V For Vendetta, in a gorgeous slipcase box set!īefore Watchmen, Alan Moore made his debut in the U.S. I’m revising as I continue to navigate the list. NOTE: With the character’s on-again, off-again publication history, combined with the publisher’s habit of re-packaging issues in different configurations, there isn’t a linear track to follow for these collections. A living embodiment of the power and terror in our environment, the Swamp Thing protects both humanity and the environment-usually from each other. All of them owe a debt to Theodore Sturgeon’s short story “It!”, published in the August 1940 issue of Unknown.Ī muck-encrusted mockery of a man, the monstrous Swamp Thing can control all plant life, from fungus on stale bread to forests of towering oaks. However, it’s but one of several “muck monster” characters that have populated comic books over the years-a list which also includes The Heap, Solomon Grundy, Man-Thing, and more. Created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson, DC Comics’ Swamp Thing made its first appearance in House of Secrets #92 in 1971.

Saga of the swamp thing