Fantastic Trade Paperback: Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Vol. 1 (and Swamp Thing TV and Movies)

 Growing up in the 1970s, I got into reading and collecting comic books, and I was often drawn to the mysterious heroes (likely because I had the ability to talk with people who passed). So, I loved the ghostly superhero called the Spectre. But I also liked the man-monster known as Swamp Thing. In today's blog I'll talk about a great collection of the original series and tell you who he is (and he's on Television (again) and has been the topic of movies). 

WHO IS SWAMP THING?  He's scientist Alec Holland, who was working on a bio-restorative formula for plants. He and his wife Linda (also a scientist) were set up in a laboratory in the swamps of Louisiana when a crime syndicate wanted to get their research illegally. When they couldn't, they blew up the lab, killing Linda and sending Alec running on fire into the swamp after being doused by the chemical formula. He emerged as a humanoid plant life with Alec's memories, and a lot of difficulty speaking. He became a superhero of sorts and the stories are very interesting.

WHAT IS VOLUME 1? It contains the first 13 issues of Swamp Thing comics from the 1970s, by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. The character was actually developed for a 1 shot story in the "House of Secrets" horror comic series in the 1970s, but editors must've realized how fascinating that character was because they gave him his own comic book. Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Vol. 1 collects the original short story "Swamp Thing" from The House of Secrets #92 and Swamp Thing #1-13, featuring all of Wein and Wrightson's original run on the series and including art by Nestor Redondo, Michael Wm. Kaluta and Luis Dominguez.

NEW TV SERIES- Currently, In December 2020, The CW Network is airing the new Swamp Thing TV Series, (originally made for DC Universe streaming service). It's so incredibly well-done!!! We both watch it and enjoy it. 

PREVIOUS TV SERIES - Based on the legendary DC Comics character, the USA Network commissioned a total of 72 episodes of this cult favorite that aired between 1990-1993. (Image Right)  Starring Dick Durock (reprising his title role from the popular Swamp Thing feature films).  We have the entire series on DVD and it's also good, - but not as good as the 2020 series.  

TWO FILMS - Swamp Thing is a 1982 horror movie

that focuses on the transformation of Alec Holland into the Swamp Thing. A sequel, The Return of Swamp Thing, was released in 1989.

(LEFT IMAGE: The movie poster for the first Swamp Thing film in 1982, with Louis Jordan and Adrienne Barbeau)