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The Timeline
Born on the Bayou A history and introduction Creature Features Articles and feature stories Cover Gallery Judge the books by the covers In the Swamplight Issue-by-issue breakdowns Elemental Lineage Past lives and other entities Upcoming Releases Coming to a bog near you What's New Bayou? Archived news updates About Me Portrait of a swamp-nerd Homepage Go back to the roots Contact Me Comments, corrections & tubers |
| Thanks to Joe Bongiorno, who first dragged me kicking and screaming into the mucky mythos of Swamp Thing, and to Paul Giachetti, who created the amazing header banner. Thanks also to reader 'Alec Holland,' whose support has been invaluable; Mike Sterling, for promoting Swamp Thing and this site; and Kevin Church, for his excellent optimization advice. And thanks to Len Wein, Bernie Wrightson, Alan Moore, John Totelben, Stephen Bissette, Jamie Delano, Garth Ennis and all the other creators whose work inspired this site. |
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What's New Bayou? Previous news and rumors from the universe of Vertigo Comics' Swamp Thing, John Constantine: Hellblazer and The Un-Men, archived here for posterity. Have One Hell of a Birthday, John Constantine!  May 10, 2008Today is John Constantine's birthday, and despite his bad-for-your-health lifestyle, he looks pretty good for a man of 55. John was born on May 10, 1953, and has (sort of) aged in real time, unlike the DC universe's myriad costumed superheroes (or, as John calls them, the ponces in tights), though lately he has begun to look younger again—apparently, expelling the demons of your earlier days spent being tortured in an insane asylum can do wonders for your skin. If you happen to see a blonde, British ex-punk-rocker in a pub today, wearing a dingy trenchcoat (yellowish-tan, NOT green, as it has been on recent Hellblazer covers), be sure to offer him some silk-cut and buy him a pint. Just don't believe a bloody word ol' Conjob says.  Swamp Thing Rears His Mossy Head—Within the Pages of Fables May 1, 2008 Swamp Thing has been strangely silent for some time now, and those of us who devour his every appearance have been going through an agonizing withdrawal. Imagine my surprise, then, when Mike Sterling, in his Progressive Ruin blog, mentioned a Swamp Thing cameo in the most recent issue of Fables. Fables? A non-mainstream Vertigo title? How could he possibly appear in that series? Well, it seems the current issue contains a preview of Vertigo's upcoming relaunch of The House of Mystery, a classic DC title that ran for 321 issues between 1951 and 1983, according The Grand Comics Database. UPDATE: Reader 'Alec Holland' informs me that the current issue of Fables spinoff Jack of Fables contains the House of Mystery preview as well. The new House of Mystery series will be written by Matthew Sturges and Bill Willingham of Jack of Fables fame, with art by Luca Rossi and two separate covers by Sam Weber and Swamp Thing co-creator Bernie Wrightson. According to Vertigo's promo blurb for this new series, "House of Mystery focuses on five characters trapped in a supernatural bar, trying to solve the mystery of how and why they're imprisoned there. Each one has a terrible past they'd like to forget, and with no books, newspapers or TV allowed in the House, they face an eternity of boredom. But stories become the new currency, and fortunately, the House attracts only the finest storytellers. In addition to the ongoing trials and struggles of the five unfortunate souls trapped within the House of Mystery...each issue in the first storyline also includes a short tale, as told by one of the customers." Unable to download the preview PDF linked from the Vertigo promo page, I did some searching and found the entire preview available online at The Comic Collective. Each page features a different Vertigo character discussing their memories involving the House of Mystery, and as it turns out, not only is Swamp Thing among them, but so are John Constantine and other iconic Vertigo characters of the past, including Sandman and Shade, the Changing Man. I've posted the relevant panels below, but the preview is actually quite good and worth checking out. Given the inclusion of so many notable Vertigo characters, I wonder if this could be a sign that Constantine, Swamp Thing and the others will eventually appear in the pages of House of Mystery. If they do, you'll hear about it here.  Newsarama Interviews Hellblazer's Jason Aaron April 28, 2008 Newsarama has posted an interview with writer Jason Aaron, whose two-part Hellblazer tale in issues #245-246 will offer current series writer Andy Diggle takes a much-deserved break following an amazing string of stories. Aaron's Hellblazer tale brings a return to the days of punk rock, when John Constantine was the lead singer of the one-hit wonder band Mucous Membrane. Constantine's punk days have been spotlighted numerous times ever since the very first issue of Hellblazer, particularly during the Jamie Delano and Paul Jenkins runs, as well as in Peter Hogan's unpublished Sandman one-shot, Marquee Moon. Here's an exerpt from the Newsarama piece: Aaron says he’ll be exploring two pieces of Constantine’s mythology, “the disastrous events that took place at Newcastle years ago,” and Constantine's time spent as the lead singer of the punk band Mucous Membrane. “What I really enjoyed about the two issues I've done is that they're very different from each other in terms of structure. In the first issue, Constantine himself barely appears, though his presence is still felt throughout… the story focuses on a group of American filmmakers and punk rock enthusiasts who are making a VH1 Behind the Music-style documentary on Constantine's old band, Mucous Membrane.” In the second issue, Aarron continued, “the story is told in Constantine's voice, and he's on every page. He's one of those characters who's just so strong that he can carry a story on his own, or just act as a cipher, a means of telling someone else's story.” Happy Earth Day, Everyone—Help Swamp Thing Protect the Green April 22, 2008   Today is Earth Day in the northern hemisphere, a time each spring when we make the effort we should have been making the rest of the year to appreciate the environment and recognize what can do to help protect it. Even the U.S. government pretends the environment matters to it today.And despite the overwhelming urge to go political on that last point, I'll restrain myself and instead urge everyone to take better care of the world around you—not only today, but every day. Recycle. Drive less. And do whatever else you can to help the environment and live just a little bit greener. You can find some very useful tips here, here, here and here. 'Tain't too late to fix this ailing planet, folks. As a father to two children, I thank you. As the eventual inheritors of our environmentally irresponsible legacy, my children thank you. And as a father to all Earth's children, the Swamp Thing thanks you.  When There's No More Room in Hell,the Dead Shall Walk the Swamp April 22, 2008 Well, we already have a Swamp Dog, a Swamp Knucker, an Earth Thing, a Wild Thing and a variety of Swamp Things. And now, we apparently also have...a Zombie Thing. Given Marvel's just-announced ripoff of DC's JLApe nonsense with its upcoming Marvel Apes nonsense—see the story at Newsarama—maybe it's only karma to have a DC character following in the footsteps of Marvel's current zombie craze...which is also nonsense. Though technically, Zombie Thing predates the Marvel zombies by about a decade. What the hell am I talking about, you might be wondering? Rick Veitch has posted, on his blog, a zombie drawing he did in 1996. It's a cool little illustration—and there's no denying it's inspired by Swamp Thing. You just can't hide a schnoz like that. Click on the thumbnail or here to read his comments about the doodle.  The "Zombie Thing" monikor is my improvisation, by the way, not Veitch's. Veitch doesn't list a name—"Zombie Thing" just seemed appropriate. Much like Scarlett Johansson would be "appropriate" to play Abby if ever another Swamp Thing film were made. Check out the photo at left and picture Johansson with a red shirt, blue shorts, a white stripe in her hair and a tuber in her hand (heh heh). It's Abby, I tell you!(Okay, I know that last bit had nothing to do with Veitch's zombie, but it's a nice counter to the above photo's ugliness, isn't it? And all lecherous silliness aside, I think she'd be perfect for the role—she's blonde, she's gorgeous, she'd look amazing in Abby's standard outfit and, most importantly, she's a great actress who could actually lend some credibility to the character and the film. Now the real question is this...can she do a Transylvanian accent? Abby, as we know, is from Transylvania...just as many movie monsters are. See, and you thought I couldn't find a way to bring this back to zombies...which, granted, are not usually from Transylvania.) Mike Hawthorne Confirms The Un-Men's Cancelation April 21, 2008 Artist Mike Hawthorne has confirmed at his blog the news that has been spreading since this past week's New York Comic Con: A very eventful weekend So, I was at the New York Comic Con this past weekend. I wasn't set up or anything, just there to hang out and meet with some friends and colleagues. While there I heard that it was announced at the Vertigo panel (no, didn't attend that either) that The Un-men will be ending. I've actually known for about a month, but have been waiting for the official word before I told anyone. Here's the thing, don't get too sad for me. We got a big 13 issue run out of it, and I got to make the comic I intended to make. I'm damned proud of it, and every day tried to "draw it like I owned it". In the end we'll have two nice trades for our efforts, and a damned fine addition to the Swamp Thing mythos. I'm very, very proud. Special thanks to all of you brave souls who did pick up the series. John and I love you all. I also kept hearing from people at the con about a "movie deal" of some sort that involved me, which I had no idea about. Turns out this little bit of news was announced this weekend too. Turns our Jennifer Garner and Hugh Jackman kinda' like my book 3 Days in Europe. Who knew? So, there you have. Yin and Yang, Chaos and Order, doing the whole balancing of the universe thing all in one weekend. Thank you cosmos ;) best, Mike Vertigo Update: News About Hellblazer: Pandemonium and Chas: The Knowledge...Plus, The Un-Men Canceled April 19, 2008 Newsarama has posted comments from Vertigo editor Karen Berger at a panel held at the 2008 New York Comic Con, describing the future of two upcoming Hellblazer projects...and the unfortunate end of The Un-Men. Panelists included former Swamp Thing scribes Joshua Dysart and Grant Morrison, as well as controversial Hellblazer writer Brian Azzarello. The Newsarama article states: "Chas: The Knowledge, by Simon Oliver and Goran Sudzuka, taps into the knowledge of British cab drivers....In London, cab drivers have to apprentice and study a guide of all the alleys and back streets, because the city was not laid out cleanly, and the premise is that Chas must use his knowledge to untangle an underground supernatural web that helps to dictate the flow magic in London. Unfortunately for Chas, John Constantine’s in southern France with his girlfriend, so he has to deal with the problem himself. Oliver is a former cab driver, so the story will be completely accurate." The writer, Michael C. Lora, goes on to add: "Hellblazer: Pandemonium, by original Hellblazer writer Jamie Delano and Jock, has Constantine sent by Scotland Yard to Iraq, where an ancient force is bubbling up, and only Constantine can fix it. John falls in love with a woman who may or may not be a spy, and the tale will have Constantine in Baghdad dealing with current political situation and echoes of the past." Regarding the cancelation of both The Un-Men and Azzarello's Loveless, the article quotes Berger as saying: "[There were] just not large enough audiences. Not everything catches on.” No specific information is provided regarding which issue of The Un-Men will be the last, nor if John Whalen and Mike Hawthorne will be allowed to provide closure to the series rather than ending it abruptly. I, for one, am sorry to see the series end—Mike and John have done a fantastic job in continuing the Swamp Thing legacy, and the covers by Tomer Hanuka were some of the best on the stands this past year. Hopefully, this won't be the last we see of The Un-Men, who have shown surprising resiliency, appearing in the first two Swamp Thing runs and the American Freak miniseries. In time, we may find that you can't keep a good un-man down. John Whalen Is the Very Opposite of an Un-Man April 19, 2008  I just want to offer a public thank-you to The Un-Men's John Whalen, who proved this week that he's a great guy in addition to being a great writer. A few weeks ago, I experienced what can only be described as the scariest night of my life—witnessing my six-year-old son, Joshua (see the photo above—he's the one without the body fur), having an epileptic seizure. We had no idea he had epilepsy up until that point, so it was, quite frankly, terrifying. And it happened at a time when I was recovering from surgery to have a tumor removed from my back, so it was one hell of a frakkin' month for my family, as you can imagine. Josh spent three days being poked, prodded, tested, examined and blood-let in a hospital children's ward (Nassau University Medical Center...if you live on Long Island, I recommend finding a different hospital the next time you're sick or injured, and not going to NUMC), then two days home from school while his body adjusted to medication that left him with facial and shoulder tics (the doctor quickly prescribed a different type of medicine, which thankfully made the tics mostly go away).  Luckily, he was okay, but it was soon clear Josh was getting self-conscious about all the attention he was getting, especially whenever my wife and I diiscussed his condition in his presence (which we quickly learned not to do). Josh is an amazingly happy child 99% of the time, so to see him so down in the dumps was heartbreaking.Enter John Whalen. Josh's epilepsy came up in an e-mail conversation, and to my amazement, John responded by sending my sone more than 50 comic books from DC Comics' children's line, such as Scooby-Doo, Batman, Justice League and other cartoon titles. The hefty box arrived yesterday, and to say Josh was ecstatic would ba a huge understatement. So I want to thank John and let the world know what a cool thing he did for my son. Oh—and please buy multiple copies of the first Un-Men trade paperback, on sale now at a comic book store near you. Hellblazer: Family Man Trade Paperback Now at Amazon.com April 19, 2008  Amazon.com is now accepting preorders for Family Man, the latest collection of Hellblazer issues from Jamie Delano. Family Man contains some of the finest work the series ever had, featuring...[spoiler alert for those who haven't read those issues yet] ...a serial killer who murders John Constantine's father because of John's inadvertent actions that led the man to him in the first place. The writing is absolutely brilliant, as it was published long before later creators transformed Constantine into the Man with the Snarky Permagrin. Listed at 208 pages, Family Man will be released on Oct. 14 of this year. I'm not one who normnally buys trade paperbacks because I pick up the individual issues, but this is one I might even get, just because that cover is so damn creepy. DC's July Solicits Now Online April 14, 2008 Posted on Newsarama.com today:  THE UN-MEN #12 Written by John Whalen Art by Mike Hawthorne Cover by Tomer Hanuka “Uncorp Asunder,” part 1 of 2. A venerable Swamp Thing villain makes an uninvited appearance in Aberrance as Constance Sunderland looks to the UnVolve technology to “re-engineer” her fading beauty. Her sights are set on the expectant daddy, Janus Sr., whose determination to carry his freakish child to term threatens the very existence of The Un-Men. On sale July 30 
HELLBLAZER: THE LAUGHING MAGICIAN TP Written by Andy Diggle Art by Leonardo Manco and Danijel Zezelj Cover by Lee Bermejo This new HELLBLAZER trade paperback begins as John Constantine receives a perplexing birthday gift: a memory wrapped up in a warning. Collecting issues #238-242 of Vertigo’s longest running series, written by Andy Diggle (THE LOSERS, GREEN ARROW: YEAR ONE). On sale August 27  HELLBLAZER #246 Written by Jason Aaron Art by Sean Murphy Cover by Lee Bermejo “Newcastle Calling” Part 2 of 2. When a crew of documentary filmmakers conjure up an evil beyond their control while goofing off in Newcastle, it’s up to Constantine to save the day. But can he overcome the memories of his greatest failure to save a crew of ignorant Americans? On sale July 16  HELLBLAZER PRESENTS:CHAS—THE KNOWLEDGE #1 Written by Simon Oliver Art by Goran Sudzuka Cover by Glenn Fabry Cab driver Francis “Chas” Chandler leads an unremarkable existence. His greatest moments have come tagging along with John Constantine -- as a chauffeur. His home life is nothing special, and his beloved London is becoming a soulless metropolis. In middle age, Chas is stuck in a rut. But Chas is a master of “The Knowledge,” the elaborate system of routes and landmarks which every London cabbie must memorize. Until now, The Knowledge has been just a tool for Chas. But now, he’s about to discover a more sinister significance of The Knowledge. An ominous entity from London’s grim history has reemerged, and only someone with The Knowledge can stop it. Is Chas up to the task, on his own? From the feverish mind of Simon Oliver (THE EXTERMINATORS, GEN 13) with lush artwork by Goran Sudzuka (Y: THE LAST MAN, LADY CONSTANTINE), THE KNOWLEDGE is Chas’s chance to make his own mark on the dark universe of HELLBLAZER. On sale July 2 • 1 of 5 The cool news: Hellblazer #246 sounds great. Any return to the days of Newcastle and Mucous Membrane is a reason to celebrate—and Andy Diggle is just the guy to write it, as he'd done a slam-bang job of revisiting elements of Constantine's past without being too overt about it, as some of the previous writers have been. The cooler news: Chas—The Knowledge is something I've been anxiously awaiting for quite some time. Chas Chandler is one of the greatest characters to ever come out of Hellblazer, and his current absence has left a hole in the hearts of many Hellblazer fans. An entire miniseries devoted to ol' Chas is fantastic news, indeed. (But WHY does Glenn Fabry keep giving John a green trenchcoat? And why hasn't Vertigo yet told him he has the color wrong?) The coolest news: The return of Constance Sunderland, baby! YES! When last seen, near the conclusion of Mark Millar's Swamp Thing run, Connie had become a Swampie hipster, devoted to the then-godlike Swamp Thing. Her return—and, presumably, that of her loyal Un-Man assistant, Lawrence Polygon—is something I've been awaiting for years. Although the Nancy Collins run gets a lot of flack among Swamp Thing fans, I happen to be a great fan of that era, and both Constance and Polygon were excellent additions to the Swamp Thing pantheon. I, for one, am very excited by this announcement. Meanwhile, over at the excellent Voices from Beyond forum, fan-favorite artist Jock has posted new artwork from the graphic novel he is illustrating for Jamie Delano, Hellblazer: Pandemonium. Click here to view the images. Another great title to watch for. Jock's artwork is outstanding, and Delano is still one of my all-time favorite Hellblazer writers.  The Un-Men Script Available OnlineApril 8, 2008 The Un-Men creator John Whalen was kind enough to alert me to a March 18 post on his blog, a banner for which I've added to my right nav-bar. My apologies to John—and to cover artist Tomer Hanuka, whose blog I've also linked to—for not having added it earlier. I'll make sure to visit their blogs now, and you should, too, if you're a fan of The Un-Men, which I think is really kicking into (or, rather, "un-to") gear. John and artist Mike Hawthorne have put together a behind-the-scenes look at how they created The Un-Men #7, with John's entire script for the issue accompanied by Mike's pencils...and also a sausage analogy. If, as I am, you're also fascinated with how these sorts of things come together, be sure to check it out. 
Swamp Thing Vol. 2 DVD Artwork—And A Third Volume Is Coming! April 8, 2008 TVShowsOnDVD posted the following scoop today: "The other day we broke the news that Shout! Factory is planning a July 15th release of Swamp Thing—The Series: Volume 2, a new 4-disc set to follow up on their release of the Volume 1 package this past January, which contained the first two (short) seasons. With this upcoming release, Shout! will provide the first half of the "epic" (50-episodes long!) third season. In our previous story, we reported that the 25 episodes on this set would be accompanied by a bonus interview with Swamp Thing co-creator Berni Wrightson. Unfortunately, Shout! has told us that due to scheduling issues, that item won't be included on this set after all, so Volume 2 will be lacking in extras. They've reached out to Wrightson and hope to snag some of his time for inclusion on the third and final set, and are looking into other possible bonus features on Volume 3 as well. Cost for Swamp Thing—The Series: Volume 2 will be $34.99 SRP, and we've got the exclusive premiere of the front cover art for this package." Swamp Thing DVDs, Vol. 2—Coming This Summer! April 6, 2008 TV Shows on DVD is reporting that Shout! Factory has announced the release of a second volume of DVDs based on the Swamp Thing TV series. Little is known at this point, other than that it'll hit stores July 15, with four DVDs running 540 minutes and featuring an interview with Swamp Thing co-creator Berni Wrightson. Swamp Thing Hardcover Coming Soon...and Other Links April 3, 2008 DC Comics president Paul Levitz, in his Newsarama.com blog, posted the following statement today, in response to a question from a reader in a prior blog entry:
No word yet on what that will entail...but I'm sure many will be excited by the news. Still, I suspeect a lot of fans would rather have material that has not already been collected. The Wein/Wrightson stories are already available in trade paperback, whereas the Michelinie and Conway tales that finished out the first series have never been collected in any form. Perhaps one day, DC will put out an Ultimate Swamp Thing edition, reprinting the entire 24-issue run...along with the script and whatever artwork exists for the long-lost 25th issue. Okay, so it's not all that likely...but one can hope. IN OTHER NEWS: Un-Men artist Mike Hawthorne has posted some stellar preview art for issue #9 of that great series, due in stories April 9th. Len Wein introduced the first Un-Man. Nancy Collins introduced the first Un-Woman (Abby Arcane, for a brief time). And now, Hawthorne and writer John Whalen present the first...Un-Baby! Check it out! And something I missed until now, a week late: On March 27, Rick Veitch posted an original piece of artwork entitled "Arcanum," featuring—you guessed it—Swamp Thing's own Nazi-sympathizer-mad-scientist-ancient-alchemist-mutated-insectile-deceased-demon-redeemed-resurrected-and-recursed-psychoath, Dr. Anton Arcane. Damn, it's good to see Veitch's rendition of Arcane again.  Marquee Moon: An Interview With Artist Doherty March 29, 2008 Following this site's interview with Peter Hogan accompanying the online release of The Sandman Presents: Marquee Moon, artist Peter Doherty has agreed to answer some questions about his role as illustrator of Vertigo Comics' limbo-fated one-shot. Doherty offers candid answers regarding the history and status of Marquee Moon, while also providing fascinating insight into the process a comic-book artist goes through when doing work-for-hire.  Update: Unused Covers—and a Call for AssistanceMarch 29, 2008 No matter how complete I think my research and my collection are, I continue to find new gems I knew nothing about. This week, for instance, I tracked down a number of unused, rejected or preliminary covers, which I've now uploaded to the cover archive. The funny thing is that for all my searching, I completely overlooked one that was in my collection all along—namely, an alternate cover to issue #15 of the first series by Nestor Redondo, published in Amazing World of DC Comics #6. That tells you how obvservant I am. The rejected Redondo image is at left, and you can see a number of other new additions here. In other news, I'm crossing my fingers that someone might be able to help me solve a minor mystery. Yesterday, I came across an entry at Comicvine.com for The Flash issue #276, which includes a notation for an appearance by Swamp Thing. If this is correct, it's news to me—but I don't want to go tracking down (and paying for) an issue I don't need, so I'm hesitant to go looking for this particular issue. So I'm turning to you, dear readers, in the hope that one of you might have The Flash #276 and can confirm or deny the Mossy One's presence in this issue. (You can e-mail me here—and thanks!) I Still Live! March 23, 2008 In case anyone was wondering, I'm not dead. The past couple of months, I've been spending every free moment working to finish my first book, Timeline of the Planet of the Apes: The Definitive Chronology, which will be published by Timeline Books this summer (click the title of the book for more info). And on a less pleasant note, I recently had surgery to remove a benign tumor from below the base of my spine. Between the two, it's been an interesting ride—running the gamut from fantastic to pretty crappy news. I'm recovering from the surgery now, and the book is in the editing stage. The good news is that once I'm fully recovered, I'll have a new book to look forward to. And the better news is that I'm already working on my second book. But the bad news is that I feel like I've been murdered by stereotypical gangster thugs, knocked unconscious, blown up, propelled on fire into the swamp and transformed into a muck-encrusted mockery of a man. (Mike Sterling over at Progressive Ruin might actually see that as a positive.) So I'm not dead. Just swamped. 
More Hellblazer: Pandemonium Art from JockJanuary 17, 2008 Jock has posted more artwork at the Voices From Beyond Forum from the upcoming Hellblazer: Pandemonium graphic novel—and promises to offer more imges as time goes by. This looks like it has the makings of a great-looking book. A First Look at Jock's Artwork for Hellblazer: Pandemonium January 16, 2006  At the Voices From Beyond Forum, fan-favorite artist Jock has posted two exclusive pages from the upcoming Hellblazer: Pandemonium original graphic novel, which will feature the return of Hellblazer creator Jamie Delano. In response to a reader asking why no announcement for the book had been made if it was supposed to coincide with the 20th-anniversary of Hellblazer's first issue in spring 1988, Jock explained, "sorry, i was late starting it due to deadline problems with a family bereavement...it won't be ready that soon."By way of apology, Jock kindly provided these two preview pages (click on either page to view a larger version). If these pages are any indicator, Pandemonium looks to be a special treat for Hellblazer fans, delayed or not. Thanks, Jock! (And my condolences for your loss...I, too, know what it's like to lose a family member.) The Un-Men #7: Preview Now Online January 15, 2008 Reader 'Alec Holland' was kind enough to alert me to an update I missed (one of several over the past month and a half, much to my chagrin). Mike Hawthorne has posted an update to his blog, containing a preview to The Un-Men #7. The much-talented Mr. Hawthorne also promises a cool treat: Un-Men Tuesdays. Here's what Hawthorne has to say at his blog: "So, I'm going to start posting Un-Men preview pages every Tuesday. They may be pencils, they may be inks, who knows. But, look here every Tuesday for a little sneak and a little peek!" If you're a Swamp Thing fan (and why would you bother coming here if you weren't?) and you're not reading The Un-Men, you should be—and you can catch up on the story so far by reserving a copy of The Un-Men, Vol. 1: Get Your Freak On, the trade-paperback compilatoin of the first five-issue story arc of The Un-Men, written by John Whelan. Get Your Freak On is scheduled to hit stores on April 9. Lying in the Swamp January 7, 2008 Comic Book Resources' Rich Johnston, in his Lying in the Gutters column, was kind enough to give my site a plug (not by name, admittedly...just by way of s link bsck to Marquee Moon), so I'm doing the same for him. Thanks, Rich! (For those who don't read LITG, it's a great weekly source for comic-book news and rumors and other tidbits. Read it...'cause I said so.) Marq at the Moon  January 5, 2008Back in October, this website unveiled writer Peter Hogan's complete script to The Sandman Presents: Marquee Moon, provided by the author himself. Now with Hogan's kind permission, Roots of the Swamp Thing presents the art pages from that long-unpublished one-shot, illustrated by Peter Doherty, lettered by Todd Klein and offering a rare glimpse into the early days of John Constantine and Mucous Membrane. Several pages toward the end of the story appear to be unfinished, but the entire script is represented in art form. Clearly, Marquee Moon would have made an excellent addition to Sandman and Hellblazer history, and it's a great shame Vertigo has neglected to publish it officially. Click here to view the art pages (and, if you haven't done so already, read the script). Back to the Bog January 5, 2008 Some of you may have been wondering what happened to me over the past six weeks. Basically, I've been busy finishing some paying gigs...much as I love the ol' muck-encrusted mockery and his hellblazin' friend, they don't pay the bills. I will soon begin updating the site once more, beginning with the long-awaited posting of the actual lettered art pages from Peter Hogan and Peter Doherty's unpublished The Sandman Presents: Marquee Moon one-shot. Stay tuned for further details. In the Swamplight: The Brave and the Bold #122, Swamp Thing Series 1 #19-20 November 20, 2007 Three more issues added to the swamplight! Click here (The Brave and the Bold #122), here (Swamp Thing #19) and here (Swamp Thing #20) to see the latest entries. February 2008 Solicits: Hellblazer #241 and The Un-Men #7 November 19, 2007 Newsarama.com has posted the solicitations for Hellblazer #241 and The Un-Men #7, both due out February 8, 2008. Here are the promo blurbs:  John Constantine—Hellblazer #240 w: Andy Diggle; a: Leonardo Manco; c: Glenn Fabry "Vertigo's flagship title reaches its 20th anniversary issue with 'The Laughing Magician,' Part 1 of 3! The streetwise, chain-smoking con-magician John Constantine finds himself in receipt of a most perplexing birthday gift: a memory wrapped up in a warning. As Constantine tries to figure out what it means, the brutal African war-mage known as Mako hits London—and he's taking no prisoners..."The Un-Men #7 w: John Whalen; a: Mike Hawthorne; c: Tomer Hanuka "Part 1 of 'Children of Paradox,' an anomalous new story arc. Agent Kilcrop reluctantly returns to the deviant dystopia known as Aberrance. As the city’s new security chief. Now, when an UnCorp employee is stricken by a grotesque illness, Kilcrop must face temptations he never could have imagined—in the form of a seductive sexpot with a sickening secret." In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #14-18 November 19, 2007 Five more issues added to the swamplight! Click here (#14), here (#15), here (#16), here (#17) and here (#18) to see the latest entries. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #11-13 November 19, 2007 Three more issues added to the swamplight! Click here (#11), here (#12) and here (#13) to see the latest entries. Swamp Thing, The Un-Men in Recent News November 18, 2007 Thanks to reader 'Alec Holland' for directing me to an interesting article at Comicon.com's "Pulse" column, exploring the post-Len Wein issues of the first Swamp Thing series. It ends with a faulty conclusion (that the final two issues cannot exist in Alan Moore's continuity, which is untrue since Challengers of the Unknown #81-87 is a direct continuation of those issues, and Deadman later remembers them during Moore's run...damn, I'm a geek), but it's still an enjoyable read. Also, I'm a bit late with this one, but Alec also points out that Newsarama has posted preview pages of The Un-Men #4, which was scheduled to come out last week (I didn't get to the store yet to pick it up, but I'll be grabbing it this Wednesday, when the new books come out). By the way, Variant Edition has posted a podcast interview with Un-Men artist Mike Hawthorne. Check it out! In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #10 November 18, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #9 November 18, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Showcase Presents... #94-96 November 17, 2007 Three more issues added to the swamplight! Click here (#94), here (#95) and here (#96) to se the latest entries. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #8 November 17, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #7 November 17, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: The Unexpected #152 November 17, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #6 November 16, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Forbidden Tales of Dark Mansion #10 November 6, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: World's Finest Comics #219-220 November 6, 2007 Two more issues added to the swamplight! Click here and here to se the latest entries. In the Swamplight: The House of Mystery #217 November 5, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: The Phantom Stranger #14 November 5, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! (Are you beginning to see a pattern here?) Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing—Roots November 5, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: More Fun Comics #67 November 4, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: The House of Mystery #195 November 4, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. Switching Focus November 4, 2007 You may have noticed I've not been uploading many timeline updates of late. Thats because I'm switching focus for a while to build out the In the Swamplight page to include all the stories I've added to the timeline so far. Once I've finished doing that, I'll get back to chronicling Hellblazer on the timeline. In the meantime, I plan to add the first three issues of The Un-Men this week so that I can stay current with timelining (Is that even a verb?) that title before I fall too far behind. In the Swamplight: Neil Gaiman's Midnight Days: "Jack in the Green" November 4, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #5 November 4, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! (I've been busy today. Now I'm going to bed. It's 2:30 in the morning!) Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #4 November 4, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #3 November 4, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. 
Swamp Thing DVD Boxet: Updated ArtworkNovember 4, 2007 TVShowsOnDVD has posted an updated cover for the upcoming Swamp Thing TV Series Season 1 & 2 DVD boxset, which is being released on Jan. 22, 2008. The outside packaging looks fantastic—If Shout! Factory does as great a job with the contents inside, this is shaping up to be a great offering for Swamp Thing fans. Remember, folks: Shout! Factory is looking to sales on this first set as an indicator of whether or not they should release the rest of the series on DVD, so be sure to pick up your copy when it's available. Meet the Un-Creators November 3, 2007 The Un-Men scribe John Whalen sent me the following comic-signing schedule. I unfortunately won't be available to stop by, so if you attend any of the signings, be sure to tell him "Rich Handley says hi." Hi, Rich, Hey, just wanted to let you know that Mike Hawthorne, Tomer Hanuka and I will be signing at Midtown Comics in New York this month. (Mike and I will also be doing a signing at Brave New Worlds in Philly.) Anyway, here's the press release, FYI.... Best, John CREATORS OF HIDEOUS FREAKS INVADE EASTERN SEABOARD The team behind Vertigo's new monthly comic book series, The Un-Men, embark on multi-city signing tour, including the landmark geek mecca, Midtown Comics in Times Square. New York—John Whalen, Mike Hawthorne and Tomer Hanuka, creators of Vertigo Comics' mad-creepy new monthly horror series, The Un-Men, will sign copies on Saturday Nov. 10, from 5-7 p.m. at Midtown Comics in Times Square. The Un-Men marks the return of the beloved baddies introduced in the very first issues of the classic Swamp Thing comics. Freaking praise for The Un-Men:
THE UN-MEN FREAK INVASION Sat., Nov. 3, 10am-1pm: Mike Hawthorne at Comix Connection in York, PA. West Manchester Mall, 1800 Loucks Road, York, PA 17404 (Phone: 717-767-4871) Sat., Nov. 3, 4-7pm: Mike Hawthorne at Comix Connection in Mechanicsburg, PA. Artworks Buidling, 6200 Carlisle Pike, Suite C, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 (Phone: 717-591-2727) Fri., Nov. 9, 6-9pm: Mike Hawthorne and John Whalen at Brave New Worlds Comics in Old City Philadelphia. 45 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (Phone: 215-925-6525) Sat., Nov. 10, 11am-1pm: Mike Hawthorne and John Whalen at Brave New Worlds Comics in Willow Grove, PA. 212 N. Easton Street, Willow Grove, PA 19090 (Phone: 215-657-8838) Sat., Nov. 10, 5-7pm: Mike Hawthorne, John Whalen and Tomer Hanuka at Midtown Comics Times Square in Manhattan. (200 W. 40th St. in Times Square (corner of 7th Ave.), New York, NY 10018 (Phone: 212-302-8192) Additional dates and locations to be announced. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #2 October 29, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. In the Swamplight: Swamp Thing Series 1 #1 October 29, 2007 Another issue added to the swamplight! Click here to se the latest entry. New Section: In the Swamplight October 28, 2007 Ever since creating this site a few years ago, I've intended to spotlight individual issues, but time has always been the enemy. Well, I've finally found the time to create such a page, and what better place to start than at the beginning? Thus, for the first entry in my new "In the Swamplight" section, I've chosen The House of Secrets #92, featuring the first appearance of the Swamp Thing. "In the Swamplight" will take a closer look at individual issues, including story breakdowns, issue credits, select trivia, cover images and more. Click here to enter the swamplight. Timeline Update: Marquee Moon October 25, 2007 I've added John Constantine's appearances from Peter Hogan's unpublished Marquee Moon one-shot to the timeline. These scense take place throughout January 1977 and offer a rare glimpse at John's days with Mucous Membrane. Click here to read my synopsis. Spread the Word: Swamp Thing DVDs Make Great Christmas Gifts October 22, 2007  Curious about the announcement that the first two seasons of Swamp Thing on DVD will only add up to 22 episodes, I spoke today to Dave Lambert, news director at TVShowsOnDVD.com and author of TVGuide.com's "DVD Guy" blog.To date, most online episode guides have broken down the three seasons as season 1, episodes 1-22; season 2, episodes 23-33; and season 3, episodes 34-72. With only 22 episodes for the first two seasons, that would leave a whopping 50 for the third. Lambert was kind enough to provide the following comments on the subject: "From my conversations with them, Shout! considers the remaining 50 episodes to all be part of 'Season 3'. However, that's not to say they wouldn't break it into a pair of half-season sets, *IF* they release more live-action Swamp Thing on DVD. "But Shout!'s made it pretty clear to me that they won't consider the remaining episodes in any way, shape or form unless sales of the coming release are successful enough. They don't have the same high levels of a goal for 'success' that the bigger studios like Fox, Universal or Sony do, but they GOTTA make a profit on the first Swamp Thing set or there just won't be any more sets." So it's up to us, folks. Spread the word. Buy your loved ones a set of Swamp Thing DVDs for Christmas. Having only one-third of the series would almost be worse than having none of it, so help make sure the first set sells...or we won't get another one. In the meantime, click here to read the TVShowsOnDVD's exclusive press release. Earth to Invaders: Drop Dead! October 21, 2007  Having read through the Special Invasion Edition of the Daily Planet, published in late 1988 to promote DC's Invasion miniseries, I've added a breakdown of its Swamp Thing-related references on the timeline. Swamp Thing allusions include an angry jab at the DC Universe press from Abby Arcane-Cable-Holland (see the photo of Vertigo editor Karen Berger as Abby, below) and news about Liz Tremayne's book-writing career.Although Abby comes off as a bit psychotic, threatening to have her husband destroy a city if the press keeps hounding her, this promo is a great treat for Swamp Thing fans. For those who enjoy a good in-joke, and who enjoy DC Comics' detailed and convoluted universe, I highly recommend tracking down a copy of the Daily Planet Special Invasion Edition. It's chock full of in-universe references, and the effort and research that went into making it appear authentically journalistic is apparent.
Swamp Thing TV Series Box Art—Now Available October 21, 2007 TVShowsOnDVD has posted the cover art for seasons 1 and 2 of the Swamp Thing TV series. The series itself might not be without its problems...but the box sure looks great. More importantly, it's finally available, so order your copies now—we want to make sure we get the final season as well. TVShowsOnDVD have also posted a press release from Universal and Shout! Factory. Click here to read the TVShowsOnDVD's exclusive press release. January/February Solicits October 15, 2007
The Un-Men #3—In Stores This Week October 6, 2007  John Whelan's story of a mad-scientist brain-on-a-hand, a girl with wings, a CEO with two heads and an albino government age nt continues this week, as The Un-Men #3—part 3 of Whalen and Mike Hawthorne's five-part "Get Your Freak On" opening story arc—hits stores.Here's the Vertigo promo for those who haven't already read it at any of a dozen sites (including this site's calendar page): "With Janus Sr. and Jr. brutally severed from each other, the Un-Men-produced reality show American Freak faces premature cancellation—until Cranius has a brainstorm (what else?). Meanwhile, Kilcrop comes face to face with the leaders of the gaff uprising, unaware he’s been betrayed by someone close to him, who he’d like to bring closer." Peter Hogan's Marquee Moon Is Now Online October 5, 2007  Well, I've been hyping it for a while now, and it's finally here. The Sandman Presents: Marquee Moon, an unpublished chapter in Hellblazer history, is now available online, thanks to the efforts of the writer-artist team of Peter Hogan and Peter Doherty, who were gracious enough to let me post it for ya'll to read.For ten years, fans of The Sandman and Hellblazer have lamented the limbo in which Marquee Moon mysteriously came to reside. That Vertigo hasn't published this story is a real shame, as it's a great read—funny, scary and touching...everything a good horror-oriented comic should be. Marquee Moon features werewolves, a punk-rock retrospective and a return to the much-beloved Sandman mythos, as well as John Constantine, Mucous Membrane and even a cameo by The Clash. What more could you want? Check it out here. Abigal Arcane-Cable-Holland Is Real! October 5, 2007 Last night, while exploring the wonders of Google, I came across a listing for a "Special Invasion Edition" of the Daily Planet, from back in 1988. Much like the Swamp Thing Death Certificate, this promotional material was created as if it were in-universe. Proclaiming "Earth to Invaders: Drop Dead!" it tied into DC's multi-title Invasion! crossover series from that year. Among the gems found within is this photo of Karen Berger as Abigail Cable and its accompanying quote:
An Opposing Viewpoint October 5, 2007 Some time back, I asked my friend Joe Bongiorno to write a guest editorial about Swamp Thing. Joe had first gotten me into the title, back in the late 1990s, so I thought it only fitting that he contribute to my site devoted to the subject. Knowing full well I'm not a fan of superhero books, Joe kept trying to coerce me into giving it a try, danging his copy of House of Secrets #92 in front of me as though it were a Twinkie and I were a 7-year-old kid who hadn't eaten sugar in a month. Eventually, I relented, just to get him to shut up. Clearly, it worked, as this site illustrates. And yet, as you read Joe's essay, you'll notice an ironic twist: In the intervening years between when he'd handed me that first Swamp Thing tale and when I'd created the site, Joe had changed his mind about the series as a whole. Joe's essay is fair, however. He has a lot to say about what's worked in the Swamp Thing universe, and about what he feels hasn't. And though I'm still a fan, I do have to grant that he has several valid points—and that he's extremely eloquent in making them. So in the interest of showcasing an opposing viewpoint, here's Joe's essay on his thoughts looking back nearly a decade after reading the first three series. Check it out, and be sure to visit Joe's amazing website, TimelineUniverse.net, when you're through. Swamp Thing, Brazilian-Style October 3, 2007 Okay, it took a few more days than I'd expected—I've been working on getting the Marquee Moon script formatted for posting, which should be done by the end of this week—but I've finally broken down the events of World's Finest #219 and #220 (the 1973 tale of the Brazilian plant elemental known as El Monstro) to the timeline.1973 sure seems to have been a busy year for the Parliament of Trees...a lot of plant creatures were being formed that year (see the Other DC Swamp Creatures section of the Cover Gallery), and Carlotta Esteban (a.k.a., El Monstro) is just one of the many. I don't want to state that writer Bob Haney was copying Swamp Thing or any of the other titles, but the resemblance is more than slight. Check out Carlotta's tale, set in 1973, as well as backstory placements in 1945 and 1963. Ironically, the 1945 backstory intersects another hub of elemental activity—the 1940s—when multiple Swamp Things walked the Earth simultaneously. See Lineage of the Elementals for more information. Coming Soon: Marquee Moon September 30, 2007 British writer Peter Hogan, best known to comic-book readers for his work on 2000 A.D., wrote a followup to his popular Sandman/Hellblazer crossover miniseries, The Sandman Presents: Love Street, in 1997. Unfortunately, that follow-up—The Sandman Presents: Marquee Moon—has never been published, even a decade after it was first solicited. Love Street offered insight into John Constantine's youth in the 1960s, setting the stage for the cynical magician he would someday become. Marquee Moon would have revisited Constantine's early years, showcasing his time spent as a punk rocker in the band Mucous Membrane, and his 1977 encounter with an American woman with a secret, who'd moved to London and discovered punk-rock music for the first time. Had the miniseries seen publication, The Clash would have made their comic-book debut. An excerpt of this script can be found on John McMahon's Straight to Hell site. Now, with Hogan's kind permission (and help from Adrian Brown of the Voices From Beyond forum), I will soon be presenting the complete text to this inexplicably unpublished chapter in Sandman and Hellblazer history. In addition, Hogan has agreed to an interview providing a backgound to Marquee Moon and an explanation of its current status. Stay tuned for more details. What's Old Is New Again September 29, 2007 The original version of this website is sadly lost to time, due to a computer crash. As such, I'd assumed that an article I'd previously published on that version—a look at the Niser model kit, written by Dave Ballard—was also lost. I've relocated the file, however, and added it back to the Features section, where it belongs. If you never read it the first time around, and if you have an interest in model-making, you should check it out. Ian Rankin's As-Yet-Untitled Hellblazer Project September 29, 2007  As part of Vertigo Comics' 2008 celebration of Hellblazer's 20th anniversary, Scottish author Ian Rankin (best known for his Rebus novels) is writing what he describes here as "a graphic novel, a stand-alone based on the DC Comics character Hellblazer."Presumably, Vertigo will make sure Rankin knows Hellblazer is the name of the comic, not the character. The Adventures of Hellblazer might not go over well with fans. I've added an entry for this project to the Upcoming Releases calendar and will update it as more information becomes available. To learn more about Rankin's career, visit the author's website. Thanks to John McMahon for posting a heads-up over at the Voices from Beyond Forum. El Monstro Strikes! September 29, 2007 I've managed to locate issues #219 and #220 of World's Finest from 1973, featuring a ripoff of—er, I mean, homage to Swamp Thing, written by Bob Haney. I've read them, and they're fun, if a bit absurd in that "All comics from 1973 are a bit absurd" tradition. If time permits, I'll re-read them this weekend and add them to the timeline. Un-Men #3 Preview Available Online September 28, 2007 Artist Mike Hawthorne has posted a sneak peak of the art for issue #3 of The Un-Men at his sketchbook blog. Hawthorne also mentions that issue #5 is now available for pre-order. Check it out here. (Thanks to 'Alec Holland' for the heads-up.) Mike Hawthorne seems to be all over the 'Net lately. You can also read a Newsarama interview with Hawthorne here, posted two weeks ago (I guess I missed it), and listen to a Fanboy Radio interview with the artist here. Swamp Thing TV Series DVD Update September 27, 2007 TVShowsOnDVD.com has posted an update on the DVD release of the Swamp Thing TV series. Here's what the site reports:  Swamp Thing Release Date & Price Bursts fromthe Swamp for Shout! Factory DVDs The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons on January 22nd Posted by David Lambert A few weeks ago, we brought you an exclusive report confirming that Shout! Factory is working on a 2008 DVD release of Swamp Thing—The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons, and presenting on 4 discs in the correct order the episodes were originally intended by the producers to be seen in (they aired out of order). We didn't have a release date at the time, just a general idea that this would come out in early 2008. Now the release is up for pre-order at Amazon.com with a January 22nd street date. Amazon goofed with the title, apparently, because it only mentions the first season, but Shout! DVD Producer Brian Ward has told us that it will be both the first and second seasons, leaving just the third (and final) season for possible release on down the road. List price for the January set is $39.99 SRP, but you can order it from Amazon right now for just $27.99! Stay tuned for cover art and any further info we can get about this package. Read the original report here. Hellblazer, Un-Men Sales Numbers September 26, 2007 The most recent sales numbers for John Constantine: Hellblazer and The Un-Men are available. Hellblazer's holding strong under writer Andy Diggle at the helm, proof that fans are responding well to his run. Hopefully, the numbers will start to rise soon, ensuring a long tenure for Diggle. It's still too early to tell about The Un-Men, though the sales on the first issue admittedly are not that stellar. Stay tuned for the second-issue numbers when they become available. With any luck, word of mouth will help this entertaining new series find its footing soon.
World's Finest Swamp Thing? September 23, 2007 Thanks to a heads-up from reader 'Alec Holland,' I've discovered a two-part Swamp Thing-esque tale from 1973, which appeared in issues #219-220 of World's Finest, DC's popuplar Superman/Batman team-up book. Back then, half the DC universe seemed to be doing some sort of swamp-creature story (see Other DC Swamp Creatures in the cover gallery for some examples). Apparently, World's Finest was along for the ride on that particular bandwagon.Bob Haney, known to Swamp Thing fans as the creator behind Swamp Thing's famous team-up with Batman in The Brave and the Bold #122, had previously penned this two-parter, in which Superman and Batman met up with a swamp creature known as El Monstro. Judging by the cover to issue #220 (at left), there was definitely a Swamp Thing influence. And this time, it's a woman in the role of swamp creature—a decided rarity, for aside from Lady Jane, Tefé Holland, Bog Venus and maybe one or two others I'm forgetting, the vast majority have been men. I've managed to track down #219 and should hopefully have #220 secured by tonight. Once I have them both, I'll add them to the timeline for ya'll to read about. Swamp Thing Meets Jesus...Now on eBay September 23, 2007  I don't normally post about eBay auctions here, but since several people have written asking about the famous "Swamp Thing Meets Jesus" story, I wanted to let everyone know there's a copy for sale, along with the artwork and cover, here.For those four of you who have never heard of it, this is Rick Veitch's original storyline for Swamp Thing issue #88, "Morning of the Magician," in which the Bog God met the Son of God. It was canceled due to DC Comics' fear of offending readers, but has been available online for years. Now it's up on eBay, and with a "Buy it Now" price of $8.99, it's a decent price for a decent story. For more information about this and other unpublished Swamp Thing and Hellblazer tales, click here. ComicNews.Info Reviews The Un-Men September 22, 2007 I just came across a review for The Un-Men #1 at ComicNews.Info, which I have to admit has me a bit bemused. The review is not a positive one, though that isn't my issue with it—everyone has a right to their opinion, of course. Rather, I am kind of disappointed to see a reviewer go to the effort of reviewing a new title without making any effort to research its history beforehand. The writer, Alan Dixon, has never heard of the Un-Men, as evidence by the following passage: "Anyway, I notice on the splash page that it gives credit to Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson as creators. So although this was new to me, I now realize that this is a concept that was created (probably) years ago and is now being brought back. Okay, no problem. Len Wein was the guy who created Wolverine. He has done some good stuff. I have heard a lot about Bernie Wrightson through the years, but I think I am a bit limited on actually owning any of his books. I usually put him in a category of a guy that did a bunch of horror titles. Actually, now that I think about it, didn’t these guys create the Swamp Thing? Hmm…I will google it later." Now, I realize no one can be expected to know everyhing (I certainly don't), but if a person is going to write a review of a new series starring characters that person has never heard of, and if the first issue credits a famous writer-artist team as having created the concept, then wouldn't it be a good idea for the review writer to look up the history of that concept BEFORE writing the review? That just seems like good journalism to me. With all due respect to Alan Dixon (whom I don't know and with whom I have no problem whatsoever, in case he's reading this), it seems kind of lazy to write a review without knowing what it is you're reviewing. Dixon further writes: "The thing I don’t like about this book is that it has a lot of throw back [sic] storyline in it. By that, I mean that the way it is written, the pace of the story, and the feel of the characters all seem like a tribute to the horror-ish type stories of yesteryear. Sometimes I can get into that, but this is not really doing it for me. I wish that people would take characters from whatever time period and just use them to create their own story. I don’t know this for a fact, but this book has the feel of the writer sitting around and thinking about how he is going to write a book that reminds him of the horror books he read as a kid. Then he gets all excited about it and I end up wasting 3 bucks on this retread when I could have just gone to the quarter bin and bought the real thing." The problem here is that Dixon has no idea what he's reviewing, and therefore can't appreciate its history. Having the Un-Men back is a lot of fun for those of us who recall the classic Wein/Wrightson Swamp Thing tales of the '70s, where the Un-Men originated, and the American Freak miniseries of the '90s that first brought them back into the spotlight. To complain that The Un-Men feels like a tribute to "the horror-ish type stories of yesteryear" misses the whole point: it IS a tribute to those stories. The Un-Men is a modern-day continuation of a storyline Wein and Wrightson began more than 30 years ago, revisiting the characters after a long absence. That the writing comes off as reverential toward those earlier stories is a point in its favor, not something to bemoan. Dixon then goes on to say: "I do not know what other stuff this writer has done, but it really feels like he trying [sic] to write a scary story, when he really should just be writing a story…period. If it turns out scary, then it will be scary. If it turns out to be just a weird tale, then we all know that it has a good home at Vertigo." Once again, the reviewer has failed to do his homework. If he wants to make the claim that John Whalen is writing outside his normal genre, wouldn't it be helpful to find out something about Whalen's writing history before making such an assertion? Again, I have no problem with Dixon and, now that I know about his column, will check it out from time to time. But researching a title and author you're reviewing is always a good practice. RSS of the Swamp Thing September 19 and 22, 2007 Roots of the Swamp Thing is now available as an RSS feed. If you love me so much that you have to know immediately whenever I post something, click one of the buttons at the top of the page to subscribe to the feed. UPDATED 9/22: I've added feeds to read this site via Google and My Yahoo, as well as a LiveJournal feed courtesy of Steve Saunders at Silver Bullet Comics' "All the Rage" column. Introducing Alex Olsen's Predecessor...Sort Of September 17, 2007 When Josh Dysart outlined some of his unrealized plans for the fourth Swamp Thing series (here), he revealed an interesting fact—namely, that yet another earth elemental was known as Swamp Thing before Alec Holland. This one lived in turn-of-the-20th-century Louisiana and knew the incestual couple known as the Fated Cajun Lovers of 1900.  What's intriguing is that previously, all known earth elementals, from the dawn of time up to the 20th century—Yggdrasil, Tuuru, Eyam, Canan Kax, Misk, Matango, Bifa, Fields-That-Stalk, Hart-in-the-Trees, Bog Venus, Ohtehrah, Great Url, Great Phoenix, Ghost-Hiding-in-the-Rushes, Saint Columba, Lady June and the Kettle Hole-Devil (I'm such a show-off)—had individual names and lived all over the world. (The Swamp Knucker doesn't count since it didn't really have a name, per se.)And yet, most modern-day Erl Kings (Alex Olsen, Albert Höllerer, Aaron Hayley, Alan Hallman, Alec Holland and now Dysart's elemental) have been called "Swamp Thing," and several have been from Louisiana. Most likely, this is related to the Parliament's efforts to plan for Alec's eventual arrival by choosing templates with similar names and backgrounds. (See Lineage of the Elementals for more on that concept.) It would be fascinating for a future writer to explore this further, if and when Vertigo eventually revives the series. (Note to Vertigo: I'm sitting by the phone and I work cheap. Call me.) From a timelining perspective, this offers some insight as to when Lady Jane (from the Nancy Collins run) ended her reign as Erl King. We know she took on the role upon her death in 1851, and that Alex Olsen (from House of Secrets #92) became the reigning elemental in 1905, placing Jane's retirement to the Parliament of Trees before 1905. Thanks to Dysart's comments, we can now place her retirement at least five years earlier: at some time before 1900. Which just goes to show that there's always more story to tell...and that I seriously need to get out more. December Solicits: The Un-Men #5, Hellblazer #239 September 17, 2007   Vertigo Comics has posted solicits for December, including Hellblazer #239 and The Un-Men #5. Here are the solicits:Hellblazer #239: w: Andy Diggle; a: Leonardo Manco; c: Glenn Fabry Vertigo promo: "A rag-tag band of refugees struggle to make the perilous journey from war-torn Sudan to the United Kingdom. They know not all of them will live to see their final destination, but they are willing to make any sacrifice to ensure their precious cargo reaches the hands of the blond-haired man known only from a dream: the Laughing Magician... The Un-Men #5: w: John Whalen; a: Mike Hawthorne; c: Tomer Hanuka Vertigo promo: "The brain-rattling conclusion to the debut story arc, 'Get Your Freak On.' Cranius goes prime-time on the premier of American Freak. But his reality show takes an unreal turn when the creeping flesh of Damien Kane makes an unscheduled guest appearance. And Kane has just one thing on his mind: vengeance against the Un-Men."  Bissette SpeaksSeptember 16, 2007 Swamp Thing writer/artist Stephen Bissette, in a recent posting on his blog, discusses an eBay auction for a piece of original artwork Bissette did for Swamp Thing series 2 issue #26. Apparently, the seller has mislabeled the artwork as having come from Swamp Thing #26, and Bissette has alerted fans to this error, while also confirming that the artwork is, indeed, legitimate. Of course, this artwork has also resided in the "Unused" section of the Roots of the Swamp Thing cover gallery for some time now. Click here to read Bissette's blog entry, or here to view the eBay auction in question. Creature Features September 16, 2007  I've added a top navigation bar to make it easier to find the pages you're looking for. Among the buttons on the bar is a new page, "Creature Features," with links to numerous feature stories published on this page. These include older stories about The Vertigo Encyclopaedia, Darko Macan's rejected Swamp Thing proposal and Josh Dysart's unrealized plans for the end of his tenure, as well as several newly added features, such as an interview with Brian Vaughan that I wrote for Cinescape.com in 2000, and a look at unpublished Swamp Thing and Hellblazer lore. Upcoming features will include a walkthrough/FAQ for the never-released Swamp Thing video game, a look at Peter Hogan's unpublished miniseries The Sandman Presents: Marquee Moon (featuring John Constantine) and more. Oh, and I will also soon get back to adding Hellblazer to the timeline. I took a break to focus on tweaking the look of the site and creating the Creature Features section, but I should be getting back to my timelining duties in the next couple of weeks.In other news, Newsarama.com has posted an interview with The Un-Men artist Mike Hawthorne, and Un-Men scribe John Whalen has kindly alerted me to a recent update to Hawthorne's blog, which offers two pages of artwork that were cut from issue #2 due to space constraints. UPDATED: The video-game FAQ/Walkthrough has been uploaded, and I've also added the two pages of unused Mike Hawthorne artwork for The Un-Men issue #2 to the "Unused or Unpublished Cover Art" section of the cover gallery. Thanks to author John Whalen for his permission to post them, and to reader "Alec Holland" for noticing that the concept of one page, showing the destruction of Cranius' statue, was used in issue #1. In addition, I've uploaded Alan Moore's Twilight of the Superhoes proposal to Creature Features. Graphic Designed September 14, 2007 Thanks to Paul Giachetti, a good friend and graphic artist (with whom I used to work at a crappy magazine with which I am happily no longer afiliated) has designed a new banner for the site, and I have to say, it looks great. Thanks very much, Paul! A Brief Glimpse Into Josh Dysart's Swamp Thing Plans September 10, 2007  When Joshua Dysart took over the writing chores on the fourth incarnation of Swamp Thing (as of issue #9), he had several long-term plans in mind. Unfortunately, those plans were cut short when the series was prematurely canceled, only 21 issues into his run, at issue #29.At the end of the final issue, Alec Holland had reformed his fractured elemental consciousness; defeated Arcane, the Toad King and Jason Woodrue; and reunited with his wife Abby and daughter Tefé. But there was still more story to tell, and only Dysart knows what would have happened next. Although he prefers to keep most details secret for now (in case a future opportunity to revisit those concepts should ever crop up), he was kind enough to provide some hints for readers of this site. Read about Dysart's unrealized Swamp Thing plans here. Cover Gallery Update: Unused Artwork September 10, 2007 I've added some unused and early-draft Swamp Thing covers to the cover gallery, including an alternate version of series 2 issue #91, and preliminary versions of the first six issues of series 4. Swamp Thing DVDs Coming to a Bayou By You! September 9, 2007 After a much-needed break from the online world, I'm back...and while I was gone, I managed to miss out on reporting about the biggest Swamp Thing news in quite some time. It figures.We've all heard rumors that the Swamp Thing TV series was coming to DVD, and now TV Shows on DVD has posted a confimration of the series' upcoming release, as well as more details about what to expect. According to the site, Shout! Factory will be releasing a set in early 2008, containing the first two seasons in their proper chronological order (as opposed to the incorrect order in which USA Network originally aired them). Click here for more details, and stay tuned here for more news as it becomes available. November Solicits: Hellblazer and The Un-Men September 8, 2007 Vertigo has posted solicits for Hellblazer issue #238 and The Un-Men issue #4, both due out in November. In addition, Newsarama has revealed the cover and details for the next Garth Ennis Hellblazer collection, Bloodlines, due in December. Check out the preliminary covers and story details on the upcoming release calendar. Rejected Swamp Thing Pitch from Darko Macan September 1, 2007  Back when Brian Vaughan was pitching the concept that eventually became Swamp Thing series 3, noted Croatian writer Darko Macan (of Star Wars, Hellblazer and Grendel fame) put his hand in the game as well. Darko's p | |||||||||||||||||
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