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Swamp Thing: Weedkiller—An Unpublished Miniseries from Author Kevin Gentilcore and Artist Daniel Crosier by Rich Handley Sept. 25, 2010 Kevin Gentilcore (left) and Daniel Crosier (right)
   In 2009, writer/artist Kevin Gentilcore (who provided the nifty illustration below at left) and wood-burning artist Daniel Crosier pitched a four-issue miniseries to DC Comics, entitled Swamp Thing: Weedkiller. Along with an outline and script from Gentilcore, Crosier submitted several audition pieces, which he generously allowed to be posted here. His illustrations also appear below.
Now, Roots of the Swamp Thing is extremely pleased to be able to introduce readers, for the first time, to Gentilcore's outline for the miniseries, as well as the script to issue #1—and they seem like they would have made for one heck of a miniseries. My thanks to both gentlemen for sharing their unpublished materials with this site. An interview with Crosier can be found at the link above, alongside his illustrations; an interview with Gentilcore appears here. Happy reading!
(Click on the above image, as well as those below, to view larger versions. And to learn about other unpublished Swamp Thing-related stories, visit Forgotten Lore.)
Writer: Kevin Gentilcore Artist: Daniel Crosier A lifeforce within the Green has begun the process of creating a new planet. As Swamp Thing moves through the Green, a part of his plant growth falls from his body and becomes a part of the creation of this new place. The creator does not see it at first, but it soon becomes obvious there is a foreign invader. It manifests itself as a large root system encompassing most of the planet, with a central location where a large plant-like growth dwells. At first, he mistakes it for a threat and tries to battle it, but he says that it has actually provided his new world with life. The life starts as seedlings and plants, but evolves in animals and eventually humans. At first, the new life recognizes the creator as a God and pays him homage for creating their world, but as they progress, they begin to create New Gods and forget the old one. They evolve to a fairly advanced place, and the new beliefs have become twisted and warped and used to control and frighten people.  The resulting creation of these New Gods has begun to poison the planet, and has taken the form of a changing climate. At first, it is not noticeable, but it eventually becomes violent, and this changing climate is starting to slowly kill the plant and animal life. Forgotten by his creations, the Old God has no power to intervene, and can only watch as his planet begins to die. The root system reacts to counter the climate change, and the growth takes up the central battle by releasing spores and plants into the atmosphere. It outgrows its habitat and juts into the sky. Unable to ignore the change, the scientific community from the civilization pleads with the leading religious sect to do something about it. The religious leader believes that nothing is wrong or the Gods would have told him. The scientists eventually persuade them to allow a group to go and investigate, and report back about if they find anything of concern. The head of the religious sect appoints his soldier son to head the group, and convinces him that the scientists are evil and corrupt, and whatever they find the scientists will lie to him and that he should not believe their godless ways. They set out on their mission. They eventually come to the Entity battling the climate change. The soldiers mistake the Entity’s efforts as hostile, but the scientists think otherwise. The climate begins to attack the group, but the Entity protects them for a while before the climate breaks through its defenses. Somewhere in sometime, Swamp Thing sees a bizarre flower bloom, then ignite. Something is wrong. ISSUE #2 Swamp Thing takes this burning flower as a sign something is wrong through the Green. He goes to the Green to find the source of the disturbance, but he doesn't have to look long. Once he is in the Green, he is pulled toward the planet. He arrives on the planet to see the Entity and the climate battling. Swamp Thing recognizes the Entity as part of his being. He tries to communicate with it, but it is absorbed in the losing battle with the climate and cannot hear Swamp Thing. The Old God sees Swamp Thing and can interact with him. He recognizes Swamp Thing as the originator of the Entity. Swamp Thing accuses the Old God of letting its creation die. He explains to Swamp Thing the situation involving the peoples abandoning their old beliefs, and the new ways have been poisoning the planet. Swamp Thing decides he will go to the people and explain to them. The Old God tells him it will not work, and that they will not listen to him. Swamp Thing has no power on this planet either, as it has all been diverted to the climate changing. Swamp Thing and the Old God have noticed that one of the scientists that found the Entity is still alive. All the soldiers are dead. Swamp Thing travels with the Old God and the scientist through the Green. The scientist explains to Swamp Thing about the religious sect and the Entity, and how they will not listen to reason. At the city, the townspeople have gathered. The chancellor of the religious sect is addressing the citizens. They are hoping that the investigative group will return soon, and they pray for their safe journey home. Some of the citizens think it has been too long, and that they are dead. They suggest taking the army to the central location of the climate change. The scientific community thinks that they need to use science to combat the situation. Swamp Thing, the Old God and the surviving scientist appear in front of the city. They cannot see the Old God, but Swamp Thing looms over the crowd. He has grown to a larger size. He and the scientist explain the situation, including the fact that the climate has killed the chancellor's son. Based on this knowledge, the chancellor decides to destroy both the Entity and the climate. ISSUE #3 Swamp Thing cannot interfere with their decisions as humans. After discussing with the Old God and the scientist, Swamp Thing decides to see if he can meld with the Entity to help combat the climate change. He and the Old God go "inside the Entity," which leads to some bizarre journey, but ultimately realize that the climate change is winning, and there isn't much they can do to help. The Old God becomes saddened by this knowledge, and decides against helping Swamp Thing any further. He doesn't want to help people who do not want him. He wants them to have their New Gods. Swamp Thing realizes that maybe the New Gods may be able to help if they realize all their worshipers are going to be destroyed by the climate. Swamp Thing and the Old God find the New Gods aloof, atop a mountain far away from the changes. They are fat and slovenly. They gorge themselves on the prayers and worship of the people, and care nothing about the changing climate. When brought to their attention that they are the ones polluting the planet and causing this destruction, they just ignore Swamp Thing and the Old God. In light of the hopeless situation, Swamp Thing decides that maybe this planet was never meant to be, and he is going to destroy his seedling and let the planet die. ISSUE #4 They have to go back to the Green. Once they are within the Entity, again the battle begins. The chancellor has assembled the army, and they are marching toward the Entity. They reach the Entity but cannot seem to damage it. It has anticipated the threat and has developed a think crust of plants and organisms to defend it. Not realizing that instead of saving themselves they are helping to destroy themselves, they continue to try and fight it. Within the Entity, Swamp Thing and the Old God continue their battle. Swamp Thing finds the original piece of him that was left there in the first place. He destroys it. Outside, the Entity's defense has crumbled and the army is poised to attack. The Entity explodes, knocking the army away. Standing in the empty destroyed place is Swamp Thing and the Old God. The army sees them before realizing the climate now has nothing in its way, and it bombards the planet, killing everything on it. Swamp Thing and the Old God cannot continue to battle this. Swamp Thing, knowing that he will return to the Green, allows the climate to destroy him. He explodes as the world dies. Little bits of pollen from Swamp Things remain float in the Green and land on a field of flowers. A bee lands on the flower and flies away.
(Panels 1 through 3 are kind of the same panel going across the top of the page maybe at an angle or some other way of doing the panels other than traditionally)  PANEL 1
Close up of Swamp Things left foot from behind like he is walking away. There is a little something on his leg. The surrounds are a little bizarre and other worldly but very organic and "leafy." CAPTION: EVEN BEFORE WORLDS BEGIN EVENTS ARE IN MOTION. PANEL 2 Same shot and angle as panel one but Swamp Thing is a little further away from us. Show him from behind maybe floating away in the weird organic world. The something on his leg was left behind and has started to change shape a little. It looks like a growing seedling. CAPTION: EVENTS THAT SET THE COURSE FOR A WORLDS FUTURE. PANEL 3 Same shot and angle as panel one and two but Swamp Thing is even a little further away from us perhaps even a silhouette. The seedling is forming more of plant shape now. CAPTION: EVEN IF ONLY BY CHANCE. PANEL 4 We see the narrator or the Elder God. He should have a very "nature" type look and feel to him but distinctly different from Swamp Thing. He appears in the same surroundings that Swamp Thing just floated through. The God is swirling things around creating this new world. Nothing extravagant yet just some movement. The seedling is floating into the mix. CAPTION: AND THOSE CHARGED WITH CREATING THESE WORLDS... PANEL 5 The God is swirling and spinning and making all sorts of things happen around him. CAPTION: OFTEN TIMES CAN'T SEE THAT FUTURE. PANEL 6 Close up of just the seedling glowing and growing all over the place. PAGE 2 PANEL 1 The God is on the planet in its infancy. He is seeing the seedling shoot out of the ground like a plant like tentacle but prettier and non- threatening. CAPTION: AN INTRUDER IN MY NEW WORLD. TRAPPED IN THE ELEMENTS OF CREATION. PANEL 2 The seedling has formed into forests, trees, plants and all sorts of natural life on the planet. The God floats around it. CAPTION: IT WAS A THREAT TO MY WORLD... PANEL 3 The God is wrestling with the plant life. It is starting to overcome him. CAPTION: ...AND I THOUGHT TO DESTROY IT. PANEL 4 Little plant like creatures are scurrying around in the trees. Some are larger than others some more evolved than others but still at their core plant like. CAPTION: AND I WAS WRONG. PANEL 5 Now this is a weird panel. Kind of like those evolution scenes you see with like a lizard then it grows to a man. Same idea but from these little plant forms to a man or woman. But done in a cooler style. CAPTION: THIS INVADER WAS GIVING MY WORLD NEW LIFE. PAGE 3 PANEL 1 Show the new people worshiping the GOD. Maybe have an idol of him or a crude statue that represents him. CAPTION: AND THIS NEW LIFE PAYS TRIBUTE TO MY LABOR. PANEL 2 Next the people are a little more advance and have replaced the old idol with a new one, which should look entirely different. CAPTION: BUT OTHER FORCES WERE CREATED FROM THEIR EVOLUTION AND CREATORS ARE LOST... PANEL 3 The old God is watching the people from a distance as they go about their business in their evolving city. CAPTION: ...AND FORGOTTEN... PANEL 4 The God has set up with the seedling/entity now. It looks like he has started to become part of the entity or the trees. His appearance has become more aged and wood like. CAPTION: ...LEFT ONLY TO WATCH... PAGE 4 PANEL 1 The people are now more advanced. Show a city skyline with people walking around. Something is eerie in the sky, just slightly. Make sure to include religious icons or statues. CAPTION: ...EVEN WHEN THEY WOULD NEED HIM. PANEL 2 Medium shot of an official looking religious figure standing in from of a statue. Looking angry and yelling at a crowd maybe. CAPTION: FORGETTING THEIR ORIGINS THEIR NEW WAYS KEEP THEM I GNORANT OF THEIR WORLDS CHANGING NATURE. PANEL 3 Now the sky has changed completely. It is aggressive and swirling. People walk by and don't notice. CAPTION: ALMOST POISONING THE PLANET WITH THEIR DENIAL. PANEL 4 The entity stands under the changing sky. The elder God floats nearby. The entity looks like it is starting to fade a bit. CAPTION: AND IT IS KILLING IT. PAGE 5  PANEL 1
Show plant life starting to whither and die. PANEL 2 Show animal life decaying and dying. PANEL 3 The elder God looks on from the entity in sadness. PANEL 4 The entity starts to grow some organisms out of it. Tentacle like creatures at first. PANEL 5 Then massive plant like organism juts out of it with smaller versions growing elsewhere. CAPTION: SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. PAGE 6 PANEL 1 Establishing shot of a city. It is by no means primitive but it looks to be constructed completely out of plants. PANEL 2 Establishing shot of a town hall type meeting area. A single man stands in front of a large crowd. A huge statue of a god is behind him. This is the CHANCELLOR. CHANCELLOR: WE MUST OBEY THE GODS... PANEL 3 A close up shot of the Chancellor. He is dressed in very official looking garbs, rather organic in style. CHANCELLOR: ...FOR THEY DO NOT STEER US ASTRAY! PANEL 4 A group of lesser dressed people appear to be getting angry. These are the scientists of the planet and they disagree with the Chancellor. SCIENTIST #1: We cannot look to the Gods to help. The threat is from the planet and it will destroy us all. PANEL 5 Another scientist speaks up. SCIENTIST #2: Are we to sit by and watch as our home is destroyed? PAGE 7 PANEL 1 Close up on the Chancellor. CHANCELLOR: We are to do as the Gods see fit. PANEL 2 The scientists become more enraged. SCIENTIST #1: Chancellor, listen to reason! We need to take action! The planet is dying! PANEL 3 The Chancellor now starts to become aggravated. CHANCELLOR: There is no proof of this! The Gods have given me no warning or reason to believe otherwise! PANEL 4 The scientists continue to argue. SCIENTIST #2: Then you have doomed us in the name of religion. Please we urge you! We must at least send an investigate team to the source to determine what the threat level is! PAGE 8 PANEL 1 The Chancellor stops for a second and rubs his chin. PANEL 2 Same shot as the last. CHANCELLOR: And what if they find nothing? PANEL 3 The scientists are close to the podium where the Chancellor is now. SCIENTIST #2: We have to know. We have to investigate. It is the only way to know for sure. PANEL 4 The Chancellor looks to his right and we see a young man dressed in organic looking soldier armor. He is hold a long weapon of sorts. PANEL 5 The Chancellor, with a smile, addresses the audience. CHANCELLOR: So let it be! We will form a scout party to investigate this matter. They will report back to myself and to the public council what, IF ANYTHING, they find. CAPTION: AND SO THE FATE OF THIS WORLD HAS BEEN DECIDED. PAGE 9  PANEL 1CAPTION: AS IT IS OFTEN SAID, THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY APPEAR TO BE. A group of citizens gather up equipment. There is a mix of soldiers and scientists. The same scientists from the last page and the young soldier among other soldiers are part of the crowd. The chancellor approaches the young soldier. CHANCELLOR: My son, are you ready? CHANCELLOR'S SON: Yes father, I believe the team is ready. It will be couple days journey. PANEL 2 The Chancellor and his son continue their conversation. CHANCELLOR: You have always been strong. These men should be honored to have you lead them. But I need to discuss something with you. PANEL 3 The Chancellor and his son look on some scientists getting ready. CHANCELLOR: Some men believe only in science and have no faith. They only want for what they believe is the right way even if they are wrong. PANEL 4 Close up on Chancellor. CHANCELLOR: They will lie to make you see their way. Just remember whatever you see is the work of our Gods not of science. Do you understand? PANEL 5 Close up on the Chancellor's Son CHANCELLOR'S SON: Yes, I think I do. PAGE 10 PANEL 1 The God is sitting in the entities foliage. CAPTION: THE SEED HAS BEEN PLANTED. ALL I CAN DO NOW IS WATCH. PANEL 2 The god floats above the entity. CAPTION: THEIR FAITH IN ME, THE OLD WAYS, HAS ALMOST FADED COMPLETELY. THE NEW GODS THEY HAVE CREATED SIT IDLY BY. PANEL 3 This panel shows the new Gods. They are completely different in appearance than anything on the planet. They are hard and rigid and show no signs of an organic nature. They are fat and lazy. CAPTION: THEY WERE MADE BY MAN ONLY TO CONTROL AND FRIGHTEN. THEY HAVE NO SAY OR POWER IN THIS WORLD OTHER THEN TO POISON IT WITH THEIR FILTH.THEY ARE OBLIVIOUS TO ME AS ARE THEIR FAITHFUL. PANEL 4 The old god floats in the angry sky. CAPTION: THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THIS. PAGE 11 PANEL 1 The investigative group is walking towards camera. There are two scientists and four soldiers. PANEL 2 The two scientists talk amongst themselves. SCIENTIST #1: Why do we need so many soldiers for a simply fact gathering mission? SCIENTIST #2: The Chancellor obviously does not trust us. And I can't say I trust him. PANEL 3 The scientists continue to talk. We see the soldiers in the foreground. SCIENTIST #1: I agree. I do not understand his opposition this force. How can he think this isn't a threat? PANEL 4 The Chancellor's Son observes the scientists talking. SCIENTIST #2: I have no doubt what we find will be irrefutable evidence. He will have to act accordingly. PANEL 5 The Chancellor's Son has a cross look on his face. We see a soldier behind him. PAGE 12 PANEL 1 The Chancellor sits in a big overly decorated throne type chair. He rests his head on his fist. PANEL 2 We pull out a little further and we see him in the exact same position but we are looking at him through a giant ornate window. PANEL 3 Even further now we see the window is part of a high building at the city center. The sky around the city is becoming very ominous.  PAGE 13
PANEL 1 A close-up of a flower in a field. It is in full bloom and looks rather alien. PANEL 2 The same flower is dying as are the others around it. PANEL 3 Pull out to see a dying field of plants surrounded by skeletal remains of trees and wildlife. The sky is swirling and looks angrier and angrier. CAPTION: IT KNOWS. PAGE 14 PANEL 1 The investigative group is still moving. They are shielding their faces from swirling airs. Smoke and debris circle all around. SCIENTIST #1: WE MUST BE GETTING CLOSE! THIS ABNORMALITY IS BEING CAUSE BY THE CLIMATE! PANEL 2 The Chancellor's Son looks back at the Scientists. CHANCELLOR'S SON: YOU SPEAK AS IF YOU ARE CERTAIN! PANEL 3 The group is battered by the weather. The scientists yell back at the Chancellor's Son. SCIENTIST #1: HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED A FORCE LIKE THIS BEFORE? THIS IS JUST FURTHER PROOF FOR OUR CAUSE. THIS WILL BE REPORTED TO THE CHANCELLOR! PANEL 4 The Chancellor's Son continues to brace himself against the weather. CHANCELLOR'S SON: WE CANNOT SAY FOR SURE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS! WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING! PANEL 5 One of the Scientists is pointing at something unseen. The Chancellor's Son turns and has a look of utter shock on his face. PAGE 15 (SPLASH PAGE) We see the Entity has grown in to a larger proportion. It is almost bulging. It has outgrown its forest surrounds and it is encircled with dead remains of the forest. Pods are being released from it into the sky, which is swirling and bending in reaction to the pods. Plant tentacles have grown out of it and are battling the sky. PAGE 16 PANEL 1 The Chancellor's son and his soldiers look on in fright. The Scientist are scared as well. CHANCELLOR'S SON: By the gods... PANEL 2 The Scientists look brace themselves against the wind. SCIENTIST #1: IS THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS? SCIENTIST #2: IT LIKES LIKE THAT GROWTH IS BATTLING THE SKY! LOOK AT THE DEAD FOREST AROUND IT. PANEL 3 The Entity is battling the sky. The pods continue to come from the Entity. SCIENTIST #2: I THINK IT IS TRYING TO HELP! PANEL 4 The Chancellor's Son grabs the Scientist in anger. CHANCELLOR'S SON: HELP? THAT THING IS GOING TO KILL US! IT IS KILLING THIS WHOLE PLANET! SCIENTIST #2: WE HAVE NO PROOF! IT HASN'T BEEN AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS... PAGE 17  PANEL 1
Something crashes into the group scattering them across the weather torn land. PANEL 2 We see it is one of the pods the Entity has been releasing into the sky. It looks like an over grown seed. CHANCELLOR'S SON: SEE! IT IS ATTACKING US! PANEL 3 A soldier approaches the seed. PANEL 4 The scientists argue with the Chancellor's Son. SCIENTIST #2: I DON'T THINK SO. THE CLIMATE IS KILLING THEM! CHANCELLOR'S SON: WE MUST ATTACK! SCIENTIST #2: WHAT ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH BY THAT! DO YOU SEE WHAT IS GOING ON! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE. PANEL 5 More pods start falling from the sky. This time they are trailing smoke and gas from the sky. PAGE 18 PANEL 1 The smoke forms a menacing shape around the pods and plant tentacles just out of the pods. PANEL 2 The tentacles grab 2 of the soldiers who are fighting back hacking at the plant. The smoke surrounds them. PANEL 3 The smoke seems to be draining the soldiers of the fluid. They are emptying out like a deflating balloon. PAGE 19 PANEL 1 The Chancellor's Son and the Scientists are in horror. Pods are still falling and tentacles are still flaying. CHANCELLOR'S SON: LET'S GO! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW! PANEL 2 A tentacle grabs the Chancellor's Son leg. PANEL 3 The scientists notice. SCIENTIST #1: NO LET HIM GO! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE! SCIENTIST #2: WE NEED TO HELP HIM! PANEL 4 The scientist hacks at the tentacle with a sword. PANEL 5 Another tentacle grabs that scientist. PAGE 20 PANEL 1 Suddenly weird plants burst from the ground all around them. PANEL 2 The smoke and gas fade out as the tentacles let go of the group. SCIENTIST #2: This is beyond belief. What is going on now? SCIENTIST #1: I think that growth is trying to help us. PANEL 3 The Chancellor's Son appears distraught. CHANCELLOR'S SON: May the Gods help us. PANEL 4 The scientists are looking up at the dome the plants have made around them. SCIENTIST #2: Well something is trying to help us. How can it be aware of us? And why would it want to protect us? PAGE 21  PANEL 1
The three continue to converse inside the plant done. SCIENTIST #1: We seem safe for now but for how long. We can't stay here forever. CHANCELLOR'S SON: I do not see a way out. That things intent may not have been so virtuous. PANEL 2 Medium shot on Scientist #2. SCIENTIST #2: Then why not just leave us out there? PANEL 3 The three are getting nervous. SCIENTIST #1: We don't want to go back out there either, unless there is a way to tell if it is safe. CHANCELLOR'S SON: We are not safe as long as we are here. PAGE 22 PANEL 1 The old god floats high about the plant dome in the swirling sky. CAPTION: THE CREATOR CARES FOR ALL LIVING THINGS ON THIS PLANET. PANEL 2 We draw in closer to the plant dome. CAPTION: TRY AS IT MAY; IT IS TOO WEAK TO DEFEND THEM FOR LONG. PANEL 3 Closer now to the dome. The gas and smoke encircle it and the tentacles climb the sides of it. CAPTION: IT IS DYING. PAGE 23 PANEL 1 Inside the dome there is banging and the three are startled. PANEL 2 The roof rips opens. PANEL 3 The three jump away from the falling debris as the tentacles and smoke swarm in. PANEL 4 It grows closer to the group as the scream. PAGE 24 PANEL 1 Big panel. Maybe to the left side of the page. Swamp Thing sitting in the green surrounded by all sorts of plant life. Definitely not on earth. PANEL 2 A growth starts in front of him, like a budding flower. PANEL 3 It blossoms into the most beautiful plant you have ever scene. Something a bit alien and not standard flower looking. PANEL 4 Then it bursts into flames. Swamp Thing looks surprised. Archived News > |
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