Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
Swamp Thing
Tagged: Comics.
Moss- and muck-encrusted vegetable monster star of US Comic books, created by writer Len Wein (1948-2017) and artist Bernie Wrightson in House of Secrets #92 (1971). Dr Alex Olsen is grotesquely mutated into Swamp Thing after a disastrous explosion in his science laboratory, arranged by his jealous assistant, Damian Ridge, and returns to wreak vengeance. Wein rewrote and expanded upon this origin story for a new comic-book series (Swamp Thing #1-#24 1972-1976), renaming the scientist Dr Alec Holland and describing the project on which he is working when the "accident" occurs as a "Biorestorative Formula". The first 10 issues of this series, also illustrated by Wrightson, made effective use of the contrast between the repulsive appearance of Swamp Thing and his gentle, benign character; they were reprinted as Roots of the Swamp Thing (1986).
Swamp Thing was resurrected for a new series, Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982-current), in which the character was used as a fairly uninteresting Superhero, but was developed in depth and complexity by Alan Moore (from #20 on). Subsequent writers have used Swamp Thing as an ecological icon or a godlike figure representing the interests of the Earth's flora and fauna. Movie incarnations are Swamp Thing (1982) dir Wes Craven and Return of the Swamp Thing (1989; vt Swamp Thing II). [RT]