Category: Articles

Harlan Ellis weighs in on Swamp Thing

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Miriad 6 (Winter 1981)

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This Canadian sifi magazine is the newest addition to my collection. It’s filled with great quotes from the film’s producers, Michael Ulsan and Benjamin Melniker, Swamp Thing co-creator Len Wein, as well as noted writer, Harlan Ellison!
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After hearing of Len’s passing last weekend, Ellison’s praise for Bernie, Len & Joe ring out. A beautiful honor to the men who opened up the world to me; not only within the books they crafted but in my day to day. I have a laundry list of reasons why their creation has improved my life. At the top of the list is my experiences with you all; being able to share my passion with fellow Swamp Thing fans from around the world.
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The article was written prior to Durock assuming the role of Swamp Thing, leaving Dick without credit as playing Swampy. As most of you know, Durock replaced Ray Wise after looking much better as the title character.
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Author and publisher of Miriad, Kevin Davies provides an abbreviated yet concise history of Swamp Thing, from creation leading up to the feature film. I pulled some of my favorite quotes and insightful bits.
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Davies analyzes significant differences between the comic and film adaptation.
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Continue reading “Harlan Ellis weighs in on Swamp Thing” →

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Farewell Len

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earlier today, Len Wein passed on. There is so much to say about his greatness and contributions to comics, literature and culture; but I’m having a difficult time wrapping my brain around his abrupt passing. I don’t think I can put words together to do Len the justice his greatness deserves. It’s a sad day and Len will be greatly missed. He and Bernie opened up a world to me that changed my life, and has allowed me to express myself on this site, and meet all of you.

thank you, Len

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The Event 6

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The Event 6, volume 4 (1991)

I recently purchased a lot of comic related promo newspapers; a few Comic Shop News and a couple Event papers. Unfortunately Swamp Thing doesn’t appear in any of the other papers except for this, Event 6.
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The cover of this entertainment newspaper features a collage of notable comic book charters much like a Comics Buyers Guide. It’s pretty easy to spot the various, notable artist’s work throughout. I was excited to add this paper to my collection because of Bissette’s Swamp Thing in the corner. The artwork -originally appearing in ST series 2- has been used for various DC house ads in the past.
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The Event was a free entertainment newspaper focused on all the action going on in Wasatch county, Utah.
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Typically the paper doesn’t feature a bunch of funny book characters running wild on the cover. The cover story, “A Brief History of Comic Books” provides an overview of comic book history Continue reading “The Event 6” →

DC exploded in ’73, Alec Holland in ’72

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Justice League of America 105 (1973)
Specter in the Shadows!

While looking through a stack of silver age comics I was thrilled to come across this DC house ad toward the back of JLA 105. I had never seen this style of “DC explodes in 73” ad and was happy to see it featured Swamp Thing 4, Monster on the Moors.
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Spectre in the Shadows was written by none other than Swamp Thing co-creator, Len Wein. In 2015, the JLA 105 cover was featured on the cover of the Len Wein issue of Alter Ego 135.
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Continue reading “DC exploded in ’73, Alec Holland in ’72” →

Alec and Moore on tubers

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Comic Book Comics 5 (2011)

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Comic Book Comics chronicles the history of comics and in this issue, copyrights and intellectual property is the focus.
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There goes the neighborhood…
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the book spends some time discussing the wave of great U.K. talent that rose to prominence in the 80s and 90s., along with the hurtles they encountered with their intellectual property. Continue reading “Alec and Moore on tubers” →

Green Lantern Swamp Thing

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Amazing Heroes 104 (1986)
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Amazing Heroes and their fan submitted art never disappoints in delivering fun parody appearances. Over the years I’ve found a number of great Swampy references and parodies within the pages of Amazing Heroes. This one may be one of my favorites…
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On the very last page of the book, Greg Wilcox’s Swamp Thing puts the Green in Green Lantern.

the News section also has a bit about Stephen Bissette’s plans for Swamp Thing 59.
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Another key item that made me fall in love with this issue is the oversized reproduction of this Joe Orlando panel from Weird Fantasy 18 (1953). The panel appears in an article relating to great sci-if stories. Al Feldstein & Joe Orlando crafted this tale to comment on the state of bigotry and how now planet is free when shackled by oppression. It’s actually more of a subtle progression than I describe here but it’s an amazing story that I highly recommend.
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