Category: Collectibles

Träsk Mannen film poster (1982)

This awesome poster was sent to me by fellow Swamp Thing fan, Peter in Sweden! I was blown away by its condition and can’t wait to get it framed. Peter told me that there aren’t too many of them kicking around since they were usually beat up when being stapled to telephone polls or being ripped down. The poster measures 30cm x 70cm.

Continue reading “Träsk Mannan” →

Only minutes remain until April Fools Day is over and I’be nothing to trick you with. So, I present to you some Swamp Thing loving, crafted by Rad Lad Press. The enamel pin is really well done and a fun addition to the collection.

It’s time to get green n’ clean!

Fellow Swampy fan, Peter sent me this awesome soap he hand made!
They smell like a pine forest and are beautifully crafted.

Peter hails from Sweden and offered to help translate my Swedish Swampy editions. I’m excited to take him up on the offer in the future. Thanks again Peter!

Swamp Thing Long Sleeve Shirt (1990)

Last month I was able to track down another shirt from the animated series era of Swamp Thing merchandise. A few different Swampy illustrations donned the front of various shirt styles in the early 90s. All were children sized shirts but even a sweatsuit was produced bearing the same illustration as below.

Here are a couple links and more information regarding different shirts with the same illustration.
– T-shirt    – Sweatsuit

Swampy bursts through the swamp grass and bulrushes on this blue shirt!

Return of the Swamp Thing Japanese VHS (1989)

Mail call! Ive been waiting for this package to arrive from Japan for about a week now and was extremely excited to tear into it. I’ve tracked down numerous foreign, Swampy films but until now, not a single Japanese version. It being a VHS cassette makes it even more exciting! I’ve included additional photos of the packaging below.

During the spring of 1992 Nancy A Collins and Stephen Bissette met at a bar in New York City to discuss the sexuality of Swamp Thing. The two friends were attending the Horror Writers Association Conference and made time to collaborate on a new Swamp Thing story. The brainstorming session inspired sketches, notes and ideas; the kind of connective tissue that I spend hours researching. Last month I was able to obtain a sketch from their meeting. Below is Nancy’s account.

“This sketch is a rarity as it was part of a brainstorming session Bissette and I had while attending the Horror Writers Association Conference in NYC in 1992. I had just moved to the city the weekend before, and we were hanging out in the bar (I want to say at the Warwick Hotel, but I might be wrong). I was still writing Swamp Thing, and I was kicking around a story idea that would now be deemed “fan service”. It was tentatively called “The Secret Sex Life of Plant Monsters”, where I posited Swampy definitely had genitalia, but only when he needed/wanted it. It never lead to anything, although many of the points I wanted to make about elemental sexuality ended up in the “Cross-Pollination” issue with Lady Jane.”

Genitalia by Stephen Bissette. 
As you can see, Bissette uses tubers in place of testes. It’s all here, you got it.

The book Nancy refers to is Swamp Thing 136 “Cross-Pollination”(1993). The cover of 136 by Charles Vess depicts Swamp Thing and Lady Jane in a romantic embrace. They’re having sex.

I greatly appreciate Nancy’s contributions to the character. She wrote some of my favorite Swampy stories. She’ll be featured in the Swamp Thing zine I’m wrapping up; due out Feb 2017. She is a joy to be in contact with and I look forward to interviewing again to follow up on her amazing taste and history in music. She’s got some great stories. Below is a letter she sent along with the sketch by Bissette

Some of my favorite collectibles are articles and interviews relating to the creative process throughout the title’s chronology. I strive to find as many mentions/references to Swamp Thing as possible to help paint a clear picture of what was going on while these stories were being crafted. This sketch and other items from Stephen and Nancy’s meeting adds to the folklore and history of Swamp Thing.

It sure is one heck of a noodle doodle