I guess I’d better mention it here…
…since I’ve been getting e-mailed, messaged, and otherwise contacted about the rumors of a possible reintegration of Swamp Thing into the main DC Universe, and away from the mature-readers Vertigo line. Given the story’s initial source, I’m going to wait for some confirmation before I get my hopes up, but I think it would be a nice change of pace after the last handful of attempted relaunches. Frankly, I was just a bit Vertigo-ed out on that particular interpretation of Swamp Thing. If you want to read a summary of what’s supposedly going on, I direct you to the main page of Roots of the Swamp Thing, where proprietor Rich H. has a few words on the matter, and Comics Alliance has further commentary on what this could mean for the Vertigo line in general.
Anyway, if true, I suppose having Solomon Grundy fill the Swamp Thing role didn’t work out as planned (even though that recent Grundy series was pretty good). Maybe we can get a couple of titles out of this…hey, if Deadpool can have, what, seventeen different series, we can have two Swamp Thing titles. A regular solo book and The Swamp and the Bold, with Swamp Thing teaming up with a different character every month. You’d totally read that, don’t you lie to me.
In other news: Bully the Little Stuffed Bull explains the Marvel Universe in a tour-de-force that must be seen to be believed.
“The Swamp and the Bold, with Swamp Thing teaming up…”
I think THE BRAVE AND THE MOLD would be a better title.
Wow. Glad you’ll be happy, at least.
Me, I prefer my Swamp Thing without bi-monthly Batman and Green Lantern cameos and would rather the character fade into obscurity than… say, be jobbed by “Deathstroke the Terminator” to boost interest in yet another insipid “Titans” spin-off, but to each his own.
Thank you for the link, Mister Mike!
And I sure hope that Swamp Thing guy gets to be in comics again real soon. I want to see him team up with Red Arrow for some good wholesome action adventuring.
…What?
Personally, I’m of two minds about this. On the one hand, I’m ecstatic. Any new Swamp Thing is great news, and Vertigo has twice dropped the ball by canceling the post-Millar runs just when they were getting great. On the other hand, I’ve never been entirely convinced that our favorite muck-encrusted mockery of a man should return to his days of interacting with the DC Universe characters. I can certainly understand why many believe that’s a good idea, as the character’s roots are firmly… er… rooted in the DC Universe. And most of his run-ins with Batman have been pure gold. But my favorite Swamp Thing tales have always been those devoid of Spandex and capes. (Okay, I admit it, I totally ripped off the above paragraph from my Swamp Thing site… but I have to get my son to the bus stop for school, so I didn’t have time to write something new.)
I really don’t recall anything in the Vertigo Swamp Thing comic that was more fucked-up and nasty and brutal and violent as anything in a mainstream DC comic today.
Welcome back, Alec.
The swamp thing news I’m waiting for is the announcement of the DC Universe Classics ST figure – i figure it’s a lock, given that they’ve finished mining the Super Powers line. Seems safe to assume they’ll start working on the mythical unmade fourth line, which supposedly had a swampy in it and which is apparently where the original mould for the ST figures from the animated series came from.
And then he and my ML manthing can hold hands…
I can confirm this story as true, as China Mievelle spoke to me about it briefly yesterday, and was gracious enough to provide me with some details about what his series would have been about had DC not canceled it in favor of returning Swamp Thing to mainstream continuity. His comments can be found here:
http://www.swampthingroots.com/news_06-03-10_china-mieville-hints-at-his-swamp-thing-run.html
From what he describes, it sounds like he had something big in mind. Damn you, DC Comics!
Head over to the dc comics vertigo message board, Rich.
They’re calling your site ‘required reading.’
The next Hellblazer trade ‘Hooked’ will collect the start of Milligan’s run, if that helps?
If Man-Thing is in the Thunderbolts, does this mean Swamp Thing will have to join the Suicide Squad?
Did anyone read this?
http://www.comicsbeat.com/2010/05/04/dc-comics-month-to-month-sales-march-2010
I think the ‘out of the starting gate’ direct market sales explain a lot…
Thanks, Anonymous. I appreciate your comments here, and over at the DC board.