Yet another Swamp Thing post.
Pictured above are the two volumes of Critics Choice Files: Swamp Thing published by the Psi Fi Movie Press in 1987. These volumes cover issues #20 through #50 of the second Swamp Thing series, the first 3/4ths of Alan Moore’s run on the title, with synopses and critiques of each issue. Plenty of cover shots and artwork from the comics can be found within, all reproduced in black and white. Full page illos are just a little too frequent, however, and feel like space-filler. However, they remain good, solid contemporary examinations of this now-classic comic book run.
Speaking of Saga of the Swamp Thing #20…there was a brief discussion in one of my comments sections regarding the non-reprinting of Alan Moore’s first issue on the series. The explanation given for this by DC is that the story is too much of an epilogue to the previous storyline written by Marty Pasko. And, I suppose, that’s true enough…Swamp Thing notes the previous-issue passing of his arch-nemesis, and newish supporting characters Liz and Dennis are written out of the title (at least until their return a couple years later). It’s not until #21 that Moore begins to take the title in his own direction.
However, at the rate the second series of Swamp Thing is being reprinted, sooner or later those first twenty issues are going to look a little conspicuous by their absence. And they weren’t bad, by any means…Tom Yeates did some nice work illustrating the initial storyline, even if Pasko’s word balloons and captions did get in the way sometimes. There’s a two-parter by Scott and Bo Hampton, the presentation of which would probably be improved by reproduction on better paper. And, of course, there’s the beginning of Steve Bissette and John Totleben’s run on the art chores.
Unfortunately, it would probably take about three standard-sized trade paperbacks to reprint all these, and it seems unlikely that there’d be enough demand for these particular stories to make the effort worthwhile. A black and white Showcase volume collecting all these isn’t likely…’80s titles seem a litle late for that reprint program.
As long as I’m talking Swamp Thing reprints, maybe we could get a Showcase volume for the first series. Those 24 issues would fit in nicely, and maybe the two Batman team-ups from Brave & The Bold and the one Superman team-up from DC Comics Presents #8 could round out the book. Sure, it would mean the umpteenth reprinting of the first ten Wein/Wrightson issues, but it would be worth it for the first reprinting of the Nestor Redondo era on the book.
And DC should reprint Sugar & Spike, too. Nothing to do with Swamp Thing, but it doesn’t hurt to bring up the demand for Sugar & Spike once in a while.
