So let’s take another look at those unpublished Swamp Thing pages.
One thing I was pleased to discover in those unpublished Swamp Thing #25 pages [EDIT: dead link removed] is that I was at least partially correct about the story leading up to Alec Holland being able to switch back-and-forth from human to swampy form:
My belief was that Alec would be able to do this at will, but judging from what we can see in these pages, this is not the case. In fact, it seems that, as Swamp Thing, he becomes a mindless, rampaging monster:
…and that the transition from man to muck is apparently not under Holland’s control. So in a way, I guess that ol’ Man-Thing lettercol crack about Swamp Thing being “Hulklike” is…um, I guess sorta accurate in this case. Now, whether this is just a one-time thing, a shocked response to Alec suddenly becoming Swamp Thing again after his cure in issue #23, or whether this was a situation that Alec would eventually gain some control over in subsequent issues…the world may never know.
(In comics that were actually published — the Challengers of the Unknown, in fact — Alec just plain becomes Swamp Thing again, with no ability to change back, so that’s how that’s resolved in actual DC continuity. Pre-Crisis, Pre-Zero Hour, Pre-Infinite Crisis, Pre-Flashpoint continuity, that is.)
Also, it turns out that Alec’s brother Edward’s jealousy (the seeds of which were planted in #24, noted in this previously-linked post of mine with the terrible scans) takes a turn for…well, not so much the villainous as it is the dickish as he just straight-up lies to Hawkman:
The worst thing about looking at these original pages is the penciled-in prices at the top of most of them:
…ranging from $15 to $20. AAAAAUGH…those are prices even I could afford! …I suspect they’ll probably go for a bit more than that in that auction. …Hey, you guys know my birthday is coming up in just about a month and a half, right?
…Er, right? Hello…?
(post updated 8/2016)
For some reason I find the “Portland is Oregon’s *largest city*” caption very amusing.
It sort of implies that if Swampie had turned up in Eugene, he’d just be walking along the street saying ‘Hi’ to folk.
I’m just glad nothing in Swamp Thing #25 contradicts the events in Challenger of The Unknown #83. They fit perfectly together, with the temporary Swamp Thing transformations seen here foreshadowing the permanent one, in which Alec goes out his way to save the Challs and remains stuck as Swampy for good.
Of course, Hawkman would have to make a follow-up appearance in ST #26 to get out his own jam here, before moving on to his next JLA appearance.
Yeah, you’re one of THOSE. March Pisces. Can’t trust ’em. (Wait a minute – I’M a March Pisces…)
Mike, I was thinking “Hulk” when reading it as well. Actually, I was thinking “He’s now a muck-encrusted mockery of a Hulk.”
I just hope the first eight pages eventually turn up, so that we can find out what led up to this turn of events. I’m still searching for ’em. :)
“Warm, wettish wind?”
I don’t want to think about the wind making Hawkman warm and wet.
Based on his introduction alone, I’d have assumed Edward Holland were some sort of Rod Roddy-esque game show announcer, “Tell him what he’s won, Prof. Edward Holland!”
Crawled out of the Willamette….*ick* If it was after a heavy rainstorm there would be the usual sewage run off. That would mae me Hulk like crazy too.
Doesn’t it just figure?! I go away on vacation for a week and return to find that Rich has finally dropped his news.I expected a bit of script or unfinished art.How cool is it to see actual pages?I’m blown away!Thank-you Mike,Rich and the internet itself for making this possible.
Yes, the internet has had its ups and downs.
This is one of those ups that makes it all worthwhile…
Mark and Alec: :)
I reached out to David Kraft last night. I’ll post on my site if I hear back from him.
Not counting this lost issue, DC has released its 250th regular issue of Swamp Thing in 40 years since this week! Wow!