So I got an email from the publisher Act 4, who is, in conjunction with Skybound and DC Comics, releasing the Bissette and Totleben’s Swamp Thing Artist’s Edition hardcover next year. Measuring 12 by 17 inches, and “collecting over 170 pieces of art,” this book will be available in either the standard edition cover:
…or the Direct Market straight-to-funnybook-shops edition:
Which leaves your pal Mike with the most difficult of choices: which version do I get for myself? Or do I get both? Do I get two of both, one set to read and another to keep sealed? How far into decadence can I fall?
Anyhoo, if you’re familiar with artist edition hardcovers like these, you know the drill. Full-color, highly detailed scans of original art are featured, blown up to large sizes for easy inspection. Included are pages spanning issues #16 through #64 of the Swamp Thing series, such as, it says in the press release, several samples from “The Anatomy Lesson” (where we learn Swampy’s true origin) and the “American Gothic” storyline (with new takes on classic horror). Also inside is the full ten-page story “Jack in the Green,” Steve and John’s final work together at the company. (Yes, unfortunately that was written by Neil Gaiman, which is too bad, but we’ll be looking at the pretty drawings, not the words.)
Other than that one minor qualm, this looks like an amazing collection of artwork, and I can’t wait to get a good look at whatever squiggling details may have been obscured by the images’ reduction and reproduction over the years.
I hope there are lots of drawings of this guy:
I love that guy, he’s my favorite monster from this series. Well, aside from Swamp Thing himself, of course.
The book is due out next July, so start saving those pennies! At least 15,000 of them (or 30,000 or 60,000, in my case, maybe).
You’d pick the pink guy in the Damien Demento jacket over Cranius?
I’m shocked. ;)
I gotta say, the ugly coloring certainly stands out whenever I read a book from those days.
I don’t recall that Magenta Miscreant from the Moore years, and Alec’s relatively smooth skin suggests that this was pre-Anatomy Lesson. Is this critter from the seldom-reprinted Pasko run on Saga?
Have you seen Sophie’s Choice? Just, y’know, qualms on my part about your header today.
I don’t know. William Styron wasn’t Jewish or Polish. While the novel is now considered a classic, it seems like Styron was using the horrors of the Holocaust to cash-in on a lurid work of fiction (as so many authors have done over the years to try to add gravitas to their story by randomly making a mention of the Holocaust in their fiction). There’s even a double-meaning for the title, as Sophie ends up having to make a second choice in the present part of the novel, which kind of downplays the tragedy of her first choice. This is the same Styron who attracted much controversy at the time for his presentation of Nat Turner as the protagonist of another of his novels. At least, in that case, Styron’s family were slave owners.
I think that by the time Styron wrote Sophie’s Choice, the Holocaust was so well understood by most people that unless there is a personal connection between the author and those events (being Jewish, being Polish, etc.), it should really be considered as trivializing real-world horror. Thereby, I defend the use of Sophie in a frivolous context.
It’s true that Mike could have used the more generic “Hobson’s Choice” though.
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To make this less serious, I was also wondering the same as Athelind if that monster was from the Moore years or from a pre-Moore issue. I did find and read the Pasko issues, which I found unimpressive, so I don’t remember if the pink monster is from those issues.
Ehhhh…in the light of day, I think maybe the reference was a little too dark, even though I personally was the intended target (making my dumb quandary over which cover to chooses seem like it was important). Also, perhaps the publisher of this book wouldn’t want that particular reference attached to it. (The folks involved may already not be happy with me bringing up NG.)
So…I changed the title and the URL. Sorry if I went a little too far.
Also, yes, that red monster was from issue #17 of Saga of the Swamp Thing, written by Marty Pasko. Frankly, I think Pasko’s run is quite underrated!
On a much lighter note, I was most amused by Bissette’s recent revelation that he drew Sugar & Spike in the background of a panel when Swamp Thing (along with dozens of other characters) visited the Monitor’s satellite, only for editorial to erase them.
…I hope the Gumby appearances make it through to the art book unscathed!
Both good covers, but the second one has better design. I’d pick that one.
I realize this opinion means nothing to true hardcore Swampy fans.
That pink guy sure has a mouth on him! Huh? Get it?