Everyone loves comic book trivia, but with decades of comics behind, there’s always some new obscure fact to learn. That’s why ComicsAlliance is going deep into the minutiae of your favorite names in comics in our continuing video series. You think you know comics? Well, here’s a few things you might not know!

This week we're taking a look at Swamp Thing, DC's chlorophyll-laden agent of the Parliament of Trees! From its beginnings as a story in a horror anthology to its evolution into an almost prototypical Bronze Age monster-as-hero book to its reinvention as an almost prototypical Iron Age deconstruction and the vanguard of the British Invasion of comics, Swamp Thing has earned its place as one of the best regarded horror titles in mainstream comics.

This video looks at the history of the title and character, from its conception on a train to the mundane origin of its title, to the notable names who have worked on the book, to the perhaps surprising other media the character has found his way into.

Show notes:

  • You can pre-order the original Bronze Age Swamp Thing material in one big fat book here.
  • If you haven't read the 1980s material by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, et al, you should rectify that by clicking here.
  • The almost-forgotten run by Grant Morrison, Mark Millar, and Phil Hester is collected starting here.
  • The run by Brian K. Vaughan, Roger Peterson, et al is collected beginning here.
  • The New 52 era of the book, by Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette, is collected starting here. Or if you want to skip to the part written by Charles Soule, go here.
  • Wes Craven's Swamp Thing movie here, Return of Swamp Thing here, the TV series here, the cartoon here.
  • You can and should watch the Swamp Thing PSA here. It is terrible.

Watch more installments of You Think You Know Comics? below and let us know what comic book characters we should cover next.

 

 

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