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Tag Archives: Berni Wrightson

Swamp Thing Volume One

24 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by Mars Will Send No More in occult, science fiction

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Berni Wrightson, David Michelinie, DC Comics, Gerry Conway, Len Wein, Nestor Redondo, Swamp Thing, Volume One

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Many before us have sung the praises of the Len Wein and Berni Wrightson stories that kick off the first volume of Swamp Thing stories. Have you seen the first issue of Swamp Thing yet? We may be in the minority, but the first chunk of issues where Swamp Thing takes on some pretty generic monsters seem like just a warm-up for further greatness.

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Even the Batman crossover in #7 fails to get our engines revved. But then… issue #8 comes along. Swamp Thing encounters a demon in a cave on the outskirts of a small town, giving us a dark visual feast that brings the series to life for us. The Lurker in Tunnel 13 may be the first of the early tales that hints at what Swamp Thing would later become in the 1980s, the first appearance of Arcane notwithstanding. It’s cosmic, satanic, horrific, and sports one of our favorite Wrightson covers.

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Wein and Wrightson also present a great story about a stranded alien trying to repair his ship and return to the stars. Making this freakish beast sympathetic and compassionate reminds us that monsters and heroes come in many forms.

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Before leaving the book, Wein & Wrightson deliver the consummately creepy Man Who Would Not Die, the first return of Arcane from the hell where he deserves to stay. The confrontation between Arcane and Swampy in a graveyard may be our favorite artistic moment of Wrightson’s legendary contributions.

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Nestor Redondo steps into Wrightson’s shoes without missing a beat, working with Len Wein on three issues before David Michelinie takes the reins. We have some other images of Nestor Redondo’s Swamp Thing art if you’d like to check them out.

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Michelinie and Redondo seem to lose steam towards the end of their contribution, and what happens next is a bit of a disappointment. The creative team changes, and the book loses much of its horror appeal quickly. Readers must have felt the same way at the time, as Swamp Thing would soon be cancelled. Swamp Thing’s gambit to revert to a normal Alec Holland once again just doesn’t work for us, and it’s been more or less ignored in subsequent Swampy stories.

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The end of the volume is a bit of a mess, but the early stories have some definite high points. We sold our collection of VG+/FN issues, almost a complete run, on eBay. But, a few of them we would be happy to collect and read again. You can get many of the early Wein/Wrightson issues in Roots of the Swamp Thing reprints.

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Having owned both the reprints and the originals, we confess a preference for the originals. Though the printing and color is more crisp and clean and bright in the reprints, the vintage horror vibe feels much more authentic with a well-worn copy from the early 1970s, the smell of tanned comic book paper, and the distinctive original covers.

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Millions of Them… Croaking, Screeching, Seeking Revenge!

21 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by Mars Will Send No More in occult

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Berni Wrightson, frogs, Masterworks Series of Great Comic Book Artists

Bernie Wrightson, Master of the Macabre! Here, Bernie Wrightson tells the tale of a man obsessed with eating frogs…

– From DC’s Masterworks Series of Great Comic Artists #3




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Muck-Encrusted First Issue of Swamp Thing!

05 Friday Aug 2011

Posted by Mars Will Send No More in first issue, occult, science fiction

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Alec Holland, Berni Wrightson, first issue, Len Wein, origin, Roots of the Swamp Thing, Swamp Thing, swamp thing origin

 

No spandex. No referring to yourself in the third person. Just a shambling muck-encrusted mockery of the man that once was Alec Holland… Swamp Thing! Here are his origin and very first issue for you to enjoy. And it only gets better from there!

Collector’s Guide:
– From Swamp Thing Vol. 1, #1
– Reprinted in Roots of the Swamp Thing #1.
– Reprinted in Roots of the Swamp Thing Hard Cover.

Story and Art by Len Wein & Berni Wrightson.










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Siezed by an Aura of Ancient and Consuming Evil!

05 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by Mars Will Send No More in indie, occult

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Asylum, Berni Wrightson, Indie Comics, New Comics Group, occult

The hideous horror of underwater love!

Collector’s Guide:
– From Asylum #1; New Comics Group, 1989. Cover by Berni Wrightson.



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