Chadwick Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 Some 95cent-er newsstands from up north ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin76 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I saw the cover to Annual 4 a while ago, I said to myself "Man!, I have got to get me a few of these!!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 "Down Amongst The Dead Men" What a great story. And even better, Swamp Thing happens across Deadman, Phantom Stranger, The Spectre and Etrigen as he travels Purgatory (though it is not called that) to find Abby's soul. He happens across Alec Holland, who can finally escape to peace now that Swamp Thing buried his body in issue #28. Great storytelling! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadwick Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 "Down Amongst The Dead Men" What a great story. And even better, Swamp Thing happens across Deadman, Phantom Stranger, The Spectre and Etrigen as he travels Purgatory (though it is not called that) to find Abby's soul. He happens across Alec Holland, who can finally escape to peace now that Swamp Thing buried his body in issue #28. Great storytelling! One of the first Swamp Thing books I read, what a way to get introduced to the series! I still re-read it a few times a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 One of the first Swamp Thing books I read, what a way to get introduced to the series! I still re-read it a few times a year. I just did my annual reading three weeks ago. Even now, these books are still great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisco37 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 They hold up very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EwanUK Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 "Down Amongst The Dead Men" What a great story. And even better, Swamp Thing happens across Deadman, Phantom Stranger, The Spectre and Etrigen as he travels Purgatory (though it is not called that) to find Abby's soul. He happens across Alec Holland, who can finally escape to peace now that Swamp Thing buried his body in issue #28. Great storytelling! My favourite ever single story. First read at maybe 13 or 14 and enjoyed many times since. A really accessible book and the plot just keeps you in there - the artwork is superb... 1st issue I bought was no.34 from a newsagent - quite a read for a 13 year old boy!!! Loved the run, still do... Many years later I read no.1-20 and all the post Alan Moore issues up to no.171... I'd recommend just about all of it, certainly the Millar / Morrison run too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadwick Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 "Down Amongst The Dead Men" What a great story. And even better, Swamp Thing happens across Deadman, Phantom Stranger, The Spectre and Etrigen as he travels Purgatory (though it is not called that) to find Abby's soul. He happens across Alec Holland, who can finally escape to peace now that Swamp Thing buried his body in issue #28. Great storytelling! My favourite ever single story. First read at maybe 13 or 14 and enjoyed many times since. A really accessible book and the plot just keeps you in there - the artwork is superb... 1st issue I bought was no.34 from a newsagent - quite a read for a 13 year old boy!!! Loved the run, still do... Many years later I read no.1-20 and all the post Alan Moore issues up to no.171... I'd recommend just about all of it, certainly the Millar / Morrison run too I really have only read v1 and v2 up to #64, I just end up re-reading them, but I really should check out the rest of the run. I'm planning on picking up the full new 52 run, I've heard some good things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeofhorus777 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Down amongst the dead men is a also the title of a great album by Lord Weird Slough Feg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godzilla43 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) I bought 53 for just the cover. really cool! Edited February 20, 2015 by godzilla43 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I realize it is so easy to gravitate towards the key issues with a long run like Swamp Thing Vol. 2. It's the natural reaction to target those books first. But after taking photos the other day of a run that I have, it brought back so many good memories of this series, and a reminder why it was a fun read throughout. And the covers only get better as the series continues on into the Rick Veitch run (65-87). Swamp Thing #83 with the Red Baron cover is one of my favorites, along with the Superman cover of #79. It definitely was a horror and fantasy series that marched to its own drum. I had not realized this about the Copper Age series until it was mentioned in this thread, but Saga of the Swamp Thing was the first mainstream comic book series to abandon the Comics Code Authority ('Comics Code Rejects Saga of Swamp Thing Story; Swamp Thing Rejects Code' - The Comics Journal #93, September 1984). JJ-4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Shepherd Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thanks for the groups shots, they look really good together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjum12 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I realize it is so easy to gravitate towards the key issues with a long run like Swamp Thing Vol. 2. It's the natural reaction to target those books first. But after taking photos the other day of a run that I have, it brought back so many good memories of this series, and a reminder why it was a fun read throughout. And the covers only get better as the series continues on into the Rick Veitch run (65-87). Swamp Thing #83 with the Red Baron cover is one of my favorites, along with the Superman cover of #79. It definitely was a horror and fantasy series that marched to its own drum. I had not realized this about the Copper Age series until it was mentioned in this thread, but Saga of the Swamp Thing was the first mainstream comic book series to abandon the Comics Code Authority ('Comics Code Rejects Saga of Swamp Thing Story; Swamp Thing Rejects Code' - The Comics Journal #93, September 1984). .... those who disregard the importance of this series often overlook the sheer volume of it..... something "right" must certainly have been done. These were coming out before I met Judy, and each girlfriend I had during this long period also wanted to read my copies.... and ironically, when I met Judy, it turned out she was a lifelong fan also. Chicks like Swamp Thing for some reason. This title kept me coming into the LCS for years, while I picked up and dropped many other titles. Few other titles captivated me this way. The only others that "hooked" me long term over the years were Byrne FF's, Wolfman Perez NTT's, and Newton Bat books. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u JJ-4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thanks for the groups shots, they look really god together! It definitely is one of my all-time favorite runs. With other titles I would like certain story arcs or individual books. With Swamp Thing, it was a wild ride throughout. .... those who disregard the importance of this series often overlook the sheer volume of it..... something "right" must certainly have been done. These were coming out before I met Judy, and each girlfriend I had during this long period also wanted to read my copies.... and ironically, when I met Judy, it turned out she was a lifelong fan also. Chicks like Swamp Thing for some reason. This title kept me coming into the LCS for years, while I picked up and dropped many other titles. Few other titles captivated me this way. The only others that "hooked" me long term over the years were Byrne FF's, Wolfman Perez NTT's, and Newton Bat books. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u It really is a title that can transcend genders easily, versus catering to one or the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number 6 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I realize it is so easy to gravitate towards the key issues with a long run like Swamp Thing Vol. 2. Yeah, #14 and #15 aren't "key" and the story is kinda boilerplate mad-scientist-gets-hoisted-on-his-own-petard, but the Scott and Bo Hampton artwork is great, very evocative of the art style on HOS #92. Those were the last Swamp Thing issues I bought off the rack as a kid, bitter-sweet memories of those two books. I thought they were great as a kid. Took them to school when I was in the 3rd grade. There was one period where we switched classrooms. When I came back to my home-room class, they were gone. Guess they made an impression on someone else too. I still need to find high-grade copies of those issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Corgi Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I am finally reading my way through this series. I'm on issue 58 at the moment, So awesome. Without a doubt one of the best comic series I've ever read. My original plan was to stop at 64, but I am considering continuing. When I bought the lot of these, I got up to issue 100..... Is it worth reading past issue 64? I'd love to get some opinions on the books quality post Moore. Thanks, Christian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bosco685 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 65-87 (Rick Veitch): Following in the footsteps of Alan Moore, who he had worked with since Swamp Thing 37, over time Veitch focused on history in this run leading up to the unpublished 88 story where Jesus and Swamp Thing were going to finally meet. Veitch quits over DC not publishing his Jesus story. Note: Neil Gaiman and Jamie Delano were being prepared to step in behind Veitch as the next creative team. Due to Veitch's reason for quiting, they pass on taking on Swamp Thing in support of his concerns. But they at least work on Annual #5. 88-109 (Doug Wheeler): Considered the writer than focused more on safer topics compared to Moore and Veitch, he focused on the Parliment of Trees and how this influenced Swamp Thing. Good stories - but nothing great. 110-138 & Annual 6-7 (Nancy Collins): A horror writer, this is when Vertigo kicks in with Swamp Thing 129. She takes the book back to the foundational roots established by Moore and Veitch, and makes this title interesting again. 139 ( Foreman): Crossover story with Black Orchid (Foreman's real focus). 140-144 (Grant Morrison/Mark Millar): Takes an interesting approach by bringing back Alec Holland as a separate being, and making Swamp Thing a force of destruction. This was how Morrison got DC to hire Millar as an unknown on one of their semi-major titles. 145-171 (Mark Millar): Over a series of issues Swamp Thing becomes god-like to the point he is beyond all other beings and becomes a Planetary Elemental. I think these are fun stories that definitely went beyond the safe days of Wheeler and Collins. These are very dark books that washed away all that safeness of the past few years. Unfortunately, either DC got concerned with that and gave up on the title, or Millar walked away to focus on other characters. But it ended with him, on a solid note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 (edited) I love this series I remember starting around issue 12 as a kid. And my eyes were blown away at the cover of issue 13. Issue 3 is a really fun read and later ties in to issue 38. Issue 81 if I remember ties into the original Wrightson series, issue 9 if memory serves. The series as a whole goes down in quality after Moore leaves, I think I quit around issue 90 and sometimes picked up a random issue when I liked the story or art. Edited March 5, 2015 by Rip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EwanUK Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 65-87 (Rick Veitch): Following in the footsteps of Alan Moore, who he had worked with since Swamp Thing 37, over time Veitch focused on history in this run leading up to the unpublished 88 story where Jesus and Swamp Thing were going to finally meet. Veitch quits over DC not publishing his Jesus story. Note: Neil Gaiman and Jamie Delano were being prepared to step in behind Veitch as the next creative team. Due to Veitch's reason for quiting, they pass on taking on Swamp Thing in support of his concerns. But they at least work on Annual #5. 88-109 (Doug Wheeler): Considered the writer than focused more on safer topics compared to Moore and Veitch, he focused on the Parliment of Trees and how this influenced Swamp Thing. Good stories - but nothing great. 110-138 & Annual 6-7 (Nancy Collins): A horror writer, this is when Vertigo kicks in with Swamp Thing 129. She takes the book back to the foundational roots established by Moore and Veitch, and makes this title interesting again. 139 ( Foreman): Crossover story with Black Orchid (Foreman's real focus). 140-144 (Grant Morrison/Mark Millar): Takes an interesting approach by bringing back Alec Holland as a separate being, and making Swamp Thing a force of destruction. This was how Morrison got DC to hire Millar as an unknown on one of their semi-major titles. 145-171 (Mark Millar): Over a series of issues Swamp Thing becomes god-like to the point he is beyond all other beings and becomes a Planetary Elemental. I think these are fun stories that definitely went beyond the safe days of Wheeler and Collins. These are very dark books that washed away all that safeness of the past few years. Unfortunately, either DC got concerned with that and gave up on the title, or Millar walked away to focus on other characters. But it ended with him, on a solid note. I'd recommended 1-20 too (Marty Pasko?) Of the above I really enjoyed the Veitch run and everything post no.140 some of the Millar stories are fantastic, well worth seeking out as an aside, I'm sure the print run on the last 10 or so issues must have been low, no.171 is quite tough to find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EwanUK Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 the other thing I just remembered, is it no.89 where Matt Cable becomes the Raven in Sandman? minor key? perhaps it should be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
