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Alan Moore Era (1983-1987)
Alan Moore's Swamp Thing is rightly remembered as a cornerstone of American comic books. His writing was lyrical, touching on real human desires and fears, challenging us to view the world around us differently, to reimagine. Moore took a much-encrusted monster whose outdated book was expected to be cancelled before too long and transformed it into the most important ongoing series at the time, one that would transform in turn all of American comics. If you don't have this material, you owe it to yourself to get it.

IMAGE
TITLE
DESCRIPTION
STATUS
Saga of the Swamp Thing #21-31; Saga of the Swamp Thing Annual #2; Saga of the Swamp Thing #32-38; Swamp Thing (second series) #39-41; Saga of the Swamp Thing #42-45; Swamp Thing (second series) #46-58, 60-61, 63-64: Alan Moore script
Saga of the Swamp Thing #21the classic "The Anatomy Lesson", the tale that redefined Swamp Thing forever by demonstrating that Swamp Thing was a plant that only thought he was Alec Holland; Swamp Thing personally kills Sunderland; cover-dated February 1984
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #1reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #21 in black-and-white; cover-dated September 1996
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #22"Swamped"; cover-dated March 1984
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #2reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #22 in black-and-white; cover-dated October 1996
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #23"Another Green World"; cover-dated April 1984
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #3reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #23 in black-and-white; cover-dated November 1996
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #24"Roots"; cover-dated May 1984
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #4reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #24 in black-and-white; cover-dated December 1996
Needed
Swamp Thing Volume 1collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #21-24 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain; foreward by James Herbert
Much Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #25-27: features Jack Kirby's The Demon
Saga of the Swamp Thing #25"The Sleep of Reason"; cover-dated June 1984
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #5reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #25 in black-and-white; cover-dated January 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #26"A Time of Running"; cover-dated July 1984
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #6reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #26 in black-and-white; cover-dated February 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #27"By Demons Driven!"; cover-dated August 1984
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #7reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #27 in black-and-white; cover-dated March 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #28, 32: Shawn McManus art
Saga of the Swamp Thing #28"The Burial"; Swamp Thing, now knowing that he is not and never has been Alec Holland, buries Holland's remains; features the first appearance of Alec Holland's spirit; cover-dated September 1984
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #8reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #28 in black-and-white; cover-dated April 1997
Needed
Swamp Thing Volume 2collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #25-28 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain; foreward by Clive Barker
Much Needed

Larger Version Available
Saga of the Swamp Thingcollects Saga of the Swamp Thing #21-28; features uniform trade dress; features a foreward by Ramsey Campbell and a beautiful introduction by Alan Moore; John Totleben cover
[REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing [original edition]does not feature uniform trade dress
B
Saga of the Swamp Thing #29-31: the classic Arcane trilogy
Saga of the Swamp Thing #29"Love and Death"; Anton Arcane returns; first issue w/out comics code seal (an important milestone in trend towards post-Code mature popular comics); cover-dated October 1984
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #9reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #29 in black-and-white; cover-dated May 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #30"A Halo of Flies"; both Abby and Matthew Cable die; cover-dated November 1984
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #10reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #30 in black-and-white; cover-dated June 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #31, 37; DC Comics Presents #85; Swamp Thing (second series) #51-52, 55-59, 61-63: pencils by Rick Veitch (who would take over the title after Moore's departure)
Saga of the Swamp Thing #31"The Brimstone Ballet"; Anton Arcane dies; cover-dated December 1984
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #11reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #31 in black-and-white; cover-dated July 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing Annual #2"Down Amongst the Dead Men", a 40-page story that follows from Swamp Thing #31; Swamp Thing rescues Abby's soul from Hell; features the first Deadman appearance in about five years; also features the Phantom Stranger, Jack Kirby's The Demon, Spectre; features Anton Arcane and General Sunderland in Hell; first alludes to Alan Moore's version of the Phantom Stranger's origin (revealed in Secret Origins #10)
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #12reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing Annual #2 in black-and-white; cover-dated August 1997
Needed
Swamp Thing Volume 3collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #29-31 and Saga of the Swamp Thing Annual #2 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #32"Pog"; cover-dated January 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #13reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #32 in black-and-white; cover-dated September 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #33"Abandoned Houses"; Abby visits the House of Secrets in her dreams; Ron Randall art; incorporates the original Swamp Thing story from House of Secrets (first series) #92, which occurs here in a dream sequence; this issue serves as a major inspiration for The Sandman; cover-dated February 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #14reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #33 in black-and-white; cover-dated October 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #34the classic "Rite of Spring" (a.k.a. the "vegetable sex" story), in which Swamp Thing and Abby have sex (of sorts); cover-dated March 1985
Needed
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #15reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #34 in black-and-white; cover-dated November 1997
Needed

Larger Version Available
Swamp Thing: Love and Deathcollects Saga of the Swamp Thing #29-34 and Saga of the Swamp Thing Annual #2; supposedly missing page 12 from #30 ("A Halo of Flies"), which featured the Monitor (from Crisis on Infinite Earths); Jamie Delano foreword and Neil Gaiman introduction; features uniform trade dress; John Totleben cover
[REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]
Needed

Larger Version Available
Swamp Thing: Love and Death [original edition]does not feature uniform trade dress
B
Saga of the Swamp Thing #35"The Nukeface Papers Part 1"; cover-dated April 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #16reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #35 in black-and-white; cover-dated December 1997
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #36"The Nukeface Papers Part 2"; cover-dated May 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #17reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #36 in black-and-white; cover-dated January 1998
Needed
Swamp Thing Volume 4collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #32-36 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #37-38; Swamp Thing (second series) #39-40; Saga of the Swamp Thing #44-45; Swamp Thing (second series) #46-51, 55, 65-67, 70-77, 84, 88-90, 99: John Constantine appears
Saga of the Swamp Thing #37"Growth Patterns"; features the first appearance of John Constantine (future star of Hellblazer); cover-dated June 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #18reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #37 in black-and-white; cover-dated February 1998
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #38, 43, 45; Swamp Thing (second series) #47, 49: Stan Woch pencils
Saga of the Swamp Thing #38"Still Waters"; cover-dated July 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #19reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #38 in black-and-white; cover-dated March 1998
Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #39"Fish Story"; with this issue, the title changes to Swamp Thing; cover-dated August 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #20reprints Swamp Thing (second series) #39 in black-and-white; cover-dated April 1998
Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #40"The Curse"; cover-dated September 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #21reprints Swamp Thing (second series) #40 in black-and-white; cover-dated May 1998
Needed
Swamp Thing Volume 5collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #37-38 and Swamp Thing (second series) #39-40 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
DC Comics Presents #85"The Jungle Line"; Superman appears; Al Williamson inks; reprinted in The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told and in the British volume Superman: The Man of Tomorrow; cover-dated September 1985
Needed
Across the Universe: The DC Universe Stories of Alan Moorecollects
  • Superman Annual (first series) #11 (the classic "For the Man Who Has Everything" with Dave Gibbons art),
  • DC Comics Presents #85,
  • "Mortal Clay" from Batman Annual #11 (with George Freeman art),
  • the 2-part back-up story "Night Olympics" (featuring Green Arrow & Black Canary, with Klaus Janson art) from Detective Comics #549-550,
  • "Footsteps" (the origin of the Phantom Stranger, in line with his treatment in Moore's Swamp Thing, with Joe Orlando art) from Secret Origin #10,
  • the 2-part "Father's Day" from Vigilante #17-18 (with Jim Baikie art),
  • back-up stories from Omega Men #26-27 (with art by Kevin O'Neill, Paris Cullins & Rick Magyar),
  • back-up stories from Green Lantern #188 and Green Lantern Corps Annual #2-3 (with art by Gibbons, O'Neill, and Bill Willingham);
208 pages; published in June 2003
[REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]
Much Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #41; Saga of the Swamp Thing #45; Swamp Thing (second series) #49, 51-52, 55-59, 61-63: Alfredo Alcala inks
Swamp Thing (second series) #41"Southern Change"; cover-dated October 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #22reprints Swamp Thing (second series) #41 in black-and-white; cover-dated June 1998
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #42-45: for these issues, the official title reverts briefly (as if a mistake) to Saga of the Swamp Thing, but the cover logo does not revert (and thus this brief reversion in the official indicia goes unnoticed by most readers)
Saga of the Swamp Thing #42"Strange Fruit"; art by Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, and Ron Randall; cover-dated November 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #23reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #42 in black-and-white; cover-dated July 1998
Needed

Larger Version Available
Swamp Thing: The Cursecollects Saga of the Swamp Thing #35-42; reprints, at a quarter the original size, the covers to #35, 37, 40, and 42 without the titles and whatnot; features uniform trade dress; Simon Bisley cover (a version of his cover for Swamp Thing (second series) #102); published late in 2000
[REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]
B
Saga of the Swamp Thing #43; Swamp Thing (second series) #47: Ron Randall inks
Saga of the Swamp Thing #43"Windfall"; cover-dated December 1985
1
Essential Vertigo: Swamp Thing #24final issue; reprints Saga of the Swamp Thing #43 in black-and-white; cover-dated August 1998
Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #44"Bogeymen"; features Abby without Swamp Thing; art by Stephen Bissette, Ron Randall, and John Totleben; cover-dated January 1986
1
Swamp Thing Volume 6collects Swamp Thing (second series) #41 and Saga of the Swamp Thing #42-44 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
Saga of the Swamp Thing #45"Ghost Dance"; features Abby without Swamp Thing; borrows from the Winchester legend; cover-dated February 1986
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #46"Revelations"; crosses over with Crisis on Infinite Earths; features many, many super-heroes; cover-dated March 1986
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #47"The Parliament of Trees"; features the first appearance of the Parliament of Trees, whose existence alters Swamp Thing's self-consciousness and his history forever after; cover-dated April 1986
1
Swamp Thing Volume 7collects Saga of the Swamp Thing #45 and Swamp Thing (second series) #46-47 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #48, 53, 60: John Totleben art (entire)
Swamp Thing (second series) #48"A Murder of Crows"; cover-dated May 1986
1

Larger Version Available
A page from Swamp Thing #48 in black-and-white, thus better showing off John Totleben's art
Swamp Thing (second series) #49"The Summoning"; cover-dated June 1986
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #50"The End"; 38-page story featuring most of DC's magical characters, as well as the death of Sargon the Sorceror and Zatara; features the final battle between good and evil, ending in an allegorical conclusion with a postmodern stance; alternate front cover given on inside back cover; art by Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, and Rick Veitch; cover-dated July 1986
1

Larger Version Available
Swamp Thing: A Murder of Crowscollects Saga of the Swamp Thing #43-45, Swamp Thing (second series) #46-50; reprints, at a quarter the original size, the covers to #50 and three other issues; features uniform trade dress; published in 2001
[REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]
Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #51"Home Free"; cover-dated August 1986
1
Swamp Thing Volume 8collects Swamp Thing (second series) #48-51 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #52"Natural Consequences"; cover-dated September 1986
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #53"The Garden of Earthly Delight"; 38-page story featuring Batman; cover-dated October 1986
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #54"The Flowers of Romance"; art by Rick Veitch, Alfredo Alcala, and John Totleben; cover-dated November 1986
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #55"Earth to Earth"; cover-dated December 1986
1
Swamp Thing Volume 9collects Swamp Thing (second series) #52-55 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #56"My Blue Heaven"; a sort of Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover; letters page contains a response from Moore concerning #40 (“The Curse”); cover-dated January 1987
1

Larger Version Available
Swamp Thing: Earth to EarthSwamp Thing (second series) #51-56; features uniform trade dress; published in 2002
[REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]
Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #57"Mysteries in Space"; features Adam Strange; cover-dated February 1987
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #58"Exiles"; cover-dated March 1987
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #59"Reunion"; has Abby (sans Swamp Thing) deal with the dissolution of The Patchwork Man (her father), concluding (in haunting fashion) with Abby searching for her father's missing head (a twentieth-century adaptation, complete with Oedipal implications, of Isis reassembling Osiris); Stephen Bissette script, from a plot by Bissette, Totleben, Moore, and Veitch; cover-dated April 1987
1
Swamp Thing Volume 10collects Swamp Thing (second series) #56-59 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #60"Loving the Alien"; Swamp Thing gets raped; first issue printed in DC's (then-new) "new format" (featuring, at least near its inception, very good quality paper); cover-dated May 1987
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #61"All Flesh is Grass"; includes pin-ups by Bill Sienkeinwicz and Walter Simonson; cover-dated June 1987
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #62"Wavelength"; features Metron and Darkseid of the New Gods; scripted by Rick Veitch (who would succeed Moore as regular writer); cover-dated July 1987
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #63"Loose Ends (Reprise)"; cover-dated August 1987
1
Swamp Thing (second series) #64"Return of the Good Gumbo"; letters page contains a farewell from Alan Moore; art by Stephen Bissette, Tom Yeates, Rick Veitch, and Alfredo Alcala; cover-dated September 1987
1
Swamp Thing Volume 11collects Swamp Thing (second series) #60-64 in black-and-white; printed and distributed in Britain
Much Needed
Swamp Thing: ReunionSwamp Thing (second series) #57-64; includes the original covers (at full size); features uniform trade dress; published in 2003
0

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The Continuity Page for Alan Moore's miscellaneous work, including all the links relevant to Alan Moore.
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An annotated, hyperlinked chronology of Alan Moore's work.
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First published online on 18 February 2001. Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Black Orchid, and related characters and art are copyrighted by DC Comics. This site is copyrighted by Julian Darius and intended for scholarly purposes and to increase interest in its topic.