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A swamp monster (also variously called a swamp creature, swamp man, or muck monster) [1] is a fictional or mythological creature imagined to lurk in a swamp. Some swamp monsters resemble aquatic creatures, others aquatic plants and moss. They are generally depicted as fierce and destructive.
From the 1940s to the present many swamp monsters have been used in comics, an early example being Hillman Publications' the Heap.
Afterwards, both DC Comics and Marvel created similar characters:
The debuts of the two characters were so close that it is impossible to say which came first. [11] Alan Moore, who worked on Swamp Thing for a period, later described the character's original incarnation as "a regurgitation of Hillman Comics' The Heap", adding that "When I took over that character at Len Wein's suggestion, I did my best to make it an original character that didn't owe a huge debt to previously existing swamp monsters." [12]
Other swamp monsters in comics include:
Swamp Thing is a superhero and antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, the Swamp Thing has had several different incarnations throughout his publication. The character first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century. The character found perhaps its greatest popularity during the original 1970s Wein/Wrightson run and in the mid-late 1980s during a highly acclaimed run under Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, and John Totleben. Swamp Thing would also go on to become one of the staples of the Justice League Dark, a team featuring magical superheroes.
Bernard Albert Wrightson was an American artist, known for co-creating the Swamp Thing, his adaptation of the novel Frankenstein illustration work, and for his other horror comics and illustrations, which feature his trademark intricate pen and brushwork.
Nancy A. Collins is an American horror fiction writer best known for her series of vampire novels featuring her character Sonja Blue. Collins has also written for comic books, including the Swamp Thing series, Jason vs. Leatherface, Predator: Hell Come A' Walkin' and her own one-shot issue Dhampire: Stillborn.
The Sandman is the pseudonym of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. They have appeared in stories of various genres, including the pulp detective character Wesley Dodds, superheroes such as Garrett Sanford and Hector Hall, and mythic fantasy characters more commonly called by the name Dream. Named after the folklore character that is said to bring pleasant dreams to children, each has had some thematic connection to dreaming, and efforts have been made to tie them into a common continuity within the DC Universe.
Leonard Norman Wein was an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men. Additionally, he was the editor for writer Alan Moore and illustrator Dave Gibbons' influential DC miniseries Watchmen.
The Man-Thing is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writers Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Gerry Conway and artist Gray Morrow, the character first appeared in Savage Tales #1, and went on to be featured in various titles and in his own series, including Adventure into Fear. Steve Gerber's 39-issue run on the series is considered to be a cult classic.
Solomon Grundy is a supervillain and occasional antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was originally depicted as a murder victim brought back to life as a corporeal revenant or zombie, though subsequent versions of the character have occasionally depicted a different origin. His name is taken from the 19th century nursery rhyme "Solomon Grundy".
Anton Arcane is a supervillain appearing in American comic books by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Swamp Thing #2, and was created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson. He is the archenemy of Swamp Thing, the protagonist of the comics.
The Heap is the name of several fictional comic book muck-monsters, the original of which first appeared in Hillman Periodicals' Air Fighters Comics #3, during the period fans and historians call the Golden Age of Comic Books. The Heap was comics' first swamp monster.
Swamp Thing is a 1982 American superhero film written and directed by Wes Craven, based on the DC Comics character of the same name created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. It tells the story of scientist Alec Holland who is transformed into the monster known as Swamp Thing through laboratory sabotage orchestrated by the evil Anton Arcane. Later, he helps a woman named Alice Cable and battles the man responsible for it all, the ruthless Arcane. The film did well on home video and cable and was followed by a sequel, The Return of Swamp Thing, in 1989.
Man-Thing is a 2005 monster film based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name. Directed by Brett Leonard and written by Hans Rodionoff, it stars Matthew Le Nevez, Rachael Taylor, and Jack Thompson, with Conan Stevens portraying the title character. The film follows a Louisiana sheriff as he investigates a series of deaths in a swamp, leading to him encountering the eponymous creature.
The Glob is the name of different fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
The Un-Men are a group of fictional characters in the DC/Vertigo Comics universe. Created by the writer/artist team of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson, the Un-Men made their first appearance in 1972, in issues #1–2 of the original Swamp Thing comic book series. The characters made subsequent appearances in later issues of Swamp Thing and its successor series, The Saga of the Swamp Thing, and in the 1994 five-issue Vertigo miniseries, American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men. In August 2007, Vertigo launched The Un-Men, a monthly comic book series chronicling the further exploits of these characters. 13 issues of that title were published.
Swamp Thing is an animated television series based on the Vertigo/DC Comics superhero character Swamp Thing. The series is short-lived, with the pilot episode airing on October 31, 1990 followed by four additional episodes airing weekly from April 20 to May 11, 1991. It aired on YTV from 1991 to 1993 in Canada. Produced by DIC Animation City, the series corresponded with Kenner's Swamp Thing action figure collection released in 1990. Despite the animated series' brief run, various merchandise was also produced in 1991 resulting in the only significant marketing platform ever created for the character. This is the final animated series from DC Comics to not be produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
Matthew Joseph Cable is a character appearing in DC Comics' Swamp Thing series. Introduced in Swamp Thing in November 1972, he was created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson. Years later, the character dies and is later resurrected as Dream's raven in Neil Gaiman's rendition of The Sandman.
Notable events of 1972 in comics.
"It" is a horror short story by American writer Theodore Sturgeon, first published in Unknown of August 1940. The story deals with a muck-monster that emerges from a swamp, and terrorizes a family who lives nearby. The creature has no emotions, and is simply curious about the things that it observes. Its terrifying strength allows it to grab animals and people and tear them apart, to see how they work. Ultimately, the creature is revealed to have formed around a human skeleton.
The character the Swamp Thing has appeared in seven American comic book series to date, including several specials, and has crossed over into other DC Comics titles. The series found immense popularity upon its 1970s debut and during the mid-late 1980s under Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, and John Totleben. These eras were met with high critical praise and numerous awards. However, over the years, the Swamp Thing comics have suffered from low sales, which have resulted in numerous series cancellations and revivals.