swamp thing | DC Comics

A note from Bob Harras about DC Comics-The New 52

This has been such a monumental week for DC Comics. What we launched with (the already sold out!) JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 was absolutely amazing. And what’s more exciting still is that it was just a first taste of what’s to come.

Next week marks the release of a slew of incredible series. With ACTION COMICS, writer Grant Morrison and artist Rags Morales’ new interpretation of Superman will seriously blow people away. It really sets the tone for a contemporary Man of Tomorrow. And the dynamic is totally different.

But that’s not all. Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman’s ANIMAL MAN is a remarkable book that I could not be more excited about.

Gail Simone will be reintroducing Barbara Gordon in the role of BATGIRL with her signature dark, twisted, and brilliant storytelling, accompanied by Ardian Syaf’s breathtaking artwork.

Judd Winick and Ben Oliver's debut collaboration, BATWING, will astound you.

Tony Daniel’s art and story in DETECTIVE COMICS will really surprise people.

GREEN ARROW is a fascinating new take on Oliver Queen and his mission to change the world one arrow at a time.

Rob Liefeld could not be more excited to be returning to HAWK AND DOVE – and his enthusiasm really shows in the final product.

In JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL, Dan Jurgens and Aaron Lopresti have created a team of super heroes led by Booster Gold whose adventures will be spanning the globe.

MEN OF WAR is a truly different and fresh take on a war book, especially considering the context of it being set against the backdrop of the DC Universe.

O.M.A.C. is a non-stop action-packed series that I can best describe as big and loud fun.

In STATIC SHOCK, Static comes to Manhattan and his life changes forever in unforeseeable ways.

Paul Cornell’s STORMWATCH is stuffed with surprises and new characters that will take the series into very exciting (and completely unexpected!) places. Not to mention, Miguel Sepulveda’s artwork is beyond stunning.

And in SWAMP THING, the Plant Elemental will finally return to its own series. Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette have created an extraordinary series and have really made Swamp Thing their own. You won’t want to miss it.

And that’s just week one.

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action comics, animal man, batgirl, batwing, bob harras, DC Comics-The New 52, detective comics, green arrow, hawk and dove, justice league, justice league international, Men of War, O.M.A.C., static shock, Stormwatch, swamp thing

The Search for Swamp Thing concludes

John Constantine enlists the help of Madame Xanadu to find Alec Holland. When he reaches his destination, Constantine comes face to face with Batman and Superman. Will they work together to calm the source of the volatile Green or are there other forces working against them?

The conclusion of BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING is in stores today. For more about Alec Holland and The Green, read SWAMP THING by Scott Snyder with art by Yanick Paquette as part of DC Comics-The New 52 this September.

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alec holland, brightest day aftermath: the search for swamp thing, john constantine, Madame Xanadu, scott snyder, swamp thing, yanick paquette

New villains emerge from The Dark

SWAMP THING #3

Only one woman can save Alec Holland.

ANIMAL MAN #3

Animal Man vs. the Hunters Three #thenewvillains.

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #3

Introducing The Titans of Monster Planet #thenewvillains.

I, VAMPIRE #3

The Queen of Blood builds an army #thenewvillains.

RESURRECTION MAN #3

Resurrection Man vs. The Body Doubles #thenewvillains.

DEMON KNIGHTS #3

Etrigan the Demon vs. the Questing Queen and Mordru #thenewvillains.

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animal man, Demon Knights, Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E., I Vampire, Resurrection Man, swamp thing

John Constantine to take over Swamp Thing’s psyche?

On his journey to find Swamp Thing, John Constantine discovers the motive behind the plant elemental’s new brutal and savage behavior: With Alec Holland’s resurrection (in the pages of BRIGHTEST DAY), Swamp Thing finds itself without a human consciousness, and The Green within becomes an uncontrollable force of evil. But as John continues to search for Swamp Thing to get the answers he needs, he realizes that his prey has taken on the role of the predator and is seeking him out as well. Why? The Green needs a new human, and John just happens to fit the bill to play host within its dark psyche.

In order to prevent himself from being consumed, John will need to travel to Metropolis and enlist the help of Superman. But will even the Man of Steel be able to help against the magic forces at work here?

BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING #2, by Jonathan Vankin and Renato Arlem, is in stores today.

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alec holland, brightest day aftermath: the search for swamp thing, john constantine, jonathan vankin, renato arlem, Superman, swamp thing

Today’s The Dark and The Edge panel at SDCC

During today’s panel for The Dark and The Edge at SDCC, we premiered art from ANIMAL MAN, BLACKHAWKS, DEATHSTROKE, FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E., JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK, MEN OF WAR, OMAC, RESURRECTION MAN, SUICIDE SQUAD, SWAMP THING, I, VAMPIRE, and VOODOO. Click through the gallery to see all this new art.

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animal man, Blackhawks, DC Comics-The New 52, deathstroke, frankenstein, Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E., I Vampire, Justice League Dark, Men of War, OMAC, Resurrection Man, san diego comic con, suicide squad, swamp thing, Voodoo

Announcing the Hardcover Collection, DC COMICS: THE NEW 52

This September, DC Entertainment is making history by launching 52 #1 DC Comics issues starring the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes. To commemorate this milestone occasion, DC Entertainment will be releasing DC COMICS: THE NEW 52, a massive hardcover collection that collects every single one of these debut issues. Hitting stores on December 7th just in time for the holiday season, this 1,216-page compilation will sell for $150.00 and include such issues as:

• JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee

• ACTION COMICS #1 by Grant Morrison and Rags Morales

• BATMAN #1 by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo

• GREEN LANTERN #1 by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke

• SWAMP THING #1 by Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette

• STORMWATCH #1 by Paul Cornell and Miguel Sepulveda

• TEEN TITANS #1 by Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth

• And 45 more!

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action comics, Batman, brett booth, doug mahnke, Geoff Johns, grant morrison, green lantern, Greg Capullo, jim lee, justice league, miguel sepulveda, paul cornell, rags morales, Scott Lobdell, scott snyder, Stormwatch, swamp thing, teen titans, yanick paquette

Questions About The Dark

We’re just one month after the announcement of the books in the “Dark” group of DC Comics--The New 52. There's a lot of mystery surrounding these titles and the solicitations for the second issues offer another round of questions to keep fans guessing: Can the Justice League Dark turn against one of their own? Was Alec Holland wrong about Swamp Thing’s origins? What is the S.O.M.B.I.E. appearing in FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E.? Will Mitch Shelly, a.k.a. Resurrection Man, find the answers he’s looking for about his past? Find out all of these and more when the below books hit shelves this October.

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #2

Written by PETER MILLIGAN

Art by MIKEL JANIN

Cover by RYAN SOOK

On sale OCTOBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

Madame Xanadu continues guiding the world’s darkest heroes in their struggle against evil. But will John Constantine, Zatanna, Shade the Changing Man and the others be able to join forces in time to defeat the dangerous Enchantress before she destroys the world as we know it?

SWAMP THING #2

Written by SCOTT SNYDER

Art and cover by YANICK PAQUETTE

On sale OCTOBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Alec Holland thought he knew the history of the Swamp Thing – but he was wrong. The creature’s roots run deeper than he knows, and the Parliament of Trees intends to make him understand the responsibility he wants so desperately to avoid! With this issue, the mythology of the Swamp Thing branches out in ways you never saw coming – don’t miss it!

ANIMAL MAN #2

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art and cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN

On sale OCTOBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Maxine’s new abilities continue to terrify Ellen and Buddy Baker, and things take a turn for the worse as Buddy begins a startling transformation of his own that will lead him on a journey into the heart of The Red. Meanwhile, The Hunters Three arrive on Earth and set their sights on the Baker family. The Hunt is on as DC’s most surprising new series continues to take ANIMAL MAN in shocking new directions.

FRANKENSTEIN, AGENT OF S.H.A.D.E. #2

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art by ALBERTO PONTICELLI

Cover by J.G. JONES

On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

It’s all-out war as Frankenstein and his new field team, The Creature Commandos, uncover an age-old conspiracy at the heart of Bone Lake – one that will see them suit up as the world’s first “Necronauts,” traveling between worlds and through “dead space,” toward the mysterious Monster Planet. Meanwhile, the horrifying origins of the Commandos are revealed – and the S.O.M.B.I.E. makes its first appearance!

RESURRECTION MAN #2

Written by DAN ABNETT and ANDY LANNING

Art by FERNANDO DAGNINO

Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO

On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Mitch Shelley’s past remains a mystery. So when he goes looking for answers, will he find them? Not likely, when he has to contend with the bounty hunter femme fatales known as The Body Doubles.

I, VAMPIRE #2

Written by JOSHUA HALE FIALKOV

Art by ANDREA SORRENTINO

Cover by JENNY FRISON

On sale OCTOBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

True love becomes divine hatred between the Queen of Blood and Andrew, as her vampires begin their attacks across the country. Their past behind them, they find themselves ready to battle to the death... If those feelings really are all gone. Surrounded by swarms of bloodthirsty vamps, Andrew must confront his immortal beloved in a blood-soaked battle he can’t win.

DEMON KNIGHTS #2

Written by PAUL CORNELL

Art by DIOGENES NEVES and OCLAIR ALBERT

Cover by TONY S. DANIEL

On sale OCTOBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T

The siege that will reverberate through history to the present-day DCU begins as the Demon Etrigan and his unlikely lover, Madame Xanadu, face the Horde! What five (mostly) noble souls would be crazy enough to join them? The cover gives but a hint, and the point could well be moot by the time this issue’s done. For the Horde is armed with the magic of Mordru – including some decidedly different dragons!

“There’s more – much more - to your own story than you could possibly know.” – Scott Snyder

(The cover for BATMAN #1 by Greg Capullo; The cover for SWAMP THING #1 by Yanick Paquette)

Over the course of the past year, Scott Snyder has made a huge impact on the comic industry. From his New York Times bestselling series AMERICAN VAMPIRE to his critically acclaimed run on DETECTIVE COMICS and his compelling FLASHPOINT: PROJECT SUPERMAN, Snyder is everywhere. This fall, he will be writing two new series: SWAMP THING and BATMAN. We caught up with him to learn what to expect in both series.

THE SOURCE: What about DC's new 52 titles excites you the most?

SCOTT SNYDER: So many! Grant's ACTION, definitely. Geoff and Jim’s JUSTICE LEAGUE, J.T. Krul’s CAPTAIN ATOM, and definitely Kyle Higgins’ NIGHTWING (he’s doing a great job on that, I can promise you). Deep down, though, I’m probably most excited for the “Dark” titles. I’ve read Jeff’s ANIMAL MAN and FRANKENSTEIN scripts and I can say that those are going to be mind-blowingly terrific series. Paul Cornell’s DEMON KNIGHTS. Pete Milligan’s JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK. Josh Fialkov’s IVAMPIRE (I do have a soft spot for the undead, after all). In the end, I’m just excited for the whole new shared world of the DCU – to get to open the books and know this is one big communal world, with all these exciting things happening around the corner from each other.

How and why are you shaking up the series' status quo?

On SWAMP THING, it’s a big shake-up, in that Alec Holland, the main character, is human again. He’s been given his life back and now all he wants to do is escape the mantle of the Swamp Thing. But the Green won’t let him, because this threat has risen, something ancient and deeply tied to the mythology established by Moore. The series will honor everything that came before, though – I want people to understand this. With SWAMP THING (and BATMAN) none of us are interested in wiping away what was there before. These character ion particular have extremely rich histories, rich stories behind them, and what came before will stand in this series. It’s truly an expansion of the ideas and mythology established in previous runs. I really couldn’t be more excited about this series. When you think about it, Alec himself has only appeared in about what, ten pages of comics? With all the Swamp Thing stories, Alec himself is still a big mystery to us. Who was he before the accident that turned him into Swamp Thing? Is there more to his history? Is there something between him and other stories and mythologies in the DCU? Something about him and the Arcanes? Some reason he was chosen?

In BATMAN, it’s a shakeup by having Bruce front and center, back in Gotham, re-investing in the city. But again, much of what you’ve loved about Batman recently –the immediate bat-family – the stories that just happened in BATMAN and DETECTIVE COMICS and BATMAN AND ROBIN and BATMAN INC – those are still in play. This is the Bruce you know and love, reinvigorated to be back in his home city, with new tech, new energy, and a deadly new villain. A villain written into the very architecture of Gotham (look closely for clues).

What new characters will debut in the series?

SWAMP THING and BATMAN will both debut new villains with ties to the mythology. Meaning, I wanted to create new villains for the heroes of both books, but I wanted them to have deep bonds with ideas and history set up by previous writers. Villains that matter and mean something and bring with them both twisted and huge revelations about the heroes’ respective pasts and presents.

Will we see new character designs?

Yep.

What's the first line of dialogue in the first issue?

BATMAN: “It’s good to be home.” - Batman

SWAMP THING: “We need to talk.” – Superman to Dr. Holland

What's the biggest surprise you've had working on this character/book?

How full a world you end up making for yourself with both. Swampy and Batman have always been books that people have injected strong ideas into – from Moore to Miller to Morrison… And when you start in on them, it’s like to write them, you have to imagine the entire world of the book in its entirety. It has to be your Gotham. You have to know it and live in it. It’s odd how quickly and easily it envelops you. Same with SWAMP THING. It’s a very personal take on the character of Alec. The whole world of the book is something close to my (black, twisted) heart.

What secret has been the hardest to keep?

That I’m getting to write these! These are literally my two favorite characters in the DCU – really in all of comics. I’m doing my dream job right now. Couldn’t feel luckier. Thanks again to everyone reading for getting me here. Promise to work round the clock to deliver something special and not let you down.

What’s the unofficial tagline for this series, in your own words?

I guess both have almost the same one for me:

There’s more – much more - to your own story than you could possibly know.

What were your thoughts about the day-and-date digital announcement?

I’m old fashioned – I’m still figuring out what that entails.

Tags:

Batman, scott snyder, swamp thing

Jonathan Vankin hints at what’s to come in BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING

Last week, BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING #1 hit stores. The premiere issue of this 3-part miniseries teamed John Constantine up with some of the biggest superheroes in the DC Universe in the search for the plant elemental known as Swamp Thing.

This morning on YAHOO! Associated Content, series writer Jonathan Vankin gave an exclusive interview about his writing process, the series’ characters, and what to expect in issues #2 and #3.

“John has to make a decision that, whichever way he goes, will alter the course of both Swampy's existence and possibly his own -- and even the fate of the world -- for a long time to come,” Vankin said.

Head on over to YAHOO! Associated Content for the complete coverage. And while you’re waiting for issue #2 to hit stores next month, be sure to check out the standard cover by Ardian Syaf and Vicente Cifuentes and the variant cover by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado below.

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ardian syaf, brightest day aftermath: the search for swamp thing, ivan reis, joe prado, john constantine, jonathan vankin, swamp thing, Vicente Cifuentes, Yahoo! Associated Content

The Search for Swamp Thing Begins

(Standard cover by Ardian Syaf, Vicente Cifuentes and Ulises Arreola; Variant cover by J.G. Jones)

Following the unpredictable events that concluded the BRIGHTEST DAY series in April, Swamp Thing went missing. With him on the loose, who better to help find him and restore his identity than John Constantine, the man who helped him learn it in the first place?

In BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING #1, Constantine enlists the help of the world’s greatest detective, Batman, to assist in finding the plant elemental. The Dark Knight, in turn, seeks out the help of one of Constanine’s former flames, Zatanna. Can the trio get to the bottom of Swamp Thing's location and stop him from his path of darkness before it’s too late?

Written by Jonathan Vankin and featuring art by Marco Castiello and Vincenzo Acunzo, BRIGHTEST DAY AFTERMATH: THE SEARCH FOR SWAMP THING #1 hits stores tomorrow. Head over to both COMIC BOOK RESOURCES and to NEWSARAMA, as both have their own exclusive preview pages.

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