Matt Draper As someone who spent considerable time and expense tracking down the full Swamp Thing run long before anything beyond the first two trade paperbacks were collected, I approve of this series already!
Matt Draper this was very well done, im a huge fan of moore’s run, one of the best comic series of all time. If any comic deserves a well thought out analysis its this one
"The swamp is my world. It is who I am, it is what I am. I was once a man. I know what the evil men do. Do not bring your evil here. I warned you. Beware the wrath of SWAMP THING!"
ShinbrigTV__ Well, let's hope that DC gets it right this time, especially with DC giving Swamp Thing his own TV show on their new streaming device, DC Universe
Two quotes come to mind when I think of Swamp Thing the first is that "he who has a why to live can bear almost any how" (Nietzsche) and "when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves [112]" (Viktor Frankl). By forcing Swamp Thing to accept the challenge to suffer bravely by casting off his perceived humanity (Alex Olsen), Alan Moore makes the character responsible for his own existence in so doing gives meaning back to the characters life.
I read the anatomy Lesson as a pre-teen, and it simply engulfed me. I had never read a comics book like that, spent hours re-reading and checking each page and panel. In the end, the first story arc was indeed, for me, an inspiration for growing up. Not an easy ride, anyways,
I remember reading this story when I was a Kid in a store, and my parents didnt let me buy it, because it was too graphic to their taste. I bought it anyway a few weeks later, and hid it, but I was too young to understand what happened. Reading it later in my teenage years, I was blown away, such good seminal story coming from mr Moore. Like everything he touched back in the 80s.
12:20 '...and meet the sun', with those words in the middle of the image of the rising red sun Swamp Thing is standing in front of, but they got removed from the tradepaperback edition of the comic
I'm from Brasil and I was looking for swamp thing(Alan Moore) videos, that I just love, to improve and practice my english and I find your channel, you're amazing, I'm really liking your videos!
One small quibble: I seem to recall Moore starting V For Vendetta long before he started Swamp Thing, though he did finish it after that series. On a sadder but necessary note, RIP Len Wein, creator of Swamp Thing, Wolverine and the All-New, All Different X-Men. You deserved more credit than you got, my tribal elder.
You're right, I threw in some references but should have specified. And yes, so sad to have lost both Wein and Wrightson in the same year. True legends.
They changed his origin again in Brightest Day issue 24, the white lantern brought back Alec Holland only to have Swamp Thing take him over and battle a black lantern avatar of Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing was the chosen avatar of life.
8:05… it found it rather odd that the original printing of this issue had these blue blurred images of Sunderland’s feet to showed that he was kicking and struggling as he was being suffocated, but here, that effect is taking out. Some other reprints would retain it while others, like this one, do not. While Swamp Thing went on a destructive rampage, destroying everything in his path, he didn’t kill Sunderland outright by smashing him to pieces or break his neck or give him an instant death, but by a lingering depth of suffocation, making it rather personal. Sunderland was depicted in the art as constantly smoking and you see him exhaling smoke out of his nose and mouth and I wonder if this wasn’t deliberate irony that he died by having his nose and mouth covered shut.
I've actually got an original page of the Anatomy Lesson! I bought it from John Tottleben and it remains the treasure of my collection.It's remarkable to see the beautiful inking and see white out being used to correct their mistakes.
Alan Moore's run on the character is definitive, imo. He blended classic horror, psychedelic themes, and one former man's search for whatever remained of his humanity while struggling to cope with his newfound powers as Earth's chosen elemental very well.
The strangest thing that I took from the Swamp Thing saga is mere words can have a huge effect on a person. Swamp Thing is told a theory that he is not Alec which then has this horrible effect on him. His arch nemesis is told the flaw in killing all human life will effect all plant life eventually drives him mad also, both character are inform of something that changes the whole life. Which entails the pen is truly mightier then the sword.
I just read Moore’s run recently, Anatomy Lesson right off the bat is just, great. Then there’s Anton Arcane’s return, Constantine’s debut, the Great Evil Beast, and more! Man, it’s sad to see the show cancelled but it seems they might adapt Anatomy Lesson in the next episode. I hope it makes Moore proud.
Alan Moore´s swamp thing became my favorite comic book character right after reading this story for the first time at the tender age of fourteen. Now many years past I still believe it is one of the greatest comic books ever written.
I remember buying these off the rack (yes, back then, literal racks) and my 13 year-old mind was blown. I had Bernie and Len’s run in a collection, and I read them to death ( have all the originals signed by the creators, may they rest on peace), so I was not prepared for Moore and co’s mind fuck. Good stuff. Matt, I love your vids, hermano🤘🏼
This brings back wonderful memories thank you for the breakdown! I have always loved Swamp Thing and me entire family - comic book people - loved Swamp Thing and then Alan Moore too. oxox
Matt, Thank you very much for this lesson. I am a new fan of Swamp Thing after watching the recent run on television. I am in the process of purchasing the Alan Moore run .Thank you again very much, BTW I am a retired researcher with a PhD in Anatomy and Physiology. Again well done
Great analysis. You get to the heart and soul (no pun intended) of Alan Moore’s run on this series. Maybe an exploration of the Green and Elementals....?
Damn. That was tight. Some points went over my head but you brought me back in the end. Great work. Never knew that comics can convey messages like this.
"You can't kill a vegetable by shooting it in the head". I was a Swamp Thing fan as Moore took control, and what a great ride. I had no idea what the next issue would involve. The introduction of Phantom Stranger and such was just brilliant.
I remember Swamp thing by Alan Moore. It is timeless. Not too deep, not too shallow. The existence question everybody have in some point of their lives.
This is probably my favorite single issue of any comic ever from my favorite comic book run of all time! Thanks so much for deconstructing it and I'm really looking forward to further videos on the topic
Thank you! It's such an incredible issue. I know Moore has received about as much praise any comic writer could possibly get, but he's made some of the best stories in the medium.
I just stared reading this on my amazon kindle and I was like hell na I gotta get the paperback. Its beautiful drawn. It has such a unique feeling to it's horror.
I honestly just thought swamp thing was a random horror movie character I had no clue it was a part of DC that's kinda cool tales from the crypt wasn't DC right?!?
Awesome video and content as ever Matt! Always really entertaining, engaging, interesting & fun to watch :). Plus I continue to love the way in which you document your thoughts and the way that you go through and not only give a structured & well-balanced analysis, but also taking the time to further explain and justify your reasons behind your opinions and conclusions. Moore's run on Swamp Thing was my first exposure to the character and I've thoroughly and immensely enjoyed the first two books/volumes that I've read thus far. I need to give myself a mental kick up the backside and not only delve into volume/book 3 which features the first appearance of John Constantine but I need to pick up volumes/books 4 - 6 as soon as humanly possible. Can I just say that the sheer amount and level of love, care, attention to detail, time & effort that you put into making & editing each and every video that you continue to publish is absolutely bloody awesome? keep up the stellar work man!. Quick question if I may? what is the make & model of the microphone that you use for creating your voiceovers for your ideas? also what video editing software do you use for your videos?.
It's interesting to remember, early publications of the Moore ST TPB's did not include issue 20. I mention this for anyone who has those books, if they are not aware of the missing issue.
One of the best stories of the post Bronze Age. It still feels like the Bronze Age era is still going. It truly ended when Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, and Jim Lee entered the picture to the comics industry. To me, that's where the Bronze Age is no more, and the Dark Age has truly began.
Great timing with this! I just bought all 6 volumes of Moore's Saga of Swamp Thing run (minus volume 3...my FLCS was out of stock). It's so so good.. The story of Matt/Abby/Cable is a bit...odd though. I love the idea of Swamp Thing though, and the whole concept of The Green that Moore brought in..
@@MattDraper I have all six volumes of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run as well Swamp Thing Bronze age volumes 1-3 & Swamp Thing New Roots & all 3 volumes Scott Snyder's Swamp Thing run.
The biggest thing that has bothered about every portrayal of Swamp Thing in animated media since reading this Saga is that it isn’t Moore’s Thing. It is so much deeper from a story perspective and also SO much cooler than the original Thing
Martin Pasko's run was suffocating and sooo wordy and at times just plain god awful. Moore came in just at the right time.Evidently, it led led to what is basically the greatest run in comics history lol
Excellent! This run is one of my favourite things I’ve ever read in comics. Do you follow Saga? I think you could do a lot with their approach to lettering, particularly in the most recent chapter. All the different layers of lettering add so much to the story, and ask the reader to be a storyteller in a more active way.
Thank you! I've read some of Saga, but I'm not caught up. That's a really excellent idea. Now that you mention it, the lettering really does play a major part in the storytelling.
Love how you review classic and contemporary, mainstream and independent. Love your work. Any interest/plans for any of the Top Cow characters? I love the Top Cow universe and feel it doesn't get a proper spotlight.
Huh, obviously going about things in the backwards order I read the Southern Reach trilogy before reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run. They deal with a lot of the same subjects. I have a hard time imagining that Jeff VanderMeer never read this.
Although I disagree with the idea that Swamp Thing and Alec Holland are different people. When the plants absorbed Alec, they also absorbed (depending on your view) everything that made him Alec. His mind, personality, memories, etc. So when the plants absorbed them, it basically copied Alec into itself, therefore making itself Alec. It's kinda like in Invincible when Robot created a new body for himself. He basically cloned his personality into the new body to ensure that he would live on even if Rudy wasn't the original.
This is the first in what will be a sporadic series covering the many stories that compose Alan Moore's classic run on Swamp Thing. Enjoy!
Matt Draper As someone who spent considerable time and expense tracking down the full Swamp Thing run long before anything beyond the first two trade paperbacks were collected, I approve of this series already!
Matt Draper this was very well done, im a huge fan of moore’s run, one of the best comic series of all time. If any comic deserves a well thought out analysis its this one
Hyper Light Drifter Music?
The glory days of DC. I can SMELL these comics as they appear on the screen.
Beautiful comment.
"The swamp is my world. It is who I am, it is what I am. I was once a man. I know what the evil men do. Do not bring your evil here. I warned you. Beware the wrath of SWAMP THING!"
The succes of the Shape of Water makes this perfect time for a new Swamp Thing movie.
I hadn't thought of that before, but you're right!
Especially that DC is suffering a lot with their cinematic universe.
ShinbrigTV__ Well, let's hope that DC gets it right this time, especially with DC giving Swamp Thing his own TV show on their new streaming device, DC Universe
I have faith, since DC is better with their TV shows than their movies.
It's becoming a tv show on DC's new streaming service.
Two quotes come to mind when I think of Swamp Thing the first is that "he who has a why to live can bear almost any how" (Nietzsche) and "when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves [112]" (Viktor Frankl). By forcing Swamp Thing to accept the challenge to suffer bravely by casting off his perceived humanity (Alex Olsen), Alan Moore makes the character responsible for his own existence in so doing gives meaning back to the characters life.
This is fantastic. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
I read the anatomy Lesson as a pre-teen, and it simply engulfed me. I had never read a comics book like that, spent hours re-reading and checking each page and panel. In the end, the first story arc was indeed, for me, an inspiration for growing up. Not an easy ride, anyways,
I remember reading this story when I was a Kid in a store, and my parents didnt let me buy it, because it was too graphic to their taste. I bought it anyway a few weeks later, and hid it, but I was too young to understand what happened. Reading it later in my teenage years, I was blown away, such good seminal story coming from mr Moore. Like everything he touched back in the 80s.
Is that Artgerm i see in your thumbnail...cool cool! I just got his recent poster book DC put out.
And that's why Swamp Thing is my favorite.
Love it! UA-cam needs more Swamp Thing
Agreed!
12:20 '...and meet the sun', with those words in the middle of the image of the rising red sun Swamp Thing is standing in front of, but they got removed from the tradepaperback edition of the comic
@Neil Jason 'Saga of the Swamp Thing Book One', printed 2012
I'm from Brasil and I was looking for swamp thing(Alan Moore) videos, that I just love, to improve and practice my english and I find your channel, you're amazing, I'm really liking your videos!
One small quibble: I seem to recall Moore starting V For Vendetta long before he started Swamp Thing, though he did finish it after that series.
On a sadder but necessary note, RIP Len Wein, creator of Swamp Thing, Wolverine and the All-New, All Different X-Men. You deserved more credit than you got, my tribal elder.
You're right, I threw in some references but should have specified. And yes, so sad to have lost both Wein and Wrightson in the same year. True legends.
They changed his origin again in Brightest Day issue 24, the white lantern brought back Alec Holland only to have Swamp Thing take him over and battle a black lantern avatar of Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing was the chosen avatar of life.
8:05… it found it rather odd that the original printing of this issue had these blue blurred images of Sunderland’s feet to showed that he was kicking and struggling as he was being suffocated, but here, that effect is taking out. Some other reprints would retain it while others, like this one, do not. While Swamp Thing went on a destructive rampage, destroying everything in his path, he didn’t kill Sunderland outright by smashing him to pieces or break his neck or give him an instant death, but by a lingering depth of suffocation, making it rather personal. Sunderland was depicted in the art as constantly smoking and you see him exhaling smoke out of his nose and mouth and I wonder if this wasn’t deliberate irony that he died by having his nose and mouth covered shut.
It's been kinda tough maintaining my love for comics when these were the books that got me into it back in the day. Nothing quite measures up.
Oh boy a swamp thing video let me get my popcorn
Enjoy!
I've actually got an original page of the Anatomy Lesson! I bought it from John Tottleben and it remains the treasure of my collection.It's remarkable to see the beautiful inking and see white out being used to correct their mistakes.
Which page?
Alan Moore's run on the character is definitive, imo.
He blended classic horror, psychedelic themes, and one former man's search for whatever remained of his humanity while struggling to cope with his newfound powers as Earth's chosen elemental very well.
Wrightson, Wein, and Alan Moore were the men that made Swamp Thing for me...
I read this storyline in a trade paperback... Chilling, and powerful!
Great video as always Matt!! Swamp Thing is by far one of my favorite characters in DC and this video didn't disappoint.
Thank you! I really appreciate it.
The strangest thing that I took from the Swamp Thing saga is mere words can have a huge effect on a person. Swamp Thing is told a theory that he is not Alec which then has this horrible effect on him. His arch nemesis is told the flaw in killing all human life will effect all plant life eventually drives him mad also, both character are inform of something that changes the whole life. Which entails the pen is truly mightier then the sword.
Well narrated ,well explained Matt ,that was deep bro .
My favorite thing about this story is the battle of wits between Sunderland and the Floronic Man. The businessman vs. the intellectual.
I just read Moore’s run recently, Anatomy Lesson right off the bat is just, great. Then there’s Anton Arcane’s return, Constantine’s debut, the Great Evil Beast, and more! Man, it’s sad to see the show cancelled but it seems they might adapt Anatomy Lesson in the next episode. I hope it makes Moore proud.
Alan Moore´s swamp thing became my favorite comic book character right after reading this story for the first time at the tender age of fourteen. Now many years past I still believe it is one of the greatest comic books ever written.
I come back every few months to remind myself what a masterpiece this is.
I remember buying these off the rack (yes, back then, literal racks) and my 13 year-old mind was blown. I had Bernie and Len’s run in a collection, and I read them to death ( have all the originals signed by the creators, may they rest on peace), so I was not prepared for Moore and co’s mind fuck. Good stuff. Matt, I love your vids, hermano🤘🏼
All life is connected through DNA so it's not a huge stretch of the imagination for this character's origin.
This brings back wonderful memories thank you for the breakdown! I have always loved Swamp Thing and me entire family - comic book people - loved Swamp Thing and then Alan Moore too. oxox
Matt, Thank you very much for this lesson. I am a new fan of Swamp Thing after watching the recent run on television. I am in the process of purchasing the Alan Moore run .Thank you again very much, BTW I am a retired researcher with a PhD in Anatomy and Physiology. Again well done
I really need to get back into reading this series. Good video and nice use of Disasterpeace.
Thanks!
Great analysis. You get to the heart and soul (no pun intended) of Alan Moore’s run on this series. Maybe an exploration of the Green and Elementals....?
Damn. That was tight. Some points went over my head but you brought me back in the end. Great work. Never knew that comics can convey messages like this.
That was... beatiful
Oh hey
No fucking way man!
This was really impressive. I did not know that Swamp Thing story rose to this level of art. Pretty cool!
Swamp Thing : a character that could have and possibly still can save the DC Extended Universe
Great video! I really love your analysis on the first story arc of Alan Moore"s legendary Swamp Thing run, I hope you do more like this one.
Thank you! I’ll be doing another Swamp Thing video sometime in the next few months.
I can hardly wait!
"You can't kill a vegetable by shooting it in the head". I was a Swamp Thing fan as Moore took control, and what a great ride. I had no idea what the next issue would involve. The introduction of Phantom Stranger and such was just brilliant.
I remember Swamp thing by Alan Moore. It is timeless. Not too deep, not too shallow. The existence question everybody have in some point of their lives.
This is probably my favorite single issue of any comic ever from my favorite comic book run of all time! Thanks so much for deconstructing it and I'm really looking forward to further videos on the topic
Thank you! It's such an incredible issue. I know Moore has received about as much praise any comic writer could possibly get, but he's made some of the best stories in the medium.
I haven't read Miracle Man fully yet but I stand fully by Swamp Thing as being his best and most underappreciated work.
Alan Moore's run on the Swamp Thing was really great, I still have yet to read the latest versions...and hope not to be disappointed
I love this chararcter, I can't wait for the tv series to come out.
This is amazing, you deserve way more subscribers.
I freaking love swampthing, so im very happy you did this. Thank you for this amazing video...
Thank you very much!
Matt Draper your very welcome
I just stared reading this on my amazon kindle and I was like hell na I gotta get the paperback. Its beautiful drawn. It has such a unique feeling to it's horror.
We need a Swamp-Thing movie, now that we're getting R rated comic movies. It could be amazing.
Yes the glory days of swamp thing we want and need back in 2021!!
This was beautiful, thank you!
I honestly just thought swamp thing was a random horror movie character I had no clue it was a part of DC that's kinda cool tales from the crypt wasn't DC right?!?
I love Swamp Thing ....
Awesome video and content as ever Matt! Always really entertaining, engaging, interesting & fun to watch :). Plus I continue to love the way in which you document your thoughts and the way that you go through and not only give a structured & well-balanced analysis, but also taking the time to further explain and justify your reasons behind your opinions and conclusions. Moore's run on Swamp Thing was my first exposure to the character and I've thoroughly and immensely enjoyed the first two books/volumes that I've read thus far. I need to give myself a mental kick up the backside and not only delve into volume/book 3 which features the first appearance of John Constantine but I need to pick up volumes/books 4 - 6 as soon as humanly possible. Can I just say that the sheer amount and level of love, care, attention to detail, time & effort that you put into making & editing each and every video that you continue to publish is absolutely bloody awesome? keep up the stellar work man!. Quick question if I may? what is the make & model of the microphone that you use for creating your voiceovers for your ideas? also what video editing software do you use for your videos?.
Thank you very very much! I appreciate all the support. I use a neewer microphone and edit in Final Cut Pro.
Matt Draper, you thought through the story and shared your findings very well.
It's interesting to remember, early publications of the Moore ST TPB's did not include issue 20. I mention this for anyone who has those books, if they are not aware of the missing issue.
One of the best stories of the post Bronze Age. It still feels like the Bronze Age era is still going. It truly ended when Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, and Jim Lee entered the picture to the comics industry. To me, that's where the Bronze Age is no more, and the Dark Age has truly began.
This how The Immortal Hulk took inspiration from this.
When I read this comic when it first came out -- it really creeped me out. I think it was how the unfunctional organs were described.
This needs to be a movie!
We need swamp thing in 2021!!
Need a swamp thin movie from DC Universe.
Very interesting!
As always very very well produced video!
Thank you very much!
Great timing with this! I just bought all 6 volumes of Moore's Saga of Swamp Thing run (minus volume 3...my FLCS was out of stock). It's so so good.. The story of Matt/Abby/Cable is a bit...odd though. I love the idea of Swamp Thing though, and the whole concept of The Green that Moore brought in..
Nice! Yes, things between the three of them get really crazy right after this story ends.
@@MattDraper I have all six volumes of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run as well Swamp Thing Bronze age volumes 1-3 & Swamp Thing New Roots & all 3 volumes Scott Snyder's Swamp Thing run.
The biggest thing that has bothered about every portrayal of Swamp Thing in animated media since reading this Saga is that it isn’t Moore’s Thing. It is so much deeper from a story perspective and also SO much cooler than the original Thing
Nicely done Matt!
Thanks!
Absolutely incredible. Thank you;
Thank you very much!
Swamp thing is my favorite superhero he’s so cool I loved this video 😁
I am forced to post this because my phone is being weird.
Awesome video!!
I’m so glad the Tv show chose to follow the direction of this comic
Martin Pasko's run was suffocating and sooo wordy and at times just plain god awful. Moore came in just at the right time.Evidently, it led led to what is basically the greatest run in comics history lol
NICE JOB
It was such a mind blowing moment. Alan Moore woke DC comics up after sleeping for years
Id love if you did a video like that on Shade: The Changing Man or Hellblazer ;)
I like that hyper light drifter music there
Great as always
Thanks!
Can you do more analysis of Alan Moore’s stories please? 😊
Beautiful
Sooo this is like Prototype then, the entity thinks they're the person only to find out all they did was take up the identity.
I'm Begging you. Please do a video on The Sandman and the Endless
We need swamp thing into the DC world 🌎
Fascinating
Time for a reread!
Excellent! This run is one of my favourite things I’ve ever read in comics. Do you follow Saga? I think you could do a lot with their approach to lettering, particularly in the most recent chapter. All the different layers of lettering add so much to the story, and ask the reader to be a storyteller in a more active way.
Thank you! I've read some of Saga, but I'm not caught up. That's a really excellent idea. Now that you mention it, the lettering really does play a major part in the storytelling.
Love how you review classic and contemporary, mainstream and independent. Love your work. Any interest/plans for any of the Top Cow characters? I love the Top Cow universe and feel it doesn't get a proper spotlight.
Thank you! I don't have any plans at the moment, but you're definitely right that it deserves attention, so I'll keep them in mind.
Alec didn't become the swamp...the swamp became Alec.
💚
Life changing great fucking video man
The HLD music feels very appropriate. Disasterpeace should make a soundtrack for a swamp thing movie?
Have you ever seen the cover to Cherry Poptart #4? I stumbled across it the same night I watched your vid and it was a strange coincidence
I'm fairly certain SOMA was influenced by Moore's Swamp Thing.
And naturally the JLA had to show up and try to horn in on Swampy's glory. Supes did get a good burn in on Firestorm though.
Huh, obviously going about things in the backwards order I read the Southern Reach trilogy before reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run. They deal with a lot of the same subjects. I have a hard time imagining that Jeff VanderMeer never read this.
Working on a Bernie Wrightson documentary and could use a clip or two from this video for our documentary. Hope to hear from someone to help us.
Oh WoW Swamp Thing its actually really good.
Swamp Thing: The Game
also known as Prototype
Yay New Video
Hope you enjoyed it!
Matt Draper I am
The music sounds like the music Hyper Light Drifter.
It is.
Came from OwenLikesComics, stayed for quality content.
Amazing
Although I disagree with the idea that Swamp Thing and Alec Holland are different people.
When the plants absorbed Alec, they also absorbed (depending on your view) everything that made him Alec. His mind, personality, memories, etc. So when the plants absorbed them, it basically copied Alec into itself, therefore making itself Alec.
It's kinda like in Invincible when Robot created a new body for himself. He basically cloned his personality into the new body to ensure that he would live on even if Rudy wasn't the original.
Nice!
Can u please do either Sandman or Constantine?