If you could write Swamp Thing...

[Tetragrammar]

So if you were given free rein on the whole muck-encrusted mockery of a man what would you do? Though this has no validity for some reason I feel there will be a new Swamp Thing "Rebirth" series when DC does whatever it does with relaunches, reboots, re-whatevers. In the spirit of pointless speculation, I wanted to start a thread on what fans would want or would do themselves. So, anyone who is interested, have at it...

[Maxpower00044]

I never thought about how I would write a Swamp Thing title. I do know that it would be based off of Moore's work (shocker) but with the current status quo (Abby as the avatar of the rot). It would be more horror based than super hero based, and I'd want Ian Bertram to draw it. Swampy would have the broken cadence in his dialogue (absolutely love that), it would span the globe (and beyond!), and although I said it would be predominantly horror comics, I'd like it to have real world themes (pollution, global warming, etc). As for what kinda specific stories I'd write - I have no clue.

Oh, and Chester would be back and there's at least be on Marijuana themed story/arc.

[Tetragrammar]

In an ideal world, there should be two Swamp Thing titles. One for Vertigo, carrying on with the Alan Moore continuity. A second for the DCnU, which would carry on with the Kingdoms established in Charles Soule run. I really think there is more to say about Swampy and Abby's daughter Tefe, and I believe that could play out in interesting ways no matter where she would appear. One thing I loved about the New 52 Swamp Thing was the Arcanes actually be tied to the elemental force of the Rot. There are still plenty of stories I think waiting to be told in that vein.

[Maxpower00044]

In an ideal world, there should be two Swamp Thing titles. One for Vertigo, carrying on with the Alan Moore continuity. A second for the DCnU, which would carry on with the Kingdoms established in Charles Soule run. I really think there is more to say about Swampy and Abby's daughter Tefe, and I believe that could play out in interesting ways no matter where she would appear. One thing I loved about the New 52 Swamp Thing was the Arcanes actually be tied to the elemental force of the Rot. There are still plenty of stories I think waiting to be told in that vein.

Who's your artist?

Also, I could get on board with your two titles suggestion, but only if they were two different characters. Maybe, make the Vertigo one Holland, and the DC series could create a new avatar of the green or go back in history to an existing memeber of the green.

[Deniz Camp]

I've thought about this, idly, as I often do with characters, and the truth is the Alan Moore stuff is so good that it eclipses any inspiration I might have.

It's the same with Animal Man -- Morrison's is so good, and anything he didn't do, Delano did exceptionally well (a more 'gut' take on the character).

I sort of wonder if the current Tom King Vision series didn't start as a Swamp Thing series, because it seems like a sad, but semi-natural direction to take the Vegetable-Who-Dreams-He-Is-A-Man.

I've got a couple of scattered ideas, but nothing I can hold.

[Deniz Camp]

Dream artist for Swamp Thing, though, is James Harren. Without a doubt.

[HaroldAllnut]

I'm actually pretty into the current Swamp Thing miniseries. Wein and Jones III are stripping it back down to its horrific roots, and I'm loving it. That said, I'd obviously mimic the feel of this run, balancing superheroics with a healthy dose of classic horror.

[Flash Gordon]

I wouldn't do it, only cause there's nothing I'd do with the character that would be worth saying. Alan Moore's SWAMP THING is surely one of (if not THE) the most influential works on me. It is comic books at their greatest. Like Hemingway said, "I'm not going to step into any ring with Tolstoy".

[Tetragrammar]

Who's your artist?

Also, I could get on board with your two titles suggestion, but only if they were two different characters. Maybe, make the Vertigo one Holland, and the DC series could create a new avatar of the green or go back in history to an existing memeber of the green.

After seeing J.H. Williams III knock out Sandman: Overture, I would have to go with him. I can't even begin to imagine how amazing the art and the layouts would be with him drawing the elements of the Green and the other kingdoms, let alone Swamp Thing and Arcane and what-not.

As for two different series, I like the notion of having two different Swamp Things.

To me, two continuities of Swamp Thing exist: the old Vertigo/DC and the New 52. I love both versions.

When it comes to the old Vertigo/DC you have several different elements. The family portion: Swamp Thing plus Abby plus their daughter Tefe, in which Constantine played a mid-wife. There's so much history and story that could be utilized. Tefe in herself is a wild card, being everything from a bridge between plant and humanity, a living weapon, etc, as well having the demon blood of Nergal streaming through her. I'd love to see a proper conclusion to Series 4 and then have China Mieville begin what he would have planned for his Swamp Thing. If we're sticking to the Vertigo/DC side, I also would love a return to the unpublished Rick Veitch story where Swamp Thing met Jesus back in time and something akin to what Neil Gaiman would've done with the whole "Vegetable Mythology" he had planned to written if Rick Veitch hadn't had his falling out with DC.

As for the New 52 Swamp Thing. I like that Alec Holland is the Avatar along with the "Old Swampy" also described as the Replicant which serves as a supporting character. What really nailed New 52 Swamp Thing, for me, was Charles Soule expansion of the other Kingdoms. I don't have a specific plot worked out, but if I were handed Swamp Thing to write I would work to elaborate on more Kingdoms, such as a "City Kingdom" on par with the Green (something that was scene through Jack Hawksmoor in Stormwatch as the then current God of Cities.) This could tie into the larger DC universe in other iconic cities could be given faces and personality and somehow have Swamp Thing and a "God of Cities" make some type of commentary on different issues or whatever you have across the globe. As for the plot, I don't have one exactly. I'd also bring Black Orchid back into the mix and elaborate on what exactly Project Taproot was, which has yet to be explained from Lemire's Animal Man loose plot thread. And I also believe there's a story with Maxine Baker still left to be told; however, I believe her power level, at its full potential, could be an interesting story. And I still would like to see more backstory about the Old Gods or whatever he was, Sethe, from the beginning of Snyder's run.

[upgrayedd]

hmmmm, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say, if I was to write Swamp Thing, I would have him turn over a new leaf. Perhaps branch out into other books like Batman and include Alec's relatives in the Wayne family tree. Cross pollination in a Batbook could stem off cancellation.

[TheNails]

As for the New 52 Swamp Thing. ... I don't have a specific plot worked out, but if I were handed Swamp Thing to write I would work to elaborate on more Kingdoms, such as a "City Kingdom" on par with the Green ... And I also believe there's a story with Maxine Baker still left to be told; ...

Yeah, follow with more stories about the kingdoms. There are so many more characters you can bring into the milieu, and do it well.

Consider this: Animal Man currently has the power of the Red on a cosmic level (do I remember that right?). His daughter is going to be the next avatar of the Red ... she gets torn away from her mother, and sent to Titans' Tower, with flashbacks of her brother's death recurring. Beast Boy is really struggling to deal with his connection to the Red (and Brother Blood), and while he bristles at having to mentor someone who is even better connected to the Red than him, he gets tons of character growth (promoted to senior-level Titanhood, at least).

Meanwhile, Cyborg and Robotman are dealing with the crushed Machine Kingdom, and trying to keep it in a way that is not in the wrong hands. At the same time, Alec Holland and Abby Arcane are the victors of the most recent huge showdown between all the kingdoms, so they're taking whatever actions they can to keep the kingdoms at peace. Said action often involves magic (i.e. Constantine) to combat Brother Blood and Etrigan, and to handle the situation when Kahndaq' capitol city rises up against Black Adam. The use of magic really pisses off Guy Gardner, of course, and doesn't sit that well with Simon Baz either. Anton Arcane is nowhere to be found ...

... because he's not on Earth. Anton Arcane has learned of Animal Man's connection to the Red on a cosmic level, and wants to outpace the Red in that arms race. The Rot has united with the Black Lanterns.

...
That's what I would do with Swamp Thing.

[Tetragrammar]

I like that. And if you wanted to take it even further. Animal Man met that one entity who was connected with Seed World, where they showed across the universe that all planets had there own Greens, Reds, and Blacks, and potentially have a threat that causing all kingdoms to go out of whack. So on some cosmic level you can expand the mythos of the Kingdoms. And the connection with the Rot to the Black Lanterns would make sense logically. That Futures End issue with the White Lantern factor worked beautifully for a story. But for me whether New 52 was a hit or miss, this was the gem that came out of it, a new set of Kingdoms which have so many possibilities to play with. DC really should capitalize on that.

[neonrideraryeh]

nd the connection with the Rot to the Black Lanterns would make sense logically.

I have always thought that Anton Arcane and Black Hand could have the creepiest bromance. It'd be like Sinestro and Black Adam, only freakier. BFFs of death.

[Tetragrammar]

I'm also curious about where Swamp Thing would've gone if the DC never rebooted. His reemergence at the end of Brightest Day with his connection with the Life Entity I always found rather interesting. I'm completely love where he went with the New 52, except for the three some issues Snyder wrote during the actual Rot World finale, those felt a bit...I don't know...they just could've been better in my opinion...still, back on point, I wonder if Swamp Thing would've had more encounters with the Emotional Spectrum/Life Entities. A storyline like that could still happen, especially revisiting the concepts presented in Futures End. And exploring some kind of relationship between Arcane and Black Hand would make a lot of sense. There's potential in there that doesn't have to be gimmicky, but rather a story that could really flourish under the write pen.

[Nix Uotan]

Hmmm for me, I guess I would go in depth on the kingdoms and develop the ecosystem they form with one another. Develop the mythology further like cults that follow each of them and why they are necessary in the world.