What do you think?
Rate this book
Swamp Thing (Black & White Edition) #4
Swamp Thing Book 4
Original UK Black and White Edition published by Titan Books Ltd in 1987.
- GenresGraphic Novels
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
About the author
Alan Moore
1,632 books22.4k followersAlan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces) with The Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels, some of which have been released on CD.
As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.
As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 12, 2023
What lackwit listed this as a Clive Barker work?
This book is one volume of Alan Moore's tenure on the series (V for Vendetta, From Hell, Watchmen, etc), which is some of his very finest work. It's also an important milestone historically - in Vol3 he broke the comics code which for decades had infantilised the comics medium in english-speaking nations; in Vol2 he created the seminal character John Constantine. The whole series is very much horror, very adult, and just keeps getting better - and so many inspirations and storylines lifted and adapted by TV and film franchises elsewhere.
Clive Barker wrote a wonderful introduction for this collection - and in it simultaneously describes Swamp Thing as horror of the highest standard, whilst explaining that, despite appearances, his own work is NOT horror. Good essay, but that's all he wrote, and years after the comics were released, at that.
The absolute gold standard for horror comics. Read it, read it, read it. (preferably in B&W not colour, to fully appreciate the art)
This book is one volume of Alan Moore's tenure on the series (V for Vendetta, From Hell, Watchmen, etc), which is some of his very finest work. It's also an important milestone historically - in Vol3 he broke the comics code which for decades had infantilised the comics medium in english-speaking nations; in Vol2 he created the seminal character John Constantine. The whole series is very much horror, very adult, and just keeps getting better - and so many inspirations and storylines lifted and adapted by TV and film franchises elsewhere.
Clive Barker wrote a wonderful introduction for this collection - and in it simultaneously describes Swamp Thing as horror of the highest standard, whilst explaining that, despite appearances, his own work is NOT horror. Good essay, but that's all he wrote, and years after the comics were released, at that.
The absolute gold standard for horror comics. Read it, read it, read it. (preferably in B&W not colour, to fully appreciate the art)
February 2, 2021
Stunning drawing and design layouts. Some of the story lines feel a bit too familiar now but were breaking new ground in comics at the time they were first published.
October 15, 2013
A transistionary volume, taking the reader from vol 1-3 where the “new-ish” Alan Moore Swamp Thing planted its roots, setting the revised character into the continuity of the character’s origins and kicking off the next great phase in Moore’s storyline.
Old Houses uses some simple framing to re-tell the very first Swamp Thing story from House of Secrets in the mid 70’s – by bringing the hosts of House of Secrets and Mystery (two corny old horror anthologies from DCs past) into the DC Superhero world, Moore opened up possibilities that Neil Gaiman jumped on years later with The Sandman. The story links the current Swamp Thing with that first short by Wein and Wrightson and gives us hints as to the character’s true nature as an Earth Elemental.
Rite of Spring is the blossoming (quite literally..) of Abby and Swamp Thing’s relationship from close friendship to full on romance. Most of the issue is a fantastic showcase of Bisette and Tottleben’s art as they depict Abby and Swamp Thing getting physical, spiritual and psychedelic.
The Nukeface Papers is the springboard into the American Gothic cycle – Moore takes very real fears about nuclear power and turns them into monstrous comic book form. The tale is skillfully told through a cluster of viewpoints all revealing different slices of the story leading to genuinely horrifying ending.
And (spolier alert), Swamp Thing dies. Not for the first time…..
Old Houses uses some simple framing to re-tell the very first Swamp Thing story from House of Secrets in the mid 70’s – by bringing the hosts of House of Secrets and Mystery (two corny old horror anthologies from DCs past) into the DC Superhero world, Moore opened up possibilities that Neil Gaiman jumped on years later with The Sandman. The story links the current Swamp Thing with that first short by Wein and Wrightson and gives us hints as to the character’s true nature as an Earth Elemental.
Rite of Spring is the blossoming (quite literally..) of Abby and Swamp Thing’s relationship from close friendship to full on romance. Most of the issue is a fantastic showcase of Bisette and Tottleben’s art as they depict Abby and Swamp Thing getting physical, spiritual and psychedelic.
The Nukeface Papers is the springboard into the American Gothic cycle – Moore takes very real fears about nuclear power and turns them into monstrous comic book form. The tale is skillfully told through a cluster of viewpoints all revealing different slices of the story leading to genuinely horrifying ending.
And (spolier alert), Swamp Thing dies. Not for the first time…..
July 15, 2016
Arguably my favorite Volume among the trade paperbacks of the Swamp Thing Saga. This volume concludes the story of the Brujeria, (a horrifying organization of witch doctors which are in fact, based off of actual history, as I had learned from LORE Podcast. Look them up sometime. It's quite grizzly what they do to infant babies.), Does a story tribute about the legendary Winchester house (google that too for fun about a maze like house that never ceases to mystify), and almost ends the world in darkness during crises of infinite Earths - all the while introducing the Rhyming Demon: Etrigan.
Praise to Alan Moore's writing. Especially, his love of history/lore prior to things like the internet existing. Kudos to Stephen Bissette's bizarre amalgamation of mystic arts heroes in an end of the world setting. Boo to how neatly packed the ending seemingly was though it was believable for this environment. Props to the cost of victory making it a Pyrrhic one and making us love/hate John Constantine.
Praise to Alan Moore's writing. Especially, his love of history/lore prior to things like the internet existing. Kudos to Stephen Bissette's bizarre amalgamation of mystic arts heroes in an end of the world setting. Boo to how neatly packed the ending seemingly was though it was believable for this environment. Props to the cost of victory making it a Pyrrhic one and making us love/hate John Constantine.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews