| Swamp Thing | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | Superhero |
| Based on | Swamp Thing by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson |
| Voices of |
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| Composer | Michael Tavera |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 5 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Fox (Fox Kids) |
| Release | October 31, 1990 (1990-10-31) – May 11, 1991 (1991-05-11) |
Swamp Thing is ananimated television series based on theVertigo/DC Comics superhero characterSwamp 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.[1] It aired onYTV from 1991 to 1993 in Canada. Produced byDIC Animation City, the series corresponded withKenner's Swamp Thingaction 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 fromDC Comics to not be produced byWarner Bros. Animation.
Anton Arcane takes the role of the main villain responsible for Alec Holland's transformation into the Swamp Thing. Arcane is backed by his gang ofUn-Men: Dr. Deemo, Weedkiller, and Skinman.[2]
The Swamp Thing also has two friends named Tomahawk and Bayou Jack. Tomahawk isNative American and should not be confused with the DC/Vertigo character, Thomas Hawk, who was a soldier in theAmerican Revolution rescued by Native Americans. Bayou Jack is aVietnam veteran.[3]
Similar toTroma'sToxic Crusaders, the animation style ofSwamp Thing follows the trend of goofy, horroranti-heroes made for children.SpoofingChip Taylor's "Wild Thing", theopening theme plays "Swamp Thing! ...You are amazing!"
Swamp Thing was apparently turned down byCBS, leading to its mid-season debut on FOX. Despite the series limited number of episodes,NBC featured it duringChip and Pepper's Cartoon Madness in fall 1991, and theSci Fi Channel wouldsyndicate it years later. TheUnited Kingdom'sChildren's Channel also re-airedSwamp Thing in the 1990s.
The animated series aired concurrently with a more successfullive-action adaptation of the comic book.
| No. | Title | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Un-Men Unleashed" | Mark McCorkle &Bob Schooley | October 31, 1990 (1990-10-31) | |
Dr. Arcane turns his henchmen into mutants to attack the Swamp Thing. Two kids, Delbert and J.T., along with Tomahawk, Bayou Jack and Arcane's stepdaughter Abby come to the Swamp Thing's rescue. | ||||
| 2 | "To Live Forever" | Mark McCorkle &Bob Schooley | April 20, 1991 (1991-04-20) | |
Dr. Arcane and his Un-Men travel to theAmazon rainforest in search of "the trees that never die", and enslaves a local Indian tribe to harvest their sap. | ||||
| 3 | "Falling Red Star" | Mark McCorkle,Bob Schooley & Mike Medlock | April 27, 1991 (1991-04-27) | |
The Swamp Thing, Bayou Jack and Tomahawk helpNASA retrieve a nuclear-powered satellite that has crash-landed in the swamp. Meanwhile, Arcane desires the satellite for his own advantage. | ||||
| 4 | "Legend of the Lost Cavern" | Mark McCorkle &Bob Schooley | May 4, 1991 (1991-05-04) | |
Still obsessed on gainingimmortality, Dr. Arcane desecrates theIndian burial of Tomahawk's ancestors in search of the Lost Caverns, home of the fabledFountain of Youth. | ||||
| 5 | "Experiment in Terror" | Bruce Shelly & Reed Shelly | May 11, 1991 (1991-05-11) | |
While showing Delbert and J.T. around the swamp, the Swamp Thing is captured and taken toNew Orleans for government experiments. Delbert, J.T. and Bayou Jack plan to rescue him, as does Arcane for his own plans. | ||||
The onlySwamp Thing episode available onVHS is "The Un-Men Unleashed". It was first released by Kenner in 1992 as a direct tie-in with the action figure line; its sleeve cover even borrows card art from the Snare Arm Swamp Thing figure. The second release fromBuena Vista Home Video, featuring a new cover, was released in 1994.
Sterling Entertainment releasedSwamp Thing - Guardian of the Earth toVHS andDVD on August 31, 2004. The VHS contains three episodes of the series,[4] while the DVD includes all five episodes of the series.[5][6]
In August 2004 (later reissued in August 2006),Anchor Bay UK released all five episodes of the animated series on DVD in the United Kingdom.
In 1990,Kenner produced a line of Swamp Thing action figures with vehicles and playsets that served as a direct counterpart to the animated series. Arcane and his Un-Men include translucent, rubbery BioMask accessories that give the effect of their transformation into monstrous creatures. Their eyes alsoglow-in-the-dark, a popular feature in action figures of the era. Arcane's transducer machine even includes aMantid figure that referenced an episode where Bayou Jack is mutated. Some accessories would also be reused forHasbro'sThe Original Battle Trolls in 1992.
According to an online fan source,[7] Kenner invested approximately 6 million dollars into the Swamp Thing figure line. It also states that, according to Kenner, test results using male children between the ages of 6 and 11 showed them to be more popular than bothG.I. Joe andTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
It had been speculated throughout the toy collecting community that the Swamp Thing would have been included in the unproduced fourth series of Kenner'sSuper Powers Collection and that the Bio-Glow Swamp Thing may have been based on the prototype. This is due to the figure's swinging arm feature similar to that seen in the Super Powers Collection.[8] Such rumors have since been refuted by the uncovering of new information regarding the proposed fourth and fifth series of the Super Powers Collection.[9]
ASwamp Thingvideo game was developed for theNES andGame Boy. Both versions were released byTHQ in December 1992 and were met with generally poor receptions. Also, there was a handheld game made by Tiger.
Tying in with the animated series, various Swamp Thing merchandise was produced in 1991. This included apaint by number kit, a "Battle for the Bayou"board game, a T-shirt, children'sslippers, abop bag, three pencil sharpeners, andfigural chalk resembling the Swamp Thing. Perhaps an attempt to prevent consumers from confusing it as candy, the label of the chalk is especially curious with text hovering above the little figure with the words "I'm Chalk!".[10][11] Much of the packaging of the Swamp Thing merchandise featured the work ofcomic book artistAlfredo Alcala.[12]
