While many comic book readers consider Swamp Thing to be synonymous with Alan Moore, the original run by Len Wein was every bit as good. The creative team of Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson delivered an enjoyable 13-issue run of horror, science fiction and unexpected emotion for fans of the character.
The green behemoth debuted in House of Secrets #92, in a short horror story penned by Wein. Not long after, Wein and Wrightson had their own title dedicated to Swamp Thing. As they continued to tell the story of his alter ego, Alec Holland, readers were treated to monthly creature feature tales. The stories pitted Swamp Thing against mad scientists, giant worms, and cosmic monsters. Although Moore would later go on to write a longer and more iconic run, this first volume was every bit as fun, especially for fans of horror and monsters.
Holland's journey to reclaim his humanity defined Wein's original run on the hero. After the first appearance in House of Secrets, Wein brought readers Swamp Thing's origin in the debut issue. Here, it was revealed that while working on a secret bio-restorative formula, Dr Alec Holland and his wife Linda were approached by some shady goons who wanted to get the serum. After refusing, the goons returned and destroyed the Holland lab, located in a Louisiana swamp. During the attack, Linda was tragically killed, and Alec horribly burned, causing him to flee into the waters of the swamp to stop the flames.
But what emerged from the swamp was a monster in Holland's image. The creature was mutated by a combination of the formula and the local plant life of the swamp. After discovering his wife dead, Alec swears vengeance on the goons and gets it. After the crime, government agent and friend to the Hollands, Matt Cable, sets out to solve the murders presuming both had perished. After a close encounter with the new and mutated Holland, Cable becomes convinced that the monster was involved in his friends' death, and begins pursuit.
But as Swamp Thing comes to grips with his new situation, he encounters freakish creatures called 'unmen', who abduct him and fly him to Eastern Europe. Here, he is taken to a castle owned by the mad scientist 'Arcane', an old man who wants to use magic to take control of the Swamp Thing's body - and offers Holland a chance at humanity again. However, Holland is left to realize that the gift is too good to be true, and his resistance leads to the apparent demise of Arcane. A now stranded Swamp Thing finds himself once again pursued by Cable.
The chase sees Swamp Thing battling a werewolf on the Scottish Highlands, finding a town at the mercy of a terrifying cosmic god that lurks beneath a mine and most notably a trip to Gotham City, where he faces The Dark Knight himself. His odyssey-like journey involves a mash-up of genres, including stories featuring the heartbreaking tale of a time traveler, an alien whose ship has crashed on Earth and a mysterious conspiracy. Wein is clearly influenced by the likes of Universal Monsters and other past creature features. For example, there are multiple nods to the Wolfman, Frankenstein, and 1960s alien movies.
Although Alan Moore would usher Swamp Thing into the Modern Age of comic books, Wein made it one of the Bronze Age's standout books, giving readers something new and fun to read every single issue. Wein would return the title throughout the years, including a well received 2016 mini-series. As much as Moore elevated Swamp Thing, the work of his creator was every bit as iconic and enjoyable. The emotional roller-coaster of Wein's Swamp Thing, as well as the skillful combination of genres that had defined the decade prior, helped make it one of the best books on the market. Whether a fan loves horror, science fiction or action, Wein's run on the title could satisfy all tastes.