Earlier this week, DC finally announced the name of its premium streaming service as DC Universe, and included among the four launch titles is a new Swamp Thing television series from James Wan that could really tap into some of the darker corners of the DCU. If Titans and Young Justice: Outsiders focus on superheroes, and Harley Quinn explores villainy and the anti-hero aspect of the equation, then Swamp Thing obviously holds the potential to serve as a gateway to DC's supernatural world.

The character has long been a perennially popular comic book character, despite his considerable obscurity in comparison to the likes of Batman and Superman. Swamp Thing was created by Len Wein in the early '70s, with Bernie Wrightson developing his appearance, but it was Alan Moore's groundbreaking work with him that truly made him a fan favorite character. The 1982 cult classic movie by Wes Craven certainly didn't hurt, leading to a second feature film, a live-action television series, an animated series, and a leading role in the Justice League Dark animated movie. Now it's time to open the door for the more obscure and mature DC characters in his all-new show.

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There's a Lot More to Swamp Thing than, Well, Swamps...

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There is a lot about Swamp Thing that can be explored and dissected within the confines of the premium television format, with the exploration of man vs. monster reigning supreme. It will also be interesting to see which version of Alex Holland the show will feature -- the man turned into a monster, or the monster that thinks he is a man. The series will introduce Abby Holland, possibly explore the Parliament of Trees, and introduce enemies like Anton Arcane and the Sunderland Corporation.

Still, Swamp Thing represents so much more than that. The character has always been a nexus for DC's supernatural world, and this show can grant him that status once again. Given the character's status as an Earth elemental and protector, there is means to explore his role in the world. Wan's experience with multiple horror franchises has given him the experience to create a world that is both truly terrifying and also connected to a much larger universe. Swamp Thing can still be the focal point, but DC would be making a mistake not to explore how far they can go here.

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As entertaining as Swamp Thing can be on his own, the announcement quickly brought up speculation regarding the inclusion of John Constantine. After all, before that feature film starring Keanu Reeves and his depiction by Matt Ryan in the Arrowverse, he came from humble beginning within Moore's Swamp Thing comic. Swamp Thing's reintroduction into the DC Universe also brought Constantine with him in the 2010 Brightest Day series. Before Constantine ended its run, there were whispers that Swamp Thing would be introduced into the series. At this point, comic book fans know that where one goes, the other is only sure to follow.

The presence of Matt Ryan's John Constantine in Legends of Tomorrow only brings about a mild complication. Whether the DC Universe shows will have any kind of interconnected continuity has yet to be revealed, but Constantine's involvement isn't exactly off the table either. Ryan can easily be shifted over to Swamp Thing without missing a beat, or DC could approach it a different way and introduce a completely new version of the character -- one that can potentially coexist with the Arrowverse's depiction, if The CW wants to keep him around.

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The 2015 Constantine series had the right idea about incorporating the greater supernatural world into the show, but was never given the time to make it come to life. A TV series outside of the demands of network television could have the freedom to build on what Constantine was not given a chance to do. In the end, this show could end up being just a different side of the same coin.

An Alternative to Justice League Dark

DC and Warner Bros. have been trying to make a Justice League Dark film happen for years, though it would seem that they haven't been trying all that hard. Several directors have been selected to work on the film, but nothing concrete has ever come of it. Whether it is a concern over budget, overall vision, or how it could even fit into the DC Extended Universe, this project seems to be going nowhere fast. With the new Justice League Dark comic book series (featuring Swamp Thing) coming out, it would be wise to take all the effort being put into the film and focus it toward something like Swamp Thing, and the greater DC Universe platform.

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Whatever plans the likes of Guillermo del Toro and Doug Liman had for the movie, it would have been a project that ran the veritable gamut of DC supernatural superheroes. The likes of Deadman, the Spectre, John Constantine, Phantom Stranger, Zatanna, Etrigan the Demon and Madam Xanadu would have appeared on screen side by side with Swamp Thing as a major character. Even a team like the Shadowpact was supposed to have a cameo in the movie at one point.

By taking these ideas and repurposing them for Swamp Thing, DC can accomplish two things. It would stop them from releasing a live-action film that is overly saturated with too many competing characters, and it would turn the show into something of a spotlight for the strangest heroes around. This format would be the perfect way to keep the attention on the title character while also giving him bizarre magical friends to interact with.

The DC Universe needs its shows to find an audience, immediately. Harley Quinn should have no trouble, Young Justice comes with an existing fan base, and Titans hopes to grab the same audience that grew up with the fondly remembered Teen Titans cartoon. If we're being honest here, Swamp Thing is the one that doesn't fit, but that doesn't mean it still can't attract a broad audience. DC just has to give Wan unlimited access to their deep library.

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