The Swamp Thing rises from the flames in the Louisiana marshland where scientist Alec Holland burned to death. Through the 1970s – referred to as the Bronze Age – Swamp Thing is pursued by Conclave who want to obtain Holland’s Bio-Restorative Formula. With the first ten issues of the initial ongoing ‘Swamp Thing’ series written by creators Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson – with Wein staying on as writer up to #13, this would set a standard for the DC Universe character that would be tough to beat. That is until the character’s second series when Alan Moore takes over as writer with Saga of the Swamp Thing #20. and really underlined his horror roots (intend that pun).
Moore would change Swamp Thing’s origins and power set, expanding on his mythology and supporting cast, and turning his primary foe Anton Arcane into one of DC’s most disturbing villains. This entry covers all of the Swamp Thing’s stories from DC’s Earth-One continuity and into CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (1985-1986) which combines the company’s many timelines into one coherent one. Swamp Thing’s history is largely unaffected by this. So just dive into one of the darkest – and often one of the smartest – Bronze Age DC titles!
A huge thank you to DCU Guide for their assistance in assembling this reading order!
Thanks, as well, to the DC Comics Database and Comic Vine.
Must Reads: Story arcs in bold in the Quick List or marked with a ✔ in the Full Reading Order are must-read tales from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worthy.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.
Chronology: Every appearance of Swamp Thing from this period is included in chronological order, laying out their timeline rather than just the order the issues were released.
Earth-One/Merged Earth: Due to the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the beginning of DC’s Post-Crisis/New Earth continuity gets a little woolly; with that in mind, I’ve included a Merged Earth section (as referenced by the DCU Guide and Collin Colsher’s notes on the Batman Chronology Project.
Spoilers: The issue/story overviews may include spoilers, so be warned!
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the core reading order without story descriptions, page-by-page breakdowns – just the stories:
- House of Secrets (1969) #92 [2/5]
- Swamp Thing (1972) #1-13
- Swamp Thing (1972) #14-18
- The Brave and the Bold (1955) #122
- Swamp Thing (1972) #19-24
- Showcase (1977) #94-96
- Challengers of the Unknown (1977) #83-87
- DC Comics Presents (1978) #8
- Brave and the Bold (1955) #176
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #1 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #2 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #3 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #4 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #5 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #6 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #7 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #8 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #9 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #10 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #11 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #12 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #13 [1/2]
- The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1982) #14-30
- Swamp Thing (1984) #31
- Swamp Thing Annual (1982) #2
- Swamp Thing (1984) #32-36
- DC Sampler #3 [Swamp Thing]
- Swamp Thing (1982) #37-40
- DC Comics Presents (1978) #85
- Swamp Thing (1984) #41-44
- Crisis on Infinite Earths #4
- Swamp Thing (1984) #45
- Crisis on Infinite Earths #5
- Swamp Thing (1984) #46
- Crisis on Infinite Earths #10
- Swamp Thing (1984) #47-55
The original Swamp Thing made his debut in the horror series House of Secrets in a story set in the early 1900s. While Alex Olsen is clearly the prototype for the Alec Holland version of the character, he later becomes a part of the ‘Swamp Thing’ mythology.
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances |
| ✔ | House of Secrets #92 [2/5] (1971) In 1905, an experiment carried out by scientist Alex Olsen leads to an explosion due to an act of sabotage by his envious assistant, Damien Ridge; widow Linda Olsen marries Ridge, but becomes suspicious of Damian’s possible role in the death of her first husband, Alex; to save his wife, Alex rises from the grave as the Swamp Thing and kills Ridge. 1st appearance: Swamp Thing/Alex Olsen, Damian Ridge, Linda Olsen Ridge |
The Swamp Thing‘s original continuity takes place on Earth-One, born in the fires of Alec Holland‘s demise. This continuity continues up until the merging of Earths during the ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ event, but his story doesn’t end there…
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #1-3 (1972-1973) A group called the Conclave order their agent Mister E to kill scientist Alec Holland, along with his wife Linda Holland, for refusing to give them their experimental Bio-Restorative Formula; a Swamp Thing rises from the flames of the Hollands’ facility in the Louisiana swamps where Alec Holland’s burning body fell, and hunts down the Conclave; Interpol Agent Matt Cable hunts the Hollands’ killers, following the Swamp Thing’s trail to Transylvania and meeting medic Abigail Arcane; Matt and the Swamp Thing clash with mad scientist Anton Arcane, his Un-Men and the monstrous Patchwork Man. 1st appearance: Swamp Thing/’Alec Holland’, Abigail Arcane, Anton Arcane, Matthew Cable, Defense Department Intelligence/DDI, Doctor Cranius, Alec Holland, Linda Holland, Mister E/Nathan Ellery, Patchwork Man/Gregori Arcane, Un-Men, Bio-Restorative Formula |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #4-7 (1973) Matt Cable and Abby Arcane get closer as their travels take them to Scotland where the Swamp Thing saves them from a werewolf; then on to Maine, where the trio discover witches; Swamp Thing, Abby Arcane, Matt Cable and Batman face off against the Conclave in Gotham City. 1st appearance: Timothy Ravenwind |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #8-10 (1974) Swamp Thing discovers the godlike alien M’Nagalah in the mines of Perdition; Matt Cable is assigned to investigating UFO sightings in Louisiana; Anton Arcane returns in a new form. 1st appearance: M’Nagalah |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #11-13 (1974) Swamp Thing and his friends Abby Arcane, Matt Cable and Jefferson Bolt oppose Professor Zachary Nail‘s efforts to create a creepy New Eden; the Hell-Jewel transports Swamp Thing through time where he clashes with dinosaurs; Swamp Thing proclaims himself to be Alec Holland; the Conclave resume their efforts to claim the Swamp Thing. 1st appearance: Jefferson Bolt, Commander Jonathan Zero |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| Swamp Thing #14-18 (1975) Swamp Thing comes to the aid of telekinetic kids, battles a magician whose body has been possessed by the demon Nebiros, fights an army of zombies, rescues Abby, Matt and Jefferson from the Conclave and discovers a village of black magic users. 1st appearance: Nebiros | ||
| The Brave and the Bold #122 (1975) Batman frees the Swamp Thing when he’s taken prisoner by a carnival and put on display. | ||
| Swamp Thing #19-24 (1975-1976) Another ‘Swamp Thing’ grows from Swamp Thing’s severed arm; the real Swamp Thing uses the death of the duplicate ‘Swamp Thing’ to allow the world – and his friends – to believe he’s dead; Swamp Thing is transported to space where he clashes with the kingslayer Solus; back on Earth, Swamp Thing is captured by the US Government and meets scientist Ruth Monroe, a friend of Alec Holland’s brother; the Colossus Organisation send John Zero – now known as Sabre – to capture Swamp Thing in the hope of building an army of Swamp Things; Swamp Thing faces the genetically engineered Thrudvang the Earth Master in battle. 1st appearance: Edward Holland, Ruth Monroe, Thrudvang New identity: Commander John Zero as Sabre | ||
| Showcase #94-96 (1977-1978) No Swamp Thing appearance; Matt Cable is assigned to investigate the formation of a new Doom Patrol. 1st appearance: Celcius/Arani Desai, Tempest/Joshua Clay, Negative Woman/Valentina Vostok | ||
| ✔ | Challengers of the Unknown #83-87 (1977-1978) Professor Walter Haley of the Challengers of the Unknown is infected by M’Nagalah; with help from the Swamp Thing, Deadman and Rip Hunter, the Challengers cure Haley after a lengthy clash with Multi-Man that flings the heroes through time. | THE WAR AT TIME’S END |
| ✔ | DC Comics Presents #8 (1979) Swamp Thing seeks out Solomon Grundy in Metropolis in the hope of finding a cure that could restore him to the human form of Alec Holland; despite an initial clash with Superman, Swamp Thing soon joins forces with him to oppose Grundy’s duplicates. | |
| ✔ | The Brave and the Bold #176 (1981) Batman travels to Louisiana to foil an assassination attempt on the life of Catwoman‘s sister, Felicia Kyle; Swamp Thing helps Batman find the assassin. 1st appearance: Felicia Kyle |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | The Saga of the Swamp Thing #1 [1/2] (1982) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #2 [1/2] (1982) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #3 [1/2] (1982) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #4 [1/2] (1982) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #5 [1/2] (1982) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #6 [1/2] (1982) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #7 [1/2] (1982) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #8 [1/2] (1982) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #9 [1/2] (1983) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #10 [1/2] (1983) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #11 [1/2] (1983) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #12 [1/2] (1983) The Saga of the Swamp Thing #13 [1/2] (1983) The sinister Sunderland Corporation make their bid to obtain the Swamp Thing, with Mister Grasp wanting the Bio-Formula to restore his lost hands; Sunderland agent Harry Kay discovers Alec Holland is dying; Swamp Thing assists a band of vampire hunters; Swamp Thing’s battle with a demon leads to his capture by the Sunderland Corporation and the unmasking of General Avery Sunderland; Swamp Thing and his friends escape an island populated by the imaginations of six marines; Harry Kay’s true identity is revealed, along with Casey Clancy‘s prophesied role. 1st appearance: Dennis Barclay, Karen ‘Casey’ Clancy, Paul Feldner, Harry Kay/Helmut Kriptman, Mister Grasp, Rosewood Vampires, Sunderland Corporation, Liz Tremayne | |
| ✔ | The Saga of the Swamp Thing #14-19 (1983) Swamp Thing and the Phantom Stranger combat Nat Broder in his silicon-crystal form; Swamp Thing is transformed back to Alec Holland; Swamp Thing is reunited with Abby Arcane who’s now married to Matt Cable; Anton Arcane creates monsters from Matt’s brain. New identity: Abby Arcane as Abby Cable | |
| ✔ | The Saga of the Swamp Thing #20-27 (1984) The Defense Department Intelligence work with the Sunderland Corporation to hunt the Swamp Thing; the alien Floronic Man takes an interest in Swamp Thing and connects to the Green to transform himself into a plant body with new abilities that attract the attention of the Justice League of America; Swamp Thing is revealed to be plant-life imbued with the consciousness and memories of Alec Holland, rather than Holland himself; Jason Blood, Etrigan the Demon and Swamp Thing tackle the Monkey King, aka the Kamara. 1st appearance: John Constantine (possible cameo), the Green, Dwight Wicker Identity revealed: Swamp Thing isn’t Alec Holland | |
| ✔ | The Saga of the Swamp Thing #28-30 (1984) Swamp Thing #31 (1984) Swamp Thing Annual #2 (1985) Alec Holland’s body is laid to rest by Swamp Thing; Abby Cable learns the dark truth about her husband; Anton Arcane commits his most twisted act, yet; the Monitor and Lyla Michaels observe Swamp Thing and Arcane’s conflict; Swamp Thing reunites with Deadman and meets the Spectre when he ventures into Hell with the Phantom Stranger to save Abby Cable’s soul. | A HALO OF FLIES |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #32-36 (1985) Swamp Thing encounter’s strange aliens; Abby Arcane enters the House of Secrets and learns of the previous Swamp Thing, Alex Olsen; Matt Cable remains in a coma; Swamp Thing and Abby Arcane consider themselves to be married, culminating in Abby consuming one of Swamp Thing’s tuber’s to experience his consciousness; Swamp Thing investigates Nukeface. New identity: Abby Cable as Abby Holland | |
| DC Sampler #3 [Swamp Thing] (1984) A vision of the Swamp Thing’s future. 1st appearance: John Constantine (possible cameo) | ||
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #37-38 (1985) Magician John Constantine senses something big brewing in the world of the supernatural – a ‘Primeval Force’ – as well as a terrifying ‘Scientific Force’, and turns to Swamp Thing for help; Swamp Thing faces the leader of the Rosewood Vampires. 1st appearance: John Constantine, Benjamin Cox (unnamed), Ivunche (cameo), Frank North (unnamed), Sister Anne-Marie | A MURDER OF CROWS |
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #39 (1985) Swamp Thing experiments with his new abilities in order to combat the Rosewood Vampires; Constantine hints as the real meaning of the red skies over Louisiana. | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS A MURDER OF CROWS |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #40 (1985) John Constantine continues to set tasks for the Swamp Thing, pitting him against Phoebe the Werewolf. | A MURDER OF CROWS |
| ✔ | DC Comics Presents #85 (1985) Swamp Thing faces an out-of-control Superman who’s under the corrupting control of a space fungus. | |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #41-43 (1985) Abby Holland directs Swamp Thing and John Constantine towards a potential connection to the coming darkness, only to discover a band of voodoo practitioners; one of Swamp Thing’s tubers is stolen. 1st appearance: Chester Williams, the Darkness (mentioned) | A MURDER OF CROWS |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 (pp.3-4) (1985) No Swamp Thing appearance; John Constantine discusses the effect of the Crisis on Swamp Thing with his friend Mento. | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS | |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #44 (1986) Swamp Thing hunts the serial killer called the Bogeyman. | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS A MURDER OF CROWS |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 (pp.20) (1985) Swamp Thing cameo; Swamp Thing senses the apparent end of the multiverse. | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS | |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #45 (1986) Swamp Thing #46 (pp.1-8) (1986) Swamp Thing and Constantine look into a strange haunted house before they’re transported aboard the Monitor’s satellite… 1st appearance: Benjamin Cox (named), Frank North (named) | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS A MURDER OF CROWS |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (pp.8-12) (1985) John Constantine and Swamp Thing stand among all superhumans aboard the Monitor’s satellite where Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three explains the only way they can prevent the destruction of all Earths. | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS | |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #46 (pp.8-22) (1986) The Phantom Stranger introduces the Swamp Thing to Alexander Luthor who explains he’s glad that he and Constantine are dealing with the spiritual effects of the Crisis; Swamp Thing and Constantine return to Earth which is now in chaos. 1st appearance: Brujería (cameo), Parliament of Trees (mention) | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS A MURDER OF CROWS |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths #10 (1986) Swamp Thing cameo; Swamp Thing appears to die as reality is rewritten. | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS |
Following the merging of Earth-One, Earth-Two and others, DC’s continuity doesn’t immediately switch to the Post-Crisis New Earth version. There was a period of time through 1986 in which some DC titles were clearly still set in Earth-One continuity, others in the New Earth continuity and a handful of examples that seem to feature characters from both. This was far from a clean break! As there seems to be some debate over which Earth the following Swamp Thing stories took place on, I’ve included them under the banner of what some refer to as ‘Merged Earth’. These stories are still in-continuity for Swamp Thing himself and his ongoing saga pretty much continues unhindered by the universe-altering effects of Crisis anyway, as the stories laid out in this reading order entry still stand.
In summary… don’t overthink it!
| Must Reads | Title, Synopsis & First Appearances | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #47-50 (1986) Swamp Thing first meets the Parliament of Trees in the Amazon; Constantine’s Newcastle Crew and the Swamp Thing take on the Brujería; Abby Holland is arrested when intimate pictures of her and Swamp Thing are published; Swamp Thing, Constantine and a band of magic users join forces against the threat of the Great Darkness. 1st appearance: Brujería (full), Ghost Hiding in the Rushes, the Great Darkness, Ivunche (cameo), Jack-in-the-Green/Alf Oldland, Newcastle Crew, Parliament of Trees/Swamp Elementals (full), Ravens of the Dreaming (unnamed), Swamp Thing/Albert Höllerer, Etrigan’s armour | A MURDER OF CROWS |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #51-53 (1986) Swamp Thing heads to Gotham City to rescue Abby Holland from Arkham Asylum, clashing with Batman; a trap is set by the DDI who napalm the monster. | |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #54 (1986) No Swamp Thing appearance; Abby Holland intervenes in the lives of Liz Tremayne and Dennis Barkley when Dennis turns against Liz. | |
| ✔ | Swamp Thing #55 (1986) Batman is among those attending the memorial service for the Swamp Thing; unknown to everyone, Swamp Thing regrows himself on an alien world. |
The saga of the Swamp Thing continues on New Earth with this (upcoming) reading order:
- SWAMP THING, 1987-1992 – New Earth
The Swamp Thing received his own film adaptation, directed by Wes Craven and released in 1982. The film was adapted into comic form that same year, and while this ended up being the only comic featuring the movie version of Swamp Thing, a film sequel was released as The Return of the Swamp Thing in 1989.
| Title, Synopsis & First Appearances |
| Swamp Thing Annual #1 (1982) Scientist siblings Alec Holland and Linda Holland create a plant growth formula that could end world hunger; government agent Alice Cable fails to protect the Hollands when Anton Arcane has them killed for the formula’s secrets to transform his physically; Alec is turned into the Swamp Thing and, with Alice, confronts Arcane who becomes some kind of were-creature. |
The unpublished 25th issue of the first Swamp Thing series is included in script form in Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age vol.2 tpb
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Omnibus | House of Secrets #92 Saga of the Swamp Thing #1-19 Swamp Thing #1-24 Swamp Thing Annual #1 |
| Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis | House of Secrets #92 Swamp Thing #1-10 |
| Secret of the Swamp Thing | Swamp Thing #1-10 |
| Absolute Swamp Thing by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age vol.1 | House of Secrets #92 Swamp Thing #1-13 |
| Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age vol.2 | Brave and the Bold #176 Challengers of the Unknown #81-87 DC Comics Presents #8 Swamp Thing #14-24 |
| Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age vol.3 | Saga of the Swamp Thing #1-19 Swamp Thing Annual #1 |
| Absolute Swamp Thing by Alan Moore vol.1 | Saga of the Swamp Thing #30 Swamp Thing #31-34 Swamp Thing Annual #2 |
| Absolute Swamp Thing by Alan Moore vol.2 | Swamp Thing #35-49 |
| Absolute Swamp Thing by Alan Moore vol.3 | DC Comics Presents #85 Swamp Thing #51-64 |
| Saga of the Swamp Thing | Saga of the Swamp Thing #21-27 |
| Swamp Thing: Love and Death | Saga of the Swamp Thing #28-30 Swamp Thing #31-34 Swamp Thing Annual #2 |
| Swamp Thing: The Curse | Swamp Thing #35-42 |
| Swamp Thing: A Murder of Crows | Swamp Thing #43-50 |
| Swamp Thing: Earth to Earth | Swamp Thing #51-56 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Absolute Crisis on Infinite Earths Crisis on Infinite Earths Crisis on Infinite Earths – The Deluxe Edition | Crisis on Infinite Earths #4-5, 10 |
| Across the Universe: The DC Universe Stories of Alan Moore DC Universe by Alan Moore DCU: The Stories of Alan Moore Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? – The Deluxe Edition | DC Comics Presents #85 |
| Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight – Jim Aparo vol.1 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Omnibus vol.2 | Brave and the Bold #122 |
| Batman: The Brave and the Bold Omnibus vol.3 | Brave and the Bold #176 |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths Box Set | Crisis on Infinite Earths #4-5, 10 Swamp Thing #44, 46 |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion – The Deluxe Edition vol.2 | Swamp Thing #44 |
| Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion – The Deluxe Edition vol.3 | Swamp Thing #46 |
| Deadman – Book Five | Challengers of the Unknown #85-87 |
| Deadman Omnibus | Challengers of the Unknown #84-87 |
| DC Finest – Team Ups: Chase to the End of Time | DC Comics Presents #8 |
Reading Order Copyright © 2025 Omniverse Comics Guide
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