Swamp Thing 1989

Covering Swamp Thing 1989 (2026)…

After 37 years, DC Comics finally published the end of Rick Veitch’s late ’80s Swamp Thing run as the author had originally intended.

Appearances that I consider to be fairly minor are indented.  The below titles were published by DC Comics unless otherwise noted.

Swamp Thing 1989 #1
“Morning of the Magician”, June 2026
Rick Veitch [w, c], Michael Zulli [p, vc], Vince Locke [p, vc] Martin Simmonds [vc]
Swamp Thing sees all of the worlds of the multiverse converge at a single point in the future (‘The Crisis…’) but decides to travel further back into the past where the universes form in a mandala pattern. Here he finds himself in Roman times in the age of Jesus Christ. Three sorcerers (previously known as the Wise Men present at Christ’s birth) summon Belial to aid them destroy Jesus. After Marcus (aka Golden Gladiator) leaves the company of Mary Magdelene, he is attacked by Belial who infects him with a demon seed. Marcus begins turning into a rhyming demon when he meets his fellow Roman soldiers and goes to arrest Jesus on the orders of Pontius Pilate. Swamp Thing appears in an olive grove where Jesus and some of his apostles are meeting. Swampy inspects Jesus’ Grail but it does not yet contain the amber, so he instead deposits some juice as a gift to Jesus. Jesus and the apostles are attacked by Roman soldiers, but Jesus exorcises the demon from Marcus causing him to vomit up the infant Etrigan. Jesus drinks the juice from the grail and Swampy again disappears into the time stream. Jesus is arrested and crucified, with Joseph of Arimathia catching some of his blood in the Grail, and also placing a piece of amber inside.
The indicia of this issue refers to this book as Swamp Thing 1989 #1, though the cover treats this as if it were issue #88 of the 1980s Swamp Thing series, and the issue features similar paper stock and advertisements from that era. The original pencils for this issue were finished in 1989 by Michael Zulli, and Tom Sutton had begun inking the pages when the issue was cancelled. By the time DC were finally considering publishing this, Sutton had passed away (in 2002) and Zulli was very ill. Zulli had planned to produce new art for the issue but only got as far as layouts before he passed away, so this version features Vince Locke inking over Zulli’s original pencils.

Swamp Thing 1989 #2
“Time Upon A Once”, July 2026
Rick Veitch [w, c], Tom Mandrake [p]
Constantine has helped Jim Corrigan separate from the Spectre but they are interrupted by Chas who instructs Constantine to go to Tintagel for information about Swamp Thing. There Constantine meets a group of hippies that are caring for Sir Justin (Shining Knight) who has returned from his adventures through time. Sir Justin recounts his most recent meetings with Swamp Thing. In Ancient Egypt, Chronos had captured the Atom’s friend Professor Hyatt, while Swamp Thing had also appeared in the era but was trapped inside an hourglass. When Shining Knight arrived, Swampy was freed and Chronos was defeated. However, Hyatt then produced the Claw of Aelkhünd and Swampy was transported back in time. He next appeared amongst a primitive tribe called the Bear Clan, who were subsequently attacked by Roc Raiders. In a weakened state, Swamp Thing could not fight but Sir Justin again appeared to lend assistance, while the Bear Clan’s elder Anthro approached Swamp Thing. Anthro explained that he had met Swampy in the past and then produced the amber, which he described as one of Swamp Thing’s tears. Upon seeing the amber, Swampy is transported to the beginning of the universe. In the present, Shining Knight finishes his story and Constantine becomes interested in the amber. Meanwhile Abby, Chester and Liz travel into the swamp so Abby can give birth. They seek the assistance of local midwife Livie because Abby doesn’t trust the Houma hospital after her experience with Matt’s end-of-life care (in issue #84, Mar. 1989). In Hell, that hospital’s administrator Dr. Hubert Sax meets Arcane.

Poison Ivy (2022) #45
“Chapter Forty-Five”, August 2026
G. Willow Wilson [w], Leandro Fernandez [p]
Summary coming soon.
Swamp Thing does not appear, but the Kettle Hole Devil of the Parliament of Trees does.

Swamp Thing 1989 #3
“Source and Sorcery”, August 2026
Rick Veitch [w, c], Tom Mandrake [p]
Constantine meets with Jim Corrigan again and asks him about the time before the big bang. Afterwards, Constantine visits Aniela Arcane (Anton’s sister, who was last seen as a child in issue #83, Feb. 1989) and her Un-Men servant Marcel who both now live in Anton’s derelict castle. Constantine seeks permission to look for, and soon finds, the Claw of Aelkhünd. Elsewhere, Darkseid has learned of Metron’s encounter with Swamp Thing (in issue #62, July 1987) and wants Swampy’s mind for his anti-life equation, but the elemental cannot be found anywhere in the universe. At the beginning of time, Swamp Thing encounters the Source, which communicates a way to get back to Abby. Swampy enters the world again as a small organism, gradually growing into a tree on the side of a cliff and encountering other plants like Yrgsll. Swamp Thing only has vague memories of Abby but feels the urge to uproot and walk. Eventually humans appear and he meets and befriends the adolescent Anthro. When the Bear Claw tribe is attacked by Roc Riders, Swamp Thing’s memories and purpose returns, but the tribe is defeated and Swampy burns: his final tear of resin being preserved by Anthro. In Hell, Arcane (accompanied by Sax) visits Nergal who allows Arcane to return to Earth to get vengeance on Swamp Thing and Constantine. Arcane is strengthened in the Hell’s pool of distilled hate. As Abby prepares to give birth, Arcane and Sax appear in the swamp nearby.

Superman (2023) #39
“Prime Time Part Four: Superboy-Prime Versus Infinite Crisis!”, August 2026
Joshua Williamson [w], Dan Mora [p]
Summary coming soon.

Swamp Thing 1989 #4
“The Sacrifice”, September 2026
Rick Veitch [w, c], Tom Mandrake [p]
Abby and her companions are confronted by Anton Arcane, who desires the unborn child. Arcane uses the power of hate to turn Liz and Chester against each other. Constantine arrives with the Claw of Aelkhünd to use against Anton but it has no effect. However, Abby grabs the amber and this causes Swamp Thing to emerge from it after being trapped inside for millennia. Arcane tries to overpower Swamp Thing with hate, but after his meeting with Jesus Christ, Swamp Thing no longer feels any. Arcane loses his power and he and Sax are returned to Hell with the Claw. Swamp Thing is present for the birth of the child: a boy that they name J.C. Metron arrives and warns the couple that Darkseid is pursuing them. Constantine and the Spectre hatch a plan to send the family to a different reality in the multiverse where they can’t be found. However, so that they won’t be missed, they bring an alternate version of the family (Swampy, Abby, and a daughter Tefé) to this reality from a universe that would have soon been destroyed. Swamp Thing, Abby and J.C. live peacefully in a swamp in a pre-industrial world.

Superman: Father of Tomorrow (2026) #3
“Machinations”, September 2026
Kenny Porter [w], Danny Earls [p]
Sumary coming soon.
Swamp Thing appears on one page.

[w] denotes writer. [p] denotes penciller, but I have included both penciller and inker’s names here if both are credited equally as “artists”, or if the penciller and inker are the same person. [i] denotes inker if credited separately to the penciller. [c] denotes cover artist, [vc] denotes variant cover artist. For main series appearances (where the title of the series or one-shot mentions “Swamp Thing”), I have included all contributors. When Swamp Thing makes a guest appearance, I have only credited contributors who are responsible for writing or illustrating the pages and covers that Swamp Thing appears on.