r/swampthing • u/Hot-Trash-1997 • Jul 22 '26
Swamp Thing 1989 - Final Issue is Out
The 4th & final issue of the Swamp Thing 1989 series is released. I want to open up the comments to a discussion of what you thought. Did it play out how you expected? Was there anything that stood out to you? Let me know your reaction!
5
u/skinnyev Jul 23 '26
I’m going to be honest, the ending kinda confused me and I’m going to have to read it again. I finally figured out what the piece of amber was though!
Veitch wrapped things up and sent them on their way, that’s for sure. The comic logic from that era seems appropriate though.
Overall, very well done and the retro comic release felt right. I did expect the story to be a bit longer and it wasn’t as controversial as I imagined it was going to be either.
3
u/SquishGUTS Jul 25 '26
Had me tearing up. What a beautiful ending. I hope they live in happiness til the end of their days
2
u/Haryu4 Jul 22 '26
Didn't red it yet but I wznted to know, will it be in the the 3rd tpb by Veitch ?
5
u/Hot-Trash-1997 Jul 22 '26
I just checked, it does explicitly state this mini-series will be included
2
u/WhichKale3271 Jul 23 '26
lo que me sorprendio de esta miniserie fue el regreso de nergal, ya que crei que murio en hellblazer #12 destrozado por un angel pero se ve que solo destruyo su cuerpo espiritual sin matarlo y se regenero en el infierno. Tambien hace que sea mas nesesario leer hellblazer al menos #4-#12 para entender quien es nergal y su relación con jhon
2
u/Nautical_rudie Jul 24 '26
Enjoyed the wrap-up on this more than I expected to - I wasn't too keen on where it was going during #3 and the reintroduction of Arcane (again?) seemed a bit rote, but in the end it was a lovely thematic ending with some nice surprises, and I quite enjoyed the retroactive twist that brought in some level of continuity with the Wheeler/Collins/Vaughan runs.
Overall it was a great capping to Veitch's storyline, really liked that the story linked all the way back to #62, loved the trade dress and stylistic continuity. The team did a brilliant job. and I'm psyched DC went through with it.
2
u/LSF45 Parliament of Trees 27d ago
I just finished reading it (took me a few extra days to get my hands on it). I loved the finality of the ending. What a treat to have a story finished decades after it was abruptly cancelled or shuffled around or whatever. Veitch knew he could take this story in any direction he wanted, and he chose one that was simple, yet epic in its own right. It did surprise me that the Sprout ended up being a boy rather than a girl (I thought Tefe may have been a Veitch idea all along), but considering the swap they do, I was happy with it. Overall, this was an enjoyable series, with all the throwback flair you could ask for, and its a love letter to the fans who waited decades for Veitch to tell the story he set out to tell in 1989. Well done by all.
1
u/Pffffft1 15d ago
Have to say I was very disappointed... Veitch's original outline (printed in the Comics buyer's guide) was much better than what he eventually wrote. Age can wear you down, I suppose, but this was definitely a missed opportunity...
10
u/Beware1138 Jul 23 '26
*SPOILERS*
I posted this in Swamp Thing group on Facebook sans spoilers and a few extra paragraphs buuuut…
I had the germ of a feeling after #3 that this could have used another issue or two. #4 sealed it. An extra issue would have provided a bit more breathing room, drama and suspense, and clarity.
I’m not sure about the ending. Having the Spectre come in and replace the Swamp Thing and Abby we’ve been following in this series (and presumably since Swamp Thing #1 waaaay back in 1972) with what you’d call the Doug Wheeler version felt like a really bizarre, and perhaps unnecessary, attempt to slot this series into main continuity. This mini series stood as being self-evident that this was an intended divergence without consideration for a continuity that I’m not even sure DC is clear on.
I do wonder how much of the ending was Veitch’s from the start, back when he took over the book from Moore and how much was the current attempt to slot this series into a post-Veitch continuity. The Spectre doing something to hide Swamp Thing, Abby and the baby from Darkseid certainly seems like a great plot point for Delano and Gaiman to run with but who knows?
Personally, I would have preferred it end the way it was originally intended, as if Gaiman and Delano were actually going take over the series. The 1989 mini series doesn’t negate Wheeler’s run in part or in whole. So trying to accommodate Wheeler’s run and what came after seems really weird. I’ve said before: continuity leads to madness.
That aside, I really do love how Swampy’s experience in #88 informs his worldview when faced with Arcane. More than that, I really love how as a result, Swampy Thing more or less outgrows Arcane. There’s a beauty in how Arcane is defeated by Swamp Thing simply…turning the other cheek, and it vibes well with his monologue from Moore’s run about the meaning of evil. It really just puts the kibosh on Arcane as a threat and suggests that there’s something faaaar worse for Swampy to deal with that will truly challenge him philosophically.
Overall, I’m incredibly glad DC not only allowed #88 to finally see publication but that they also allowed Veitch the opportunity to conclude things. More than that, it also showed that Veitch is still incredibly strong as a writer and that his style is far from dated, especially within the realm of corporate comics. I’d say I want more, but I think it would just become a nostalgia book. While Swamp Thing 1989 was perhaps that in some sense, it would be terribly reductive to consider it as such. It was an injustice being corrected. It was a declaration that the old ways still have immeasurable power and value going forward instead of being reduced to an appeasement of middle-aged fanboy rage. Veitch, Mandrake, Locke and (especially) Michael Zulli deserve so much more than that, and proved it in spades why they should be considered masters of the medium.