Decades in the making, Swamp Thing 1989 #1 is finally here, a story shelved due to heated politics and fear of its heavy portrayal of Jesus Christ. Lost issues in comics history, Rick Veitch’s tale is finally getting a proper release. It’s a story of Swamp Thing going back in time and visiting key moments, particularly one with the son of God. Given the supernatural and otherworldly nature of Swamp Thing, it’s an opportunity to tell a story that’s not sacrilegious, but simply playing with fiction in a new way.
There’s an endearing quality in reading Swamp Thing 1989, thanks to the older, hand-drawn art style that makes this story feel elevated and profound. The subject matter of exploring characters like Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ certainly helps, as well as this being a DC Black Label title outside of continuity. Surely this was meant to be within continuity; heroes pop up in montaged and transitioned scenes, but it allows this to live in a vacuum and be judged on its own merits.
The first thing you’ll encounter when you read this is a foreword by Rich Handley from 1989, painting the picture of what we’re in for. The concept of “pushing boundaries” with the 1990s right around the corner is an interesting one. Names like Mike Grell and Grant Morrison are invoked, setting this at a high bar that feels historic in the history of comics. An afterword written in 2026 is a must-read once you finish the comic, with good insights into the politics that got this book shelved in the first place. It adds context around the drama that surrounded this book, so that even if you weren’t reading comics at the time, you can understand the ramifications of this book coming out at the time.
Trippy stuff!
Credit: DC Comics
The story kicks off in the very first panel, with Swamp Thing floating in a multiversal soup of realities and possible worlds. One can see Veitch playing with the concept of the multiverse and how Swamp Thing may be entering our own reality for this tale. If you believe in Christianity, this certainly feels like it honors your faith and says it’s a true religion, with Swamp Thing “swimming upstream” into a reality where Jesus Christ did exist. At the same time, any changes to the stories in the Bible can be explained by this reality being not quite our own.
A smash cut to the apostles breaking bread and drinking the blood of Christ makes it clear where we are, and then cutting to evil forces who wish Jesus dead. Enter Etrigan the Demon, or a version of him being called up, and meddling with characters from the Bible. It’s a clever twist, as Veitch is playing with the fictions of Christianity.
In one great sequence, we see Swamp Thing traveling to different regions of Earth, visiting the Aztecs, Druids, and Romans, and eventually a quiet campsite where Jesus drinks from the Holy Grail. It adds historical context to the time and place and shows how Swamp Thing’s powers allow him to practically teleport.
Thanks to Etrigan, a major attack takes place, there’s plenty of conflict, and the story continues to show Jesus being sacrificed. Was it due to Swamp Thing being teleported away before he could save him? It’s unclear, but the next chapter will be interesting to see how Veitch planned to show Swamp Thing’s interaction with the Bible.
Art by Michael Zulli is great, particularly when Swamp Thing is zipping around in the multiversal soup. Swamp Thing has an otherworldly glow effect that helps convey the weirdness of this realm. The demon is also particularly well designed, with a freaky look as it emerges from a boiling soup of, presumably, blood.
As far as gripes go, which are tough since this is a blast from the past and can’t be judged by today’s standards, I did find myself wondering what the larger story is trying to accomplish. Is it a visit at key moments of Jesus’s story, or something more? From cover to cover, one could argue the story is done here, with no seeds or markers to indicate what it’s all about just yet. Another minor gripe: the art can look a little flat or awkward, but that’s rare.
Swamp Thing 1989 #1 stands out as a fascinating and ambitious story that pushes into territory few comics dare to explore. Rick Veitch approaches religious mythology with care and curiosity, weaving Swamp Thing into biblical events in a way that feels thoughtful and provocative. The framing material adds important historical context, giving the book an added layer of significance beyond the story itself. Michael Zulli’s art enhances the surreal tone, especially in the more cosmic sequences, creating a sense of awe and unease. The issue remains a compelling and unique piece of comics history that invites discussion and reflection.
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