Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: Black Label, dc vertigo, Etrigan, michael zulli, rick veitch, swamp thing

A Church Leader And An Atheist Comic Shop Owner, On Swamp Thing #88

Two comic shop owners, one a vocal atheist, the other a church leader, react to reading Swamp Thing #88, over Easter

Published Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:57:08 -0500

There will be some spoilers below, for an almost-forty-year-old comic book that was never published but was widely discussed, and which saw a number of creators leave DC Comics and abandon other projects they were working on at the time. And yet, as I understand it, it has utterly blindsided a number of retailers ordering it. Swamp Thing #88 is famously the Rick Veitch and Michael Zulli comic book that followed the plant elemental as it was dragged through the timeline to momentous historical events where he would play a prominent role. This comic, solicited and scheduled for 1989, would have depicted the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. A planned cover depicted Swamp Thing as a crucifixion cross, and was what which initially led to internal objections within DC Comics from staffers who felt it was blasphemous, and executives who then considered what an organised boycott might look like. No amendments were allowed; the comic was cancelled. Months later, it returned with a new creative team, but not the one who originally planned to follow Rick Veitch.

In March 2024, Bleeding Cool ran the story "Might DC Comics Finally Publish Rick Veitch's Swamp Thing #88 In 2025?" in which Rick Veitch stated, "So I am told a Gmail account has been set up to collect opinions on whether or not DC should publish Swamp Thing 88. And that these will be read by folks at DC. So if you have an opinion, let them know at: publishswampthing88@gmail.com. Obviously, I e-mailed it. As it seems did quite a few folk. Then we noted that the listing for the final Rick Veitch Swamp Thing collection has some interesting aspects to it, four mystery issues added at the end. Then at the DC/Vertigo panel at New York Comic Con, DC confirmed the publication of the four final, unpublished issues, credited to Rick Veitch, the late Michael Zulli, Vince Locke, Tom Mandrake and Trish Mulvihill. It was to be Swamp Thing 1989 #1-4.

And today, comic book retailers are finalising their orders for the first issue ahead of the Final Order Cut-Off and have received a preview copy to help them decide on numbers. That this comic is happening at all is a comic book resurrection. To have to make that decision on Easter Monday is proof that God (or Marie Javins) has a sense of humour.

I have spoken to a couple of retailers, one a confirmed and vocal atheist, and one who is also a preaching Christian and church leader in his community. The former was absolutely shocked by the comic; they knew of it, but didn't see it coming, especially in establishing its place in DC Comics continuity. We had been told that Jesus Christ was portrayed as a white magician, but this is only from Swamp Thing's perspective as a plant elemental; the divinity of Christ as the Son of God is mentioned, even if not confirmed by the, let's face it, unreliable narrator. But we also get to see the father of the DC Comics satanic character Etrigan, The Demon, who sees a Roman Centurion possessed by his son. The parallels of a demon sending his son to Earth during the story of The Passion is noted. But, and this is the bigger spoiler I mentioned, Etrigan is literally exorcised by Jesus Christ, and this becomes the origin of his exile to Earth. My atheist retailer was utterly shocked by that and wondered how his faith-living customers might react. While the Christian preacher and church leader of a comic book retailer, although made uncomfortable by the white magician reference and the initial revelation of the Magii as demonic servants, saw a very respectful portrayal of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on Earth in the comic, the premise that Jesus is so important that great powers in the DC Universe are concerned with stopping him and also by the way they were amazed that he resisted the temptations of Lucifer. He sees it as an amazing retelling of Jesus and what he did, in comic form, and wonders if it had been initially cancelled by DC Comics for being too Christian. That's not the case, but it is amazing the difference in perspective almost-forty years can give. Today is the last day retailers can do that and still guarantee copies before publication. I think quite a few will be upping their orders…

Swamp Thing 1989 #1 by Rick Veitch and the late Michael Zulli is published by DC Comics on the 29th of April. And I think it is going to make headlines all over again. I have no idea if any of this will enter James Harren's upcoming relaunch of The Demon, but it would be an interesting twist if it did.

: Swaqmp Thing 1989 #1

: Swaqmp Thing 1989 #1

SWAMP THING 1989 #1 (OF 4)
(W) Rick Veitch (A) Michael Zulli, Vince Locke (CA) Rick Veitch
ONE OF THE GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD. INTRODUCING THE MOST FAMOUS UNPUBLISHED DC COMIC OF ALL TIME! Over three decades since the controversy and cancellation, Rick Veitch's legendary lost issues are completed! After a renowned two year run on the series, Veitch's grand finale to Swamp Thing was cut short, and never to see print! Whispers and leaks hinted at the epic untold saga for years. Now, for the first time, that final story is told! As Swamp Thing is cast back through time, he will come to meet a carpenter who will change the trajectory of his life, and the DC Universe forever. The origin of Etrigan, and Swamp Thing's journey to the beginning of time starts here! $4.99 4/29/2026

SWAMP THING 1989 #2 (OF 4)
(W) Rick Veitch (A) Tom Mandrake (CA) Rick Veitch
ONE OF THE GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD. THE MOST FAMOUS UNPUBLISHED DC COMICS STORY CONTINUES! As Swamp Thing is flung backwards through time, his true destination is revealed! While John Constantine works a world of connections to locate the lost elemental, Abby prepares to give birth to their child of three worlds. Witness the epic odyssey that could not see print until now! Over three decades in the making, welcome to the grand finale of Swamp Thing! $4.99 5/27/2026
SWAMP THING 1989 #3 (OF 4)
(W) Rick Veitch (A) Tom Mandrake (CA) Rick Veitch
BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, SWAMP THING MUST FACE THE SOURCE! After three decades of controversy and cancellation, Rick Veitch's finale to the Swamp Thing time-travel saga barrels toward its mind-bending conclusion! Swamp Thing's journey back through time has finally led all the way to the Big Bang and beyond. There, in the presence of the Source of the Multiverse, Swamp Thing must make an impossible choice: join the Source of life itself or find his way home to Abby. While 13 billion years in the future, John Constantine works his occult network while Hell itself is ablaze with villains of yesteryears forging evil into a new and terrifying form! The child of Swamp Thing, Abby Arcane, and John Constantine, heir to the role of Earth's Elemental, is about to be born. And everything hangs in the balance. $4.99 6/24/2026