Word Balloons: Swamp Thing may come to life in 3-D
WORD BALLOONS

MATTHEW PRICE, Features Editor Comments 0
Published: September 4, 2009

LOS ANGELES — Is comics’ best-known swamp creature coming to life in three dimensions?

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At recent press conferences for the upcoming film "Whiteout,” producer Joel Silver talked briefly about another comic-book movie that has been long in development. When asked what movies might work well in 3-D, he mentioned a new version of the DC Comics property "Swamp Thing.”

"I’ll hopefully do ‘Swamp Thing,’ which is a movie we’ve had for a long time,” Silver said. "We think that would definitely be great to do in 3-D.”

Silver said some movies work well in 3-D, and others might not, and it’s early enough in the development of new technology that it’s important to be selective.

"Swamp Thing” was created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. Alec Holland was transformed into a crusading force for the swamp in moody, atmospheric comics by Wein and Wrightson in the 1970s. Writer Alan Moore turned the concept inside out during his influential run on the character in the 1980s. The literary take on the property inspired the Vertigo line of comic books. DC has collected the original 13 issues of "Swamp Thing,” plus the character’s eight-page debut in "House of Secrets,” in hardcover format. The first 10 issues of the Wein issues are available in softcover and digest formats.

Two hardcovers of Moore’s run on the comic book are available in new editions. Six softcover volumes, containing the entirety of Moore’s run, also are available. As part of DC Comics’ "After Watchmen” promotion, the first issue of Moore’s "Swamp Thing” was rereleased for $1, to encourage readers to sample the series.

The Swamp Thing character inspired two films and a TV series, in which the muck monster was played by Dick Durock. Both films and the first two seasons of the television show are available on DVD.

Wein said in 2004 he was working on a script to a "Swamp Thing” film in which the character would be computer-generated.