Swamp Thing (1991 TV series)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Swamp Thing | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Format | Animated television series |
| Voices of | Len Carlson Don Francks |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 5 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Andy Heyward |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | FOX (Fox Kids) |
| Original run | April 20, 1991 – May 18, 1991 |
| External links | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
Swamp Thing is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics character, Swamp Thing. Debuting April 20, 1991 on FOX, it lasted only five episodes. The short-lived series, produced by DiC Entertainment, corresponded with Kenner's Swamp Thing action figure collection released the year prior.
Like previous film incarnations of Swamp Thing, the animated series rejects the popular Alan Moore revision of Swamp Thing's origin and portrays him with his original origin as a man turned into a plant-like entity. Anton Arcane takes the role of the main villain responsible for Alec Holland's transformation into Swamp Thing. Arcade is backed by his gang of Un-Men: Dr. Deemo, Weedkiller, and Skinman. Swamp Thing also has two friends named Tomahawk and Bayou Jack. Tomahawk is Native American not to be confused with the DC/Vertigo character, Thomas Hawk, who was a soldier in the American Revolution rescued by Native Americans. Bayou Jack is a Vietnam veteran.
Similar to Troma's Toxic Crusaders, the animation style of Swamp Thing follows the trend of goofy, horror anti-heroes made for the children. Spoofing Chip Taylor's "Wild Thing," the opening theme plays "Swamp Thing! ...You are amazing!" The series also bears an environmentally conscious side also noted in many of its contemporaries.
Swamp Thing was apparently turned down by CBS, leading it its mid-season debut on FOX. Despite the show's limited number of episodes, NBC featured it during Chip and Pepper's Cartoon Madness in fall 1991, and the Sci-Fi Channel would syndicate it years later. USA Network and the UK's Children's Channel also re-aired Swamp Thing in the 1990s. Most recent was its stint on Toon Disney in the 2000s.
Ever since the Swamp Thing animated series, the title character's only animated appearances have been two small cameos in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. He first appears at a cantina in "Comfort and Joy." In the premiere episode of JLU, "Initiation," an unnamed creature aboard the Justice League Watchtower also looks remarkably similar to Swamp Thing.
Contents |
[edit] Cast
- Len Carlson as Swamp Thing: Once a scientist named Alec Holland whose secret lab was destroyed by Arcane and his cronies, turning him into the Swamp Thing - He now protects the swamp from evil with his supernatural powers over nature.
- Don Francks as Anton Arcane: The evil scientist that uses the Geno-fluid of his transducer chamber to turn himself and his Un-Men into monstrous creatures - He becomes an arachnid monster.
- Harvey Atkin as Tomahawk: A Native American ally to Swamp Thing that battles the Un-Men.
- Philip Akin as Bayou Jack: An African American Vietnam veteran and ally of Swamp Thing and later on becomes a temporally fourth Un-Man, half-human and half mantis.
- Joe Matheson as Weed Killer: A green-skinned, gas mask wearing plant killer that turns into the leech-like Bogsucker monster.
- Paulina Gillis as Abigail Arcane: She is step-daughter of the evil scientist Anton Arcane who hopes to help her friend Swamp Thing become human again. Abby's distinctive look comprises her natural beauty, lean figure, her oftenly bare feet and her beautiful hair.
[edit] Episodes
| # | Title | Writer(s) | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Un-Men Unleashed" | Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley | April 20, 1991 |
| Dr. Arcane turns his henchmen into mutants to attack Swamp Thing. Two kids, Delbert & J.T., along with Tomahawk, Bayou Jack, and Arcane's step daughter Abby come to Swamp Thing's rescue. | |||
| 2 | "To Live Forever" | Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley | April 27, 1991 |
| Dr. Arcane and his Un-Men travel to the Amazon Rainforest in search of “the trees that never die,” and enslaves a local Indian tribe to harvest their sap. | |||
| 3 | "Falling Red Star" | Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley, Mike Medlock | May 4, 1991 |
| Swamp Thing, Bayou Jack, and Tomahawk help NASA retrieve a nuclear-powered satellite that has crash landed in the swamp. Meanwhile, Arcane desires the satellite for his own advantage. | |||
| 4 | "Legend of the Lost Cavern" | Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley | May 11, 1991 |
| Still obsessed on gaining immortality, Dr. Arcane desecrates the Indian burial of Tomahawk’s ancestors in search of the Lost Caverns, home of the fabled Fountain of Youth. | |||
| 5 | "Experiment in Terror" | Bruce Shelly, Reed Shelly | May 18, 1991 |
| While showing Delbert & J.T. around the swamp, Swamp Thing is captured and taken to New Orleans for government experiments. Delbert, J.T., and Bayou Jack plan to rescue him as does Arcane for his own plans. | |||
[edit] Home video and DVD releases
The only Swamp Thing episode available on VHS is "The Un-Men Unleashed." It was first released by Kenner in 1992 as a direct tie-in with the action figure line; its sleeve cover even borrows card art from the Snare Arm Swamp Thing figure. The second release, featuring a new cover, was released October 9, 1992.
On August 31, 2004, UAVCO released Swamp Thing - Guardian of the Earth to DVD. This set includes all five episodes of the series and was released in time to promote UAVCO's Animation Station line-up.[1][2] The DVD is currently out of print.
[edit] Action figures
In 1990, Kenner produced a line of Swamp Thing action figures with vehicles & playsets that served as a direct counterpart to the animated series. Arcane and his Un-Men include translucent, rubbery BioMask accessories that give the effect of their transformation into monstrous creatures. Their eyes also glow-in-the-dark, a popular feature in action figures of the era. Arcane's transducer machine even includes a Mantid figure that would be referenced an episode where Bayou Jack is mutated. Some accessories would also be reused for Hasbro's The Original Battle Trolls in 1992.
According to an online fan source,[3] Kenner invested approximately 6 million dollars into the Swamp Thing figure line. It also states that, according to Kenner, test results using male children between the ages of 6 and 11 showed them to be more popular than both G.I. Joe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
[edit] Series 1 (1990)
- Bio-Glow Swamp Thing
- Camouflage Swamp Thing
- Capture Swamp Thing
- Snap Up Swamp Thing
- Snare Arm Swamp Thing
- Bayou Jack
- Tomahawk
- Anton Arcane
- Dr. Deemo
- Skinman
- Weed Killer
[edit] Vehicles & playsets (1990)
- Bayou Blaster
- Bog Rover
- Marsh Buggy
- Swamp Trap
- Transducer (w/ Mantid figure)
[edit] Series 2 (1991)
- Capture Swamp Thing
- Climbing Swamp Thing
[edit] Video games other merchandise
A Swamp Thing video game was developed for the NES and Game Boy. Both versions were released by THQ in December 1992 and were met with generally poor receptions.
Other merchandise included a paint by number kit, a "Battle for the Bayou" board game, a bop bag, and green chalk resembling Swamp Thing. The label of the chalk is especially curious with text hovering above the little figure with the words "I'm Chalk!"
[edit] External links
- Swamp Thing at the Internet Movie Database
- Swamp Thing at TV.com
- TVShowsOnDVD - Swamp Thing
- DIC Entertainment - Swamp Thing
- Virtual Toy Chest - Swamp Thing
- VGMuseum - Swamp Thing
[edit] References
- ^ Swamp Thing DVD News: Animated series gets DVD release in August TVShowsOnDVD.com (June 17, 2004). Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- ^ Amazon.com: Swamp Thing: DVD Amazon.com (July 2004). Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- ^ Swamp Thing TV Series FAQ pt. 2 Arcane Knowledge: A Guide to the Swamp Thing TV Series. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
