Swamp Thing Vol 2 37

From DC Database

"Growth Patterns"

Gallery

Swamp Thing Vol 2 #37
June, 1985

Executive Editor

Karen Berger

Cover Artists

Steve Bissette, John Totleben

Writers

Alan Moore

Pencilers

Rick Veitch

Inkers

John Totleben

Colourists

Tatjana Wood

Letterers

John Costanza

Editors

Karen Berger

Previous Issue

Next Issue

Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #36

Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #38

Appearing in "Growth Patterns"

Featured Characters:

• Swamp Thing (Alec Holland)

Supporting Characters:

• Abigail Cable
• John Constantine (First appearance)

Villains:

• The Invunche (First appearance)

Other Characters:

• Anne-Marie (First appearance)
• Benjamin Cox (First appearance)
• Emma (First appearance)
• Judith (First appearance)
• Tim

Locations:

• England

• London

• United States of America

• Louisiana

• Houma

• New York

• New York City

• Washington
• Wisconsin

Items:

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "Growth Patterns"

John Constantine is an occult investigator from England. He learns that something large is set to occur in the world of the supernatural and sets about learning all he can about it. But his search proves frustrating as he moves among his contacts. No one has a great deal of information for him, but to say that "He's coming back". One source thinks that he is a living black hole. Another believes that it is the old one, Cthulhu. An old nun even believes it to be Satan.

Meanwhile, Abby has been slowly helping to nurse the Swamp Thing back to health. A mere bud of an entity, she has been treating the diminutive plant with water and pesticides. It is an excruciatingly slow process and over the course of days, Swampy regains only half of his overall strength.

John Constantine eventually finds Abby and the Swamp Thing. He chides the Swamp Thing for his ignorance and informs him that he is the plant elemental. He has the ability to expand his essence through any vegetative matter – with the ability to instantly teleport nearly any place he chooses to on Earth.

Meanwhile, an artist named Emma instinctively draws a terrible picture of a disfigured man. The being, known as an Invunche, comes to life and the terror-stricken artist pitches herself through her studio window to her death.

Notes

• First appearance of occult specialist, John Constantine. John will soon go on to star in his own ongoing title, Hellblazer. He appears next in Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #38.

• Sister Anne-Marie chronologically appeared last in Hellblazer #11. She appears next in Hellblazer #46.

• Benjamin Cox chronologically appeared last in Hellblazer #11. He appears next in Hellblazer #46.

• Although Emma dies in this issue, her spirit appears next in Hellblazer #1.

• Judith chronologically appeared last in Hellblazer #11. She appears next in Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #48.

• The creature that attacks Emma won't be identified as an Invunche until Hellblazer #1.

Trivia

• The title card for this issue appears on the top side of an empty beer can and reads, "Swamp Thing - originally bottled by Wein & Wrightson".

• The evil entity that everyone speaks of is actually the Darkness that existed since the beginning of creation. This subplot eventually culminates in the double-sized Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #50.

• Swamp Thing learns that he is the world's last plant elemental in this issue.

• Cthulhu is a popular God-like character from a mythos created by Gothic horror writer, Howard Phillips Lovecraft. The monstrous deity was featured in a short story called "The Call of Cthulhu". Numerous writers including August Derleth and Brian Lumley have expanded upon the Cthulhu mythos and it has become a popular material reference in comics, songs and role playing games.
  
  

Related Articles

• Swamp Thing
• Swamp Thing cover art gallery
• Swamp Thing image gallery
• Swamp Thing image category
• Swamp Thing appearances list
• Swamp Thing quotes page

• Abigail Holland image gallery
• Abigail Holland appearances list
• Abigail Holland quotes page

See Also

• Discuss Swamp Thing Vol 2 37 on the forums
• Cover gallery for the Swamp Thing series

Recommended Reading

• Swamp Thing (Volume 1)
• Swamp Thing (Volume 2)
• Swamp Thing (Volume 3)
• Swamp Thing (Volume 4)

Links and References

• Swamp Thing article at Wikipedia
• Swamp Thing at Sequart
• Swamp Thing at Toonopedia
• Swamp Thing at DCU Guide
• Swamp Thing Annotations
• Swamp Thing Database at Roots of the Swamp Thing
• Swamp Thing movie entry at the Internet Movie Databse (IMDB)
• Swamp Thing live-action television series at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB)
• Swamp Thing animated series at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB)