[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”4106″ img_size=”1500×900″ alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Swamp Thing may sound like a 1930s black and white horror film, but it’s, in fact, a DC character. As an anti-hero who first appeared in House of Secrets in 1971, Swamp Thing is a humanoid creature made out of plant matter.
Swamp Thing will have its own show on the upcoming streaming service DC Universe. An exclusive on Slash Report reported on the pilot for the upcoming series, which came from someone with almost zero knowledge of the character, much like myself. But, according to “Ludens”, it was a solid first episode that really dove deep into something superhero shows often don’t: horror. Now, I can probably constitute a lot of superhero movies and shows as violent and we know that Marvel’s upcoming New Mutants film is going to be within the horror genre, but presenting Swamp Thing as a horror show will be a good draw in for fans who are looking for something different.
“This cold open doesn’t feel like a comic book show at all, it feels like something out of American Horror Story. Yeah, okay, it isn’t precisely top-tier, high-brow horror, but it does the job. It’s like an excellent horror film that you might watch on a Saturday night. Nothing spectacular, but it conclusively establishes SWAMP THING as something unique within the world of DC. And, of course, since this is a DC Universe (streaming service) show, there’s a hell of a lot of swearing and mature language… *cough* F— Batman *cough*. But as has been said before, the show isn’t connected to TITANS or DOOM PATROL, so I’m hoping it establishes a different visual palette than those.”
A show with more mature content is a draw-in. For movies, yes; they have to be a little more kid-friendly to bring in the crowds, but as we’ve seen, the darker and more adult tones work for the Netflix MCU. And, we’ve seen this grittier feel with the trailer to the upcoming Titans show, which makes it clear that this is nothing like Teen Titan Go. According to the review, the show will also feature some scenes that those with sensitive stomachs may want to turn away from.
“Anyway, back to the crux of the story: the infection. It is seriously gross. It’s vomit-inducing gross. It’s described as causing plant growth inside of people that create their bodies to be mutilated and mixed with plant matter to produce a hybrid of grossness. And I guess that’s part of why SWAMP THING feels so unique. There aren’t that many ‘scares’ in the pilot, but there’s a hell of a lot of weird, creepy s***! There are plenty of body-horror visuals that are perhaps even more desired than traditional horror elements. The world of SWAMP THING is what is established in this pilot, and it’s spooky.”
You can read the full review here and expect to see Swamp Thing premiere on DC Universe in 2019.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]