Swamp Things Podcast

"If there is truly a heaven, sweet Linda... I pray to God you're happy there... And there must be a heaven... because I know there is a hell... I'm living in that hell right now...!"

We reach the end of the second season with "The Leviathan Conspiracy" wrapping up Len Wein's orignal run. Nestor Redondo supplies the art as Len Wein has revelations and twists to bring a conclusion to the storylines started in Issue #1. Erik Hanson from the Cradle to the Grave podcast returns to help discuss this important issue of one of the best comics of the 1970s.

Reader: Robert Reineke

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"Home..? Who'd have ever thought that one day... I would call this dismal bog home..."

Len Wein and Nestor Redondo explore the cursed, never ending life of Milo Mobius in this time travel adventure. It's a definite change of pace for Swamp Thing as we near the end of Len Wein's run.

Reader: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"How long he has stood here, gazing sadly at the ruptured ruins of the mouldering barn that was once his private laboratory, he cannot remember-- nor would it truly matter if he did--"

It's a changing of the guard as Nestor Redondo steps in to art duties after Bernie Wrightson had left. Returning guest Erik Hanson steps in as we assess Redondo's art. And the story of alien worms and would be saviors that Len Wein conjures up.

Reader: Robert Reineke

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"For the screamng is loud and long and frightening --- and laced wth maniacal laughter that sends snakes skittering into the underbrush  --- night-birds sailing off into an angry sky --- and, at last, the screaming stops!"

The end of the Bernie Wrightson run is reached with Issue #10 of Swamp Thing. Paul Hermann of The Comic Binge comes on to discuss this wrapup featuring a battle of monsters and the ghosts of slavery.

Reader: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"Don't play so high an' mighty with me, Cable. I'll bet there's something in your life you've felt exactly the same way about."

This month, Ryan Lower from The Batman Book Club comes on the podcast to discuss "The Stalker from Beyond" by Len Wein, Bernie Wrightson, and Michael Wm. Kaluta. There's a lot to unpack in a still timely rumination on xenophobia and a divided America.

Reader: Robert Reineke

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"There wasn't any natural way to restore the mines... so my pappy... he started checking into unnatural ways... the occult... and the supernatural... Then one night... I guesss he thought he was ready... He gathered up all the mystic books as such he'd been collecting... and carried them into the mine... And that was the last anyone ever saw of my pappy... Oh, there was the scream that night of course..." With issue #8 of Swamp Thing, Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson turn their sites on Lovecraftian horror after Swamp Thing has wrapped up his initial origin loose threads. Erik Hanson comes on as a guest to discuss the issue and our relationship with Lovecraft.

Reader: Erik Hanson of Cradle to the Grave

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"This man...will just keep coming...until one of us...is dead...!"

In a very special episode, legendary comics artist Kelley Jones comes on the podcast to discuss Swamp Thing #7 "The Night of the Bat" by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson where Swamp Thing journeys to Gotham and encounters Batman. It's a break from the usual format, perhaps becoming more "The Comics That Made Us", but we have a wide ranging conversation about the issue, 70s comics, Bernie Wrightson, working with Len Wein, and many other topics. I hope you have as much fun listening as we had recording it.

Reader: Justin Kowalski

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"'They are incapable of raising their hands against their neighbors.' Those were the little clockmaker's words. But their meaning is soon drowned out by the furious chatter of machine gun fire that echoes across the square."

In this episode, Rob Veatch comes on to discuss Wein and Wrightson's "A Clockwork Horror" where Swamp Thing stumbles across of village of mechanical men and their dedicated to peace creator. Just in time for the Conclave to swoop in and destroy everything and see a real horror unleashed.

Reader: Rob Veatch

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"You looked after me... when I needed help... Now it's my turn to look after you!" Samantha Kacho returns to the podcast to discuss issue #5 of the original Swamp Thing run entitled "The Last of the Ravenwind Witches!" Witchcraft, prejudice, Puritans, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and a host of other thoughts are discussed.

Reader: Samantha Kacho

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly

"Somhow, the fear-filled scream that drifts in from the bog is not totally unexpectedby those in the ancient manor -- but all heads turn at the sound just the same..." Jeremy Lloyd of Dark Tower Radio is a guest this month as we discuss Issue #4 "Monster on the Moors", Bernie Wrightson, werewolves, Stephen King, and CYCLE OF THE WEREWOLF.

Reader: Andy DiGenova of Holy Batcast

Original Music: Jim Laczkowski of Now Playing Network

Logo: Nat Almirall of Where the Long Tail Ends

Dedicated to the Memory of John Bierly