Scott Dunbier’s Act 4 Publishing, in partnership with Skybound Entertainment and DC Comics, present the first Artist’s Edition of the seminal Swamp Thing run by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette and John Totleben.
Officially titled Bissette and Totleben’s Swamp Thing Artist’s Edition (and available in comic book shops on July 7, 2027), the over-sized hardcover volume collects over 170 pieces of interior and cover art, sketches, and extras.
Art is included from many issues from the run (from Swamp Thing #16–64) including examples from the “Anatomy Lesson,” and “American Gothic” storylines.
The 10-page “Jack in the Green” story is presented in its entirety, marking the final collaboration by Bissette and Totleben at DC. Some art from Rick Veitch is also included in the Artist’s Edition (who followed Moore, Bissette, and Totleben’s run on Swamp Thing, taking over as the writer and artist).
“Never thought I’d live long enough to see this volume exist but overjoyed and gratified that I have, and that it does,” said Bissette. “Back in the mid-1980s, John and I basically subsidized our ongoing work on Swamp Thing by selling the original art (at what were, at the time, affordable prices) and as many sketches as we could muster—having this book is happily putting some of the artwork that we’d let go long ago back into our hands. And, thankfully, all of yours.”
“For those of you who have never seen, much less owned, an original page of Bissette & Totleben Swamp Thing artwork and wish you had, this volume puts the next best thing straight into your hands.” John Totleben added, “These comic art reproductions come closer than anything else to represent the look and feel of the actual physical pages, warts and all, without the usual pre-printing clean-ups and preparations necessary for publication. Almost like having a collection of the original pages, and… you don’t need to be a billionaire to afford it!”
“Bissette and Totleben’s run on Swamp Thing with Alan Moore is arguably the greatest mainstream comics series of the early 1980s,” said Dunbier. “My one complaint was that, as an art dealer and collector, I saw many of the original pages in person–and the printed comic book did not come close to doing their work justice. As great as those comics were, they could never measure up to the exquisite line work Bissette and Totleben were producing. Now, finally, people will be able to see what this masterful duo created, as close to the original art as possible. It will be a revelation!”
The Artist’s Edition also includes a new introduction by Bissette, and one by editor and Vertigo Comics architect Karen Berger.
Similar to other Artist’s Editions, although the pages appear to be black and white, the art is scanned in color, enabling readers to experience the pages with all of the ink gradients, blue pencil, and other aspects of the original art pages.
Other previously released Act 4 Publishing and Skybound collaborations include Jim Aparo’s DC Classics Artist’s Edition, Darwyn Cooke’s The Complete Spirit Connoisseur Edition, Wally Wood’s EC Stories Artist’s Edition- EXPANDED, George Pérez’s The New Teen Titans Artist’s Edition, and The Amazing Spider-Man by Steve Ditko Artist’s Edition.
José Luis García-López’s DC Classics Artist’s Edition and Marvel Heroes by Gene Colan Artist’s Edition will also be released in 2027.
Bissette and Totleben originally began their run in Saga of Swamp Thing #16, a few issues before Moore joined the creative team in issue #20, and changed the entire perception of the DC horror character.
Bissette and Totleben’s Swamp Thing Artist’s Edition will be available at your local comic book shop on July 7, 2027, and in bookstores on August 3, 2027 for a suggested retail price of $150.00.
Check out both the standard and comic shop variant covers below and stay tuned to Conskipper for all of your Swamp Thing news.
