Interview: Tom Mandrake on Returning to Swamp Thing After 35+ Years
And what happens after Swamp Thing meets The Lamb of God?
In May of 1989, comics creator Rick Veitch inherited the impossible task of following up Alan Moore’s run on Swamp Thing. After helping shape the title during Moore’s now legendary run, he took the reins in bringing the series in increasingly ambitious and surrealist directions; that is, until DC cancelled it overnight, due to its encounter where Swamp Thing interacts with… Jesus Christ. Since then, one of comics’ most ambitious storylines became one of its most famous unfinished stories…
Until now.
Swamp Thing 1989 finally completes the lost storyline, with Rick Veitch returning alongside artist Tom Mandrake to complete what was left unfinished. I was surprised how much of it was a labor of love, with the script actually handling Swamp Thing’s time-traveling adventures, meeting Jesus’ story rather tastefully; especially compared to some of the ways religion would be portrayed in comics just a few years later in the 90’s Preacher era.
To talk about finally completing that journey, I sat down with series artist Tom Mandrake. We discussed what it was like returning to unfinished comics history, recreating the look of his 1980s artwork, working with Rick Veitch again, and what it feels like to finally close the book on one of comics’ most famous unfinished stories.
We also talked about censorship, Mr. Terrific, folk horror, and why comics refuse to die, no matter how many times people say it’s dead.
This interview was edited for clarity
I just finished Rick Veitch’s Swamp Thing run, which was rife with surprises. My first question is… Does Swamp Thing give birth again? You drawing another Swampy-in-Labor as well?
TOM MANDRAKE: You can’t trick me into giving anything away!
For those who haven’t read Rick’s Swamp Thing run we’re talking about one of my all-time favorite scenes from issue 78 (1988). Abby giving birth to baby Swamp Thing, actually, I should say, Swamp Thing gives birth to himself!
What a great issue to draw.
I still own the page where lil’ Swampy is born, love it!
It’s weird in the best of ways. I loved it too. Anyways, that was a trick question. Here’s the real one. Having just finished the original run, this issue picks up 35+ years later.
What can readers expect to see you pencil on the page?
MANDRAKE: I feel we’ve done a good job creating continuity with the old material. From Rick’s story to Trish Mulvihill’s coloring and Todd Klein’s lettering, we’ve come as close as possible to a seamless flow from the 1989 issues. On top of that, Alex Galer our editor, and DC Comics went above and beyond to create a book that looks like it dropped right out of the ‘80s!
That’s not really a direct answer to your question, though. You can expect to see me trying to travel backwards in time, trying to recreate the way I drew these characters back in the ’80s. That was a bit of a challenge as my visual take on Swamp Thing has changed over the years.
So when you were first asked by DC to do this, what was your response like?
MANDRAKE: Alex Galer contacted me about the project, seems like ages ago now. I was sold from the beginning and excited that both he and Rick wanted me involved. I’ve always loved working on Swamp Thing, and it had been decades since I worked with Rick. I also knew how much attention to detail Alex would bring to the project because I’d worked with him on several other projects over the last few years.
Ever imagine you’d get a chance to finish this story nearly forty years later?
MANDRAKE: No, absolutely not. I thought this was one of those lost-to-time projects that would never see the light of day. If it ever did see light there was no reason for me to believe I would be involved. When Alex told me they wanted me on board, I was blown away!
Now, you’ve worked with Swamp Thing throughout your career. What’s your personal relationship with the character?
MANDRAKE: My first issue of Swamp Thing was in 1982. Jan Duursema and I were offered Saga of The Swamp Thing #9, written by Marty Pasko. I did a number of fill-ins through the years with various issues with Rick, Nancy Collins, Jamie Delano, hopefully I’m not leaving anybody out. I never did ink any of those issues; it was usually Alfredo Alcala although Kim DeMulder and a few others were slinging ink as well. I believe Tatanja Wood colored every one of my issues with John Costanza lettering.
All that was going on while I was doing other gigs at DC, Marvel, First Comics, like Batman, Shazam, New Mutants, GrimJack etc. I moved on to start penciling and inking Firestorm around 1990 and Swampy appeared in that book. As he did in my next series, The Spectre. As you mention I did that fun series of short stories with Phil also.
So, in a weird way, my longest-running relationship with a DC character is with Swamp Thing. Not the most issues, but on and off, I started working with the character in 1982, and here we are, together again in 2026!
Match made in heaven. Now, distinct silhouettes meet the stillness of the shadow. To me, your style is signature for these gothic undertones. How would you define your own body of work?
MANDRAKE: I’d like to think it’s more varied than people realize. While I have a reputation for living in the crossover superhero/horror genre, which I love, I’ve also worked on war comics, westerns, fantasy, sword and sorcery, si-fi, you name it. Maybe the only genre I haven’t hit is romance comics but it’s never too late!
Regarding my style, I always enjoy hearing other people describe how they perceive my art,
my style, but I’m sure I don’t know how to approach describing my work. I’ll leave that up
to others.
This storyline originally sent Swamp Thing through space and time. In a way, you’re time-traveling too. How did you bridge the gap between your past and present artistic selves?
MANDRAKE: Without a doubt, my work has evolved since 1989. To prepare for this project, I read Rick’s entire run again. I looked over the originals I have of my issues from those days. I tried to soak it all in so that when I began, I could bring something of 1980s Mandrake storytelling into the work. I tried to incorporate a little Alcala into the inks. I didn’t want to chain myself down, just lean into the old stuff.
The big one. This run continues the Rick Veitch story that was cancelled because he, well, visited Christ. Any hot takes on this subject given what’s changed in culture from then versus now?
MANDRAKE: I’ve read some reviews of my first issue, Swamp Thing 1989 #2, and they’ve been overwhelmingly positive. I honestly expected some backlash. Maybe that is yet to come. Do we know that there would have been a problem if the book had been published back in 1989? We’ll never know for certain, I’d like to think people are more accepting of ideas now but I know how quickly that can change.
Censorship, attempts to clamp down on creativity, that pendulum swings pretty rapidly. I’ve seen it many times in our field. Look how the industry broke open in terms of content just after DC decided not to publish this book. Vertigo became an imprint and the industry shifted. Suddenly, there was room in the mainstream for this kind of material but, too late for this Swamp Thing story.
I loved seeing The Spectre appear in this issue, a character you co-created and had such an impact on DC’s history...
MANDRAKE: I didn’t co-create The Spectre, that was Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily in 1940. However, I do appreciate how well received John Ostrander and my Spectre series has been over the years.
My mistake. Given how many people love that run, I mixed it up (Also, I’m not the best comics historian, just a fan of certain eras). Anyway, were there any other fun DC cameos to keep an eye out for?
MANDRAKE: Almost all of the characters who appear in our issues were in Rick’s original series. Throughout his Swampy issues, Rick did a deep dive into some of DC Comics’ more neglected but fascinating characters. Of course, the Spectre is well known, but you’ll need to be well versed in DC lore to recognize the entire cast of characters.
That said, what’s it been like working with Rick again after all these years?
MANDRAKE: It was just great to get to work on one of Rick’s intense, deep scripts again and spend time talking with him. I’ve known Rick since our days at The Joe Kubert School in the ‘70s. He was in the very first graduating class, and I was in the second.
And what’s the game plan for this? How much of it are you drawing?
MANDRAKE: I’ve done issues #89, #90, and #91, AKA Swamp Thing 1989 #2, #3, and #4 and that is it, end of the story… as far as I know.
This next one I’m asking for Sami because I know she’d want me to…
What’s it been like seeing Mr. Terrific take off the way he has, and did you enjoy the new Superman movie?
MANDRAKE: I’m the first to admit I’m biased about the Superman movie because I loved Edi Gathegi as Mr Terrific! It’s a thrill to see the character become so fully developed. I thought it was a great Superman movie. My favorite since the first Christopher Reeve film.
This one’s for me. Any upcoming projects you’d like to tell readers about? =)
MANDRAKE: Well, there is this little thing called The Devil and Daisy Dirt, a folk horror fairy tale stage production that I absolutely love and am now going to work on along with writer Alex Dawson and you as editor to bring the story to life as a comic book! Let’s plug the play!
https://thedevilanddaisydirt.blogspot.com/
…I’ll be honest. I feel wildly underqualified to be editing works by longstanding veterans like yourself, and Jan. Thank you for trusting us. Which brings me to my final question:
What still excites you about making comics after all these years?
MANDRAKE: I love telling stories, working with other creators to make something unique and new. I feel very fortunate to be able to have a career doing something I love.
You’ve dedicated your life to comics… Any advice would you give young creators hoping to do the same?
MANDRAKE: The market is so different now than when I started. I began working professionally in comics in 1979/1980, not a cell phone or computer in sight. The only thing that’s the same, somebody is always yelling “Comics are dead!” I hear that every 5 years or so, but I’m still here creating comics some 46 years later, always building new relationships while continuing to work with people and companies I’ve known since my first freelance job.
You have to be patient as you develop your skills and create relationships in the business.
Keep pounding on doors...figuratively speaking of course, banging on real doors was a
20th-century thing.
Keep practicing, there’s always more to learn.
And finally, persevere, if you love storytelling, don’t give up, find a way to make it happen. There are so many ways to create comics, whether you get your foot in the door of an established company, run a Kickstarter, self-publish, just get out there and make comics!
Thanks to Tom Mandrake for doing this interview! You can pick up a copy of Swamp Thing 1989 issue #2 as of last week. With two more issues drawn by Tom in stores the next two months.