What better way to celebrate environmental preservation than with plastic?
By DWAYNE PINKNEY
I’ve always loved two things since I was a child: Monsters and superheroes. So, give me a combination of the two, and I’m a fan for life.
Such is the case with Swamp Thing. My first introduction to the character was the eponymous 1982 film by Wes Craven starring Ray Wise as Alec Holland, Dick Durock as Swamp Thing, Louis Jourdan as Arcane, and the lovely Adrienne Barbeau as Alice Cable.
The original movie poster
I started collecting the second DC Comics series around that time, and even had the paperback novelization of the film. But where were the toys? I was so desperate for a Swamp Thing figure that two years later I bought a Mattel Secret Wars Dr. Octopus just so I could rip the tentacles off and repaint him (sort of) into a muck-encrusted mockery of a toy.
But the dream wasn’t dead just yet. Like any weed, no matter how many times Swamp Thing gets uprooted, he always comes back. 1989 saw the release of The Return of Swamp Thing, a dreadfully awful film (which I still love), a live-action series in 1990 on the USA Network, followed by a short-lived animated series with its own accompanying toy line from Kenner! At last, I had not only one, but a whole series of amazing Swamp Thing figures, playsets, vehicles. I was in heaven!
As the years have progressed, my love for the character has only grown. Swamp Thing seems to attract the very best talents the comic industry has to offer. The monstrous creation of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson has soared to heights I doubt his creators ever imagined. The works of Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, Alfredo Alcala and many more have cemented Swamp Thing’s legendary status as a horror comic icon.
So, for Earth Day, here are the TOP 13 figures of our favorite bayou beastie!
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13. Spin Master Swamp Thing 3.75” (2022). Originally part of a Batman vs. Swamp Thing 2-pack, this stumpy (pun intended) little figure finds himself at the bottom of the list. Though well sculpted, he’s just far too short and stocky. This version of Swampy will forever remain in the back row.
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12. Mattel Justice League Action Swamp Thing 4.5” (2017). This impressive little guy captures the look of his animated counterpart very well. I’m not always a fan of the way this particular animation style translates to three dimensions, but in this case, it works very well. He’s surprisingly well articulated and looks great on the shelf.
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11. DC Collectibles Essentials Swamp Thing 7” (2015). This particular figure is a mixed bag. This is not, and will never be my favorite look for the character. There was a deluxe version released with additional wings and antlers. For a character that’s supposed to be plant-based, that just doesn’t work for me. Still, it’s a solid sculpt. The articulation is very stiff, however, and those ugly ball joints at the hip just never look good.
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10. DC Direct Swamp Thing 7” (1999). DC Direct’s first attempt at Swamp Thing is such a letdown. It’s a truly fantastic sculpt, perfectly capturing Stephen Bissette’s art, but it’s a statue. Not an action figure. This thing barely moves, and what movement it has makes no sense. In fact, it’s so statue-like, it was released at the same time as an ACTUAL statue. I suspect the idea for the statue came first, and DC just said “Hey! Let’s cut this up and add some joints!” Looks nice on the shelf, but worthless as a toy.
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9. Figures Toy Company Swamp Thing 8” (2017). FTC gave us this interesting take on Swamp Thing in 2017. The figure is meant to be a kind of “What if?” Mego had made a Swamp Thing figure in the 1970s. And therein lies the problem. FTC went with a screen-printed bodysuit using the artwork of Stephen Bissette. But the original Mego went belly up in 1982, and Bissette didn’t draw his first Swamp Thing comic until 1983. The figure still looks kind of cool though, but with a little more thought and effort put into it, could’ve been truly spectacular.
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8. McFarlane Toys Amazon Exclusive Glow Swamp Thing 11” (2023). This is a truly spectacular Swamp Thing. While not my favorite look for the character, the amount of sculpted detail is mind-boggling. There are all types of roots, leaves, tendrils and bits covering his entire body. This is simply a repaint of McFarlane’s earlier Swamp Thing figure, but the glow paint is nice and thick and has almost a mossy texture to it. He’s the largest figure on the list and is very heavy. The figure also comes with nice display stand and an extra head with those stupid antlers. Antlers. On a plant guy. Nope. Not happening.
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7. Hiya Toys Injustice 2 Swamp Thing 4” (2020). This really nice little figure is based off the Injustice 2 video game. I’ve never seen the game, but he’s my stand-in Swamp Thing for the recent streaming series that lasted only 10 episodes, since he has a very similar look to actor Derek Mears’ version from the show. Beautifully sculpted and painted, with tons of articulation, this one is a lot of fun.
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6. Kenner Bio-Glow Swamp Thing 5” (1990). Now this is how you make a fun toy. He glows in the dark. He has the old Kenner power-action ability when you squeeze his legs, and the sculpt is amazing, giving Swamp Thing a spiny cactus-like appearance. If he were painted red, he would look exactly like Swamp Thing as he appeared on an alien world in Issue #57. Given that particular issue debuted in 1987, I’m sure Kenner’s sculptors were influenced by it when making this figure.
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5. Kenner Camouflage Swamp Thing 5” (1990). One of the best versions of Swamp Thing ever made. He resembles a cypress tree, and you can actually see through all of his body. Top it off with an amazing action feature. When he is exposed to cold, his bright green pattern turns to chocolate brown. This is the rare original release. Later versions used a much simpler paint mask, eliminating the green on his arms completely, presumably as a cost-cutting measure.
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4. Kenner Snap-Up Swamp Thing 5” (1990). This is one seriously awesome figure! Sculpted with tons of detail, when you pull on Swampy’s leg, he collapses into what appears to be a pile of dead leaves. Then with the push of a hidden button on his back, he “snaps-up” to his original form, ready to take on Arcane and his evil Un-Men! The most amazing this about this figure is, even after 34 years, he still works perfectly. They sure don’t make ’em like this anymore!
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3. Kenner Snare Arm Swamp Thing 5” (1990). Considered the “regular” version of Swamp Thing from the Kenner line, this is a truly great figure. He perfectly captures the classic look of Swampy from both the comics and cartoon, and has a great play feature. Pull his left hand and it “grows” as if by a vine, wrap it around his enemies, then squeeze his legs to pull it back in.
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2. Mattel DC Universe Classics SDCC exclusive Swamp Thing 8” (2011). Mattel knocked it out of the park with this Swamp Thing. This extraordinary figure was a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive sold in 100 percent recycled paper packaging molded in the shape of Swamp Thing’s head! How freaking cool is that?! The figure itself is a sight to behold. Intricately sculpted and painted, it is made of a seamless, flexible rubber material over a poseable inner skeleton. So far, mine has held up perfectly for 13 years with no splits or material degradation issues whatsoever.
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1. DC Collectibles Icons Swamp Thing 7” (2016). This fantastic figure takes the top spot for one very simple reason. To date, it is the only Swamp Thing figure released to perfectly capture the look of the character as he appeared in those original Bernie Wrightson comics. By now we’re all used to seeing a much bulkier Swamp Thing, covered in roots and vegetation, but this simpler version is how I most often think of him, from these early comics pages. He’s leaner and more humanoid-looking, with visible ears and piercing red and yellow eyes. 100% perfection.
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MORE
— 13 DEGREES OF MR. FREEZE: His TOP 13 ACTION FIGURES — RANKED. Click here.
— The TOP 13 Classic SUPER POWERS Figures — RANKED. Click here.
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Dwayne Pinkney specializes in action-figure photography.
