10 Unbelievable Retcons That Changed Comics For The Better

Swamp Thing was a run of the mill monster-man at the beginning. Alec Holland was caught in an explosion, and as this is comics, he was transformed into a thing made from swamp plants. The book was well-received for a time until it got cancelled for one reason or another.

That is until 1982 and the Wes Craven Swamp Thing movie was greenlit. A second volume was launched to a warm reception, all about Alec needing to stop an evil child who may be the Anti-Christ. Yet, despite this obviously brilliant premise, dipping sales meant the book was destined to succumb to cancellation too.

In steps Alan Moore, a name you know you can trust about retconning previously established history, and things get intense.

The biggest retcon that changed it all was that Alec Holland did die in the explosion. The Swamp Thing was animated vegetation that thought it was a man, which ended up being the first of many key changes to come. There were actually dozens of Swamp Things throughout the ages, combining all previous appearances into continuity, and introducing the Parliament of Trees and the Green, the grand force that connected all plant life. That by itself has become a giant addition to DC continuity, but Moore didn’t stop there.

With this new direction, there were no limits to where it could go - everyone needs to read the Alan Moore run on this and see just how far the swamp hole goes.