It's amazing to think how one comic book creation can have a successful domino effect in other mediums. It's even more amazing how some obscure characters - ones that almost didn't live on to become successful - can find success many years after their original debut. Such was the case with the Len Wein penned and Bernie Wrightson drawn DC comics character Swamp Thing. A decade after his appearance as a short story and brief run within the pages of his own comic, Swamp Thing was resurrected by Wes Craven in 1982 for the big screen and again in the comic book world. From there a new and profitable merchandising line was born, one that included a sequel and a TV series that debuted nine years after the first movie and lasted three seasons. As great as comic writers Len Wein and Alan Moore are (and others like Mark Millar and Grant Morrison), Swamp Thing owes a huge debt of gratitude to Wes Craven. Still, the second comic incarnation of Swamp Thing was deeply complex in terms of human layers of the character and one of the better comic series' of the early '80s.

In the TV series, which lasted from 1990 to 1993, actor Dick Durock returns from both films to play Swamp Thing, the darker alter-ego of Dr. Alec Holland who was turned into a superhuman life-form after thieves tried to steal his experimental regeneration formula. As a result, Holland was scarred by deadly chemicals during a fire and subsequently sought sanctuary in a nearby swamp in an effort to save his life. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Instead, Holland was resurrected as the Swamp Thing, what the swamp knew of Alec Holland, a creature now hell-bent on ridding the world of evil. Over the course of the series, we see the transformation of Swamp Thing from a creature struggling to find meaning with his new identity and surroundings to a "being" more conscious of the higher principles of the world around him, the dynamics within it, his new relationships, and the constant interplay between good and evil. Out of the 72 episodes commissioned for the USA series, Shout Factory serves up the first 22 eps in sequential order on a great 4-disc set.

Although the extras are lean (almost none to speak of), credit needs to go out to Shout Factory for including something cool for fans. The set serves up two fairly brief but fantastic interviews (roughly 8 minutes each) with Swamp Thing co-creator Len Wein and Swamp Thing actor Dick Durock. While Wein waxes on everything from writing human characters, being inspired by Rod Serling, how the original idea came to him on the subway in New York City, and the evolution of Swamp Thing, Durock dishes a ton of goodies on how he got into the business, doubling for Guy Williams on the original Lost in Space, working on such 80's hit shows as BJ and the Bear and The Rockford Files, meeting Wes Craven for the Swamp Thing film, make-up tests, and the challenges of the character's suit. If you're a true fan of the comic book and the series, you won't be disappointed.

Aside from a lack of extras, which could have included storyboards, sketches, comic-to-TV comparisons, and a few words from series cast member Kari Wuhrer, the episodes are the best bang for your buck. Still, the entire series would have been a lot better as a product if it were packaged together as one complete set.

The first two seasons of Swamp Thing hold up well almost 20 years after the fact. Comic geeks will love what Shout Factory has out together and will certainly appreciate the extra interviews with co-creator Len Wein and actor/stunt man Dick Durock. It's just a shame that Swamp Thing got blown out on TV when in today's superhero friendly world the series probably would have became a huge hit. The episodes look fantastic and the stories have a certain timeless relevance that makes for a great swampy experience.