When it comes to the magical side of the DC Universe, Swamp Thing is a name that often gets overlooked more times than most. After all, John Constantine, Zatanna, and Doctor Fate are the DC Universe's foremost practitioners of the mystic arts, while Swamp Thing is, well, a guy in a swamp. But the Swamp Thing's magical roots run deep, forming the foundations for the darkest corners of the DC Universe.

Swamp Thing first appeared in Swamp Thing #1 in November 1972, created by Len Wein (who also co-created Wolverine) legendary artist Bernie Wrightson. However, a decade later, the character underwent a major paradigm shift when Alan Moore took over the writing duties in 1982. Up until this time, Swamp Thing was depicted as Alec Holland, an unfortunate scientist transformed into the Swamp Thing after an attempt on his life lead to him being mutated into the moss-covered creature. Moore's twist was that Alec Holland was actually dead, with his consciousness and memory imprinted onto the swamp's eco-system, creating Swamp Thing in the process. While Swamp Thing struggled to come to terms with his new state of being, he found a mentor (or rather, a mentor found him) in the form of the snarky, chain-smoking magician John Constantine, who made his first appearance in Sage of Swamp Thing #37.

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John Constantine was far from the only mystical character to figure into Swamp Thing's story. The comic would also introduce the endlessly murderous pair of Cain and Abel, who would go on to appear frequently in Sandman. Previously, Swamp Thing had also introduced Matt Cable, a government agent who would be resurrected as a raven and appear at Morpheus' side in Sandman as well.

Though Swamp Thing's travels with John Constantine represented the first salvos of Crisis on Infinite Earths, both characters would ultimately continue their adventures in the mature-reader imprint Vertigo, largely avoiding superhero antics from that point on. It wasn't until the New 52 relaunch brought both characters back into the DC Universe proper, with Swamp Thing ultimately taking his place alongside John Constantine on several incarnations of Justice League Dark.

Swamp Thing's mystical connections are also on full display on its most recent television show, which is currently finding a new audience on the CW. The show boasts appearances by the likes of Madame Xanadu, Blue Devil, and even the Phantom Stranger, as well as popular mainstays like the still-human Matt Cable and the big guy himself, Swamp Thing. Hopefully, the show's resurgence could lead to a further appearance on the CW, or ideally, HBO Max's in-development Justice League Dark project. One thing is for sure - the title character's swampy locale obscures plenty of in-roads into dark corners of the DC Universe.

Next: DC's Swamp Thing Once Made a Town Out Of . . . Himself?