SWAMP SERPENTS

Classification: Mystical monster snake, extra-dimensional

Location/Base of Operations: Weirdworld, including Klarn, the Great Marsh and the Region of Shadow

Known Members: None named

Affiliations: Darklens

Enemies: Dragons, Grithstane, Mud-Butt, Savage Elves, Tyndall, Velanna, X-Men (Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl)

First Appearance: (Possibly unnamed) Marvel Super Action I#1 (January, 1976); (definite, named) Marvel Premiere#38 (October, 1977)

Powers/Abilities: Swamp Serpents are immense mystical snakes which dwell primarily in swamps. Many seem to possess "Changer" abilities which allow them to assume the form of humanoids, such as an elfen woman.

History: (Marvel Super Special#13 (fb)) - Eons ago, the Swamp Serpents were one of the many monstrous creatures which were created by the fallen god Darklens within the Region of Shadow on Weirdworld.

(Marvel Super Action I#1/3) - While journeying through the Region of Shadow on a quest to find the Heart of Evil, Tyndall slew a creature which was possibly a Swamp Serpent.

(Marvel Premiere#38) - Tyndall and Velanna were attacked by a Swamp Serpent in the Region of Shadow, but Tyndall tied its tail to a tree, rendering it helpless. The sorcerer Grithstane held a Swamp Serpent in his custody which had used its Changer powers to assume the form of a beautiful elf. Wishing to become young so that he could be the "elf"'s lover, Grithstane sent Tyndall to Klarn to bring him the blood of a dragon. While in Klarn, Tyndall encountered another Swamp Serpent which had used Changer powers to become an elfen woman; the Changer was being sacrificed by the natives of Klarn, but Tyndall unwittingly freed it; it was finally slain by a dragon. While Tyndall was away, the Changer in Grithstane's custody assumed its true form and devoured him.

(Marvel Super Special#11) - A Swamp Serpent in the Great Marsh attacked a Savage Elf, but Tyndall saved him by killing the Swamp Serpent with his crossbow. As Mud-Butt, Tyndall and Velanna continued their journey through the Great Marsh, a Swamp Serpent tried to attack them aboard their marshwater-craft, but it was impaled upon the spikes which surrounded the vessel.

(X-Men: First Class II#8) - A distortion brought one of the Swamp Serpents of Weirdworld into the Florida Everglades swamp of the Man-Thing, where it briefly clashed with the X-Men before being sent back to its home reality.

Comments: Created by Doug Moench and Mike Ploog.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Swamp Serpents should not be confused with:

• Swamp of Fear, Mindscape location, @ Sleepwalker#23
• Swamps of Endless Flame, Asgard location, @ Thor Annual#10
• Swamp City, dominated by Kong Lomerate, @ Howard the Duck II#7
• Swamp Men, citizens of the Savage Land, @ X-Men I#10
• Swamp Tank, used by Ralph to explore Savage Land, @ Savage Tales I#1
• Swampworld, original homeworld of the Badoon, @ Defenders I#27

Images taken from:
Marvel Premiere#38, page 7 (numbered), panel 4