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The Bog Swamp Demon is a swamp monster that first appeared in the pages of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series. His adventures are chronicled in issues #4 through #12 of Volume 2 of the Mirage Studios title. He is one of the many comic book swamp creatures from various publishers based on the archetype established by Theodore Sturgeon's "It!"
Contents
Bog fought a horde of demons summoned by a coven of harpy-witch sisters living in the swamp. The demons took human form to do their dirty deeds but, being a demon himself, Bog saw them for what they really were and promptly dispatched them. Bog killed one of the witch sister's thus prompting the remaining two to conjure help from hell. The demon Bathym answered their call only to be killed by Bog who lured him to hallowed ground, a swamp-side cemetery, where he impaled the demon beast on a tombstone.
For some reason the story segments are out of sequence in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic books. A paragraph on the inside front cover of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles volume 2 number ten addresses this but offers no explanation. Part one of Bog begins in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles volume 2 number six then skips an issue and resumes with issue eight but omits Bog part 2, printing instead Bog installment number 3. Bog part two then appears in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles volume 2 number ten instead of issue nine. Things get back in order with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles volume 2 number eleven which prints Bog part four and finally the Bog Swamp Demon story concludes in issue number twelve of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles volume 2 title.
Solo title
Bog would go on to get his own horror series from Hall of Heroes with award-winning Swamp Thing artist Steve Bissette illustrating the covers for the 4-issue run. Ethan Van Sciver contributes to the series by illustrating a special alternative cover for issue one. Bo Robertson was the penciller for the first 3 issues, Jerry Minor inked issues #1 & #2, and Marvel Comics artist Cory Hamscher provided the art for issue #4.
In his own title series Bog formed an uneasy alliance with a wayward priest and troubled teenage girl while he fought off various Hell-spawned super- villains. He was attacked from the nether-regions by Mogog, Baphomet, Helliphant-hideous beast from beyond and a family of malformed Hell-billies.
Bog reigned supreme over his swampy home, even finding friendship with a mudpuppy-man named Hellbender.
Image Comics
Bog battled Doctor Weird in the December 1997 issue of Big Bang Comics from Image Comics. This issue is number 15 in the series. Bog returned in issue 16 also and can be found in the Big Bang Universe RPG book.
Gutwallow
A continuing Bog Swamp Demon adventure appeared in the pages of Dan Berger's Gutwallow comic book series published by Numbskull Press. The back-up stories were written by veteran Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles writer Doug Brammer and illustrated by David Vance. It ran for two story arcs and included guest appearances of Gutwallow himself and Brammer's Golem character from the title "Power of the Golem".