Morning of the Magician

I mentioned my youthful obsession with Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing a few posts ago, but should also mention that I was also really into Rick Veitch’s. He took over for Moore & had a great run that ended abruptly when the powers at DC decided that Swamp Thing shouldn’t meet Jesus. The world was Last Temptation of Christ crazy at the time  and they just didn’t want the backlash. In the 22 years since this happened I had completely forgotten about it but came across the excellent Roots of the Swamp Thing website which tells the story and explains the planned aborted plot -

Swamp Thing Series 2, Issue #88: “Morning of the Magician”

Writer: Rick Veitch / Artist: Michael Zulli

Setting: Approximately 33 A.D.

Background: This tale (famous among fan circles as the long-lost “Swamp Thing Meets Jesus” issue) was slated for issue #88 of series 2 but was canceled following a conflict between Veitch and DC Comics. Rick VeitchConcerned about a backlash similar to that following the theatrical release of The Last Temptation of Christ, DC opted not to publish the potentially controversial meeting between Jesus and the Swamp Thing. Veitch abruptly quit, and a new writer, Doug Wheeler, stepped in to finish the story arc in his own fashion. Ever since, fans have lamented the loss of Veitch, the popular follow-up writer to Alan Moore, and the final chapters to his time-travel multi-parter. Copies of both the script and the cover have surfaced on eBay and other online sources, and rumors crop up now and then that DC and Veitch might some day reconcile and publish it officially. This has not yet occurred, though issue #90 and the Swamp Thing Secret Files & Origins special both reference the events of this story, implying they still occurred off-screen. It’s interesting to note that although fan rumblings about this issue often mention Swamp Thing becoming the Cross upon which Christ was crucified, and learning from Christ how to be peaceful in defeating his enemies, such elements are entirely absent from the script.

via Roots Of The Swamp Thing: Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, The Un-Men And More—Forgotten Lore: The Swamp Thing and Hellblazer Tales That Almost Were.