Comic Title: Swamp Thing Annual #3
Publisher: DC
Imprint: Vertigo
Cover Date: 1987
On Sale Date: July 28, 1987 Newsstand Date July 28, 1987
Source: DC Releases, #41

Newsstand Date July 28, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #121

Shipping Date July 7, 1987
Source: DC Releases, #41

Shipping Date July 7, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #121

Shipping Date July 7, 1987
Source: Focus, #1, Page BC

Copyright Date August 3, 1987
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1987
DC publication dates beyond April 1981 listed by the LoC
represent shipping dates NOT newsstand sale dates

Shipping Date July 7, 1987
Source: Comic Shop News, #1

Cover Price: $2.00
Page Count: 48
Editor: Karen Berger

Title: "Distant Cousins"
Pages: 41

Feature(s):
Swamp Thing (Post-Crisis)

Writer/Penciller: Rick Veitch
Penciller: Shawn McManus
Penciller: Jim Fern
Penciller: Stan Woch
Inker: Thomas Yeates
Letterer: Agustin Mas
Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Reprinted In:
Swamp Thing:Infernal Triangles TPB (2007)

Feature Character(s)

• Swamp Thing (last appearance in Swamp Thing #65; next appearance in Swamp Thing #66)

Guest Star(s)

• B'Wana Beast (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Animal Man #3)
• Solovar (first post-Crisis appearance; last appearance in Secret Origins #40; next appearance in Secret Origins #41)
• Congo Bill (first post-Crisis appearance; last appearance in Secret Origins #40; no further appearances)
• Congorilla (first post-Crisis appearance; last appearance in Secret Origins #40; no further appearances)
• Angel O'Day (first post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)
• Sam Simeon (first post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)
• Brain (last appearance in Teen Titans Spotlight #11; next appearance in New Teen Titans #43)
• Monsieur Mallah (last appearance in Teen Titans Spotlight #11; next appearance in New Teen Titans #43)
• Djuba (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Animal Man #3)
• George Dyke (the Gorilla Boss; first post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)

Supporting Character(s)

• Abby Cable (last appearance in Swamp Thing #65; next appearance in Swamp Thing #66)

Villain(s)

• Grodd (first post-Crisis appearance; last appearance in Secret Origins #40; next appearance in Secret Origins #41)
• Three mercenaries (Roland named; die in this story; no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Roy Raymond (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Swamp Thing #67)
• Janu (first post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Lipchitz (Roy's assistant; first appearance; next appearance in Swamp Thing #67)
• The inhabitants of Gorilla City (no further appearances)
• Stan Bragg (Sam's editor; on the telephone; first post-Crisis appearance; no further appearances)
• An unnamed archbishop (no further appearances)
• An unnamed zookeeper and two visitors (no further appearances)
• Prince Charles (no further appearances)

Comments:
This story is continued in part from Swamp Thing #65.

Synopsis:
Grodd is held prisoner in Gorilla City with a hypnotic device preventing him from using his mental abilities. Grodd is able to close one eye and weaken the hold the machine has over him. He is then able to use his telepathic abilities to take over the minds of intelligent gorillas and summon them to Africa.

Monsieur Mallah is the first to be overcome. He turns against the Brain and kills several of the terrorists they had been working with. Sam Simeon is also affected. He kidnaps his partner Angel, then hijacks a plane. In Africa, Djuba, the ape friend of B'Wana Beast attacks Mike Maxwell and leaves him in the jungle to die. Elsewhere, Congorilla switches minds with Congo Bill, then they both run off to Gorilla City. Janu, Bill's former partner follows.

In the swamps of Louisiana, Grodd's mental summons reaches the Swamp Thing. Somehow he is able to affect the plant elemental also. Swamp Thing relives the death of Alec Holland, then disappears. He reforms in Gorilla City as a giant and begins wrecking the city.

The mind-controlled apes reach Gorilla City and release Grodd. When Grodd is freed, he confronts Solovar while Gorilla City burns. Grodd plans to give himself physical powers to rival his mental ones. Using the magic waters given to him by Djuba in combination with electromagnetic forces, Grodd believes he will gain the power to rule the world. Instead the electrical energy fries his brain cells, leaving him mindless. The apes are released from his control and return to their previous lives.