Written by Scott Snyder
Illustrated by Yanick PaquetteOne of the world’s most iconic characters has returned to the heart of the DC Universe, and every step he takes will shake the foundations of the Earth!
Alec Holland has his life back…but the Green has plans for it. A monstrous evil is rising in the desert, and it’ll take a monster of another kind to defend life as we know it!
Swamp Thing is back, and not in a Brightest Day sort of way, in a DC New 52 sort of way. The Big Green has been sent through the meat grinder of his tumultuous past and left at the doorstep of one of the best and brightest new names in comics of the past decade – writer Scott Snyder – as well as a very talented artist in the form of Yanick Paquette.
While some would be careful to be referential to the character’s high profile past in their reviews – Alan Moore did a character defining run on him after all – I will be coming from the angle of a reader new to Swamp Thing. Because I truly am one. I know of the character, know of his story beats, but I don’t know the character really.
So the question is…do Snyder and Paquette adequately sell me as a new reader?
Find out after the jump.
For your average new comic, there are a few things that are required of it to be a success in my mind. Just a few key check boxes that the creative team needs to make their mark on for me to be back for issue two and beyond. They are:
1) Make me care for the character(s)
2) Invest me in the story
3) Tell the story well from a visual standpoint
If a book can do that, I’m sold.
I can safely say that Swamp Thing is a book that vigorously checks all three boxes, and is a book where everyone involved brings their A game.
As a reader, I have to say that I’m the type who can deal with a book that is superbly written but has only mediocre art. If the art isn’t my style, I just want it to execute the story in an adequate fashion, and that would be enough for me.
Yanick Paquette, the artist of Swamp Thing, is someone I’ve long admired, but also someone I’ve been waiting to make a leap from good to truly great. Whether that is because the projects he’s worked on are ones that I haven’t connected to entirely or because there has been something that has kept me at a distance in his work is uncertain (I am leaning towards the former), but one thing is certain: he absolutely kills it on this issue.
This first issue is a wonderful blend of character study and horror story, and no matter what writer Scott Snyder asks of him, Paquette nails it.
In particular, there are two sequences that stand out.
The two page splash that comprises pages two and three completely floors you as a reader, giving us a shocking situation that will be a central focus of this first arc (and perhaps beyond) while also instilling into readers the import of the lead character, Alec Holland (aka Swamp Thing…sort of). By showing, Superman, Batman and Aquaman and the affect on their respective kingdoms, and then having Superman head off to consult Holland, readers both new and old are given the clear indication that he is someone that needs to be paid attention to in this new DC universe.
Paquette’s execution of this page is led off by an arresting layout, creating visual rifts between the aforementioned kingdoms with heavy black ink tears across the page. The imagery on these pages is beautiful, even given the terror of the situation, and it shows the versatility of the artist.
The other sequence that stands out is the one where the “villain” (I put that in quotes because we know nothing of this character or the characters it squares off against, or their intentions) makes it rain death and destruction. It’s horrifying and intense, simply because of the terrible things that he has to depict on the page (here’s some math for you: flies in ears + heads twisting around = I now fear flies). It’s beautifully laid out, and on top of that, colorist Nathan Fairbairn is given the opportunity to stand out with his evil reds and blue tints to reflect the night. It’s a beautiful section.
Continued belowThe book was obviously a champ visually, but the writing side of things was predictably well handled by the Snyder. He’s proven himself one of the best in the biz with his work on American Vampire and Detective Comics, and this book is another feather in his cap.
As I said, I’m not someone who is very familiar with Alec Holland or Swamp Thing, but within the first three pages of narration, I was completely invested in this character. Having read through a number of the DCnU books that find themselves steeped in exposition, Snyder brilliantly introduces the character while pushing the first seeds of the plot forward without dedicating a large chunk of the issue to that task. I already mentioned that it also brilliant shows Holland/Swamp Thing’s value to the DCnU, and when you combine that point with the rest, Snyder gave readers perhaps the best introduction to his character out of all the DCnU books.
One other character section that I really loved was the discussion between Holland and Superman, specifically the portion in which Holland talks about a botany professor he had in college and the truth behind his beliefs. This section, a little anecdote from Holland’s past, gives significant depth to the character and makes me all the more interested by the overarching role he will play in the DCnU.
While the plot itself is still very much in its early points, the way Snyder executed each thread sets them all on a crash course towards each other. Each of them are filled with intrigue and depth, while also appearing to be related in a way that will make each of them significantly more powerful when they are united. Bonus points go to him as well for the fact that you can already see an eventual Animal Man/Swamp Thing crossover with his friend Jeff Lemire brewing. I am on to you guys!
Plus, the ending. THE ENDING! I’m sure this is a bigger twist for long-time readers, but for me? Killer.
This book is the bee’s knees. I’ve read it through four times (once while listening to Elvis to get me into the Scott Snyder mindset), and I can confirm that it hits a home run in each attribute I want from a good debut issue. Not only that, but each time I’ve read it, I’ve found myself picking up on new intricacies and depth that I missed on previous reads. Swamp Thing is a beautiful blend of horror and pitch perfect storytelling, and in my mind, it’s the best of the first full week of DCnU releases.
Well done, to all involved.
Final Verdict: 9.5 – Buy
