About.com Rating

Introduction:

Swamp Thing is a classic horror comic book that has a rich history of having some of comics top talent associated with it. Talents such as Alan Moore, Rick Veitch, and Neil Gaiman. It is a character and series that has had its ups and downs but through it all, the nature of the magazine has enabled it to march at a different beat and pace than the rest of the regular DC Universe. With The New 52, Swamp Thing is seeking to reclaim its ground as a mainstay in the DC lineup, hoping to continue to blaze a trail into the weird and otherworldly areas that inhabit the dark and shadowy corners of DC.

Vitals

Title: Swamp Thing
Writer: Scott Snyder
Artist: Yanick Paquette
Cover: Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn
Colors: Nathan Fairbairn
Letters: John J.

Hill
Content: Swamp Thing is rated T+ (Teen Plus) for violence, horror images, and some mild language.
Publisher: DC Comics
Cost: $2.99

Story:

This version of Swamp Thing sees Dr. Holland, a botanist and researcher, as a man who died and found himself born again. When he awoke he was wet from the swamp with new memories of life as the Swamp Thing. Now he lives as both the same man he was and also altered and at one with nature in a way he thought never possible.
Dr. Holland had tried to return to his former life, but nothing seemed the same and he finally left his research for a life of honest and hard work, something he could clear his mind with and focus just on the task at hand. He is still not content as the very plants he studied still cling to him, but he is distracted enough to forget what he was for a time at least.

This changes though as the world starts to see some very strange and unusual behavior. Animals are dying across the globe in unusual circumstances and this sends Superman calling on his doorstep, seeking answers.

Dr. Holland has none, but he is eventually pulled kicking and screaming into the fight when a dangerous new menace to the Earth rears its head.

Review:

I have to admit, that although I liked the character Swamp Thing, I never really read the series growing up. I was more interested in the spandex and tights of his superhero counterparts and was always a bit of a chicken when it came to horror content. When I saw that Swamp Thing was part of The New 52 lineup, I decided to jump in to see how it would fare for a newbie like me to the Swamp Thing mythos.
Story wise, the comic is set up well for readers new and old. There are enough explanations that the new reader will be able to understand what is going on, but it would appear that at least some of the canon from previous runs of Swamp Thing have been retained, giving the proverbial bone to the old guard. The setup was a bit slow and the action doesn’t really amp up until the very end, but my interest was definitely pricked by what is to come.

I enjoyed the dark aspects of Paquette’s style, especially when he was able to move into the horror territory of the comic book. Unfortunately the story had more happening in the bright and shiny day with the setup. I think it will be great to see what Paquette is able to do when things get really dark and gritty. I truly look forward to that aspect as that was when he seemed to shine the most, for lack of a better word.

Conclusion:

As a first issue, it reminded me of a movie with a slow start, but bang up ending. I thought the main horrific scene near the end of the comic was really very good, and if we get more in that vein from Snyder and Paquette, this comic has a really good chance of being able to claim a place in the horror genre and as an asset to the DC Universe.
What’s funny to me is that I hope I actually see less of characters like Superman and Batman, and are able to get more of a taste of the seedy underbelly of DC. From this first comic, I think that is where they will be able to carve out a niche for themselves and I for one and interested to see where it goes. I wish we could have gotten more from them in that area, but I understand there is only so much one can do in twenty something pages that wraps things up nice and neat for new and old readers to sink their teeth into.