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hakimbriki's review against another edition
5.0
I remember reading Alan Moore's Swamp Thing when I was a kid, and not liking it at all. It was different, weird (for a 7/8 year-old), and scary, so I stuck with JLA and Thor comics.
19 years later, I decide to give Swamp Thing another go. I wanted to get Alan Moore's run but they were sold out. I knew Scott Snyder from Batman and American Vampire, and was familiar with his talent as a horror writer.
I was very surprised by the greatness of this book. I wish I had read Alan Moore's run first to have a better grasp of the world of Swamp Thing and to be able to compare it to this new take, but it does not change the fact that Snyder/Paquette created a stunning piece of horror fiction.
Alec Holland, back from the dead, is trying to live a quiet life, but is still haunted by the memories of "The Monster", or Swamp Thing. He is approached by the Parliament of Trees that warn him about a cataclysmic threat the planet is facing. Holland remains inflexible about surrendering to the "Green" to become Swamp Thing once again. Then... all hell breaks loose. This adrenaline rush of a book takes Swamp Thing to new heights. The stunningly horrific art by Yanick Paquette (not a fan of Marco Rudy's though) and story and character study by Scott Snyder make the book a very thrilling read.
I highly recommend it to any horror enthusiasts out there.
19 years later, I decide to give Swamp Thing another go. I wanted to get Alan Moore's run but they were sold out. I knew Scott Snyder from Batman and American Vampire, and was familiar with his talent as a horror writer.
I was very surprised by the greatness of this book. I wish I had read Alan Moore's run first to have a better grasp of the world of Swamp Thing and to be able to compare it to this new take, but it does not change the fact that Snyder/Paquette created a stunning piece of horror fiction.
Alec Holland, back from the dead, is trying to live a quiet life, but is still haunted by the memories of "The Monster", or Swamp Thing. He is approached by the Parliament of Trees that warn him about a cataclysmic threat the planet is facing. Holland remains inflexible about surrendering to the "Green" to become Swamp Thing once again. Then... all hell breaks loose. This adrenaline rush of a book takes Swamp Thing to new heights. The stunningly horrific art by Yanick Paquette (not a fan of Marco Rudy's though) and story and character study by Scott Snyder make the book a very thrilling read.
I highly recommend it to any horror enthusiasts out there.
unladylike's review against another edition
4.0
Aside from some of the most confusing layouts I've come across in a comic book (I.e., even after years of reading creatively structured panel sequences, it was sometimes very ambiguous what order the panels were meant to be read, and the script doesn't always follow the same sequential logic as the visual 2-page layouts.), this was a great first trade paperback for The New 52's Swamp Thing. As with Animal Man, which immediately crosses over with this title, DC seems to be working with the likely correct assumption that people have read the most famous stories by Alan Moore and Grant Morrison but probably stopped following the titles after those successful story arcs. Both Swamp Thing and Animal Man directly recall and then modify or add to the origin stories created by Moore and Morrison respectively, so familiarity with those legendary canons would be helpful but not necessary.
mollysticks's review against another edition
3.0
Ok, so the story was good, but there was way too much horror and nasty for me. I will read the next one, but only to find out what happens.
the8th's review against another edition
4.0
I actually love Alan Moore's writing of Swamp Thing so much more than Scott Snyder's, but this is really gorgeously drawn and painted. Plus, it's hard not to love the general story of Swamp Thing. I just hope he gets his contemplative, philosophical, morose side back. Hah.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Alec Holland is reborn with memories not his own, memories of the adventures of Swamp Thing. Forces of the Rot are marshaling and only the Swamp Thing can stop them. But what does all that have to do with an immune-deficient child named William?
I've made it no secret that I think Scott Snyder can do no wrong when it comes to comics. Swamp Thing really drove that point home. Stepping into Alan Moore's shoes on one of the projects that took him to stardom wasn't an enviable task. Good thing Scott Snyder eats unenviable tasks for breakfast.
Snyder's Swamp Thing isn't Moore's Swamp Thing and would have failed miserably if it tried to be. This Swamp Thing is the story of The Red and The Green going up against a force that threatens both of them, The Rot. Another Swamp Thing reveals Holland's destiny to him and that the past may not be exactly as he remembered it. Throw in one Abigail Arcane and Snyder weaves one heck of a tale.
The writing is top notch. I love how Snyder has recast Swamp Thing as a warrior for nature rather than just a protector. The art is pretty damn good as well. I loved the Easter eggs in the background, like Bissette Motors and the Tottleben Hotel, homages to Moore's collaborators on Swamp Thing in the 1980's.
Now I'm ready for volume 2 to come out.
I've made it no secret that I think Scott Snyder can do no wrong when it comes to comics. Swamp Thing really drove that point home. Stepping into Alan Moore's shoes on one of the projects that took him to stardom wasn't an enviable task. Good thing Scott Snyder eats unenviable tasks for breakfast.
Snyder's Swamp Thing isn't Moore's Swamp Thing and would have failed miserably if it tried to be. This Swamp Thing is the story of The Red and The Green going up against a force that threatens both of them, The Rot. Another Swamp Thing reveals Holland's destiny to him and that the past may not be exactly as he remembered it. Throw in one Abigail Arcane and Snyder weaves one heck of a tale.
The writing is top notch. I love how Snyder has recast Swamp Thing as a warrior for nature rather than just a protector. The art is pretty damn good as well. I loved the Easter eggs in the background, like Bissette Motors and the Tottleben Hotel, homages to Moore's collaborators on Swamp Thing in the 1980's.
Now I'm ready for volume 2 to come out.
tmwebb3's review against another edition
5.0
This was really good. Wish most of the New 52 was like this, keeping some of the best continuity while starting fresh. Looked great! I dislike horror, but thought this was awesome.
karliclover's review against another edition
4.0
I had heard many people say that Swamp Thing is one of the best titles in the New 52. It's good and it's entertaining me, but I think Animal Man is actually better. So far, anyway. I've only read this TPB, which contains the first seven issues.
I'm still a little confused about Alec's past. I think I mostly get it, but I'm not 100% there yet.
But it was pretty good. The art didn't stand out to me as much as Animal Man or The Flash's, but it was good.
I'm still a little confused about Alec's past. I think I mostly get it, but I'm not 100% there yet.
But it was pretty good. The art didn't stand out to me as much as Animal Man or The Flash's, but it was good.
kenlaan's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly good - not because I was expecting it to be bad, but because I wasn't expecting anything. Random comics tend toward the mediocre for me, but this one was very intriguing. Will have to look for more by Scott Snyder while I wait for the next one of this series.
helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
4.0
This book does a great thing that a lot of comics try, but few creators success in making it happen.
The reluctant hero. This book totally does it, and it also sticks it to these mother earth, beauty of nature people. Take that, hippies! The earth sucks too. Ugh, enough with telling me to look at the leaves because they're different colors. I know, okay? Colors are great. Red, yellow. Green. Orange. Oh, how I wish garbage bags were see-thru so we could enjoy the fall leaves that much longer after I rake.
Does anyone else think it's really, really weird to collect up all the leaves that fall off of trees and then put them in the trash? Like next to a pizza box? Just a bunch of organic matter, then also these old batteries? Where did the leaves go before we invented raking? I want to know. They must have gone somewhere. I don't recall old-timey pictures where everyone was up to their goddamn eyes in old leaves.
Anyway, this book does the reluctant hero story, and you buy it. Which is tough.
Here's the problem with the reluctant hero story. Or rather, the ways it doesn't work:
Spider-Man: "I'd trade it all just to have Uncle Ben back."
Okay, be that as it may, you don't have that option. So maybe enjoy this shit a little bit? Enjoy that you can swing through NYC like it's your personal jungle gym? Maybe take the occasional opportunity to land on a bus, look in the window and laugh at all the suckers, the scumlords, the true trash who ride on wheeled transport while you zip around town?
Superman: "The last son of a dead planet. Can I use my powers to help the people?"
Alright, it'd be a little annoying to hear everything all the time. I get pissed off because the cat meows all night and runs around like a goddamn loon. So imagine if you heard EVERYONE'S cat. That alone would be hell. On the other hand, you can fly to the moon and hang out just to do it. Maybe you can't anymore since that 3 Doors Down song kind of fucked it up, but you can still get places without TSA getting involved. I swear that not all these involve the horrors of public transportation.
The Flash: Okay, this one is public transpo too. Last one. Self-explanatory.
John McClane: "I just want to celebrate Christmas like a normal guy, by taking the holiday as an opportunity to make one very bad attempt at reconciling with my wife, who has hated me, justifiably, for about 20 years now."
I can see how he'd have a little PTSD. But he got to yell Yippee-Kay-Yay, Motherfucker! and after you do that, you don't get to complain about life anymore. I'm sorry, I don't make the rules.
Green Lantern: "It's hard to be a space cop. SOOOOO much responsibility."
Please. And where's the issue where the Green Lantern makes a jackoff machine? How is there no GL jackoff machine? You'd think one day, someone would walk into a back room and find Kilowog in some crazy ass chair that just jacks him off, however the hell that's accomplished.
Just as a side note, google "Kilowog naked" if you want to have some fun. My fun almost ended a few rows down when I saw Martian Manhunter, who is NOT Kilowog, however I saw he had a weird penis and 3 balls, which is sort of reminiscent of the 3 boobs lady from Total Recall, also a martian, which salvaged the entire thing for me and made me think that there's some deep thought going into this fan art that I'll never understand.
And once you're scrolling through naked Kilowogs, review over.
The reluctant hero. This book totally does it, and it also sticks it to these mother earth, beauty of nature people. Take that, hippies! The earth sucks too. Ugh, enough with telling me to look at the leaves because they're different colors. I know, okay? Colors are great. Red, yellow. Green. Orange. Oh, how I wish garbage bags were see-thru so we could enjoy the fall leaves that much longer after I rake.
Does anyone else think it's really, really weird to collect up all the leaves that fall off of trees and then put them in the trash? Like next to a pizza box? Just a bunch of organic matter, then also these old batteries? Where did the leaves go before we invented raking? I want to know. They must have gone somewhere. I don't recall old-timey pictures where everyone was up to their goddamn eyes in old leaves.
Anyway, this book does the reluctant hero story, and you buy it. Which is tough.
Here's the problem with the reluctant hero story. Or rather, the ways it doesn't work:
Spider-Man: "I'd trade it all just to have Uncle Ben back."
Okay, be that as it may, you don't have that option. So maybe enjoy this shit a little bit? Enjoy that you can swing through NYC like it's your personal jungle gym? Maybe take the occasional opportunity to land on a bus, look in the window and laugh at all the suckers, the scumlords, the true trash who ride on wheeled transport while you zip around town?
Superman: "The last son of a dead planet. Can I use my powers to help the people?"
Alright, it'd be a little annoying to hear everything all the time. I get pissed off because the cat meows all night and runs around like a goddamn loon. So imagine if you heard EVERYONE'S cat. That alone would be hell. On the other hand, you can fly to the moon and hang out just to do it. Maybe you can't anymore since that 3 Doors Down song kind of fucked it up, but you can still get places without TSA getting involved. I swear that not all these involve the horrors of public transportation.
The Flash: Okay, this one is public transpo too. Last one. Self-explanatory.
John McClane: "I just want to celebrate Christmas like a normal guy, by taking the holiday as an opportunity to make one very bad attempt at reconciling with my wife, who has hated me, justifiably, for about 20 years now."
I can see how he'd have a little PTSD. But he got to yell Yippee-Kay-Yay, Motherfucker! and after you do that, you don't get to complain about life anymore. I'm sorry, I don't make the rules.
Green Lantern: "It's hard to be a space cop. SOOOOO much responsibility."
Please. And where's the issue where the Green Lantern makes a jackoff machine? How is there no GL jackoff machine? You'd think one day, someone would walk into a back room and find Kilowog in some crazy ass chair that just jacks him off, however the hell that's accomplished.
Just as a side note, google "Kilowog naked" if you want to have some fun. My fun almost ended a few rows down when I saw Martian Manhunter, who is NOT Kilowog, however I saw he had a weird penis and 3 balls, which is sort of reminiscent of the 3 boobs lady from Total Recall, also a martian, which salvaged the entire thing for me and made me think that there's some deep thought going into this fan art that I'll never understand.
And once you're scrolling through naked Kilowogs, review over.