Reviews

Saga of the Swamp Thing: Book Five by Alan Moore, Rick Veitch, John Totleben

some_okie_dude27's review against another edition

5.0

If there's one thing that I've always admired about Alan Moore is his ability to take these silly, childish ideas that we grew up loving and making them into something that feels real and plausible, and it's no different with his run on Swamp Thing. What if we took this muck and crusted monstrosity and took its story completely seriously?

In that way, Moore reveals to us the insights that we never knew were possible, such as with the story of this volume. The idea of Abby and Swampy getting caught in their love affair is almost silly, and you would expect that Moore would at least show some cheekiness in terms of its subject matter, yet Moore again uses his signature magic and makes it into a tender, heart wrenching journey.

Swampy and Abby's relationship has been explored throughout the series, but it hasn't been as emotionally testing and profound as it is in this volume. We really get a look into their strange, unique blend of love that they have for each other, and Alan's writing gives their relationship a sense of poignance, and is often moving in its exploration. The depths that Swamp Thing will go in order to save Abby from her situation is one that I think anyone can get behind, and I couldn't help but root for Swampy as he went through the journey. Also one of Moore's big focuses in this volume is the smaller human moments, those quiet moments that define the characters in the series, and those small moments often tend to be touching, and occasionally profound as well.

I suppose what makes Moore's Swamp Thing so unique is that there's no big message that Alan has to get across in it, unlike Watchmen, Miracleman, or V for Vendetta. Alan could allow his imagination to go wild on the page and to see where it gets him while he's on the journey. Like any great artist, he is on the journey with us, wandering through the swamps of Louisiana and seeing where it would take him. Sadly, this was not as much of the case in this volume as there is a much more singular story and focus in this volume, though we begin to see the many-faceted style of Moore's Swamp Thing come back as the volume comes to a close, such as a particularly poignant story that touches on domestic abuse and how it can destroy someone's life, particularly with the abuse victim, and it even veers into science fiction where we see Swamp Thing continue to exist on another planet, far from Earth, yet I won't say too much because of spoilers.

Moore continues to play with the DC universe and the mythology that has been gleamed from its long history, though instead of reinventing old forgotten characters, he pulls out one of the big guns and introduces Batman into the fold, and Batman fits right at home with the strange world that Swamp Thing inhibits. I've made the argument before that Batman has lasted for so long because of the versatility of his character over the years, you could make him as serious or as silly as you wanted to and yet somehow, Batman still works as a character. While I was disappointed to see Bats get smacked about for a while, I still liked that Alan kept true to the character and that he was still driven to do what was right, no matter how strange or unusual as it might seem to others who are around him.

Another thing that impressed me was the artwork. Sadly, Bissette and Totleben were falling further and further behind schedule and another artist had to come in to help do fill in issues, and luck had it that Rick Veitch would take over. Veitch somehow took the Bissette and Totleben's style, morphed his own style to theirs, and made it his own in the way of a true draughtsman. His art is skilled, filled with personality, yet still with the creeping suspense that made Bissette and Totleben's artwork so unique. Though Totleben also comes back for art duties in several issues, and he still shows himself to be a skilled draughtsman, bringing a disturbing and beautiful look to the world of Swamp Thing that is wholly its own.

Moore once said that entertainment can be just as profound and beautiful as any other piece of art, and I can't say that he's wrong, and it's stuff like Saga of the Swamp Thing that continues to prove this to me. Seyton! I am sick at heart! For the journey is soon to end, and I am not sure if I want it to.

rocketwave's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

5.0

has3000's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Hateful prejudice, slow burning betrayal, love that can imprison a city, and despairing loss that spans galaxies.

Not my #1 volume so far, but definitely a great one! This one really focuses on Swamp Thing and Abby’s relationship, and fleshes out their love. The art isn’t crazy like some have been, but it’s solid and the story goes to unique places. It opened up a couple plot holes, but then later went back and filled them in to make for a satisfying story.

bae0fpigs's review

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

crookedtreehouse's review against another edition

2.0

From a massive DC Crisis event to ... a romance that crosses into Gotham, roping in Batman, Commissioner Gordon, and Harvey Bullock? No, thank you.

While Moore's Swamp Thing is important in the Pantheon of comics, I don't find it enjoyable. Plot-wise he seemed to have a mission for his overall story, but theme-wise, and character-wise, his run is all over the place. If you enjoyed the characters in the third volume, you'll find them behaving like different people here. Slaves to the plot, instead of masters of it.

Abigail has been constantly portrayed as they crazy, victimized woman, even while More tells us, through narration that that's not what he's doing. She has nearly no agency in this story. She is a plot device to drive Swamp Thing's story. It's a bummer.

If you've loved the entirety of Moore's run, you will probably also read this, but I, once again, found myself not caring about any of the characters in this book.

mcyewfly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

It is extraordinary that this plot line could swallow up the entirety of the previous, earth shattering/world defining, story. Nothing matters more than Swamp Thing and Abby’s relationship, and this collection is the purest testament to it. My favorite parts of this storyline has been Swamp Thing’s all powerful control and growth; I’ve grown to cherish his humanity, too. This collection absolutely and perfectly nails this balance. It provides such a primal, emotional payoff. The final chapter is best described as every synonym of painful, but all of them fall short. It’s soul crushing. 

arctor59's review against another edition

5.0

jeez Swamp thing has died more times than Kenny on south park

joshhansonhorror's review against another edition

4.0

After the cosmic narrative of the previous story arc, this feels very small and sometimes directionless. Abby gets a lot of screentime, which is always good, but it's mostly an exercise in breaking her down. The final issue, My Blue Heaven does something Moore almost never does, retreads stories he's already told. If you can't see the similarities between Swampy on the blue planet, playing chess with himself(1987) and Doctor Manhattan's visit to the moon in Watchmen (1986), you're not trying hard enough. I mean, even the color scheme is the same. Still, I'm looking forward to the final volume of Moore stories to see where this lands.

flowsthead's review against another edition

3.0

Note: 3 stars for six volume series, not individual volumes

inferiorwit's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

4.0