Writers: Alan Moore, Rick Veitch
Artists: Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, Rick Veitch, Alfredo Alcala, Tom Yeates
Collects: Swamp Thing 57-64
Published under Vertigo
Welcome to the last in a series of reviews of Alan Moore's take on the Swamp Thing - now I can say that Swamp Thing actually goes out with a bang.
When we last saw Swamp Thing, he was alive and well, surviving sheer non-existence at the hands of Lex Luthor, but on some faraway blue planet, coming to grips with his loneliness and seeming insanity.
We first have a two part story where Swamp Thing finds his way to Ranagar. In a Swamp Thing story which guest stars Hawkman and Hawkgirl and Adam Strange, Moore does a solid job exploring the history, language and culture of Ranagar and also the fact that however human the Ranagarians look like, they will never be. Also, the prime importance of Adam Strange to Ranagar is explored nicely.
We also see infant plots which would culminate in the next year's big crossover Invasion, intentional or otherwise. It comes off as genius when Alan ends up making a statement about Adam Strange (who is a guest star in Swamp Thing), which has not been done so far, not even in his own book.
The next issue features the return of the patchwork man, Abigail's father. Though most of the story is full of recaps, Moore's narrative style ends up throwing new light on this tragic character.
The next one, "Loving the Alien" has to be the most genuinely off beat story I've seen so far in Swamp Thing.....and that's saying something. It's a love story, an alien mystery, an invasion story, a sex scene, and if you look at it squinted, it's also a rape. With art bordering on all styles, even photography and sculpture, John Totleben does a bang up job here. The basic premise is that Swamp Thing's essence is jumping through space when it makes contact with another entity.
"All Flesh is Grass", the next entry shows Swampy on a planet of vegetation, looking to set his bioenergy field right. Green Lantern Medphyll makes an appearance here.
The next entry shows Swamp Thing hurtling through Space and time, and even through the Source wall with Metron of the New Gods. This one is written by Rick Veitch, and if it is a taste of things to come after the Moore run ends, I think it's going to be worth my while.
In "Loose Ends - Reprise" we have Swamp Thing visiting the various people responsible for his death and exacting his revenge (Luthor did things behind the scenes, though I'd have loved a full blown confrontation but Luthor's just too smart for that)
The last story, "Good Gumbo", hearkens back to the old days of yore (read, "the first few issues of Moore's Swamp Thing") and Moore leaves the title, giving it a lot more in the end.
For paperback readers, the edition is called Swamp Thing Vol 6: Reunion.
Rating: I give this a 10 on 10. I don't think there could be a better and satisfying ending.
Next Week: After a long hiatus, we return to Keith Giffen & J. M. DeMatteis' Justice League International, with the review to the 2nd volume.
Artists: Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, Rick Veitch, Alfredo Alcala, Tom Yeates
Collects: Swamp Thing 57-64
Published under Vertigo
Welcome to the last in a series of reviews of Alan Moore's take on the Swamp Thing - now I can say that Swamp Thing actually goes out with a bang.
When we last saw Swamp Thing, he was alive and well, surviving sheer non-existence at the hands of Lex Luthor, but on some faraway blue planet, coming to grips with his loneliness and seeming insanity.
We first have a two part story where Swamp Thing finds his way to Ranagar. In a Swamp Thing story which guest stars Hawkman and Hawkgirl and Adam Strange, Moore does a solid job exploring the history, language and culture of Ranagar and also the fact that however human the Ranagarians look like, they will never be. Also, the prime importance of Adam Strange to Ranagar is explored nicely.
We also see infant plots which would culminate in the next year's big crossover Invasion, intentional or otherwise. It comes off as genius when Alan ends up making a statement about Adam Strange (who is a guest star in Swamp Thing), which has not been done so far, not even in his own book.
The next issue features the return of the patchwork man, Abigail's father. Though most of the story is full of recaps, Moore's narrative style ends up throwing new light on this tragic character.
The next one, "Loving the Alien" has to be the most genuinely off beat story I've seen so far in Swamp Thing.....and that's saying something. It's a love story, an alien mystery, an invasion story, a sex scene, and if you look at it squinted, it's also a rape. With art bordering on all styles, even photography and sculpture, John Totleben does a bang up job here. The basic premise is that Swamp Thing's essence is jumping through space when it makes contact with another entity.
"All Flesh is Grass", the next entry shows Swampy on a planet of vegetation, looking to set his bioenergy field right. Green Lantern Medphyll makes an appearance here.
The next entry shows Swamp Thing hurtling through Space and time, and even through the Source wall with Metron of the New Gods. This one is written by Rick Veitch, and if it is a taste of things to come after the Moore run ends, I think it's going to be worth my while.
In "Loose Ends - Reprise" we have Swamp Thing visiting the various people responsible for his death and exacting his revenge (Luthor did things behind the scenes, though I'd have loved a full blown confrontation but Luthor's just too smart for that)The last story, "Good Gumbo", hearkens back to the old days of yore (read, "the first few issues of Moore's Swamp Thing") and Moore leaves the title, giving it a lot more in the end.
For paperback readers, the edition is called Swamp Thing Vol 6: Reunion.
Rating: I give this a 10 on 10. I don't think there could be a better and satisfying ending.
Next Week: After a long hiatus, we return to Keith Giffen & J. M. DeMatteis' Justice League International, with the review to the 2nd volume.
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