Just when you (and Alec Holland) thought you knew everything there was to know about Swamp Thing, more is revealed showing that the notion of being Swamp Thing is much bigger than anyone thought.
The Good
Last issue shows Alec Holland trying to readjust to being alive and having memories of a life as Swamp Thing that technically aren't his own. He was somehow visited by a Swamp Thing and we also so the birth of a creepy and deadly villain. With the visit to Holland, we get a little history on Swamp Thing and the Green. There is a purpose for the way things happened and we see there is a grander scheme in motion. Why would the world need a Swamp Thing and what does that have to do with Holland? This is just some of what we discover in this issue. The villain seen in the first issue is named here as we find out more and see the latest move towards Swamp Thing. Be prepared for things to get ugly for Alec Holland.
There is a lot of dialogue here which is needed and welcomed in laying out the groundwork for what Swamp Thing is actually all about. It's great having a comic once in a while that you don't zip through in a few minutes. I found myself hanging onto every word, taking them all in to firmly get an idea of what is being said. With Snyder, there is often layers to his work with hidden clues and meanings under the surface. You know he has something huge and crazy set in motion and you'll want to try to catch any clues that are most likely sitting out in the open.
Yanick Paquette's art is amazing. I had one minor complaint last issue but there's nothing to complain about here. From the flashback sequence (that fully captures the time period depicted) to Holland out in the swampy area to the nightmare-worthy scenes with the 'villain,' it's all a treat to see. There are some interesting panel layouts as well. Normally I'm not a huge fan when this happens but it truly adds to the art and completely fits in with the way the story is told.
In the first issue the appearance of Superman felt a little weird. That doesn't happen here but there is a...surprise appearance in the comic that hopefully people will read before hearing about it.
The Bad
Nothing. I loved the first issue but this one was somehow even better.
The Verdict
There is a bigger world to the idea of Swamp Thing and Scott Snyder is slowly pulling back the curtains. The idea and feeling that there is much more to Swamp Thing than we thought is an exciting feeling. Often when this has been done in the past with other characters, a secret history revealed, it can come across as forced. That isn't the case here as Snyder clearly has taken all the past incarnations of Swamp Thing under consideration and it all fits perfectly.Besides finding out more about Swamp Thing, we also see more of that creepy backwards head possessing villain and find out what 'it' means for Swampy. Yanick Paquette's art is a treat here. Everything from the flashback scenes to the times in the swamp and the deadly villain all look great. There is also a nice surprise appearance in the book that hopefully won't get spoiled so readers can witness it and get a big smile on their faces. I loved the first issue but this one was even better. I'm so excited to see what's coming next.
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