Swamp Thing #23.1

When villains month was announced this is the one book I was looking forward to most, Arcane is my favourite DC villain easily and when I heard he was getting his own issue I was really excited to see what would happen and what Charles Soule would do with the ex-avatar of the Rot.

Plot

Anton Arcane sits in his own personal hell where nothing Rots even when he kills it, it returns to life. Anton is visited by Abby Arcane, who asks him about her mother and he tells her a story, retelling his origin and who her mother was.

Review

I may be biased, but this is one of the best villains Issues I’ve read and possibly the best, maybe I’m slightly kind to this book because I love both Swamp thing and Anton Arcane so much, but I found it really hard to find any problems with this issue. Another thing that this issue had going in for it was the return of Abby Arcane who was a major part of Scott Snyder’s and this would be the first time she appeared since the end of the run same with Arcane and I was interested in what would have happened to both of them since then since Abby has undergone a significant change since then. What really drew me to this issue was Charles Soule writing Arcane and what he would do with him and he would write this fantastically creepy villain.

The Good

• · This is one of the better 3D covers and the fact it turns around the point Abby is escaping from Arcane and it looks creepy as well and works quite well with the 3D effect.
• · Anton Arcane in Snyder’s run was written so well and the circumstances in this are not the same, so Soule can’t less loose, but basically everything is perfectly done with him producing some very creepy scenes. His dialogue is pretty good as well and you can tell he’s been through something, as he sounds a lot more desperate, wanting power and the Rot. I won’t spoil Arcane’s hell, as it’s too good to be spoilt, but it is very fitting and very fitting as well for him.
• · What makes this issue so creepy like some of the little details, like in Arcane’s hell where (Only spoilers you’re getting) he kills himself, but is brought back to life and you can still see his dead bodies like old snake skins, it’s just a haunting image
• · As much as I am an Arcane fan I’m not totally familiar with his origin, but his origin in this is creepy, yet very fitting. I don’t think it’s as elaborate as I would have thought the simplicity was quite fitting, and I don’t think this was meant to be the focus of the issue, so at least we got a glimpse into it.
• · Abby in this issue played an interesting role and I loved the little power shows in this issue which weren’t properly explored at the end of Snyder’s run. Abby was also brilliantly written matching Abby’s personality, while still showing the changes she’s been through have changed her personality.
• · Most of the issue would focus on Abby’s “Mother” and how Abby is only just beginning to remember who she was. The story itself becomes a very creepy exploration into Arcane’s creepy theories on the Rot and what it can do, it’s a truly fascinating exploration into Arcane’s love life (yes even he can have one) and it’s a creepy story with a lot of twists, as well as some incredibly creepy and this story will stick into my head for a long time.
• · There are a few Easter eggs dropped in this issue like past Swamp things, and a few hints as to what may have happened after Arcane was involved with Abby’s “Mother”, and each one was interesting although some are more obvious than others.
• · The last page was creepy and a truly great twist ending to the book and whatever happens next will be really exciting.
• · The artwork in this issue is beautiful Jesus Saiz has outdone himself and it’s even better than his work on 21 which was a beautiful work of art, so upon hearing that he would be drawing this issue I couldn’t wait to see what the book looked like. Arcane in this issue was incredibly well drawn even though his colouring is fairly bland Saiz and colourist Matt Wilson (more Matt Wilson on Arcane) make him looking very creepy even in his weaker form that he is in this issue. Saiz would also draw Arcane’s hell very well as well creating some very pretty landscapes that contrast very well with Arcane’s horrible misshapen body. Overall Saiz outdoes himself and I’m very happy to hear that he will still be doing some of the art on this series in future.

The Bad

• · This is an incredibly creepy story that shook me slightly even though it’s an Arcane story and I knew it was going to be very creepy, but this was on a different level, but that’s not really a problem with the story at all. This may feel like a cop out, but I have absolutely no problems with this issue.

The Verdict

This is exactly what I wanted from this issue and more it presented an interesting story full of twists and a lot happens, but it doesn’t fell into the trap of other villains issues of doing too much and jumping around in the timeline and from place to place. If you want a well written villains issue this is definitely one of the best.

5 stars