Swamp Thing #26

Writer: Joshua Dysart
Art: Jock
Color: Lee Loughridge and Jock
Cover: Eric Powell
Lettered: Phil Balsman

Plot: Issue #26 sees Swamp Thing questioning his role as the keeper of the swamp. He questions the morality of a being that would cover up multiple murders only so he can use the dead flesh to make himself stronger. All this comes full circle when, after a particularly nasty rampage through the swamp, he inadvertently kills a small child. As penance for his sins, he forces himself to absorb the child and all of the pain that child felt right before dying, leaving only the goodness to bring back to the mother.

Review: When I was first given this issue to review, the first thing that caught my eye was the cover, normally I glance at the art, get my first impression and then dive into the book. This time I couldn’t help but just sit and study it. I think of all the covers to all the books I have reviewed for this site, this one seems to stick with me, something very disturbing and yet very sad all at the same time. In my opinion, this stand alone issue is worth picking up for that alone.
But is it a good story, how is the rest of the book you ask? The cover only prepares you for what happens in this issue. While it is part external communication with other people and part internal dialogue, the external dialogue is interesting and leads into the introspection. It is the internal dialogue and more impressively the sudden shift in art (by Jock, of
The Losers) during these periods that is really impressive. The more introspective the Swamp Thing, the more surreal the art gets, reminding me a little of some of the cover art from the Sandman series. I am not one to gush over art in my reviews, but I really think this a beautiful piece of work. The story in itself takes a pretty intense look at the Swamp Thing and some of his internal issues. You should definitely pick it up this week.

 

Special thanks go out to Jeremy Shorr, owner of Titan Comics for allowing us to use his advance preview books for review purposes.

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