Swamp Thing #1 review
DC Comics did it, I don’t know how they did, but they did it, they got Len Wein, the creator of Swamp Thing himself to come back to the marsh and write Swamp Thing again. I’m not sure if it was necessary, but it sure feels nice. If you remember correctly, Swamp Thing had a pretty damn good run with Charles Soule (a writer who I hold in very high regard), and Jesus Saiz.
So to follow that popular run and possibly bolster sales, I can only assume DC Comic’s ploy to garner a lost audience was to bring back the co-creator himself, Len Wein. I assume this tactic works, people crave nostalgia, they love seeing their beloved characters return to the form they first met them in. I believe that’s what Len Wein is here to do with Swamp Thing in this 6 part mini-series.
I’m a Marvel guy myself, I prefer Man Thing over Swamp Thing, and I read very few DC Comics books. Currently I’m only reading Batgirl and Black Canary, but prior to that I had enjoyed Batwoman and Lemire’s Green Arrow. I find DC Comics books hard to connect with, if this analogy helps, it’s like enjoying a certain genre but with a director who you don’t typically enjoy. You don’t understand his/her work or her point of views, thus an action or sci-fi movie you should like just doesn’t appeal to you. I’ll use Jupiter Ascending as an example, that movie’s shit, but I bet sci-fi junkies love it. Just like I love Guardians of the Galaxy and I’m sure someone who loves Jupiter Ascending thinks it’s garbage.
So, now that I’ve explained myself, I can say I didn’t care much for Len Wein’s newest Swamp Thing #1. It read like an old DC Comics book. The narration was great, it gave the book a certain feel of spectacle, of myths and legends. But then Swamp Thing, Alec Holland speaks, and it turns into a movie with terrible acting. His lines are just awful, but they give the book a certain nod to the classics, giving it a very old school feel. The problem is, just like movies have adapted to the times, so must comic books.
The villain in Swamp Thing #1 isn’t anything exciting either, a science experiment gone wrong that creates a super strong zombie capable of giving the mighty Swamp Thing the fight of his life. It’s contrived, unimaginative, lazy, and boring. Zombie…I think we have enough zombies for the time being.
The savior of the book was it’s creative narration and the art by Kelly Jones. It’s strange though, while Alec’s lines were terrible and felt outdated, Jones’ art matched it perfectly. Giving Swamp Thing that old school feel it deserved, I don’t know if it was done on purpose, but if it was, Len Wein and DC Comics are brilliant.
Swamp Thing #1 wreaks of nostalgia, a child only a mother could love, new comers beware, but those lovers of the classic swamp should jump right in.
[…] may remember a little book called Swamp Thing being written by its original co-creator Len Wein. Not really my style but a book that has a really […]