Saga of the Swamp Thing
Category: Books,Literature & Fiction,Genre Fiction
Saga of the Swamp Thing Details
Reviews
As the title says, what more can be said of Moore, that hasn't been said by fans and critics alike? What more can be said for his visionary skill, his contribution not only to the horror comic genre, but to all graphic storytelling, beginning with the amazing run starting here? I can't add anything else that hasn't already been said, but simply give my own short but humble views on this awesome collection of awe-inspiring stories that renewed the Swamp Thing mythos and changed the comics world forever. No other creator, since the great King Kirby himself, has had such an effect on comics than Moore. Beginning with these stories, we see the metamorphosis of comic books into graphic novels, pieces of literature that should be appreciated, at least in this form, as a higher standard was set for graphic storytelling. We see the true potential of what comics can, and should be. With the stories collected here, the saga of DC's horror legend evolves from the story of a man transformed into a monster, bemoaning his condition, to the story of a creature discovering a greater awareness of an elemental champion representing everything green and growing and the Earth entire, making a character once known for his simplicity infinitely more complex and three-dimensional, the stories taking on a stronger, stream-of-conciousness feel, almost hallucinatory in many aspects, but at the same time retaining the feeling of Gothic horror that should always be present in Swamp Thing stories, as well as the humanity, which should also always be present, pardoxically alongside the character's discovery of his true nature. This is added to by the masterful art of Steve Bissette and John Totleben, who are able to illustrate the beauty of nature in contrast with unspeakable horrors perfectly, existing in the same world, and make Swamp Thing's look even more definitive, truly looking like a part of the swamp, like the living embodiment of the swamplands itself, as well he should, with more roots and flowers and other flora growing upon his person. The stories here range from the thought-provoking to the truly terrifying, showing the range and skill of Moore, Bissette and Totleben. Beginning with the chilling story, "The Anatomy Lesson", which literally turns everything you know about Swamp Thing's origins on its ear, and shows us a graphic "autopsy" of Swampy, symbolizing that Moore & company are literally tearing the character down so they can rebuild him, in a cycle of death and rebirth that leads to greater wisdom and awareness. We are introduced to the Green, and as we delve through its silent emerald beauty alongside Swampy, we think differently about plant life, and how we should be better connected to the Earth and its flora and fauna, and how the opposing views on the defense of the planet is represented by the conflict between Swampy and Jason Woodrue, aka the Floronic Man, who under Moore's pen goes from a simple Silver Age villain to a true threat, Swamp Thing's dark opposite, who becomes just as disturbing and dangerous as any of Batman's famed deranged rogues' gallery, with some of the strongest and most disturbing dialogue in the entire book. This volume closes with one of the strongest horror-themed stories, the "Monkey King" storyline, a truly spine-tingling and disturbing tale of a creature who feeds upon the fears of autistic children, bringing them to life in the most horrifying way, with Swampy and Abby forced to make a deal with the devil- in a sense- to stop the creature, as they ally themselves with the Demon Etrigan, one of my favorite Jack Kirby creations, who, alongside his mortal alter-ego Jason Blood, is envisioned in a new, darker and more extreme light, one of my favorite depictions, that I think Kirby would be greatly appreciative of. All in all, this is the beginning of one of the greatest comic runs of all time, deserving of every bit of praise it recieves. After reading Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis, the definitive run by ST creators Len Wein & Berni Wrightson, go to reading this, and the other volumes by Moore, and you will see the evolution of this story of Gothic horror into a powerful lyrical fantasy, with equally horrifying and thought-provoking tales that will stick with you for years to come. Delve into this saga, and let yourself become swamped--you won't regret it.