Swamp Thing #23 Review

Last issue was one hellish ride of a comic book as a small town was driven crazy by the whiskey from a magical tree. It sounds silly, but writer Charles Soule made it absolutely terrifying. The end to the story isn’t as strong because it takes the easy way out and then leaves everything concerning Constantine hanging up in the air. Regardless, with on-the-nose writing and bangin’ art, Swamp Thing is still where it’s at.

Even though Kano and David Lapham split art duties for this issue, a majority of it is so clean and consistent that you’d never know. The paneling is great because it’s sort of off kilter -- just like how things would be if you were drunk on crazy tree whiskey! A continuing visual theme of Soule’s run is forming as we see Swamp Thing take on more and more new forms, from some splintered remains to an entire hillside. The last few pages are the one weak spot because they look completely different from everything else -- pencils, inks, and coloring -- which is weirdly jarring after seeing such great work done leading up until then.

Like I said, Swamp Thing doesn’t impress with the easy way he gets himself out of his horrible predicament, and then he just gives Constantine a free pass once the conflict is over. With so much potential set up previously, it’s a bit of a letdown to see it end so predictably. That said, the most interesting part of the book is the other voice inside Swamp Thing’s head compelling him to violently defend the Green, and that is something Soule provides in spades.

Joshua writes for IGN. If Pokemon, Game of Thrones, or Green Lantern are frequently used words in your vocabulary, then you’ll want to follow him on Twitter and IGN.

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