Reviewer: “Starman” Matt Morrison
Story Title: Love in Vain: Chapter 3
Written by: Joshua Dysart
Penciled by: Enrique Breccia
Inked by: Enrique Breccia
Colored by: Martin Breccia
Lettered by: Phil Balsman
Editor: Jonathan Vankin
Publisher: Vertigo Comics
And lo, it was said by a Vertigo editor, “Why don’t we bring back that ‘Swamp Thing’ title, which did in part lead to the creation of our Vertigo line.
And so it was that Andy Diggle, of Losers and many a Vertigo special was given chance to restore Swamp Thing to his (pardon the pun) roots. And for the most part he did succeed, taking the uber-powerful god-like being with a nearly as powerful teenage daughter and did fix things and create much drama. And John Constantine was in there too. And it was good.
But lo, it was not to be a lasting thing. For after but six issues, Diggle did leave. And Will Pfeifer, he who wrote the Aquaman did begin to write the title. And things were okay. The tales of reality TV shows and big game hunters attempting to track the Swamp Thing were amusing, if somewhat predictable. And they did raise questions as to why, if the Swamp Thing’s wife Abby Holland were so upset over what had happened and desired to get a normal life, she might have considered settling herself somewhere besides the first city outside the swamp where Alec Holland died and the Swamp Thing lived now. Still, the writing was serviceable enough and the artwork had muchly improved in the hands of Richard Corben.
But alas, this too was to change. With the regular and far more inferior artist Enrique Breccia returning with issue #9. And with him came a new writer: Joshua Dysart. Writer of many a violent independent title and most recently The Demon: Driven. And lo there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the critics. For that series was, in their humble opinon, not worth the death of so many trees.
Still, one critic was not so jaded as to not give the man a fair shake. And so it was that he read Swamp Thing #9 and #10 with much dread. Dread, it seemed, which was much justified. For the books were a confusing mess, with muddy artwork and random events with seemingly little relation between them. And lo it was obvious that long-time villain Arcane had been sent forth from Hell with a demoness and that something worm-like had been sent after him. And somehow Swamp Thing sensed all this and apparently his daughter is still screwed up. And his wife has had yet another change of heart about her feelings for her husband the swamp monster.
And the one critic was heard unto say, ‘To heck with this!’
