SWAMP
THING VOL. 4: SEEDER (DC, 2014;
Softcover)
Collects
Swamp
Thing
Nos. 19-23, 23.1 (cover dates June- November, 2013)
Writer:
Charles Soule
Artists:
Kano, Jesus Saiz, Alvardo Lopez, and David Lapham
Colorist:
Matthew Wilson
So
the Swamp Thing is now Alec Holland, or Alec Holland is the Swamp
Thing, and now there is no Alec Holland or only the Swamp Thing or
something like that. Heck if I can make heads or tails of DC's
“continuity” these days. Let's just say that The Green
communicating Swamp Thing from Alan Moore's run is sort of almost
here and go forward.
Swamp
Thing encounters Superman for the first time while locking horns with
the Scarecrow. You may be asking yourself, Hey wait a minute,
hasn't Swamp Thing met Superman a hundred times before or something?,
and the answer would be yes. You see, this is the “New 52” the
reboot that does and does not contradict DC's already nonsensical,
incoherent continuity. DC fans always say Who gives one whit about
continuity so long as you get a good story? These same people
collect variants and think that 3D covers are cool.
Swamp
Thing's main foe this time out is Seeder, a guy who can somehow tap
into The Green and create unnatural plant life. While he does things
with what seem like the best of intentions, things go wrong each and
every time that he uses his power because he is upsetting the
balance. We also get treated to a new rebooted yet stale and tired
feeling John Constantine. I will admit that I have never been a fan
of him, not even when Alan Moore introduced him. He was a plot device
and nothing more. Nowadays he is a fan favorite. Go figure.
I
still enjoyed this, in spite of all of these gripes. The artwork
makes the continuity clusterfuck much easier to handle, and the
writing is solid in spite of said rebooted/ret-conned continuity. I
still have a soft spot for Swamp Thing and will continue reading so
long as the quality is there...just don't ask me which of the
52,000,000 Earths this is.
Junk
Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.
The
OCD zone- Nothing unusual to report here, folks.
DVD-style
Extras included in this book: Seeder designs
by Kano. (1 page)
Capucine
designs by Jesus Saiz. (2 pages)
Issue
#20 pencils by Kano. (2 pages)
Issue
#21 pencils by Jesus Saiz. (1 page)
Cover
sketches by Guillem March. (2 pages)
Paper
rating: 4.5 out of 5. Decent weight glossy coated stock.
Binding
rating: 4 out of 5. Perfect bound trade paperback.
Cardstock
cover coating rating:
5 out of 5. Nice thick waxlike lamination.
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