Review: GOD OF WAR: FALLEN GOD #3 Brings The Rage

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GOD OF WAR: FALLEN GOD #3, available in comic book stores on Wednesday, May 5th, features another set of monumental challenges for Kratos. Running from the challenges facing the demigod clearly isn’t working, so he’s decided to unleash his rage once again. As a result, this issue features a version of Kratos longtime series fans will love.

Story

Much like in previous issues, Chris Roberson’s narrative follows Kratos across a series of trials. Despite defeating the Chaos Beast moments before, an even greater monster takes its place.

What purpose do these monsters serve? Who is sending them to Kratos? These are the questions readers continue to ask.

Whatever lesson Kratos is meant to learn, it’s a abundantly clear that the answer is unclear. And that’s arguably Robertson’s intention. Kratos believes he has served his purpose in the world, which is why he ran away from these challenges in the first place. But tapping into his uncontrollable rage seems to be the only path forward.

Artwork

Tony Parker’s penciling and ink work, Dan Jackson’s coloring, and Jimmy Betancourt of Comiccraft’s lettering crafted thrilling, action-packed illustrations worthy of the God of War. The details on the Chaos Beasts are exceptional, ranging from its harsh scales to its terrifying claws. These features are brought to life by a mix of bright and dark hues to create stark contrasts. And the lettering fits in well with the images; they’re placed well around Kratos to frame his form.

Conclusion

GOD OF WAR: FALLEN GOD #3 raises more questions than it answers, but this keeps us coming back for more.

What purpose do you think Kratos must fulfill? Let us know in the comments below!

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X-MEN: CURSE OF THE MAN-THING #1: Monster Matters

By

Jake Palermo

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X-Men: Curse of the Man-Thing #1 brings to comic stores the finale of a Marvel Comics mini-event on May 5. Writer Steve Orlando completes the arc of the titular Man-Thing with help from the X-Men. Artist Andrea Broccardo provides dynamic artwork that makes monstrous characters look heroic. Colorist Guru-eFX continues the atmospheric contrast of the settings. Finally, letterer Clayton Cowles gives impact to every decision and action.

X-Men: Curse of the Man-Thing: Embrace Your Monster!

Orlando’s focus on Man-Thing and his subconsciousness Ted Sallis comes to a resolution. After all of the self-pity in previous issues and a talk with X-Men’s Magik, it’s nice to see Ted take back control of his life. For Man-Thing and Ted, this self-acceptance comes with a bittersweet reward. While it is nice to see them exacting payback on Harrower for the first issue, it’s hard not to feel frightened by how the Man-Thing is no longer passive. With Ted driving his actions, this development is comparable to Immortal Hulk.

Art

Broccado gives X-Men: Curse of the Man-Thing character dynamics in art. Man-Thing, for example, is accompanied by Magik’s Dark Riders, mutants with monstrous appearances. Considering these monsters are attacking the conflict’s source while the regular superheroes are on cleanup, it says a lot about their narrative weight. Man-Thing, alongside these mutants, looks more heroic than the Avengers. Even if the scenes they share feature generic pin-up posing.

Guru eFX provides a dark atmosphere that looks enticing in X-Men: Curse of the Man-Thing. Everything concerning Ted Sallis takes place under a cover of darkness. It brings an air of suspenseful mystery waiting to unravel. The bright daylight that Harrower and the Marvel superheroes are under looks boring in comparison. A small glimpse into this weird and wonderful world is enough for the reader to understand Harrower’s frustrations at not reaching it, especially when she tries to force her way past an invisible wall with sound effects by Cowles.

See X-Men: Curse of the Man-Thing Through

X-Men: Curse of the Man-Thing closes out this crossover series in a satisfying manner. With Ted and his mushy alter-ego just beginning their new status quo, the readers will be eager to see more of them. Hopefully, with as much appreciation for their inner monster as they do Man-Thing.

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FEAR CASE #4: Closing One Case Opens Up More

By

Jake Palermo

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Fear Case #4 ends Dark Horse Entertainment’s gripping mini-series on May 5. Writer Matt Kindt wraps up the story by satisfying the reader’s dread. It’s a feeling that artist Tyler Jenkins expresses to the reader with empty space, and for Hilary Jenkins to fill those spaces with colors of terror immediately. Finally, letterer Jim Campbell provides captions to ensure each character’s voice is heard.

Fear Case #4: After Fear

Kindt was building up to a dreadful climax for the protagonists since the first issue. Without going into spoilers, the reader will share Mitchum’s sense of helplessness because his partner Winters’ fate resulted from the choices he made throughout the series. Nothing could prevent what happens in Fear Case #4, including a few unspoken rules about the titular case; again, no spoilers.

The issue’s plot has a structure that completely evokes a sense of no control. It’s a rather intelligent commentary on conspiracy theories; no matter how people explain the reasons for them, it doesn’t make dire situations surrounding conspiracies any better. To drive the point even further, Kindt ends the mini-series with a sense of disenchantment, like the events of Fear Case feel doomed to happen again.

Art of Desolation

Tyler brings a lot of empty space to Fear Case #4 to emphasize a sense of confusion between the reader and Mitchum. The first pages are half-empty, with Mitchum entirely out of view. Through these void spaces, the reader empathizes with Mitchum’s frustrations. By the time Mitchum is seen in full to explain why he is frustrated, his explanations are in flashbacks via half-full panels. Because it illustrates how unsatisfying the answers he receives are.

Hilary, in the meantime, gives the panels phantasmic colors. A brooding night sky over Winters has a slight tinge of a brighter sunrise. Only for the next image to have an even brighter red image like a nuclear bomb just went off. It explains the dilemma Winters is facing at that moment before transitioning back to the darker sky setting.

With so much suspense in Fear Case #4, Campbell provides just enough distinction in lettering. The captions have a color code between Winters’ light gray captions and Mitchum’s dark green. Unlike the psychiatrist, Mitchum is speaking with whose captions are white like all of the word balloons. It’s almost like Mitchum would be speaking to anyone so he wouldn’t be alone with his thoughts.

Complete Fear Case #4

Fear Case #4 ends a must-read series in the best way possible for a thriller. The story might be over, but there’s no sense of finality. All that’s left are anxieties that will stick to the characters and the readers who empathize with them.

What do you all think? Will Fear Case be something worth remembering? Or is it too unsatisfying for your tastes?

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Review: Danny Faces Okoye And Others In IRON FIST: HEART OF THE DRAGON #5

By

Corey Patterson

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IRON FIST: HEART OF THE DRAGON #5, hitting comic book stores on Wednesday, May 5th, features a massive escalation in tension among the heavenly cities. Hierophant and his servants are hell-bent on stealing the mystical powers of the cities’ dragons. And others are vying for the power as well.

Fortunately, Danny Rand and Okoye of Wakanda are hot on their tale. But they’ll need to sort out their differences in order to stop the evil forces.

Story

There are two major points of focus in this issue, both on the sides of the antagonists and protagonists. Readers first get an up close view of Hierophant as he wrecks havoc across the cities and their dragons.

Soon enough, readers will find that the tension is brewing between the protagonists as well. After witnessing Okoye kill a dragon herself and absorb its chi, Danny confronts her in a fit of rage. She tries to explain her noble purposes but the optics of the situation prevent any hope of reconciliation.

Writer Larry Hama brilliantly builds animosity and tension among the heroes who are the last line of defense against the true foe. Their dialogue reminds us of epic tales from storybooks, drawing us in even more. And the surprise appearance of Brenda Swanson, Danny’s former lover, makes this tale all the more suspenseful.

Artwork

The illustrations within this issue are beautiful. Dave Wachter’s penciling and ink work does double duty in crafting elegant cities while creating detailed warriors battling within them. These images are brought to life with Neeraj Menon’s coloring, which sets brilliant displays of yellow chi power against the duller backgrounds. In addition, we loved how VC’s Travis Lanham’s lettering made it extremely clear who was speaking via multiple font styles.

Conclusion

IRON FIST: HEART OF THE DRAGON #5 is the ultimate hype building issue of the series. Bringing together seasoned warriors like Okoye and Danny makes us want to see this amazing series through.

Who else would you like to see Danny confront? Let us know in the comments below!

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Review: CYBERPUNK 2077: YOU HAVE MY WORD #1—For Oriona

By

Elizabeth Buck

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Dark Horse Comics and CD Projekt Red follow up Trauma Team by taking us underground Night City in Cyberpunk 2077: You Have My Word #1. Available now, the first issue of four is written by Bartosz Sztybor and illustrated by Jesús Hervás. Contributing colors and lettering are Giulia Brusco and Frank Cvetkovic respectively.

You Have My Word #1 keeps the stylish aesthetic from the Trauma Team limited series while opening the world to fresh characters and locales. Writer Sztybor introduces us to three members of the Valentino Gang. Their shady, fedora-wearing boss tasks them with sabotaging Militech Corporation’s new urban development in Night City.

Our protagonist, Oriona, is the youngest member of the gang and the only female in the group. She wants to use her payout from this job to move herself and her daughter out of the grandparents’ house and into their own space. By focusing You Have My Word #1 on Oriona’s point-of-view, Sztybor gives us an easy entry into a poor enclave in Night City. Oriona’s naiveté and bright personality contrast with the cynicism and anti-capitalist politics expected of the cyberpunk genre.

Cyberpunk Subversion

Later, Sztybor uses a Hitchcockian twist to keep the reader on their toes and place us firmly in the camp of Night City’s lower class. In that case, Sztybor subverts expectations set up in Trauma Team. Regardless, the same spirit that Cullen Bunn put in Trauma Team‘s Nina exists in Oriona.

CUSTOMER HARASSES ORIONA’S MOTHER, TERESA.

On the art side of things, illustrator Jesús Hervás adds darker lines and rougher brushwork to the delicate watercolor aesthetic established by Miguel Valderrama. This edgier look signals that we’re in a different part of Night City now. To that end, Hervás also includes bionic characters, casual clothing styles, and characters of color—more diversity, to put it plainly—than before.

One of Hervás most impressive artistic flourishes is a panel featuring a mural of La Llorona, a figure of Latin American folklore. The mural telegraphs the story itself while highlighting the culture of this part of Night City. Augmenting Hervás edgy style is Giulia Brusco’s color palette.

Style and Substance

Colorist Brusco uses competing warm, bright neon, and pale pastel colors against cold gray and black. When the Valentino Gang are out during the day, the environment is bright and colorful. Then, at night or when in shady areas, black and gray consume everything. Any lights on in the city at night are neon pinks and blues. Meanwhile, Oriona’s family home is predominantly brown, soft gray, and orange—safe, plainer colors.

Moreover, Brusco’s dark colors reflect the city’s industrial, mechanized aspects while the neon evokes its debaucherous underbelly. Hervás and Brusco’s combined efforts immerse us in the harsh realities of Night City at the same time as they allow us to find comfort and familiarity in Oriona’s family home. Thus, alongside the stylish aesthetic, there’s a sense of grounded realism.

Last but not least, letterer Frank Cvetkovic, who also lettered Trauma Team, handles lengthy dialogue and captions well. He does so by breaking up dialogue bubbles and using a thin font for the rare occurrence of SFX. This lettering style feels more utilitarian than flashy. And so, Cvetkovic complements both the grounded and stylized elements of the book.

Cyberpunk 2077: You Have My Word #1 is an effecting follow-up tp Trauma Team. The ending twist alone promises an exciting adventure full of deep grief and the possibility of revenge. I, for one, look forward to escalating emotions and plenty of grit in the ensuing three issues.

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How EVE #1 Introduces a World Forever Altered By Climate Change

By

Cat Wyatt

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BOOM! Box’s EVE #1, available now, grabs all of the brutal truth that comes with climate change and bundles it into one approachable and humanizing tale. This is the tale of a young girl named Eve and her quest to save the world.

Eve #1 is the beginning of a new miniseries with very real concern.

Eve #1 is the beginning of a brand new miniseries by BOOM! Box. Written by Victor LaValle, with artwork by Jo Mi-Gyeong, Brittany Peer, and Andworld Design, this series is unafraid to tackle the very real and heavy concept of climate change.

However, it is about to do so in a very approachable fashion. Young Eve lives in a world where the ice caps have melted. She’s alive, though most of humanity likely can not say the same. She’s safe in a bunker, but she cannot remain. Not if she is to help save the world from further damage.

More importantly, to young Eve, at least, she has to save her father. She may not understand everything that’s going on, but she does understand that he’s not here. She’ll do whatever it takes to bring herself to him, even if it means facing off against a terrifying and dark world.

A drastic change is in order for this variant cover of Eve #1.

Writing

Eve #1 is a bold introduction to this five-issue series. Already it’s easy to feel attached to Eve. She’s so happy, even when wandering alone and talking to herself. She’s so young and so human. So real.

Unfortunately, she also has a major trial waiting in her future. And it doesn’t take long to understand how she was so unaware of what is happening to the world around her. Or to understand the dangers she’s about to face.

What really strikes home is how real the situation is. Ice caps melting doesn’t sound as out there as aliens, does it? The threat is one we can all easily imagine, and that makes the story hit home in so many hard to prepare for ways.

Victor LaValle included a letter at the end of this issue, explaining his motivation for writing this series. He dedicates his drive and understanding of climate change to his wife – a climate change writer. The ultimate goal here was to create a story that carries a message – the need to do something about climate change now before it is too late. It’s a message that is heard loud and clear.

She looks just like a young girl about to set off on an adventure.

Artwork

It’s truly outstanding how quickly the scenes changed in Eve #1. One moment Eve is on a beautiful and lush island. The next, she’s in a bunker, all alone. Save for one inorganic life form with a…unique design.

Jo Mi-Gyeong’s artwork makes Eve appear to be the little girl that she is. She’s happy and sheltered. Yet even early on, it’s possible to notice some hints of what is truly happening. There are signs of aging – hints for why a bunker would be needed in the first place.

The colors provided by Brittany Peer are so incredibly vibrant. Much of the issue is in hues of blues and greens, merging tech with organics. There’s something so somber about the colors – colors that otherwise should be indicative of life.

Andworld Design’s lettering helps to bring the story home – aiding in that gut punch the series was aiming for. There’s no denying the truth of these words, not as they merge with the artwork and carry readers through the narrative.

That’s one way to avoid the rising waters.

Conclusion

Eve #1 is the start of a vehemently emotional, all too real, and powerful story. It resonates with the need to do something. It is full of a daughter’s love for her father and the determination to do whatever it takes to save him.

If the goal of this series was to hit hard with a discussion of climate change, then it succeeds. It’s powerful yet not overwhelming, unavoidable yet approachable. It is proving that, once again, the lens of fiction helps to get the message across.

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How Power Saves and Corrupts in THE LAST WITCH #5

By

Cat Wyatt

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BOOM! Box’s THE LAST WITCH #5, available now, continues the quest of Saoirse – a growing witch who may just be humanity’s last hope. Assuming she can hold onto what makes her the hero she so desperately wants to be.

It’s time to see Saoirse’s latest battle in The Last Witch #5.

Over the course of just a few issues, readers have watched young Saoirse go from being a scared child to a young woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She’s a witch, one who must defeat her great-aunts if she hopes to protect her brother – and everyone else.

Yet there’s something even darker lingering on the horizon. The moral of this story has always been that power corrupts. Yet with each issue, Saoirse grows stronger. What will that mean for our little witch? Will she continue to be a hero, or is she fated to follow the path of those before her?

The Last Witch #5 picks up with Saoirse preparing for her third battle. This time, she’ll be facing Badb, a wind witch. However, our youngling will not be alone, as she has her brother, grandmother, and an unlikely new ally to help out.

Alone out in the middle of a snowstorm. Sounds…safe?

Writing

The Last Witch #5 is a dark and emotionally compelling tale. It tugs at heartstrings and twists our hopes. It’s impossible not to fear for Saoirse – not just because of the odds she’s up against, but because it feels as if there is something sinister just out of sight.

All credit must go to Conor McCreery for creating such an elusive feeling. The story here is a powerful one, and yet that doesn’t automatically imply that it is a benign tale. We’ve seen too much from this world to make any assumptions at this point.

What really hits home here is how young and human Saoirse comes off earlier in the issue. Between all of the fighting, we’ve granted a rare glimpse of the internal battle raging. How afraid she is, how much she misses her mother and father, how the weight is beginning to make her crumble.

All of which feels starkly contrasted by the fight she was thrown into here. Sure, it’s dramatic and bold, but it is also telling a different story – one that is horrible and haunting. Badb makes for the ideal foil, given everything Saoirse has been dealing with as of late.

What makes this issue all the more intriguing is that it concludes the miniseries. It is grand, as the conclusion of all plot arcs should be. But it is also very much open-ended. Perhaps we’ll one day see what happens to Saoirse. Or perhaps we’re meant to create our own assumptions from here. We’ve been handed all of the pieces to the puzzle, after all.

She has gone through so much, and in such a short period of time.

Artwork

The Last Witch #5 wouldn’t be the same without V.V. Glass, Natalia Nesterenko, and Jim Campbell. Together they brought Saoirse’s fears and battles to life, and it’s going to leave a lasting impression.

It’s so easy to look back at the first issue of this series and see how much Saoirse has changed. Even on a visual level, it’s quite evident. She’s tired, scared, and scarred – both emotionally and physically. That the artists were able to portray all of this is hauntingly beautiful.

There are moments when the artwork steals the show. Such as when a mysterious stranger’s true personality cracks his mask. Or when Saorise seemed to finally near her breaking point. All of these moments are going to be stuck in my mind for quite some time.

The color and shading bring these scenes to life – the good and the bad. The snowy backdrops force the characters – allies and enemies alike – to pop in the foreground. All while the elemental magic really does give the impression that it is glowing.

Looks like her heartfelt moment was just interrupted.

Conclusion

It is fascinating to think of how much the world and characters have changed in five issues. Yet here we are, getting ready to say goodbye to The Last Witch #5. Well, goodbye for now, at least. There’s always hope that the miniseries will continue at some point and finally tell us the rest of this tale.

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Review: MAN-BAT #4: The Best And Worst Kind Of Monsters

By

Jake Palermo

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Man-Bat #4 hits comic stores on May 4th, continuing DC Comics’ gripping series. Dave Wielgosz writes this issue’s narrative around the exploitation of a characters’ innermost desires. Sumi Kumar enhances this narrative by illustrating how the characters present themselves. The colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr. meanwhile make the environments look like they’re overwhelming the characters. Tom Napolitano’s lettering finalizes how monstrous these characters can be.

Man-Bat #4: The Delusions

Wielgosz is making the titular monster evermore sympathetic. Throughout Man-Bat #4, the reader can feel Man-Bat’s frustrations at both Kirk Langstrom and Scarecrow. While Man-Bat’s human self, Kirk, has the life he dreams of, it’s at a great expense. Not only is Kirk denying his other-self autonomy, he’s taking out his character flaws on his ex-wife Francine. Even worse, Kirk and Francine’s innermost desires reveal an unhealthy codependence between them. It’s something that Scarecrow is more than willing to exploit for his own ends. The fact that Man-Bat is completely aware of this situation while Kirk is controlling his body gives the reader a strong sense of how Man-Bat feels violated.

Feeling Small

Throughout Man-Bat #4 Kumar presents the power of a character’s presence. Scarecrow, watching over the Langstroms, feels like an all encompassing presence of terror looming over them. Jonathan Crane, Scarecrow’s alter-ego, sets himself above Man-Bat, making him look terrifying. Man-Bat, in the meantime, displays vulnerability in his body language, almost like a marionette helplessly under Scarecrow’s control. In comparison, Batman’s mere presence casts a big shadow that makes him look monstrous.

Fajardo colors the backgrounds to showcase character’s mindsets. In Batman’s interrogation of a thug for example, Batman’s dark shadow obscures the warm orange lights. Then, there’s a sound wave that lightly colors a page to further display a factor changing the Langstroms’ moods. This, in addition to the changing background colors, makes the reader feel their happiness turn into rage.

Finally Napolitano provides word balloons that demonstrate characters progressively shedding limitations. Kirk and Crane speak with regular round word balloons unlike Man-Bat and Scarecrow whose word balloons warp. After Scarecrow holds Man-Bat down, Man-Bat screeches in a different font with bigger words making him look like he’s fully unleashed.

Get Man-Bat #4

Man-Bat #4 reaches the series’ thrilling climax. The titular character is ready to show what he’s made of after Kirk and Scarecrow have held him back. Now, all the reader can do is wait until the grand finale.

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Review: Fighting For Precious Cargo In STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS ALPHA #1

By

Justin Munday

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Seasoned Star Wars storyteller Charles Soule (The High Republic, Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith) teams up with powerhouse artist Steve McNiven to deliver a kickass, bloody tale starring our favorite Beskar-clad hired gun in “Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha” #1. This prelude event adds an interesting twist to Boba Fett’s story just after the events of Empire Strikes Back without shoehorning anything in that seems out of place. With spot-on dialogue and world-building and outstanding artwork, this issue is a must-own for die-hard Star Wars fans.

“The notorious bounty hunter BOBA FETT has finally landed his greatest prize – HAN SOLO, frozen in carbonite for easy transport. Fett will bring the smuggler to TATOOINE to collect the massive bounty placed on Solo’s head by the fearsome crime lord JABBA THE HUTT. Sounds easy. What could go wrong?”

Writing & Plot

Taking place almost immediately after Han Solo being frozen in carbonite in Empire Strikes Back, Charles Soule decides to add some complications to Boba Fett’s journey back to Jabba’s palace with his gift for the crime lord. In short, Fett needs some help from an untrustworthy acquaintance, and in order to get that help he needs to kill someone in a classic “kill Peter to Pay Paul to rescue your enormous bounty” type situation. Souls writes this scenario is a manner that fits in seamlessly with the rest of the main Star Wars film story as a whole, without anything feeling forced in for the purpose of canon. This is a kickass representation of our favorite Mandalorian (Din Djarin not withstanding) doing kickass things while sprinkling in some nostalgia and fan service without ever going overboard. The dialogue is absolutely spot-on, to the point where I was reading Fett’s words in Temuera Morrison’s voice (no disrespect to Jeremy Bulloch, I grew up on the Prequels and Clone Wars) and it all just felt right. This single issue accomplishes a ton in terms of action and focused storytelling, crafting a tightly packed but perfectly paced single comic chapter that still teases more story to come. Charles Soule once again demonstrates just how good he is at this with another Star Wars issue that is both a blast to read and a great addition to the universe’s canon.

Art Direction

I don’t think I realized just how much I wanted Steve McNiven to draw a Star Wars book, especially one starring Boba Fett, until I saw the interiors for “Star Wars” War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha” #1. McNivern’s pencils and style of cross-hatching create a texture and detail that stands out not only among Marvel’s Star Wars outings, but in comics as a whole. This book is immaculately detailed in terms of both its characters and environmental art. Aliens new and old look like they came right out of an ILM storyboard, and the city streets and alleys of Nar Shaddaa are alive with grimy architecture. The action is choreographed with fantastic speed and intensity, making for some of the most exciting and brutal fighting to be found in Star Wars media. The colors from Laura Martin are vibrant while also exhibiting a kind of used and worn look, firmly placing this story and its setting into the sort of sketchy environment our famous bounty hunter is inhabiting. The lighting effects are a huge highlight of the visuals here, as not only do they give the panels dimension but they tint everything else being the lights in a given panel. This makes the explosions feel bigger and the city feel even more teeming with activity. The letters from Travis Lanham really shine in the sound effects department, with every impact and noise exhoing off the page with fantastic font choice. This is a staggeringly good looking Star Wars comic that perfectly fits the high-impact storytelling going on in these pages.

“Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha”#1 is a (literal) blast of a chapter in the Star Wars universe. This snippet featuring an all-time favorite and involving some of the most important plot points in the films is handled with both care and ingenuity by Charles Soule, who writes one of the most entertaining Star Wars comics I’ve ever read. The visual work of Steve McNiven and Laura Martin is simply superb, with work that explodes off the page and brings the grimy underworld of the Galaxy Far Far Away to life in all its bloody glory. Be sure to grab this issue when it hits shelves on 5-5!

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Review: THE SWAMP THING #3 Feels Like the Start of an Epic Myth

By

Zac Owens

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You may think you know “the Green,” the interconnected network of all of the DC Universe’s plant life, but you’ve never seen it like this. Writer Ram V, artist Mike Perkins, colorist Mike Spicer, and letterer Aditya Bidikar invite us deep into the world of the Green in The Swamp Thing #3. It’s outright hypnotizing in its beauty.

Writing

In my last review for DC Comics’ The Swamp Thing, I noted that V seemed to be writing like Alan Moore. His characters spoke in eloquent metaphors and had thoughts that looked like they were pulled right out of a poetry book. It seemed a little odd at times, a little inhuman. But something about The Swamp Thing #3 fits V’s tone perfectly. The poetic nature of his writing, the eloquent back and forth between characters, all feels right. In the world of the Green, everything feels larger than life. So when V’s characters speak like beings out of mythology, it fits. This is an exciting new chapter in V’s The Swamp Thing. It creates a setting and stage for him to write a new mythology into the fabric of the DC Comics Universe. In many ways, V seems to be channeling Lewis Carroll in this chapter as much as he is Alan Moore. It’s whimsical at some moments, melodramatic in others, but all of it feels perfect for the story he’s creating.

Art

Perkins does a magnificent job of surrounding us with the Green. He makes it look as though plants are growing around each panel. Flowers pop out past the gutters on the page, making each plant feel alive and dangerous. That’s how Perkins characterizes the Green. It’s a gorgeous world where everything is so used to being pushed around or put down by humanity. Everything is fighting to survive. Throughout the issue, the Green has a dangerous beauty to it. Whether it’s the plants that frame each scene, or the mysterious characters that fill it, they are each both intoxicating and suspicious. And Perkins doesn’t shy away from this double nature. He’s constantly showing us the faces of characters plotting or full of fear. It’s not just his characters that have life in this issue. The entire world they inhabit feels like a character in its own right.

Coloring

With a setting like the Green, it’s truly surprising how versatile Spicer’s color palette is. Spicer’s colors are full of dark and deep greens, but there are yellows, pinks, reds and blues too. The pages are brimming with life. And the scenes in the green are colored completely differently from the scenes in the human world. When Levi Kamei gets a CT scan, the page is predominately black. But from the moment he arrives in the Green, we see intense colors. Some characters cause yellow destruction, crackling across the page, others have a pink aura. But none of them are drab or boring. This world is stunning and Spicer makes damn sure of that.

Lettering

Bidikar’s lettering gives this issue a lyrical quality. Characters take their time talking to one another and Bidikar gives each word balloon space. So, when a character has a long paragraph to speak, they do so in short bursts. Each balloon is connected to the one before, but often with room between each line. When one character sits on a throne and speaks to others like this, it makes her seem fully in control. She moves at her own pace. She is a goddess talking to humans. When another character is talking with Swamp Thing, acting as his guide, she has a rhythm to what she says too. “Jennifer? Juniper? Conifer?” she says. Each has its own world balloon, but the lines are stacked closely together. “Ivy hasn’t seen her!” she finishes with a word balloon that’s far below the rest. You can hear the pause like a playful break in her musical dialogue. It’s thanks to Bidikar’s spacing and division of dialogue that characters often seem to almost be singing, rather than just saying their lines.

DC Comics’ The Swamp Thing #3 is mesmerizing. It pulls you into the world of the Green and has you wishing you could stay. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until issue 4 to visit again. Pick up The Swamp Thing #3, out from DC Comics May 4th, at a comic shop near you!

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