Charles Soule deserves a hand for what he is doing here on Swamp Thing. The pacing and feel of his Swamp Thing hearkens back to Alan Moore’s “American Gothic” without biting or trying to hard. Swampy is traveling around, finding disturbances in the Green, there is a little bit of mystery, and now we have John Constantine on the scene (although it turns out in a very different role). It has everything I want in a Swamp Thing story, and nothing extra. I think this is its strength. It’s creative yet simple and is executed smoothly. It’s things like “This tree is so proud I chose it that its almost vibrating. The others hate it” ,or the quickness that Soule turns this story on its head with unexpected savagery that make the writing stand out. And I think he is still finding his voice, so it should only be getting better.

For the most part the art here is very good. There are some panels that “miss,” but the small touches sprinkled throughout the issue more than make up for the weak spots. I really enjoy how Swampy’s foliage changes with his environment. The inking and coloring are well-executed.

This was a great read all-around. Creepy, fun, mysterious, and nice to look at. It feels so good to be reading Swamp Thing again.