DCU Dark

[trustyside-kick]

Yea. My wallet is already crying. It wants a break. My list didn't really get smaller for books I purchased after reading my batch of #1s. Some books that I'm not keeping I borrowed from my brother. So my "judgement" for what I would like was fairly close.

 

[Mystirious]

The only book I'm thinking of maybe not buying anymore is Suicide Squad depending on what issue two is like

So I'm going to be broke for the forseeable future ;_;

 

[El Bastardo]

Yea. My wallet is already crying. It wants a break. My list didn't really get smaller for books I purchased after reading my batch of #1s. Some books that I'm not keeping I borrowed from my brother. So my "judgement" for what I would like was fairly close.

Yeah, I hear you. The only one out of ~25 I cut was the horrid **** that was Stormwatch. And even then I'm considering giving it a #2 to redeem itself, but I probably won't.

And I'm considering adding into my buy pile the issues I skipped that people were saying were pretty good.

 

[Mystirious]

Awwww I loved Stormwatch

I thought it was some fab stuff from Cornell and I'm really looking forward to issue two this week

 

[Spade]

Animal Man #2 is an incredible blend of horror and heartwarming. Swamp Thing #2...I :heart: Swamp Thing and the story's serious tone. But this is two issues of exposition in a row. High time for the plot to get moving.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I enjoyed Swamp Thing most this week. That may be because I'm currently kind of immersed in Swamp Thing since I'm reading Moore's stuff as well, though. The idea of Alec Holland having to step into Swamp Thing's life and learn about all the now-standard fixtures of Swamp Thing lore is one of those super-compelling "why didn't anyone think of this before?" ideas. I'm finding it quite enjoyable.

 

[CrimsonMist]

I LOVED Swamp Thing #2. The possibilities Snyder is bringing to the table may in fact surpass Moore. But who knows just yet.

I just love the idea that

Spoiler

the Alan Moore stuff was Holland being tested by the green to see what he's capable of and that his full potential was never reached when his consciousness was absorbed by plant life. The idea that there MUST be flesh under the muck is cool, and I love how Snyder is pretty much bringing back the Wein/Wrightson Swamp Thing of a man covered in muck, giving it the powers of the Moore Swamp Thing and then turning it up to 11.

I still have no idea how Alec Holland came back to life, since this issue pretty much states he died. I imagine we'll get into that within the next few issues.

Also, Creepy evil baby head staring through a window = creepiest panel in the book.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

He came back to life as a result of Brightest Day. It's in Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing.

I don't know about the idea of [blackout]a man being within each of the previous Swamp Things[/blackout]. Wouldn't that basically be a fusion of the Green and the Red?

 

[CrimsonMist]

He came back to life as a result of Brightest Day. It's in Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing.

I don't know about the idea of [blackout]a man being within each of the previous Swamp Things[/blackout]. Wouldn't that basically be a fusion of the Green and the Red?

I know he came back, but I don't think Brightest Day Aftermath ever actually explained HOW he came back. And if it did, well, I was just too distracted by the suckiness of the book to have noticed.

But yea, you're right. But as Swamp Thing #2 states, it is what gives a Swamp Thing it's consciousness, it's restraint. Without it, it's a mindless beast as seen in Brightest Day Aftermath. I think some of this stuff was mentioned in the previous Vertigo series in the first arc(Bad Seed), and maybe even before that, too(in which the Swamp Thing manages to become a combination of all the elementals...haven't read this one). I forget. I imagine it'll be explained more though. Who knows. I'm digging it though.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Once again, Swamp Thing and Animal Man were the best DC titles of the week. I also picked up Action Comics and Stormwatch, both of which improved on their first issues, but the Dark titles still rule the roost.

 

[Keyser Soze]

He came back to life as a result of Brightest Day. It's in Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing.

I don't know about the idea of [blackout]a man being within each of the previous Swamp Things[/blackout]. Wouldn't that basically be a fusion of the Green and the Red?

I thought that was a deliberate choice. If Swamp Thing is not just a champion of the Green, but a champion of life itself against the Other, it makes sense that he would be a fusion of both the Green and the Red. It does take a little of the wind out of the sails out of my all-time favorite Swamp Thing story - The Anatomy Lesson - which laid out how farcical the idea of a human being existing underneath all that greenery was. But the story is good enough that I'm willing to forgive that, and it at least retains the Moore era as part of the character's history rather than just erasing it.

 

[redhawk23]

I enjoyed Swamp Thing most this week. That may be because I'm currently kind of immersed in Swamp Thing since I'm reading Moore's stuff as well, though. The idea of Alec Holland having to step into Swamp Thing's life and learn about all the now-standard fixtures of Swamp Thing lore is one of those super-compelling "why didn't anyone think of this before?" ideas. I'm finding it quite enjoyable.

Same here, I'm about through the second volume, where are you?

 

[Keyser Soze]

I know he came back, but I don't think Brightest Day Aftermath ever actually explained HOW he came back. And if it did, well, I was just too distracted by the suckiness of the book to have noticed.

It was kinda botched in Brightest Day: Aftermath. In Brightest Day, we see Holland resurrected and bonded with the green to become a new Swamp Thing. But then in Aftermath he's separate from Swamp Thing again and suddenly the Swamp Thing that's walking around is an entity not linked to him. And yeah, the "meh" nature of that story makes me think DC would have been as well just not doing it, for all it (didn't) clear up regarding Swamp Thing's new status quo.

To be honest, I know Snyder is trying to pay respect to the entirety of Swamp Thing's history that came before, but one thing I think he DID need to do his own version of was Alec Holland's resurrection. Explain, in a manner that better complimented his story, how Holland came back from the dead.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Same here, I'm about through the second volume, where are you?

I'd read the first four volumes of Moore's run before, but recently I picked up the hardcovers and I've been rereading the stuff. I'm up to volume 5, with only 6 left before the run is concluded. It's brilliant stuff, possibly still Alan Moore's best work to this day.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Once again, Swamp Thing and Animal Man were the best DC titles of the week.

Couldn't agree more. Just got done reading Animal Man #2 and I think I may enjoy it more than Swamp Thing. I'm just too engrossed in Buddy's family life, I think. But I look forward to reading your reviews. They're good stuff.

 

[CrimsonMist]

It was kinda botched in Brightest Day: Aftermath. In Brightest Day, we see Holland resurrected and bonded with the green to become a new Swamp Thing. But then in Aftermath he's separate from Swamp Thing again and suddenly the Swamp Thing that's walking around is an entity not linked to him. And yeah, the "meh" nature of that story makes me think DC would have been as well just not doing it, for all it (didn't) clear up regarding Swamp Thing's new status quo.

To be honest, I know Snyder is trying to pay respect to the entirety of Swamp Thing's history that came before, but one thing I think he DID need to do his own version of was Alec Holland's resurrection. Explain, in a manner that better complimented his story, how Holland came back from the dead.

I'll have to check out the last issue of Brighest Day to see how it was handled then. Because I'm still kind of confused by it. Alec Holland pops out of the swamp alive and well. Ok. Great. How's he alive? Hopefully Snyder goes into it a bit more clearly.

 

[antonydelfini]

I was ecstatic about Animal Man 1, and Animal Man 2 builds up on the momentum the 1st issue started. The family interaction (the Barkers are the best supporting cast in the new 52 so far) and the art is crazy and dynamic.

STORY 9.5/10
ART 9.5/10
TOTAL 9.5/10

I was lukewarm with Swamp Thing 1, but issue 2 blew my mind. This should have been what the 1st issue was. Big revelations about Swampy and great horror scenes. The art? One of the top 5 along with Manapul, Foreman, Williams III, and Reis. I'm glad I picked up issue 2. Best of the week.

STORY 9.5/10
ART 10/10
TOTAL 10/10

 

[Keyser Soze]

Couldn't agree more. Just got done reading Animal Man #2 and I think I may enjoy it more than Swamp Thing. I'm just too engrossed in Buddy's family life, I think. But I look forward to reading your reviews. They're good stuff.

Thanks, Crimson! I probably won't review all the New 52 titles again this month, but I'm gonna try and at least review Swamp Thing and Animal Man.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Animal Man and Swamp Thing were amazing again. Loved 'em. Animal Man better IMO though.

 

[RoughNTumble]

animal man and swamp thing continue to be awesome

can't wait for them to crossover, and I hope the lore of these books is featured prominently in the DCU, and doesn't just stay in the background

 

[chamber-music]

Animal Man & Swamp Thing are awesome once again and for me the best things out of the DC reboot.

Swamp Thing was brilliant. The creepy twisted headed possessed people is great. I love how Snyder is building on Moores mythology.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Same here, I'm about through the second volume, where are you?

I'm about halfway through volume 6. Just got through the two all-prose issues, which I didn't enjoy that much on principle. I guess there is logically some overlap between a comic book and an illustrated story, but I find the latter presented in comic form a little offputting. The story was good, though. Kind of trippy.

I plan to continue into Veitch's run after I finish Moore's too.

 

[CrimsonMist]

They really need to finish collecting Veitch's run. What with Vertigo reprinting "Lost Tales", it would be great if they reprinted all of Veitch's time travel run, complete with his "Jesus" issue, and then as a bonus, the published version written by the other guy.

 

[Watchman]

I hope one of these days Vertigo Resurrected actually releases the Jesus story. Vertigo releasing Ellis's Shoot gives me hope. We almost had a Gaiman Swamp Thing run but DC decided to be cowards.

 

[CrimsonMist]

I hope one of these days Vertigo Resurrected actually releases the Jesus story. Vertigo releasing Ellis's Shoot gives me hope. We almost had a Gaiman Swamp Thing run but DC decided to be cowards.

It was gonna be Gaiman AND Jaime Delano alternating every month, I think. It saddens me to know how extraordinarily awesome that would have been.