DCU Dark

[Keyser Soze]

Am I the only one stupidly excited about the return of Anton Arcane?

 

[Watchman]

No you are not. I just wished they kept it as a surprise.

 

[Keyser Soze]

My review of Swamp Thing #7:

http://johnleescomics.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/review-swamp-thing-7/

 

[redhawk23]

Finally got my hands on Swamp Thing #7, as well as Animal man.

First off I must say the cover of SW #7 continues to be one of my favorites. Its so great to have Paquette back doing the interior art.

I admit I was lukewarm to the lack of swamp thing in this comic at first but now I think it was a great thing to build to and it was great to spend time with Alec as Alec. As he says himself, his transformation into the Swamp Thing is different this time because it was his choice, not an accident or a mantle foisted upon him.

After seeing Abby's hand emerging from that cocoon I have no doubt that she is the creature on the cover of SW #9.

Seeing Swamp Thing grow wings was...interesting to say the least. I can definitely dig it though. Not like he could do the whole Green transference thing into the deadlands. But my question is, will Swamp Thing still have that ability, to regrow himself anywhere from available materials, or is that something that has been gotten rid of since Moore's run?


The new artist on Animal Man is fine but I was enjoying how different the comic looked under Foreman.

Also in that vision of the future, I'm assuming the old man was John Constantine? I thought was interesting as similar visions of a failed future have been featured in Justice League Dark as of late.


Demon Knights has been fun, though I must say after 5 issues of build up, the actual battle was over very quickly. I guess they felt that the other 6 characters needed more work to be established for the readers, and I know he is just part of the team but I really feel that Etrigan has been underused so far in this series. Also, I really dislike that he rarely rhymes and even when he does its really half assed.

 

[redhawk23]

Am I the only one stupidly excited about the return of Anton Arcane?

from 1974

 

[Mystirious]

Oh snap Anton Arcane is back

I knew it was only a matter of time cannot wait to see what he's up to now

 

[TheSaintofKillers]

Love Arcane!
I just did a Arcane Marathon, and read every single comics he ever appeared in. It started interesting (he began as an old Dr. Frankenstein, went on to get the body you see on the old Swamp thing cover in an earlier post, then switched to a spider body, to finally become one of the scariest villain in comic history under Alan Moore).

It only went downhill after that. I actually enjoyed seeing his journey through hell, how he became a demon, and how he never stopped being evil down there, to finally escape hell!

Till Mark Millar took over the title, and made him REPENT! Follow God! Become good. Apologize to Abby!!!! And that's the last time we saw him, as an old man, now repenting!!! How awful is that?? Ugh. Good old Mark Millar, at least he's consistent with trying to ruin my favorite villains (Removing the Venom symbiote from Eddie Brock to having Dr. Doom serve a master (seriously?) , and now, i'm discovering he made Arcane regret being evil? Arcane? A character so evil that even in hell he was laughing at Swamp thing's misfortune? Even under absolute torture?).

I'm really hoping Snyder brings him back to his former glory!! And judging from that cover, it's a joy to see him with one of his very first look! t:

 

[Cosmic]

So I finally checked out I, Vampire #1. Dropped. Now I'm worried about the upcoming crossover. Feels like I've been here many times before with DC... :

Also finally checked out Stormwatch, which is surprisingly cool and fun so far. Something about the previews really turned me off, but I like this one. The characterization and dialogue are great. Martian Manhunter is in definitely in good hands, which is great. Plus, the artwork is amazing.

I'm loving Stormwatch so far and I absolutely cannot wait to see how Milligan writes the comic book

I'm still reading Stormwatch. Every issue has been excellent. I like how they get straight to the story, and straight to the action without wasting any time. There are a lot of diverse characters to deal with, but everyone gets a fair amount of time. It's a very well-balanced book. I love the humor, it makes me laugh out loud while I'm reading, but it never goes overboard. I hope this title stays around for a long time. Funny, because this was definitely one of my LEAST-anticipated relaunch titles. Can't wait for the next issue!

As for Justice League Dark...the latest issue seems to have taken us down the wrong path. The next issue needs to get back to the characters and dialogue that made the first few issues interesting.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

No you are not. I just wished they kept it as a surprise.

You'd have to be pretty blind not to see it coming. I figured he'd be back the moment they mentioned that whatever magical abilities running through the Arcane family line came directly from the Rot. My guess is that Abigail somehow overcomes the Rot's influence, so the Rot resurrects Anton as its avatar instead.

 

[Spade]

The cover Newsarama previewed shows her human again, so that's a safe bet.

Animal Man was great this week. Had at least three moments that left me awestruck. Can't wait to see where it goes. Swamp Thing was good, too. The "gotta save the girl I love" angle might not be groundbreaking, but it gives Alec/Swampy a believable reason to act, which he was missing when the story started. Just wish there was less setup to get to this.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

The romance angle of Swamp Thing is awkward to me. Alec Holland and Abigail Arcane were never in love. Abby and the Swamp Thing were in love. Alec's got the Swamp Thing's memories, but he's apparently felt very detached from everything else, so why not the Swamp Thing's love for Abby too? For that matter, wouldn't Abby be much more resistant to just replacing Swampy with Alec? It all feels a bit too easy, like Alec just instantly started loving Abby right after they met and Abby was like, "Meh, close enough."

But other than that, I'm enjoying it.

 

[Mystirious]

I have to agree Abby loving Alec doesnt really work. Swamp Thing wasn't Alec Holland and it was Swamp Thing that she loved

 

[redhawk23]

I agree that their relationship doesn't particularly feel earned. However does Abby love Alec? I've seen little evidence in that regard.

Alec though does still feel some kind of pull towards her, and as he explained a few issues ago, that feeling is the only stable thing in his life.

Btw, totally called the explanation for the cover of Swamp Thing 9 posted a few pages back.


What do you all think about the new Swamp Thing? It appears that he still has Alec's actual body inside him, rather than just being a confused plant. The swamp thing part of hims is also a lot more wooden and hard than the leafy/mossy swamp thing on the cover of #1. While that's supposed to make him a more complete and powerful avatar of the green, it does appear that that would limit some abilities that swamp thing had previously, like the ability to travel through the green itself mentally and just grow a new body where ever. I guess that, combined with the lack of plant life in the dead desert is why he flies, that and to look hella swag.

 

[redhawk23]

Also how about Animal Man this week.

Spoiler

The daughter dying and growing a new body (like a bloody 80's Swamp Thing) and Buddy being taken over by the rot apparently at the end. Yiikes. As not good as some of his foreshortening tended to be, I'm going to miss Travel Foreman's art on this. His lines were really thin and clean and gave the comic a unique look. Part of that is being continued under the new artist but the lines are a lot messier.

 

[chamber-music]

Its been awesome how Buddy has had no control. Cool seeing a superhero that doesn't know what to do in a situation makes them feel more vunerable.

 

[redhawk23]

Demon Knights number 8 was a vast improvement and the best issue so far!

Mostly this is due to some very good art in service of a mostly self contained story.

The first several issues of this were like little 5 minute clips of one video rather than even serialized parts themselves.

This issue featured the story of how Jason Blood came to be with Madame Xanadu and how they deal with Etrigan.

That was another thing about this issue, IT FOCUSED ON ETRIGAN.

Also a lot of focus on Jason.

While I know it was necessary to try to introduce the other characters in the first arc, this issue was really what I was looking for in this series. That's not to say I don't want to see focus on the other members of the group, espeicaly Al Jabr.

but Etrigan!

 

[Spade]

"Extinction is Forever" feels like a story cut out of Marvelman. I say that with praise, 'cause Marvelman was engrossing, too.

Swamp Thing was okay this week, but it felt rushed. The whole issue had the characters trying to one-up each other in badassery. It was unnecessary, though, and the story probably would've been more enjoyable if their every action wasn't matched with an overly simplistic speech.

That said, I've never read a story with [blackout]Anton Arcane[/blackout] in it. So I might keep reading to see why Snyder brought him back, and if he makes for a better villain than Sethe.

 

[chamber-music]

William and his uncle Anton Arcane gonna cause Swamp Thing and Abby some trouble.

I can see John Constantine being supernatural advisor to Buddy and the Baker family like he was to Swamp Thing back in the day. Constantine could be Doctor Smith to the Bakers the Robinsons like Lost In Space.

 

[Tvar10]

I just got into Swamp Thing. Is this current run by Snyder as good as Moores? I wanted to get them but never did

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That said, I've never read a story with [blackout]Anton Arcane[/blackout] in it. So I might keep reading to see why Snyder brought him back, and if he makes for a better villain than Sethe.

I'm guessing he will. He's basically Swamp Thing's Lex Luthor or Joker or Green Goblin. He's easily the most memorable villain Swamp Thing's ever faced.

 

[CConn]

I just got into Swamp Thing. Is this current run by Snyder as good as Moores? I wanted to get them but never did

Nothing is as good as Moore's...but yes, it's pretty damn good.

 

[redhawk23]

Swamp Thing numb er 9 was good for what it was but I felt a bit underwhelmed.

As others have said the dialogue was a bit oversimplified.

It amounted to "YOU CAN FIGHT THIS"

Just didn't feel right. Personally I would have liked to see more of Abby as the Queen of the Rot taking on Swamp thing. After so much buildup, it was a bit rushed.

Also though I usually don't mind him filling in, I was simply not feeling Marco Rudy's contribution to this issue.

Did anyone else notice Abby came out looking like one of the Vampires from I Vampire?

Lastly, she totally should have been saved by Yams rather than Peaches.

Anyone who has read Moore's run should know where I'm going with that. lol.

 

[CrimsonMist]

Swamp Thing numb er 9 was good for what it was but I felt a bit underwhelmed.

As others have said the dialogue was a bit oversimplified.

It amounted to "YOU CAN FIGHT THIS"

Just didn't feel right. Personally I would have liked to see more of Abby as the Queen of the Rot taking on Swamp thing. After so much buildup, it was a bit rushed.

Also though I usually don't mind him filling in, I was simply not feeling Marco Rudy's contribution to this issue.

Did anyone else notice Abby came out looking like one of the Vampires from I Vampire?

Lastly, she totally should have been saved by Yams rather than Peaches.

Anyone who has read Moore's run should know where I'm going with that. lol.

I agree. The build up to these past two issues was good, but these two issues themselves were disappointing. Issue 8 was nothing but a fight sequence and Issue 9 was another fight sequence with some really contrived, cliche dialogue.. I also kind of forgot about William Arcane, too. He should have been played up way more. The thing with Abby as Queen of the Rot felt really insignificant considering how quickly it was dealt away with. I would have brought Anton back sooner. Now the story just feels like its dragging on and it's getting rather annoying. Same applies to Snyder's Batman story. Next week, the story is at issue 9, meaning the story ends in two months. It's felt like nothing but build-up and I worry that it's going to be swiftly wrapped up all nice and neat.

Or maybe I'm just growing impatient for the Swamp Thing/Animal Man crossover.

 

[redhawk23]

I of course have no idea where the whole crossover/battle with the rot is going but it just seems like saving Abby would be better as the end result of that fight rather than happening before it, with the queen as part of that conflict.

Who knows what role Abby will play now though.

And again, yams.

Just my two cents.

 

[Mystirious]

I'm guessing he will. He's basically Swamp Thing's Lex Luthor or Joker or Green Goblin. He's easily the most memorable villain Swamp Thing's ever faced.

I'd like to see Floronic Man get some love in this series too he's a fun crazy villain