Daily Archives: 1 May 2011

Conway gives Bolt a first name (or, at least, uses it), which is nice. In fact, Conway gives Bolt a whole reflective moment here, a lot more than any writer has done before. Abby and Matt, however, are incredibly distant. It doesn’t much matter, because the ending of this issue suggests Swamp Thing is done with its supporting cast for a while.

There are a lot of plot threads this issue and it’s unfortunate they didn’t publish it as a deluxe issue as planned. It would have been somewhat more impressive. Conway’s not as concerned with the Swamp Thing parts of the story—the Alec Holland parts—as putting together the rest of his narrative. It makes for a better comic book, but not really a Swamp Thing one… It’s hard to explain.

Redondo does a great job.

The finish is a little weak though; Conway doesn’t have enough space.

CREDITS

The Mirror Monster; writer, David Michelinie; artist, Nestor Redondo; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, Marcos; editors, Paul Levitz and Joe Orlando; publisher, DC Comics.

You’ve got to love a comic book with an apology in leu of a cliffhanger. This issue of Swamp Thing—Gerry Conway’s first—was supposed to be double-sized. Instead, they split it in two… and this one ends uneventfully. Stops might be the better term.

Still, it’s a decent issue. Conway’s execution is stronger than the comic has had in a while and Redondo comes up with some great layouts.

There’s a rogue Swamp Thing—grown from the original’s arm (which almost foreshadows the character’s future under Moore)—and a possibly evil Indian befriends it. There’s a cute little Bride of Frankenstein feel to it.

But Abby, Matt and Bolt are around too. Abby’s clairvoyance is mutedly implied again, but it’s getting old, regardless of Conway being better at the narration than his predecessor on the book. Bolt’s still a lame character… Conway can’t magic all the problems away.

CREDITS

A Second Time to Die; writer, Gerry Conway; artist, Nestor Redondo; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, Marcos; editors, Paul Levitz and Joe Orlando; publisher, DC Comics.