Swamp Thing Giant #3
DC Comics/ Walmart Exclusive
April 2019
$4.99 USD
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Joëlle Jones
Colorist: John Kalisz
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
"Bog of Blood Part Two"
Last we saw of our star Swamp Thing, he was searching for his abducted companion Briar in the junkyard lair of the mysterious Ms.Ravenmocker. This installment starts with a high octane action sequence that to be perfectly honest, surprised me a bit. The methods used to illicit mayhem are fairly unique for a Swampy tale. I really enjoyed that.
Briar may have been taken, but she uses that as an opportunity to put the puzzle pieces together. Discovering what's been done to the missing teens from last issue and who Ravenmocker truly is. The origin reveal is a little lackluster, but we are given a wider sense of what her involvement meant and what will be necessary to defeat the Barren.
Even if like me, you found the reveal to be wonky, it's easily overlooked thanks to the jaw-dropping artwork. I was extremely pleased to see Joëlle Jones had returned to render another installment. One of the lousy things about this Walmart Giant is the vague amount of information about it. Will
Joëlle be back next month? No clue, but I'll tell you what, she could illustrate Swamp Thing preparing taxes for six issues straight and I'd still buy the hell out of it.
Overall this was yet another well-crafted chapter. It has enough meat on the bone to make you forget it's only twelve pages long. The seeds that were planted in the Halloween Special have been tended to with care and are about to sprout into something sinister. Reprints aside, the main feature is a cool story with stunning visuals that made for a can't miss.
-David Schultz
DC Comics/ Walmart Exclusive
$4.99 USD
Writer- Tim Seeley
Artist- Joëlle Jones
Colorist- Trish Mulvihill
Letterer- Travis Lanham
Editor- Chris Conroy
Bog of Blood Part One
This book certainly caught me by surprise! I knew it was due to drop the second half of this month, but I didn't exactly time it out to the last release. Luckily, I wandered over to the hobby section in my local Walmart and spotted a few ragged copies that remained. For more on the condition, exclusivity and reprints included in the 100 Page Giants, you can read my review of issue #1 by clicking here.
The story is really enjoyable. Keeping with the previous installments, Swamp Thing and his companion Briar dig deeper into the mystery of an elemental force known as the Barren. While investigating a pair of missing campers, they encounter a new villain named Ms. Ravenmocker. Like the Char-Man before her, she has ties to the Barren although her involvement provides a new twist. While not reinventing the wheel, this yarn is properly plotted, provided a couple chuckles, and the action was well allotted. The page count may indicate an appetizer but this puppy reads like a full meal.
My only gripe, albeit tiny, was the re-telling Swamp Thing's origin AGAIN! We just had a sampling of that last issue. I'm inclined to blame editorial, yet whatever the case may be, it was done in a cool manner. Using an urban legend as the source serves as a nifty delivery. But alas, the true seller of this repetitive root wasn't the script. Nope, it's thanks to Joëlle Jones.
The illustrations totally knocked my socks off! A welcome addition to the marsh of artistic masters that have worked on the character, Joëlle Jones is a talent not to take lightly. Paired perfectly with the colors of Trish Mulvilhill, fans are treated to a feast for the eyes. Personally, I haven't been this jazzed over a Swamp Thing artist since the smooth stylings of Jesus Saiz from the N52 era. Stunning in every sense of the word, I would happily hand my wallet over to DC should Jones ever work on an ongoing Swampy project.
As for the future of the 100 Page Giant? A wee bit murky. With rumors swirling that the line was facing cancellation, Dan DiDido shut those rumors down but commented there was a shift coming. Whatever the future may hold, Swamp Thing Giant #2 is an outstanding product worth spending your hard earned dollars on. Grab a copy while you can.
-David Schultz
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