Swamp Thing #33 – Review

By: Charles Soule (story), Javier Pina (art), Matthew Wilson (colors)

The Story: Jonah proves to Weeds and Wolf that sex is more rewarding than scheming.

The Review: I might have said this before—in fact, I’m almost certain of it—but one of the best things Soule did for this series was introduce us to specific members of the Parliament of Trees, then include them as part of Alec’s supporting cast. Alec has always been a decent, likable protagonist, but the additions of Jonah, Lady Weeds, and the Wolf have given Swamp Thing layers of human intrigue between its supernatural mysteries.

Almost all of that intrigue is generated between Weeds and Wolf alone, not least of all because they have such dramatically different personalities. Wolf prefers to play the long game, slowly breaking down Alec until the final stroke can be delivered. Weeds would rather eschew this Machiavellian approach for a more direct attack. It’s not hard to figure out whose plan will carry the day in the end; it’s just amazing that Weeds goes along with Wolf for as long as she does.

Which isn’t very long, to be frank. Wolf’s first attempt with the ersatz Sureen may have been a disappointment, but it’s even more so to see his entire master plan exposed and defeated within the span of an issue. I can only imagine that Soule felt the series would quickly grow repetitive if every single one of Alec’s trials turned out to be masterminded by Wolf, who then sighs over each failure before musing on his next step. Still, given that Wolf’s plan included the hiring of various mystics, worldwide environmental disruption, and even some demons, it’s a shame to see all of it reduced to exposition and montage, as if executed within the span of a few hours. That said, you’re interested to see whether Weeds will make any better headway. She lacks Wolf’s sense of subtlety and patience, but she does possess the element of surprise in spades, as her sudden attack on Wolf attests.

The difficulty both have and will continue to run into is Alec’s growing mastery over his power. A lingering side-effect of Rotworld is that having already vanquished his definitive foe, Alec has few enemies left to fear. Wolf gambles on Alec’s lack of experience and limited stamina, but that’s quickly becoming less of an advantage as the issue goes on. Ironically,* Wolf’s constant attacks may have only resulted in honing Alec’s skills further, making Weeds’ job that much harder.

Weeds and Wolf may be the most active of the ex-parliamentarians, but Jonah features just as prominently. Despite his more retiring personality, Jonah comes across as no less forceful, which is quite a feat of character work. Compared to his peers, he’s perfectly content with his new life and is eager to explore its very real possibilities rather than grasp for things already lost. Jonah’s self-assuredness directly contrasts to Wolf’s shaken uncertainty after his plan fails, and even seems more secure and solid than all of Weeds’ sullen rage. Basically, you like Jonah and his oddly sweet romance with Capucine, so you’re inclined to worry when both are threatened by the issue’s cliffhanger.

As always, Pina makes for a near-seamless fill-in for Saiz, which is one of the greatest gifts an ongoing series can get. Even more than Javier Rodriguez does for Chris Samnee, Pina emulates Saiz’s quiet sensuality in every line, and their sense of storytelling is nearly identical. Neither Pina nor Saiz will win awards for innovation in paneling or POV, but there is great clarity in all they do. But perhaps my favorite feature of their art is the warmth and humanity in the characters’ expressions. Emotions are never thrust or pushed on you; they reveal themselves in the gentlest, most natural way possible.

Conclusion: Soule blasts through the plot a bit too breezily, but there’s some wonderful character work that comes through.

Grade: B+

– Minhquan Nguyen

Some Musings: * Is that a correct use of irony? Despite my B.A. in English, I still never know.

– I don’t think I’m a lonely person, but every time I see Jonah giving Capucine one of his big bear hugs, I start jonesing for one myself.

– Be honest: which Team Avatar do you like better, the one from Last Airbender or our quartet of Guarav, Capucine, Jonah, and Alec?