Swamp Thing: Earth to Earth
Written by Alan Moore
Art by Rick Veitch, Alfredo Alcala, John Totelben, et al
Published by DC Comics
There's not much horror in this fifth volume of DC's ongoing collection of Alan Moore's landmark horror series. There's action, rage, love lost and found and lost again, and the almost unimaginably beautiful writing of Alan Moore. But there's not much horror. Just in case that's what you're looking for.
Swamp Thing, under Moore, was one of the great comics runs of the 1980s, and was that rare thing: A revival that not only matched the original in quality, but far, far exceeded it. Exceeded it in issues created, and in the scope and significance of the work itself. Under Moore, the title became a stage on which the writer could, really for the first time, experiment with form, tone, and language in a manner that later became his unique trademark in such acclaimed and excellent titles as Watchmen, Promethea, and Top 10.
This volume represents a wide sampling for readers to see what all the critical acclaim has been about for all these years. The chapters involving Swamp Thing invading and overrunning Gotham City with greenery nicely resonate with Swampy's earlier incarnation as a nearly-standard denizen of the DC Universe, and show us just how powerful and in touch with that power he has become. The follow-up to that tale is a horrifying look at domestic abuse that revives some of the characters from the mostly forgettable Martin Pasko run that immediately preceded Moore's arrival on the scene, and delves into the perverse nature of power games in abusive relationships.
The standout chapter here, though, is the final one: "My Blue Heaven" is a true classic of the comics medium, one in which Moore's wordplay and imagination are set aloft on delicate, alien wings and take the reader to dizzying new heights; upon arrival in this exalted, sacred place, we are at first amused and entertained by Swamp Thing's management of his new situation. As the reality sinks in, he and we are left to be crushed by sadness and a sense of loneliness and sorrow that is as devastating to experience as it is beautiful to behold.
When one thinks of the artists that signified Moore's transcendant run on Swamp Thing, the names that rightly come to mind are Steve Bissette and John Totelben. Bissette is almost completely absent here, and Totelben contributes only one issue's artwork. As is usually the case with Moore, though, the words carry the narrative at all times. Veitch and Alcala's contributions are fine, but their work on "My Blue Heaven" is truly worthy of special note. The manner in which they depict Moore's alien landscape is astonishingly beautiful to behold, creating a paradoxical desire to be able to explore this foreign world even as we stagger at the pain the Swamp Thing feels at being stranded so very far from all he ever knew.
Moore's Swamp Thing run is something no comics reader should ignore, as it stands out as one of the few consistently groundbreaking titles that mark the very best the mainstream has ever produced. You'll understand and appreciate this volume much better if you've read what's come before, but even if this is your first trip into the inner universe of the earth elemental known as Swamp Thing, you'll find it a mind-expanding trip that will blow your mind here in 2002 just as it blew mine back in the 1980s. Grade: 5/5