Doctor Alex Holland used to be dead. A lab accident killed the brilliant botanist and biochemist, but he was resurrected as the supernatural creature called Swamp Thing. Or so everyone thought. Now Holland wants to put his past – the Swamp Thing’s past – behind him. But the Green is not through with him yet. Its hour of darkness is upon it, as a new force threatens to rot away all life on earth. The Green needs Holland to become the Swamp Thing, for real this time.
In Swamp Thing Vol. 2: Family Tree, the Green has crowned the reborn Swamp Thin as their warrior king. His first challenge as king of the Green will come in the form of the Rot, a force of decay and death that attempts to suck down earth – and his former girlfriend Abigail Arcane – into its decrepit clutches. As this ancient force threatens to consume everything Swamp Thing has sworn to protect, he and Abby discover an old foe at the forefront of this evil that changes them forever and leads into the epic crossover with Animal Man, Rot World.
In this second collection, Swamp Thing must battle his way through the Bone Kingdom and The Rot to free his ally—and ex-girlfriend—Abigail Arcane. But will the cost of freeing her be…fighting her? Nothing, not even this titanic battle, will prepare Swampy for what he has to face next: a resurrected and even more dangerous Anton Arcane!
Swamp Thing is Vertigo come to DC Comics. The gothic horror series has transferred over into the greater DCU, though not fully integrated yet. Instead, the series and its characters intertwine with Animal Man, both of which interweave in the epic Rotworld storyline that this volume leads in to.
Through a lot of back and forth, much of the beginning of the series was Alec Holland’s struggle as to whether or not he’d accept his role as Swamp Thing. He has his humanity back and to take up his role as the avatar of Green, he’d need to lose it, again. At the same time his love Abigail is consumed by the Rot. Both are struggling with their roles and corruption. One must embrace their role and lose their humanity to save the other and if they don’t then the other is lost and humanity is lost. It’s an interesting ying-yang situation.
Overall, I think Swamp Thing is one of the best series to come out of the new-52. I only read a smattering of Swamp Thing comics in the past, but with this, I’m a fan. While this second volume is excellent, new readers should start with the first volume. But it’s excellent. Do yourself a favor and start from the beginning. You won’t be disappointed.
This second volume collects Swamp Thing #8-11, 0 and Swamp Thing Annual #1.
Story: Scott Snyder Art: Yanick Paquette, Marco Rudy, Francesco Francavilla, Kano, Becky Cloonan, Andrew Belanger and Karl Kerschl
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
