Swamp Thing: New Roots

Swamp Thing: New Roots by Mark Russell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Swamp Thing: New Roots collects material from the Swap Thing 100-Page Giant #1-5 and also the Swamp Thing: New Roots #7-9.

I'm a big Mark Russell fan and I bought some of the Wal-Mart Swamp Thing 100-Page Giants so I nabbed this when it came out.

Swamp Thing: New Roots collects two Swamp Thing storylines - one featuring Swamp Thing against an corporation with a genetically modified seed that could eventually wipe out all plant life on earth and another about a ghost light seen above the bayou.

Mark Russell and Marco Santucci handle the creative chores on the first one. I have no problem believing in a corporation jeopardizing the earth's future for short term profit since the fuckers do it all the time. The whole story becomes a protracted dick measuring contest between Swamp Thing and the Sunderland Corporation. It's a pretty good Swamp Thing tale with Mark Russell's trademark cynical humor and absurdism.

The Ghost Light story sees Swampy righting all sorts wrongs in the bayou, taking on an undead circus and a three hundred year old slave, among other threats. There's also a short story featuring Tom Fucking Mandrake on art.

New Roots isn't going to make anyone forget Alan Moore's run or even Len Wein's. Speaking of which, is Swamp Thing back to formerly being Alec Holland or are we still doing the Alan Moore "Plant who dreamed he was a man" origin for Swamp Thing?

Swamp Thing: New Roots is a fun collection of Swamp Thing tales. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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