With a Swamp Thing TV show set to debut on DC’s streaming service, I felt that this was the best time to jump in and learn something about the character. The novels often described as more ‘horror’ than ‘superhero’ made for an interesting change for me.
‘Raise Them Bones’ tells the story of Dr Alec Holland, who once was the Swamp Thing but found himself back to his human form somehow. He seems keen to forget the entire thing however the Parliament of Trees, an ancient council representing The Green (the force of all flora in the universe) are bent on making Holland their champion once more. This is further complicated when the Rot, the opposing force to the Green, finds its champion in a boy named William Arcane. Alec, along with Abby Arcane, a woman he’s had a connection to in the past, attempts to stop her stepbrother from unleashing chaos.
Given that I'd never read any Swamp Thing novels before, I felt that the pace was fairly okay for me, however, there was an assumption in the novel that the reader knew what had happened before. In terms of character development, I found myself really being able to relate to Alec and his issues with his alter ego.
The artwork was quite unique and some of the depictions of the creatures of the Rot were quite frightening and grotesque, which I appreciated for what was going on. The covers were average, none of them really stood out, however, they weren’t bad either.
Favourite Panel:
Alec finally decides that it's time to stop playing around!
Favourite Character:
Although Alec’s story seems to be quite interesting, I think William Arcane, the young boy who’s the antagonist in the story is far more appealing. The genuine creepiness he displays was excellent to read.
Rating:
Story Arc: ★★★½
Character Development: ★★★
Artwork: ★★★
Enjoyability: ★★★½
Re-readability: ★★★
Level: Intermediate