There may be no more daunting task in comics than writing Swamp Thing. The character's been around since the 1970s, but it was Alan Moore's work with the character in the 1980s that really made people take notice... of him, not so much the character, maybe. Swamp Thing was basically something of a blank slate for Moore to work with, but that's certainly not the case today. Starting anew with the character involves a number of factors, each of which must be addressed. Brian K. Vaughan had to deal with them in the previous Swamp Thing series (a consistently strong and dark exploration of supernatural characterization), and Andy Diggle has to here as well. He has to maintain an accessible tone for new readers, for those who aren't up on the rather convoluted history and complex premise of the title character. And he must please those fans who so adore those previous stories.
The question is... does Diggle succeed here? The answer is that yes, to a certain extent, he does, but a little more in the way of exposition is called for as well.
Somewhere in a Louisiana swamp, something stirs in the water and muck. Something rises up, unaware that it has a meeting with destiny... and with a certain Silk Cut-smoking Brit in a trenchcoat. John Constantine has need of the rotting corpse he's summoned forth, for within it lies the key to saving the world from the wrath of a supernatural force with no equal. Meanwhile, Abby Holland and her daughter Tefe embark upon similar but separate journeys, venturing into untouched wilderness, where each encounters an unexpected supernatural resident.
Enrique Breccia's artwork stands out as this comic book's greatest strength. His textured, detailed work elicits easy comparisons to the work of Moore's Swamp Thing artists John Totleben and Steve Bissette. I'm also reminded of Dan (Nocturnals) Brereton's style as well. the artist has a tremendous eye for the natural, which only enhances this story of the supernatural. Martin Breccia's muted colors foster an appropriately dark and mystical mood.
Where this script goes awry is in those scenes featuring the women from the title character's life. There's Abby Holland, his wife, and Tefe Holland, his daughter. We really don't know why they are in the two remote locales they visit in this issue. Those scenes are all about picking up where other writers left off, but there's not quite enough exposition to fill everyone in on the characters and their motives. Mind you, ever since Moore got involved with the character, Swamp Thing has always been about a longer journey.
Where Diggle hits the mark perfectly is in his use of John Constantine. He not only honors a character created by and a tradition begun by Moore, but he uses Constantine to quickly establish the plot and the key players. Constantine gets the story rolling right away, and it keeps the reader interested. The morbid humor doesn't hurt things either.
