This comic book has just about everything one could want. There's some great supernatural horror on the go here. The script and art are inventive with their inclusion and depiction of the bizarre, and the writer has developed a thoroughly accessible story by approaching the plot from an outsider's perspective. There's just one thing missing: suspense. It's far too apparent who the real villains of the story are and what the title character is up to. The reader is five steps ahead of the guide into the world of the Man-Thing, and that makes him seem far less intelligent than he is.
Insurance investigator Nathan Mehr travels to Louisiana to look into a substantial claim made by a corporate client. An industrialist's latest venture in a swampland has been the target the vandalism, and it's costing him a fortune to get the venture off of the ground. The vandalism isn't of the ordinary variety. Accelerated vegetative growth has turned the construction site into a disaster, and Mehr suspects it's an act of god, not the work of vandals. But he soon discovers something strange is going on when he visits a hospitalized security officer who has clearly encountered something that's far from normal.
Hotz was an excellent choice as artist for this story. His exaggerated and inky style, reminiscent of that of Kelley (Sandman, Batman) Jones, suits the title character and the weirdness he creates perfectly. The climactic scene in the hospital room is thoroughly creepy as Hotz brings the writer's gruesome ideas to life vividly. Loughridge's muted and eerie color palette was also an ideal choice for this book. The deep, dark greens convey both a natural look and reinforce the supernatural qualities of the title character.
The title character doesn't even turn up in this initial issue, and I'm pleased with the approach. Using the skepitcal Nathan Mehr has the reader's gateway into this tale of horror (and apparently eco-justice) was a wise move on Rodionoff's part. I like the character. He's a slight, even awkward little man, but he brandishes his mind like a hammer. He's smart and knows it, and he's not afraid to show it. He's supremely confidence, unafraid of the beefier men who surround him.
Rodionoff goes awry by telegraphing the direction of the plot far too clearly. The misunderstood monster seems to be cast in the role of environmental activist here. I just wish there was a greater air of mystery here, as it would grant the title character a greater air of menace.
