SWAMP THING: GREEN HELL #1
Swamp Thing ✅
Lemire ✅
Mahnke ✅
Whether you are a self-proclaimed Swamp Thing diehard, or a newbie, Swamp Thing: Green Hell is for any fan. Any fan of the horror genre, or of Lemire and Mahnke’s.
DC Comics
Written By: Jeff Lemire
Art By: Doug Mahnke
Colors By: David Baron
Release Date: December 28,2021
Story
DC Black Label is a beautiful thing. Its the best place for creators to take liberties, and explore more about the characters than they could have in main line stories. With Green Hells case, Lemire and Mahnke can start the story and only have Alec Hollands Swamp Thing on the last page. Holland is barely used, instead the story focuses on a Waterworld esq group of survivors in the distant future. With it comes the intrigue of who these people are and why should we care about them. Lemire writes the beaten down and melancholy like no other. There is a history here. Our characters have lived a life that can only be imagined. Automatically the characters are relatable.
Along with the humans, there is also the Rot and the Green. This is also where the horror ramps up. Body horror has always been a staple of Swamp Thing, and Green Hell is no different. Its scary, its gory and its bloody brilliant. The idiosyncrasy of the “politics” of the group make for an interesting read for the first 1/3 of the book. Before the action and the horror ramps up the human story is front and center.
Art
Mahnke is a legend. Nothing to debate. Seeing his work bring to life the likes of Swamp Thing, and The Rot is a site to behold. With DC Black Label comes the oversized prestige format. This book has double page spreads of horrendous gloriousness. It has layouts that will make the eyes bleed. It is one of DCs best looking single issues.
Mahnke does a great job with the human and the supernatural elements. One does not overshadow the other. The supernatural are more prominate, but the human work is just as important. Both he and Lemire work the same way. Nothing overshadows the other, but when time comes to unleash hell. Mahnke and Lemire know when is the right time. Colors from David Baron whose work is littered all over DC does outstanding work. The Green and The Rot have never looked better.
Overall Enjoyment
Tired of Batman books ruling DC Black Label? Then put Swamp Thing: Green Hell on your pull list. Its scary, sad and outrageously beautiful to look at.