The Swamp Thing #2 – Ram V, Writer; Mike Perkins, Artist; Mike Spicer, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Ram V takes us deeper into the nightmares of Levi Kamel in this second issue, as the young Indian-American man grapples with a complex family situation, grief over his father’s recent death, and ties to a horrific and surreal situation in the Mojave desert. His friend Jennifer tries to help him, but as the nights pass, he finds himself witness to horrific crimes perpetrated against random citizens by the mysterious Pale Wanderer. But as the time moves forward, he moves from being simply a witness into something else—finding himself in the form of a being that resembles Alec Holland’s former form. He’s turning into a new Swamp Thing—and it may just give him the chance to make a difference. But the Pale Wanderer knows he’s there, and these segments quickly turn into a game of cat and mouse between the two of them as the two supernatural beings try to gain an advantage.
At the same time, Levi isn’t the only person affected by the Pale Wanderer’s rampage. The elderly sheriff who was witness to the carnage in the first issue is starting to unravel, planning a final mission into the desert to confront the demon—likely a suicide mission that he has no chance at surviving. But as Levi’s transformation escalates, the two players converge on the Mojave and it leads to a stunning transformation for the desert that gets the attention of just about every major player—some heroic and some sinister. This is a slow-burn story with some fantastic visuals, but even after two issues I’m still not sure exactly what’s going on here. That’s not a complaint per se—it’s a fascinating journey—but at the same time, I think the very Vertigo-esque tone of this series might take some people by surprise. It’s an interesting experiment that I think will pay off over its twelve-issue run.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
