Swamp Thing #22 Review

SWAMP THING #22

by Charles Soule and Kano

So, is it spelled whiskey or whisky? 

So, if you ever thought the version of the Giving Tree that replaced apples with whiskey (Yeah, I'm spelling it like that) couldn't be screwed up, you're wrong. Because this is an incredibly screwed up comic (in a good way). Soule starts  the Whiskey Tree arc here, and this is going to be one hell of a ride. The first 12 or so pages are very calm and it's more of a moral dilemma  Swamp Thing is facing. But then things go to hell, very, very fast. I mean, Soule takes the American History X curb stomp to a new level here! One of the coolest things Soule does is that he makes the early parts of the issue very laid back, and it feels like nothing is wrong. But there's always this sense of foreboding in the air. Soule writes Holland and Constantine very well, and the Seeder is a menacing force. The only problem I have with this issue, is Constantine seems to be here for no reason. However, I'm not going to linger on that. It feels like Soule wrote a Vertigo story in this issue. 

Kano's art looks great too. I was skeptical of his art in #19, but he's quickly improved into something that resembles Stephen Bisette or Bernie Wrightson's art on the old Vertigo stories.

Swamp Thing #22 is a sickening, frightening, and blast of a ride. Pick it up, if you're looking for a good horror comic.

STORY: 4/5

+ Pushes the boundaries of it's T+ rating

+ Good characterization

+ The Seeder is a pretty menacing guy

- Constantine's appearance feels kind of forced

ART: 5/5

+ Very Vertigo-ish (if that's a word)

+ Matches the tone of the story

VERDICT: 4.5/5