Review: Swamp Thing Vol. 1- Raise Them Bones

Quick Summary

Pros: The main storyline is creepy and full of terrifying moments. The premise is interesting and has a lot of potential to develop into something even bigger. The artwork is amazing and helps enhance the collection’s already dark storytelling.

Cons: Though not a con to all, this book will definitely be too dark for some.

Overall: This new series starts out strong with well-written horror, great artwork, and a high-stakes storyline. It sees a new chapter in the Swamp Thing story, that respects longtime readers and welcomes in new ones. It also uses a great cast of characters to kick off a war that only gets more exciting as it progresses. Any reader with an interest in horror should give this volume a try.

Story

Swamp Thing Vol. 1: Raise Them Bones is easily a top contender for one of the best pieces of horror to come out of DC’s New 52 relaunch. Scott Snyder introduces readers to Alec Holland, explains his connection to Swamp Thing, and kicks off an absolutely epic story arc in only a handful of chapters. Though tremendously introductory in nature, this volume is incredibly interesting and does a great job in hooking interest in order to build toward something larger. The entire volume is also packed with horror and suspense that is guaranteed to shock and delight, depending on the moment. This series already has tons of potential, and we’re only one volume in.

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The volume begins by explaining its connection to previous Swamp Thing stories. It states that earlier stories followed a monster who believed himself to be Alec Holland, rather than Alec Holland himself. Now, that monster is gone and readers get to see Alec’s story and discover what makes him so special to the world of plants, otherwise known as the Green. This explanation allows the Swamp Thing character to receive a continuity reboot without wiping away all of his previous storylines, which should satisfy both new and old Swamp Thing readers.

From here, the volume begins to establish what is already turning out to be an entertaining and gripping narrative. It involves the essence of death trying to establish dominion over both the plant and animal kingdoms, effectively wiping out life on Earth. It is an incredibly unique and high-stakes concept that is also very approachable. Raise Them Bones is only just beginning to establish what exactly this war is and how it will be fought, but everything shown here seems to indicate that subsequent volumes are only going to get better.

Alec Holland’s personal journey is interwoven with this drama and proves to be nearly as entertaining. Alec starts out as a normal person, one readers can easily connect with, but ends the volume as Swamp Thing. This character progression is awesome to watch and is executed in a way that feels earned, not rushed. His story also ends on a great cliffhanger, as readers are unsure how he will beat the Rot and how his love interest’s fate will affect his judgement.

On top of all of this though, is horror, with which Raise Them Bones is thoroughly imbued. This entire saga is creepy and involves forces that embody death acting against the living. One scene has a dead fly land in a person’s ear and compel them to commit suicide by snapping their own neck. William Arcane’s sadistic actions also add to the terror; any page with him is instantly fraught with tension. However, despite violence being plentiful, it never feels gratuitous and is only done in a way that matches with the story being told. This restraint makes this a solid take on horror and separates it from some other works out there.

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Art

Though the story does well in establishing a creepy and chilling premise, it is the art that really drives home the horror that this collection embodies. Yanick Paquette’s artwork is able to bring out this horror and look good while doing so. This often involves complicated scenes, where dead bodies or decaying plant life are strewn about the landscape, yet even these manage to look great. This is also the part of the book that will appeal to fans of the macabre while turning away the more faint of heart, as the depictions found here are often grotesque and terrifying. All of this makes a great horror comic even better.

It is also worth mentioning that Paquette’s layouts are incredible and really assist with the overall experience found in Raise Them Bones. Instead of being tightly bound and structured, the panels here are chaotic and varied. Sometimes they are splintered, like branches on a tree, while other times they slash across the page like a scar. These changes in structure go hand in hand with changes in the story and make reading this book even more enjoyable.

Continuity

Swamp Thing Vol. 1: Raise Them Bones starts the Swamp Thing New 52 series. This series uses elements from previous Swamp Thing comics to establish a premise but does not reference specific stories very often. A cursory knowledge of Swamp Thing’s past will be helpful in reading this volume but is not necessary.

The story here continues in Swamp Thing Vol. 2: Family Tree (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• The two most significant references to previous Swamp Thing stories involve the origin of Swamp Thing.
  • Swamp Thing’s origin comes from Swamp Thing #1, collected in Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Vol. 1.
  • The revelation that Swamp Thing is not actually Alec Holland comes from Swamp Thing #21, collected in Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book 1.
• Superman says something about knowing what it is like “coming back”. This is likely a reference to his death in Superman: The Death of Superman and his return to life in Superman: The Return of Superman, despite the fact that these events happened in a prior universe.