Customer Reviews

Swamp Thing Vol. 4: A Murder of Crows

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4 star:		(5)
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In this round of Swamp Thing installments from Alan Moore (original issues #43-50, which includes the double-size anniversary issue), plot elements that had been developing for a year or more finally come to fruition. That would be a battle even bigger than good vs. evil in the final story of this collection, fittingly titled "The End." Here we see the full apotheosis of Alan Moore's groundbreaking work with comic horror writing, a defunct style that he courageously made hip again at the time. And although the Swamp Thing series was thematically unlike anything else DC was doing at the time, Moore still ties Swampy's saga into the greater DC universe. John Constantine and a collection of minor and obscure characters associated with magic and sorcery help in the great battle for the universe. Meanwhile Swamp Thing allies himself with the heaviest hitters in DC's stable of occult characters, including Spectre, Etrigan (The Demon), Phantom Stranger, Dr. Fate, and the very suave Deadman. There is also a flawless crossover with the then-current Crisis on Infinite Earths epic, surely one of the great endeavors ever undertaken by a comics company.

One very interesting aspect of Moore's plotlines during this period is how Swamp Thing himself often falls into the background of the stories, as the focus is on the horrors around him, and he makes dramatic Lone Ranger-like appearances to save the day. Even in "The End" Swampy is a minor presence, action-wise, then defeats the force of darkness simply by reasoning with it rather than fighting. In this collection's first tale, "Windfall," Swamp Thing only appears on one page, and the focus of the story is a psychedelic fruit that grew on his back. During this period of the series, things were changing artistically, as regular artists Stephen Bissette and John Totleben were often overworked or unavailable. Here Stan Woch and Ron Randall really make their presence felt, especially in the most tremendous story of this stretch, "The Parliament of Trees." This concept is surely inspired by Tolkein, and in turn I bet that Woch and Randall's visual creations were an influence on the producers of the recent "Two Towers" film. By the end of this collection Moore and his great team of artistic collaborators continue to teach us about the deep roots of the Swamp Thing character, and he's not yet done learning himself.

...is the apex in this Fourth Volume of the Alan Moore helmed issues #43 - 50 of D.C. Comics, 'The Swamp Thing.' But before this battle occurs some interesting things take place. For starters we get an imaginative hallucinatory ride as two people under different circumstances eat servings of the Swamp Thing's 'yam fruit,' and experience vibrant psychedelic journeys that change their lives in one way or another. The Swamp Thing also does battle with a serial killer, faces a legion of ghosts in a Winchester Mystery House-esque haunted mansion, stumbles into violent chaos when parallel worlds collide, learns some new Elemental tricks while meeting his ancestors, and finally faces off with the ancient tribe of Warlocks - the Brujeria - who are bent on unleashing an ancient evil that will destroy Heaven itself. From this point, the last few chapters build up too a whopper of a climax in the ultimate battle between dark and light that the universe has ever seen.

Definitely a great volume in this series as it offers fans everything that they've come to expect while taking it to new metaphysical heights and thus gearing readers for some intersting twists to come.

Not sure I know what that other reviewer is talking about.

This is, simply, the best comic stories ever, bar none. In this series, the Swamp Thing finally learns why he is alive, about the Parliament of Trees, that he is not the first Swamp Thing by a long shot. Then, at the behest of John Constantine, goes to Hell and helps to remake the entire Universe.

Moore's Swamp Thing is the best and these are the best and most definitive of the stories. If you're uncertain about buying this trade paperback...buy it. You won't regret it, in fact these may be your favorites of all time.

This book is no exception. "Murder..." continues the story started in "The Curse." Crisis was a cheesy, albeit necessary, method of fixing the many continuity errors that had developed in the DC Universe. Leave it to Moore to take this complicated plot correction and turn it into a significant development for the soon-to-be Vertigo line.

When I read this book, I could feel myself warming to the whole storyline, and when I got near the end I knew I couldnt stop for anything. Most comics have a very black and white feel, and there are standard storylines that both Marvel and DC use constantly, but the whole Swamp Thing series is totally different. I felt as though I was reading a novel, where anything could happen, and I could identify with Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing isn't a super hero, he's just a regular guy who finds himself turned into a plant. One part of him, the human part keeps looking for answers, but the plant part already knows the answers, and just wants to surrender to the green. In this fourth book Swamp Thing learns what will happen when he lets the plant part of himself take over, but he also seems to strike a balence, He relaxes into himself, and by the end of the book he seems changed. Swamp Thing grows up in this book.

Lets face it, Alan Moore is God's gift to the comic book reader. His stories are so intense, so cerebral, so completely real that I guarantee if you give any of his books to a non-comic fan they will never look at you like you're a childish freak again.
Swamp Thing was his first real American hit and its easy to see why: the tales age like a fine wine and you can use any issue as a jumping on point without becoming the least bit confused.

A Murder of Crows lures you in gently with three stand-alone stories that are reminiscent of Tales From the Crypt, but scarier because they are the quiet kind of horror that gradually build to frightening heights. From there you're launched headfirst into the muck of the massive 'Crisis' crossover DC used in the '80s to clean out its proverbial junk room of convoluted plots and multiple Supermans (There were somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 at the time), only your mind is not in the least bit boggled. Moore keeps things tidy (Plotwise anyway, some of this stuff is not for the squeamish) and the characters to a minimum so you always know what's going on with who and where. The depth he is able to go into as he bounces you from South American cults to British seances to Under-World War III will amaze you. For those Hellblazer fans out there, John Constantine's presence provides some serious magic of the non-Harry Potter variety as well as some wonderfully snarky commentary to lift the gloom a little.

You'll smirk, you'll cringe, you'll shudder and squirm.

You won't have a read you'll have an experience.

this volume of swamp thing may be the best one yet. it's certainly the creepiest. the brujera are easily some of his most terrifying enemies. the head twisted thing(name escapes me right now) was terrifying and it's creepiness was amplified after only being seen once before. the scene while the sorcerers were watching the battle was one of the most intense moments in all of the comics i've read. a must buy

and he didn't start here. Swamp Thing always borders on the old horror comic take, which is a nice departure from superhero stories. Advise keeping this away from younger readers, as the content can be a little disturbing.

I said Swamp Thing was a great book, but point is, this volume is so well written it surpasses many comics, books or movies. First time I see something as glamorous and as meaningful as Lord of the Rings. I really was speechless at the end of reading. End might be predictable, but it IS meaningful.

People, stop reading reviews and get all six books. Read them slowly and digest them slowly! These are books I will read twice. I read only Maxx and Sandman (first ten books) more than one time...more than two in fact...

Coming up to the fiftieth issue of Swamp Thing, and also the time of Crisis On Infinite Earths.

This time, Swamp Thing needs some help, and he ends up in an alliance of a whole bunch of the groovy magical and supernatural characters that DC has floating around, including The Phantom Stranger and Deadman. Magic vs Magic to keep Heaven intact, that sort of thing.

There are trippy bits here, too, as eating bits of Swamp Thing can do odd things to your mind.