Swamp Thing #13 spoilers/discussion

[sifighter]

Alright before I start it’s not as if this series hasn’t been steeped in the dc universe, had cameos, or been weird. I just feel like this issue just jumps the shark a bit, and I remember the issue where Levi teamed up with John Constantine to stop the spirit of an unexploded WW2 bomb that was causing people to break into riots.

See whatever the villain of this series, Mr. Pilgrim, did with the oil avatar via crafting to his body has disrupted the fabric of the universe and stuff that shouldn’t be happening is happening. For instance the soul of an abandoned Detroit power plant starts building monsters out of homeless people and a woman made of nuclear bomb testing energy wanders the desert who unfortunately poisons a kind old man who helped her and is confused why others are afraid of her when the man needs help. But with problems like these the Parliament of Trees have taken notice and they are not happy, declaring that Levi is a failure and that it’s time for War with the new Parliament of Gears lead by someone who can really help them, Levi’s brother who is very much not dead and very much still a jerk. Well one of the parliament says that the others are wrong and that Levi is the right choice because he’s a dreamer and that he will be needed for when this plan fails.

Now so far seems like a straightforward swamp thing book but the weird part is the character appearances. The first is Jack Hawksmoor, former leader of the Authority from Wildstorm comics and now lives here in the dc universe because of reality shenanigans. He helps Levi out at Detroit because Jack can talk to cities and gets his powers from them.

But the second guest star takes the cake and really takes us to crazy town, that being Hal Jordan. See Batman apparently has been keeping tabs on Levi and told Hal where Levi is because Hal needs Levi’s help. It would seem the Parliament of trees in their war with the Parliament of Gears summoned plant based war ships (in the shape of Cacti) from outer space and they ain’t stopping no matter how many times Hal warns them. So yeah Ram V has brought alien planet super weapons and Green Lanterns into this alongside his dashes of Wildstorm and Vertigo, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a mad ride and it’s weird but it’s just distilled fun comics and does the thing I like of being a series in the dc universe and not ignoring that it’s part of that world. Where this goes who knows because of all that I just described but I can’t wait to see more.

[HsssH]

Ram has introduced so many characters into this story that I wonder how he'll wrap it up in three issues. Like, I don't understand how Trinity is going to figure into this Green vs Gears war, but she probably will.

Green spaceships from some other place are interesting idea. My understanding is that Green is restricted to one planet so where did those ships come from? Can they now contact other colonies of the Green? Or is it something that Ram is not going to elaborate on?

[sifighter]

Ram has introduced so many characters into this story that I wonder how he'll wrap it up in three issues. Like, I don't understand how Trinity is going to figure into this Green vs Gears war, but she probably will.

Green spaceships from some other place are interesting idea. My understanding is that Green is restricted to one planet so where did those ships come from? Can they now contact other colonies of the Green? Or is it something that Ram is not going to elaborate on?

I feel like Ram V is treating the green and other parliaments as a sort of universal force to instead of just something that effects solely the earth. At least that’s how I’m seeing it considering the shockwave felt across the universe when the parliament of gears started.

[HsssH]

I feel like Ram V is treating the green and other parliaments as a sort of universal force to instead of just something that effects solely the earth. At least that’s how I’m seeing it considering the shockwave felt across the universe when the parliament of gears started.

Other planets having green/red/whatever ain't new, Lemire in his Animal Man run established that. Maybe some Swamp Thing writer did that previously as well, but I don't recall at the moment. Either way idea was that each parliament takes care of its own planet and they don't interact with each other. So those spaceships coming to Earth would hint at some new communication and change in rules.

I hope that Ram isn't going to say that Earth's parliament is universal, because Green parliaments from other planets should be radically different.

[The Frog Bros]

I really dug the organic warships, cool concept and great design (as per usual with this book). I also liked the little girl tree talking to Levi.

I've been holding out hope that they will just make this an ongoing. But I'd wonder what effect him writing Detective would have on that in addition to the indie stuff...