Swamp Thing: Future's End #1

[Ceebiro]

There be spoilers below.

This issues was kind of bittersweet, what with the recent announcement of Soule's upcoming exclusivity with Marvel. I do love the way it's written and that it feels like an end to this volume of Swamp Thing, not just Soule's run but taking things full-circle with Snyder's opening arc featuring the Rot. It also stands well alone from Future's End but does seem to make a passing reference to Godhead.

spoilers:

The issue opens with Alec paying a visit to the Avatar the Grey who now seems to be distinctly male. It's not known if this is still Miki or a new avatar, but not that it matters. All that is mentioned is that Alec made a deal with this Avatar and he's come to collect. Next is a visit to the Red. It's not mentioned who the Avatar is. Alec fights a three-headed guard bear which he incapacitates for the next stage of his journey - the realm of the Divided/Bacteria. Alec sacrifices the bear to give Sarah a host body to communicate with. It's a pretty cool scenes especially as the bear deteriorates from panel-to-panel. The fourth stage of Alec's journey takes him to the Kingdom of Metal, where the Avatar agrees to Alec's terms without asking for nothing. The inner voice suspects Metal has something else in mind. The final stage of Alec's journey takes him to the Kingdom of Rot, reigned over by Anton Arcane and the Rot Queen - Abby. Alec's plan was to have Fungi and Bacteria take over from the Rot, while Machine maintains a balance between life and death. Anton refuses to back down to Alec, even when Alec reveals his secret weapon - the White Lantern Ring. Alec knows that he cannot use it but the inner voice is revealed the former Avatar of the Green, who becomes a Life Bomb. In the ensuing struggle, Abby frees herself from Anton's grasp before piercing his body. The issue ends with the Life Bomb exploding and Anton being vaporized. Alas, what happens to Alec and Abby is unrevealed.

end of spoilers

It's a good issue limited by space constraints. It gives a good idea of where Soule was heading with his take on Swamp Thing. I know the next arc deals with the Machines but it's unfortunate that we won't get to a deeper exploration of things he's building up. I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of Capucine, but this is Five Years Later after all.

Saiz and the rest of the art team is as reliable as ever.

Good issue.

[K. Jones]

White Lantern Ring, aye? Not just full circle with Snyder's Rotworld, but with Johns' Brightest Day as well!

[HsssH]

It was said that Soule stays till march, enough time to do two arcs or three shorter ones and see some more of his ideas.

I liked that things ended with how they started: Rot and Arcane.
I think deal with Spectre was made during war between different Earths since avatars/kingdoms haven't been mentioned in upcoming GL event.
If I'm not mistaken white ring references Blackest Night/Brightest Day? I liked that.
Curious on who new Red avatar is (doubt its still Animal Man), but that scene felt really strange. Why exactly he needed that beer? Couldn't he get some other animal from anywhere else?
Looking forward to upcoming arc, it seams that Alec gets on friendly terms with new Kingdom which sounds rather surprising.

[FishboneX]

It was said that Soule stays till march, enough time to do two arcs or three shorter ones and see some more of his ideas.

I liked that things ended with how they started: Rot and Arcane.
I think deal with Spectre was made during war between different Earths since avatars/kingdoms haven't been mentioned in upcoming GL event.
If I'm not mistaken white ring references Blackest Night/Brightest Day? I liked that.
Curious on who new Red avatar is (doubt its still Animal Man), but that scene felt really strange. Why exactly he needed that beer? Couldn't he get some other animal from anywhere else?
Looking forward to upcoming arc, it seams that Alec gets on friendly terms with new Kingdom which sounds rather surprising.

Buddy, by this time, has probably evolved to become the Bridgewalker and is the guardian of the seed planet, and with his daughter out of play, a new avatar would be expected. Maybe Vixen.

[HsssH]

Has Vixen appeared in new52?

[FishboneX]

Has Vixen appeared in new52?

she was in Justice League International, but i am not sure how often she has shown up since. But that can be explained away like Alec Holland, she was a backup avatar so she had a connection to the red if/when the time would come to replace the bakers.

[Drz]

Why exactly he needed that beer? Couldn't he get some other animal from anywhere else

Maybe an animal from the Red avatar's kingdom is simply much better? I like how it was a Cerberus Bear, guardian of Hell!

[FanboyStranger]

I don't read any of the GL books, so any info on spoilers:

the blue Swamp Thing head with the white ring? I had assumed he was the blue Swamp Thing body from another world from Moore's run that was possessed by Solomon Grundy back in Starman?

end of spoilers

Other than that, it was an okay issue by Soule's standards.

[Sharkey]

There were a couple of things I was intrigued about.

Obviously we didn't get to meet the latest Avatar of the Red, but is referred to as a "he", so might still be Buddy, might be someone else - but not Maxine. Alec was quite aggressive in trying to locate this one.

Swamp Thing calls the body-less Avatar of Bacteria, "Sarah", I assume we haven't seen her before? BTW, loved that scene, the orange microscopic surroundings and the narrator describing the secret war between the peaceful Bacteria and humanity founding antibiotics.

Anton Arcane is still a cruel, twisted thing. Saiz nails his facial expressions perfectly!

[HellsRider]

Very interesting issue with a number of very intriguing matters while at the same time providing somewhat of a preview of what we'll be seeing in the coming final arc of Soule's run on Swamp Thing.

Alec has beef with the new Red avatar since it was "he" who took Alec's other arm which explains why they are different. I'm thinking it could be B'wana Beast perhaps? Has he appeared in the new 52 yet?

The Metal kingdom looks to have at one point taken over everything which I'm sure we'll see that in the coming arc. Then their is this huge agreement that all the elementals made to be locked in the Spectre's prison and not be able to touch their respective groups, but still be able to see and govern them. This may explain why Alec can't get an animal anywhere else. The Red and its avatar may have some animals for their portion of the prison that only they have. Any of the avatars interacting with The Spectre should be fun. Finally their is the fact that Alec has a white lantern ring. How? And what does this mean for Kyle Rayner? Makes me interested to see what happens in New Guardians Futures End issue.

I really enjoyed the Bacteria portion and how, as they were talking, the bear was deteriorating. Really hope we get to see something on them before Soule leaves. Jesus Saiz was on fire this issue the whole way through and he really does a great job with Anton from this and last year's Villains issue.