Veitch sends Swamp Thing back to Easy Company, which works out quite well. The pacing is key–Veitch introduces Sgt. Rock, a medic, a bad guy and then a surprise bad guy for the finish. In the meantime, Alec is inhabiting the recently deceased body of an ancestor (or just someone with the same name… it’s unclear).

While there are some big Swamp Thing moments, it’s more a war comic and Veitch seems thrilled to be doing it. He and Alcala’s art is outstanding, especially the mundane activities the troops go through.

Veitch also makes Alec more unaware of the situation than the reader. It’s a nice move and makes the time travel related moments play a lot better. The reader gets some buffer room to better enjoy them.

It’s a fun issue; Veitch acknowledges it’s not a series altering trip through time, just a device to make good comics.

CREDITS

Brothers in Arms, Part Two; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Veitch does a sequel to one of the first Swamp Thing issues–I think back in the Wrightson days–and he captures some of that series’s cynicism. Mind you, he’s doing it with a superhero guest star and part of a big crossover event. I almost wish he hadn’t done it because it’s so downbeat. But it’s good.

Most of the issue is spent with Abby and Chester meeting an alien, but there’s a little of Roy Raymond recovering from his ordeal. Veitch doesn’t hint why Raymond gets the attention, but it gives he and Alcala a Louisiana hospital to draw and it looks fantastic.

The issue shows how essential Abby is to Veitch’s approach on the series. Alec doesn’t even show up this issue, but the issue’s outstanding anyway. Maybe even because Veitch gets to tell the story through Abby.

Veitch handles the required big event crossover issue sublimely.

CREDITS

Widowsweed; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Poor Veitch. Swamp Thing is about to take part in another big DC crossover–they don’t announce it on the cover or in the text, but it’s Invasion!–and he’s got nothing. He basically sends Alec off into space again, or something like it. The finish, with Swamp Thing forced to escape Earth, looks exactly like the last time he did.

What’s different? Well, Abby’s pregnant and the issue opens with a funny scene of them putting together the baby’s room. Then there’s some rather good stuff with the Parliament of Trees. Veitch just can’t organically incorporate the invading aliens (even though he never shows their faces, just their hands). It’s like the Flash Gordon movie and Ming….

Crossover issues are rarely any good and often incredibly problematic, so it’s a testament to Veitch’s handle on the series he was able to get a few good scenes in the issue.

CREDITS

The Longest Day; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, Tatjana Wood; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

There’s something immediately compelling about Veitch’s take on Superman and Lois Lane. His Lex Luthor, fat and mean-spirited, is a little less interesting (if competently done), but his Lois and Clark are positively realistic. But Veitch also loves playing with the Superman standards–Clark changing into his costume while falling off a building, putting back on his suit while running up it–it’s a lot of fun.

Of course, it’s a Swamp Thing comic where Alec plays second fiddle to the guest stars. In some ways, even Chester and Liz make more impact than Alec does here. They’re at least moving forward–Alec is just responding to events outside his control. He’s reacting, they’re growing.

Veitch returns after two issues off Swamp Thing with a good Superman comic. The issue, even cleaning up old plot threads, doesn’t feel particularly rooted. It’s fine, but it’s cooler looking than anything else.

CREDITS

Waiting for God (Oh!); writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Contemporaneously…

• Dark Horse Presents 25 (December 1988)

The issue opens with a couple surprise guest stars, who provide a little commentary on the events. Mostly they inform the reader of things going on in Hellblazer, for those who aren’t reading both series.

For such a momental issue, not much happens. Not much in a good way, however. Veitch includes a little scene with a friend of Constantine’s who manipulates fights between superhumans to profit off marketing and land redevelopment. It’s a throwaway scene, texture here, but I’m sure someone at Marvel said they came up with it in the oughts and broke his arm patting himself on the back over it.

Arcane shows up, in Hell, for a bit too. It’s a big issue after all–of returning cast, only Liz is stuck off panel, but there’s a sight gag related to it.

Veitch writes Abby really well. She might be his best work on the book.

CREDITS

L’Adoration de la Terre; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Veitch goes on a nutty little tour of the DC Universe–then the universe–with this issue. The art’s fantastic. I love how Veitch, ably assisted by Alcala, manages to be psychedelic while his artwork is still concerned with being grounded in reality. It looks amazing and deserves a bigger size. He beautifully utilizes effect and arrangement.

Alec’s observations on the world–and his problems–guide the trip, though I assume Veitch knew what he wanted to touch on. Still, it feels like an organic thought process.

It’s a long sequence, with a couple charming Abby and Alec bookends. Veitch’s Swamp Thing, at least when they’re in the swamp, feels a little like a sitcom (in a good way).

Unfortunately, knowing where Veitch takes the series next makes it hard to judge how well he foreshadows. While it’s a bridging issue, Veitch tells the story so well, it supports itself.

CREDITS

The Thinker; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Veitch’s Swamp Thing run should be called “the convenience of communication problems. Alec discovers, but without context, something Constantine saw in his investigations many issues ago and it’s going to have a big impact. Shame Constantine didn’t just tell him. And, wait, Constantine told Abby something but she didn’t realize the full implication.

Why didn’t she? Because Veitch wouldn’t have as many issues filled if he actually had his characters communicate.

The issue’s got some really great moments, however, all bitching aside. There’s a couple pages on Mars, there’s a lot with Alec and the Parliament, there’s a bunch for Abby to do. While the pacing’s not great, Veitch does find the right mix of attention to pay his characters.

The art’s off a little. The figures are stocky. It almost looks like a different inker, but, no, it’s still Alcala.

The ending, which resolves a running B plot, misfires.

CREDITS

Center of the Cyclone; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Veitch has his pacing problems back, but his creative side also gets the better of him. Alec fights a giant monster in his astral form. Veitch juxtaposes these already boring fight panels alongside the activities of the supporting cast. The Parliament, apparently, has finally got its act together and Chester’s in line to be the next planet elemental.

Odd how all these people are in the United States. Veitch must have worried about Constantine’s airfare.

The issue plays out pretty well, but this story arc is exhausted. Maybe if Veitch had given the sprout–the soul of the new elemental–a personality, it would work better. But for such an important supporting cast member… well, Linus’s blanket had a lot more personality.

There’s a lot of good art–except that astral nonsense, which looks too artificial–and the issue moves. It’s just a tired, scattershot storyline. Veitch is exhaustingly slow.

CREDITS

The Fire Next Door; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Veitch has two big problems with this “Search for the new Swamp Thing” arc. They’re connected too, so it’s a domino effect. As Constantine observes at the end of the issue, all these prospective Swamp Things are complete asshats. They’re bad guys. This one’s a lousy husband and father and corporate scumbag. It doesn’t make any sense these guys would be in line to be Swamp Thing 2.

So Constantine has to keep Alec in the dark, because these guys have to pass his sniff test. The first is a logic problem–Veitch is just doing it to make the issues read better, but not the overall series–the second is tied to the first.

Still, this issue works. Veitch writes Alec and Abby well as a couple. Their hanging out time is the best thing here.

And his storytelling visualization is creative.

But he needs to get this arc done.

CREDITS

Gargles in the Rat Race Choir; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

All of Veitch’s planning the last few issues comes to fruition. There’s not a lot of payoff, however, because Veitch decides to be a little too creative in his writing.

He follows a prospective new Swamp Thing through his day while Constantine is trying to coordinate events neatly. As for Alec and Abby? She gets a page saying goodbye to Alec, while Alec gets all of three scenes. Again, why didn’t they just cross this book over with Hellblazer and actually have some Swamp Thing in Swamp Thing?

Even the resolution flops. There are two, but the little one–where Alec hid the precious new Swamp Thing’s elemental soul–is better than the big one. Veitch should have focused on what he was doing well. Instead, this issue feels like a day-in-the-life comic for a new character who just happens to cross paths with some super guys.

CREDITS

Fear of Flying; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Veitch deals with a big thing–the birth of a new Swamp Thing–rather quietly. The issue sails by, most of the pages dedicated to the mindless new Swamp Thing. Veitch used it for comic relief while Alec (eventually) rebels against the Parliament.

But these are all bridging actions. Nothing much happens this issue. Abby goes back to the swamp; Chester takes her part of the way, they have a conversation to fill some pages. Nothing happens.

The new Swamp Thing trashes a highway in Metropolis. There’s no conflict–Superman never shows up, Veitch doesn’t spend any serious time with the terrified motorists.

There’s a little of that Veitch Swamp Thing logical lyricism but only a little. When the greeter tree at the Parliament talks to Alec on the last page, it’s the first personality the plant’s have shown. Alec’s big moment is his eyes firing up.

It’s too perfunctory.

CREDITS

Wild Thing; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

So in twenty-four pages, Veitch manages to track three narrators and four protagonists. Alec gets the least amount of page time, as he’s tied into one of the other narrators (well, sort of). Veitch mostly splits the issue between a fundamentalist terrorist, Abby and Liz and Chester. Alec’s busy consulting the Parliament, where Veitch brings in four other retired earth elementals.

Of Veitch’s (few) issues so far, this one is easily the best. It has the DC Universe flavor (a Superman appearance), the logic, but also an expanse of emotion. Veitch gives Abby and Liz’s trip to the post office more dramatic impact than the threat of the terrorist blowing up a building. Chester’s story has the most humor; it also shows how Veitch is trying to play with his storytelling.

The strangest thing is the art. Veitch and Alcala do far better on the humans than the plants.

CREDITS

Reflections in a Golden Eye; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

There’s some more humor with Constantine, some more romance for Alec and Abby and yet another trip to the Parliament of Trees. Well, there’s also the Sprout–that being the soul of the next plant elemental–possessing Solomon Grundy to see if he’s a good fit.

Alec then gets into a fight with Grundy, who doesn’t like the uninvited soul.

Veitch is really seeped in DC history and setting. Not so much with Alec, but with the guest stars and their little stories. For example, the year annual’s ape-related events are having repercussions here. It makes more a strange comic; Veitch’s Swamp Thing is a slightly distorted view of the DC Universe, but an inclusive one.

He’s also writing Abby a lot better, which helps. His pacing isn’t great–he frequently dawdles– but the comic’s good enough it doesn’t matter. It’s a fun, engaging read with some outstanding artwork.

CREDITS

The Wisdom of Solomon; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Veitch sure does write a lot. This issue is packed–and not just because Veitch has excerpts from a superhero psychology book as narration. Abby goes for an awesome trip when Alec discovers how to free her soul. There’s a process to the procedure and Veitch carefully goes through it. Under Veitch’s pen, Swamp Thing is still lyrical, but it’s a logical lyricism.

While Abby’s off on a tour of the afterlife–with the soul of the real Alec Holland–Constantine is getting Jason Woodrue messed up on a tuber so he can get information. It requires Constantine to break into Arkham. The narrating superhero psychology book author works at Arkham, knows Constantine; their reunion is fun and maybe Veitch’s best writing in the issue. Except his Batman postscript.

Veitch does seem to forget Abby went to Hell, but maybe she didn’t remember the trip? I mean, I can’t either.

CREDITS

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.

Rich Veitch takes over writing and the result is fine. It’s a good comic, it’s a Swamp Thing comic. Veitch doesn’t try to mimic Alan Moore, which is good; Abby trips on a tuber while Alec goes for a swim in the Green to check in after his outer space adventure.

The art gets, occasionally, psychedelic for Abby’s trip while Alec’s is a little more muted. Maybe it’s the context. Veitch sets up what’s been with Abby–the family problems, the marriage problems, the furry demon problems–and the coming problems for Alec. The issue’s a little repetitive, with Alec repeating his intention to quit the plant elemental business.

Oh, Constantine shows up at the end, sort of a sitcom special guest star, and Veitch writes him overly British. Still looks like Sting, of course.

It’s a good, comfortable issue. Veitch doesn’t try to stake a claim on Moore turf.

CREDITS

(We Could Be) Diving for Pearls; writer and penciller, Rick Veitch; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.