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The lumbering hulk of a story Scott Snyder is telling in this book continues to gather momentum, as we meet up with what was probably Swamp Thing’s most vicious enemy, made all the more dangerous because he’s Abby’s father as well. By having Anton Arcane narrate most of the issue, he gets us deep into that twisted mind in a most chilling and effective way, and even the somewhat hopeful moments—Abby and Swampy returning to their old bayou home and the possible rebirth of the Parliament of Trees—are so overshadowed by the menace of Arcane that we barely have a chance to enjoy them. This is an excellent example of suspended terror!

The art and coloring by Francesco Francavilla is quite effective, capturing the menace of Arcane and the moody atmosphere of the swamp equally well. He does fine with the main characters, too. While the ending is predictable, this is still a gripping read.

Highly recommended!