Ron Randall

This is less of a stand-alone thing and more of a continuation of what the previous volume started doing: blowing up the previous Swamp Thing continuity, and trying out different combinations of action, fantasy, and horror while waiting to see what the series will really be about. The horror story we get here is really pretty simple, and it's based around two characters (Anton Arcane and Matt Cable) that we never had much reason to care about, but it's very effective at evoking dread and disgust, and the Bissette/Totleben art continues to be a great fit for this material. Despite all the great monsters they like to draw, and all the well-chosen words Moore uses to tell us what a bad time Abby is having, I think the most effective scene in this involves just a guy sitting in a car talking to a fly.… (més)

I probably would've rated this higher if I'd read the series when it was first published, but now, this story of a futuristic female bounty hunter feels dated. What once must have seemed daring and fresh, now has a lot of competition. Mercy St. Clair (her name brought to mind Modesty Blaise) is determined and committed to her chosen profession, but has a soft heart, considered a flaw for someone in her line of work, but it gives her a rounded personality, which is good considering how much of these stories feel cliched, especially the dialogue. I don't know when these stories were originally written, but the tech seems almost quaint now given all the advances of the past couple of decades, which isn't Randall's fault, of course; it just means some aspects of this series haven't aged well. The art is lovely, though. Randall has a nice, realistic touch. I wanted to like this more than I did.… (més)