Product Description

Alan Moore, then a little-known writer, was asked by DC to do his first major American work: to take over the scripting chores on their horror title Saga of the Swamp Thing. Moore's storylines radically reinvented not only the main character, but also the US comic industry's whole approach to storytelling. Many have argued that the direction and approach of a large number of today's comics -- especially DC's Vertigo line -- can be traced back to Moore's run on Swamp Thing.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #101441 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Customer Reviews

Loved to death
Following on from “Saga of the Swamp Thing”, the first TBP of Al Moore’s run on this historical DC title, Love and Death is a beautifully illustrated roller-coaster ride through planes both physical and astral, covering locations as diverse as Heaven, Hell, Limbo, the afterlife and, of course, the bayous of Louisiana.

The lengendary Totleben really gets into his stride as penciller-in-chief during this run of the comics (originally published in issues 28-34), greatly aided by Moore’s expansive notes and annotations. The water looks wet, the Spanish moss looks gossamer-like and the assorted host of Hades look suitably terrifying. The psychedelic last story shows an artist at the absolute capstone of his ability.

The remaining loose threads dangling from the original mythos are cut or tidied up, we see the inspiration for (Sandman creator) Gaiman’s take on Cane and Abel in a particularly well written “filler”, and if you ever wondered how far a 350-pound vegetable would go to get it’s girl, then ponder no more.

Moore always wrote this monthly with a streak of horror through its middle, but “Love and Death” manages to transcend this pulp attitude in a way that the later TBPs (The Curse etc) never quite recaptured.

alan moore, comics genius
'A book based loosely on the film'????!!!! Some comics education is called for here... Moore is the Orson Welles of the American comic (a Brit of course), and Swamp Thing more than any other was the title that, way back in the 80s (before the movie had been thought about), returned the medium to the intelligent, thought provoking one that the Japanese had always known it could be. Read it...

Probably the best comic book story ever written
This graphic novel reprints the early Alan Moore Swamp Thing series. This was the first DC Comics series that was written for an intelligent, adult audience. It also featured some dazzling watercolor artwork.
Though Moore is better known for "V for Vendetta" and "Watchmen," he did some of his best work redefining Swamp Thing.
If at some point in the future comic books become an art form that is taken seriously, this will be one work that stands the test of time.