The Stop Button

Alan Moore’s first issue is immediately different. It’s hard to explain, coming from a still untraditional comic (Pasko did a lot of surprising things with the horror angle), but Moore makes Day integrate the visual layout with how the narrative works. It’s all very cinematic, the way Moore forces the readers’ eye.

He’s wrapping up some of Pasko’s things, giving them a far different bent than Pasko did the previous issue. Arcane’s still dead (and Moore’s weakest moment is Alec realizing he and Arcane are forever linked as nemeses just because there’s so much exposition), but Dennis is turning out to be a real dick and so’s Matt. Moore’s men are deceptive and controlling. It’s particularly striking because it happens in the span of four pages. It’s too obvious, like a feminist nightmare version of gender politics.

Still, it’s a masterful revolution. From the first page, Moore’s Swamp Thing stuns.

CREDITS

Loose Ends; writer, Alan Moore; penciller, Dan Day; inker, John Totleben; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Len Wein; publisher, DC Comics.