McManus is back for a guest spot. Moore wisely follows up the previous story (saving Abby from Hell) with an interlude. A group of adorable, friendly little aliens comes to Earth in search of a new home.
It doesn’t work out.
While Moore still manages to make the issue significant, some of the happier parts can be spent marveling at Moore’s writing. He creates a cast of Disney characters, who don’t just look cute, but have an incredibly cute language. Just from look and sound, it’s a Saturday morning cartoon.
But Moore, being Moore, gives this group of aliens a great backstory and the intelligence to interact as real characters. They are cutesy by nature and completely unaware. It’s Moore’s way into the story, which is a sad one about homeless explorers. It reminds me of The Odyssey a lot.
It’s another amazing Swamp Thing. McManus does some beautiful work.
Although it doesn’t change the effect of your praise, these characters were based on a tribute of sorts to Walt Kelly and his highly social and political comic strip, Pogo.