Interesting… Wheeler is able to sell the impossible here. He does another of his callbacks to Moore’s run–specifically the adorable alien, Pog–and makes it work.

Even more interesting is how it comes after an issue of questionable plotting in regards to Swamp Thing mythology.

Wheeler does a lot with the afterlife, with Arcane becoming a demon. He covers it–the last time Arcane was shown, his tormenters told him it’d go on forever–by saying the tormentors lie. They’re in Hell, after all.

It’s unsuccessful mostly because of the annoying “bug speak” Wheeler uses for one of the boss demons. It gets in the way of reading the issue.

But then Tefé disappears into the Green, following Alec, which prompts Alec’s trip into the afterlife.

Those parts of the issue work really well. Better than they should. So well I didn’t even notice if Broderick’s art is lacking.

CREDITS

Hell to Pay; writer, Doug Wheeler; penciller, Pat Broderick; inker, Alfredo Alcala; colorist, Tatjana Wood; letterer, John Costanza; editor, Karen Berger; publisher, DC Comics.