Okay, so this issue confirms Arcane (and Abby) were in the Balkans… so the English-speaking thing is problematic. This issue drops them (Abby, Matt and Swamp Thing) in Scotland on the moors for a bit of an “old dark house” and werewolf story.

Again, the draw is Bernie Wrightson doing a werewolf on the moors comic book. It looks fantastic. For the first time, I’m seeing a little of the Eisner eyes in Wrightson’s work. At times, his faces almost look like Ploog faces out of Werewolf by Night.

And Wrightson never worked with Eisner….

Anyway, the art’s the draw. As a horror comic, Wein’s script is all right. As a chapter in the Swamp Thing story, it’s problematic. Matt’s obsession with Swamp Thing is a little unbelievable and Abby’s barely a character. She doesn’t make a good damsel in distress.

Wein even stumbles on Swampy’s thought balloons here.

This issue introduces Abby (still Abigail and oddly a great English speaker for Eastern Europe) and the Patchwork Man. The issue’s incredibly awkward, because most of it is Wrightson doing this lovely homage to old Universal monster movies. The Patchwork Man looks just like the Boris Karloff Frankenstein Monster (down to having his outfit, albeit fluffier, from Son of Frankenstein) and the setting is very Universal, vague Eastern European. They spoke English in the movies too.

Wait, maybe it’s supposed to be Switzerland. I guess I can buy it if it’s supposed to be Switzerland….

So Swamp Thing takes a supporting role, with most of the narration in the second person, from the Patchwork Man’s point of view. Wein is ambitious, but falters. Plus, he’s got Matt Cable inciting the villagers to take up pitchforks and torches.

Still, the art and general tone make it a more than worthwhile read.

Wrightson (and Wein) take Swampy to Europe this issue for Arcane’s first appearance. Arcane doesn’t even get a first name here. I say Wrightson first because the art is truly wondrous. He gets to do daytime scenes, so there aren’t any colors muddling his art, and he gets to do the Un-Men and a big, scary Eastern European castle. The issue is beautiful from the first page.

Wein’s writing, as usual, has strengths and weaknesses. The third person narration is particularly overwritten and Matt Cable seems like Wein’s ideal character (the alpha male in pursuit of a fugitive). But he still has the wonderful Swamp Thing arc. I’d forgotten Arcane does give Swampy back his humanity… only for him to decide it’s not worth the price. It’s a great little arc and Wein handles it all beautifully, especially the thought balloons.

The issue’s a fast, lovely, outstanding comic book.

Horror comics can get away with overwritten narration; other genres it stands out, but something about horror… it fits.

Writing this issue’s narration, Wein goes overboard with the narration. Some of it works, more doesn’t. But his thought balloons for Swamp Thing (there aren’t any for Alec Holland, just Swamp Thing) work. They’re still a little overcooked, but the guy just got turned into a big swamp monster, he’s allowed to live in his head.

The big draw to Swamp Thing—the element I was most looking forward to seeing on this reading—was supposed to be Wrightson. And he’s fantastic, but not the whole show. It’s the package; Swamp Thing works because how Wrightson’s wondrous panels and his great character designs (human and Swamp Thing) integrate with Wein’s writing.

Wein plots a great origin, particularly excelling at the passage of time. It’s where Swamp Thing’s thoughts are most essential.