Swamp Thing: New Roots #7: Of Course, it was a Cursed Thing

With Hester, Mandrake and company taking over from the previous creative team, Swamp Thing: New Roots #7 is an entirely new story, separate from anything we’ve seen before featuring two shorts. While they capture the quintessential Swampy vibe that the series has done so well on thus far, it lacks in general excitement.

The two short stories in this issue are both rather harmless, despite both leaning into the horror influences of the character. The first draws inspiration from the Louisiana folklore surrounding the Fifolet and how not every supernatural being is out for harm. The second story brings in a more historical approach but still delivers on the spooky atmosphere. While they are enjoyable enough together, it’s difficult to shake off just how bland the scripting is.

The artwork from Mandrake and Hi-Fi is undoubtedly the highlight of this issue, with both short stories pulling off some exceptional visuals. However, they are both just so wordy. The panel layout and abundance of balloons full of text drag the reading experience down. It’s not enough to completely make the issue not worthwhile, but it’s just not as enjoyable of a book as it could have been.

These DC Digital Firsts have struggled to overcome the rather mundane approach to storytelling and this issue just fell into that same pitfall. There isn’t much to be found here outside of some great art that can’t be found elsewhere in Swamp Thing comics. It’s not a bad book, it’s just not one you will remember for long after reading, and that speaks to the untapped potential these books have.