Swamp Thing

I received an eARC copy of this book from DC Entertainment for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Swamp Thing: Twin Branches is a horror-themed DC Comics young adult graphic novel by Maggie Stiefvater that features two inseparable brothers who couldn’t be more different. It is a new, innovative, and unique origin story for Alec Holland, the man who became Swamp Thing.

Alec and Walker Holland are twin brothers. Walker is more of the popular type who likes to party and tends to be the center of attention. Alec kind of fades into the background and is not as easygoing or approachable as his brother. Their differences sometimes cause strife between the two brothers. They do not always understand each other, but they are inseparable. The two do everything together, including planning to attend the same college after their last summer break.

When Alec and Walker discover their father having an affair, they leave the city to spend the summer in the Virginia countryside with their Aunt Jessica and their cousins in order to give their parents some time and space. Walker’s main goal for the summer is to party and socialize with his cousins and friends. Alec would rather spend time in the summer-school lab where he can work on his plant-based experiments. He also has to constantly monitor his glucose levels. They never seem to be consistent and that’s obviously something he would need to be well aware of. He developed diabetes when his body was fighting off a bad virus the year prior.

Later, due to a couple of mishaps, some forest animals and his cousins’ two dogs get into his experiment. The dogs and the other animals become more plant than animal. When his experiment comes into contact with his own blood, he is suddenly able to hear and feel what the plants around him are saying. He is not too terribly thrown off by this as he tells his friend Abby. He’s always felt more like a plant than a human. Alec could always relate to them more. Unfortunately, things go from bad to worse for Abby, Alec, and Walker and Alec ends up making a huge sacrifice for his brother which will change all of their lives forever.

As a whole, I enjoyed Swamp Thing: Twin Branches. The story doesn’t shy from the hard aspects of life, such a one parent cheating on the other, bullying to a violent level, not feeling like you fit in with anyone else, and the pain of trying to connect with others when you are unable to relate to them. This is kind of a darker and grittier story, which is appropriate for the month of October. But not all is doom and gloom. Alec makes friends and though he and his brother fight, they remain close and incredibly loyal to each other.

The ending is very bittersweet, and leaves you with an overall creepy feeling. It’s the perfect ending for a Swamp Thing story and the perfect graphic novel to read to get you into the Halloween mood. Make sure to pay special attention to the panels and backgrounds. There are some spooky looking beings in the dark of the woods.

I recommend Swamp Thing: Twin Branches to those who are looking to read something with a spooky atmosphere for this time of year. I would consider the graphic novel to be a highly enjoyable story for new and old fans alike. It provides a different perspective on a character who is not as mainstream in the DC Comics lineup.