(BTW, how many folks recall that DC's offices used to be at 666 Fifth Avenue. 666, people!)
Dear Guys,
OK. Enough is enough. We've had twelve issues of SWAMP THING already and we still have not seen the conclusion to the storyline started way back in issue #1. It's been such a long time, we constantly need explanations and recaps which take space away from the story which seems to drag the whole thing out even more. Yes, I know you've promised to conclude this story next issue, but I'll believe that when I see it. All this leads me to conclude that Swampy should give the Strnager the boot and reclaim those back pages which he had in his glory days — the first series. Swampy needs room to breathe and stretch. There's so much going on in SOTST I feel claustrophobic when I read it. There are too many panels per page and too many word balloons and people per panel. The mood is tense — frenetic rather than suspenseful and mysterious. And I miss those haunting splash pages and closeups Bernie Wrightson did so well. With full-length stories, we could have been done with Karen and the Antichrist at least four or five issues ago. As things are now, the plot never advances enough per issue and I find that to be very frustrating.
I understand, accept, even commend your decision not to attempt to copy or lean on the first series. And, while I liked Swampy in those Challengers of the Unknown stories, I'd like to forget all about Alec's brother and those stupid stories in which Alec regained human form. They never bothered to say whether or not Alec's brother even attended Alec's "funeral," for gosh sakes!
However, you can't ignore everything. Where would Batman be if someone decided that his parents didn't really die? Remember when some writers really did try to tamper with Krypton's destruction and the accident that created The Flash? Matt Cable and Abby Arcane were very important parts of Swampy's life in the first series. They shared his secrets and evne though they believed he had been killed (the duplicate, remember?), they must have heard he's still alive. Matt, as a government agent, must be aware of Swampy's activities. He's been sighted in a lot of places and Matt was the sort of character who would pursue the matter. I like Dennis and Liz, but I miss Matt and Abby. They don't have to be regulars, but they deserve an appearance or two. They were much more interesting than Dennis and Liz in looks and personality, even in background, especially Abby.
And the response:
By now you may have noticed that we thought Matt and Abby "deserved an appearance," too. How about it, [my name] — are we off the hook? —MP
So, ARE they off the hook? Don't leave us hanging is suspense, woman! ;)
ReplyDeleteGee, don't you believe in continued stories. :)
ReplyDeleteActually, I wrote a reply, saying that yes, they were off the hook, but that one wasn't published, at least that I recall, and I have only the handwritten version (I typed from handwritten drafts).