G. Willow Wilson has done the — well, not impossible, but improbably by turning DC Comics‘s Poison Ivy into a hit, ongoing series. And now she’s bringing that same haunting magic to a one-shot titled Poison Ivy / Swamp Thing: Feral Trees, out in stores today. And if you’re looking for the perfect bridge between Halloween and the colder months, look no further.
In the issue, both Poison Ivy and Swamp Thing hear a strange calling from the woods. People have been disappearing, with no clues — and this call seems to be connected to what’s going on… Per the “Feral Trees” of the title. What follows is a standalone story that sort of thrusts Ivy and Swamp Thing into the role of buddy cops as they investigate the mystery. Swamp Thing is the older, more tired cop, willing to take his time and let the answers come to him. Ivy is the hothead younger cop, running into danger and causing more problems in the process.
There’s also a lot more going on in the book which ends up being a sad gut-punch of a Gotham Cty tale by the end. But it starts with the spooky woods and ends with snow beginning to fall… So if you’re looking for those Nightmare Before Christmas vibes without all the singing and animation, look no further.
It’s also a lovely tribute to one of the most lauded Swamp Thing runs of all time, dovetailing back to the work from Alan Moore that defined the character for decades hence. Wilson has made her mark on Ivy, and knows the character inside and out. Throwing Swamp Thing into the mix allows her to challenge her anti-heroine in a very different way than in the main series, by presenting Ivy with a possible future different from the present she’s currently found some sort of peace existing in.



And Perkins is, of course, a commensurate horror artist. His dark linework and use of shadows is exemplary, and there’s some really beautiful character work with Ivy in particular, as she works through a bevy of emotions. Swamp Thing less so, but Perkins perfectly captures the character’s lumbering demeanor and hundred-yard stare.
If you’re curious to check this out, but haven’t been reading the main series (though you should), there’s nothing you really need to get into this other than a love of woods-based horror — and an appreciation for Lethal Weapon, but with characters who can control plants.
It’s spooky season, and you know what that means: time to curl up with a comic book or graphic novel that will scare your socks off. With that in mind, we’re posting a new horror book to check out every day of October, for our 31 Days Of Halloween Comics. Awoooo! Looking for the rest of our picks? Check them out on the Halloween tag.
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