I’ll be the first to admit it: I love Swamp Thing, but I never actually read the original Rick Veitch run back in the day. However, getting to jump into this series now, though? Beyond thrilled. Swamp Thing 1989 #2 (officially titled Time Upon a Once) is a wild ride that completely shatters the very fabric of space-time piece by piece. Veitch delivers a script that is trippy, but it isn’t just the visuals that bend your mind. It’s the core concept of the universe itself breaking down. As we watch our favorite Avatar of the Green spiral backward through the ages, narrating everything he sees and experiences, it feels as if we’re being hauled right back with him into something ancient, grand, and cosmic that puts the whole universe into perspective.
Title: Swamp Thing 1989 #2
Creatives: Rick Veitch (Writer), Tom Mandrake (Artist), Trish Mulvihill (Colorist), Todd Klein (Letterer)
Characters: Swamp Thing (Alec Holland), Abby Arcane, John Constantine, Shining Knight (Sir Justin), Anthro, The Atom, The Spectre (Jim Corrigan), Chester
Villain: Chronos, Dr. Hubert Sax
Format: Ongoing Series
Our Rating: 9.5/10 Stars
Brilliant Mix of Deep-Cut Lore and Feral Art
The way Veitch structures the story flow across different eras is fantastic, anchored by a mysterious piece of amber that drives Swamp Thing’s entire time-traveling escapade. It’s a super interesting concept, even if I can’t say I fully comprehend it just yet in the context of this story, but it serves as a fantastic narrative engine to push the boundaries of DC mythology.
When the story drops into ancient Egypt, we encounter the villain Chronos, who is locked in a petty feud with The Atom. Chronos is just one of those villains you love to hate. His costume looks completely stupid, and he’s definitely no Kang the Conqueror, but he’s always having a blast with whatever ridiculous time shenanigans he’s pulling, and you have to love him for that.
The inclusion of the Shining Knight (Sir Justin), complete with his winged horse, Victory, is a treat for DC fans. He’s such a fantastic, deep-cut character who has a loyal following, especially if you grew up watching him on the Justice League Unlimited animated show. Where Mandrake truly shines as an artist is when the hourglass prison shatters. I will forever love watching Swamp Thing grow his body out of something seemingly impossible, and Mandrake delivers this scene with immense grace, care, and an extra measure of epic scale. Even more so, I appreciate how Mandrake’s version of Swamp Thing looks feral and dark yet feels no less heroic than previous iterations of the character.
Cosmic Pacing and Stunning Production
Once the script throws Swamp Thing into the Stone Age alongside Anthro, the pacing completely shifts gears. The collision of the two amber pieces hits the narrative hyperdrive button, transitioning from a historical adventure into a full-blown cosmic epic.
Watching eons flash by in a heartbeat is a massive testament to the entire creative team. The artwork handles the devolution of the world, from dinosaurs dying out to the moon vanishing, and finally down to single-celled organisms. Colorist Trish Mulvihill does an amazing job here, using rich, bleeding tones that evoke the classic 1980s palette while making the cosmic collapse feel vibrant and terrifying.
The lettering by Todd Klein is another massive standout, capturing the shifting weight of the narration, matching John Costanza’s old-school style to keep the dialogue anchored amid the cosmic chaos as everything dissolves into the Big Bang. It makes a moment where matter itself turns into a seething plasma storm feel deeply personal and tragic.
The Perfect Balance of Hellblazer Wit and Pure Horror
What keeps this book from floating away into pure sci-fi weirdness is how Veitch balances all that massive cosmic stuff with the gritty, grounded human drama back in Houma, Louisiana. Abby Arcane’s labor scenes are tense and heavy, capturing the raw anxiety of bringing a kid into the world, monster or no monster.
Plus, having Constantine around brings that cynical Hellblazer vibe to the story. In fact, that whole setup was just completely wild to me. John Constantine and The Spectre somehow teaming up in this crazy mystical threesome to exchange favors is just out of this world. It’s so incredibly manipulative and completely on brand for John but feels impossible for a cosmic powerhouse like the Spectre to get roped into it. Yet here we are. I’m starting to see why this book ended up getting banned!
The Verdict: Should you buy Swamp Thing 1989 #2?
Overall, this issue is just an incredible balancing act. You get Tom Mandrake’s incredible, swirling artwork pulling you into the literal destruction and creation of the universe on one side, while this deeply personal, human horror story waits in the wings on the other. You’re left wondering how on earth Swamp Thing is supposed to make it back from the literal dawn of creation to save his family from the very real monsters right outside their door.
‘Swamp Thing 1989’ #2 Review: From the Big Bang to the Most Unhinged John Constantine Hook-Up
This issue is just an incredible balancing act. You get Tom Mandrake’s incredible, swirling artwork pulling you into the literal destruction and creation of the universe on one side, while this deeply personal, human horror story waits in the wings on the other. You’re left wondering how on earth Swamp Thing is supposed to make it back from the literal dawn of creation to save his family from the very real monsters right outside their door.
