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September 27, 2004
That's what I'm talkin' about…
Mark Millar writing the last issue of Swamp Thing. For those who don't speak geek, Swamp Thing's kind of this supernatural protector of the plant world, and by extension all of nature that isn't, well, us. There's been this theme through the whole series that people have broken the balance of nature, and can't coexist with the rest of the world; either we go, or everything else goes. Swampy's been toying with this idea for a while, but in the last story arc, he decides to wipe us out once and for all, After a series of ridiculously involved side-quests, he ends up as guardian of the entire Earth, and he's pledged to kill us all and start over.
Except once he gets there, he has a change of heart. Someone says to him, "You don't really want to do that, do you? Isn't that just some kind of adolescent guilt trip?"
Once you've seen through everybody's eyes, you just can't stay angry. In fact, you can't really do anything except just love everything. That's what I want to see. Someone who says, look, I know how bad things are. We've gone through everything and been damaged beyond reckoning, but you know what? We're still here. And while you can't ever rush the "it's all bullshit" stage, and we need to keep fighting the bastards every day, we've got to move on eventually.
And after all, once you get your own shit together, why would you want to smash things up and hurt anyone? Even the bad guys are just small and weak and afraid. And once you get clear of the damage they've caused, why wouldn't you want to help them? The world isn't going to end, one way or another, and no vengeful old invisible man's going to spank you if you don't, but still.
I'm here. How can I help?
(Note: All that aside, I still reserve the right to call for the head of anyone who pisses me off.)
Posted by StephenRauch at September 27, 2004 10:39 PM