This was a unique retelling of the origins of Swap Thing. I found the story arc to be very interesting and I enjoyed the development of the brothers. The art style was definitely unique and I really enjoyed the plant monsters. I liked the dynamic between the brothers and I enjoyed the unique plot. Overall, I found this to be an interesting comic and enjoyed reading it.
* Thank you Netgalley and DC Comics for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

EGADS! This book is so unusual and engaging. I found the twins very relatable. It was particularly refreshing to see a male teenage protagonist with crippling social anxiety.

Plants. Science. Belonging. Friendship. Brothers. Creepy friggin' plant creatures.

Everything about this was just such a welcome change of pace from everything else that I have been reading lately.

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Swamp Thing follows twin brothers Alec and Walker Holland as they spend their last summer before college at their cousin's house in Virginia. Alec spends his time researching in a lab-he is a plant nerd, and Walker tries to get him out of his shell by attempting to get him involved in the social scene. As time goes by, it becomes clear that Alec's experiment has unintended consequences.

Let's start with the art! It is beautiful and eerie and compelling. It is very legible and does an excellent job conveying the tone and emotions of the story.

The story is also compelling; it does a good job making you care about the characters quickly and sets up the stakes and information about the world very well. My only issue was that some of the later on plot details felt like the needed a bit more time of adequately build; we are introduced to a mystery that is solved almost immediately after it is introduced, and I would have liked the end to be a bit longer because it felt quick. Also, disclaimer, I knew nothing about Swamp Thing coming into this, so I cannot comment on Stiefvater's specific approach in comparison.

Overall I think this was a fun, quick read that anyone who likes Maggie Stiefvater, sibling stories, or graphic novels that you will fly through.

First I have to admit that I don’t usually read graphic novels often, and know absolutely nothing about Swamp Thing but I’ll read just about anything Maggie Stiefvater writes. I enjoyed this!. It’s the perfect amount of weird and spooky but also with a deeper story of the twin brothers.

The story is about two brothers. Twin brothers who are very different from each other. Alec is the nerdy, introverted, sensitive, plant obsessed twin, While Walker is the loud, fun, outgoing Twin. Both are carrying around wounds they won’t let the other see. When their dad is discovered cheating on their Mother they decide to spend the summer in the country with their cousins.

The art is creepy and dark and weird. Perfect for Swamp Thing with it’s creepy plant dogs and talking plants. It’s immersive and you really feel as though you’re there. There needs to be more because it ended really quickly and I need to know what happens!

"Plants have long been underestimated. Their intelligence put down to instinct, downplayed to enforce a human-centric world. But plants have lives of secret drama and insight..."

5/5 stars!

Wow! I can honestly say that this wasn't what I was expecting from a Swamp Thing graphic novel, but it is certainly what I should have expected from a Maggie Stiefvater novel.

This book is about Alec Holland, whose always felt at home with plants rather than people. The summer before college, he and his twin brother decide to stay with their cousins to avoid their cheating father and spend time together. But when Alec's experiments have unforeseeable effects on the local flora and fauna, he begins to understand everything his research is capable of.

First thing, it terms of character development, I thought all the side characters were okay. No one really stood out, but I did love Alec and Walker. The two had a great sibling dynamic that I've come to love from Maggie Stiefvater, who always writes such great ones. They both cared so much for each other despite being so different. So different in a way that it's something that doesn't escape either of them.

Walker is so sweet and open, but often forgets to slow down. Alec is pensive and caring, but can almost never really reach out. Needless to say, I was fascinated. Abby was also nice, I wish there was more to her, but it is very short so I get that there wasn't a lot of room for it.

I also just want to point out that the book constantly uses the science of plants as direct allegory for what is happening with the characters and this is now my kink. I loved it so much, the art was especially beautiful during these parts and I really love how it told the story.

Last thing! This book, at times, is very cute. However, the majority of the book was more like a very kind horror movie. Think a cottage-core vibes meets The Fly in the way the suspense builds with all the hints toward the chaos that will come. I was very freaked out multiple times. Some of the scenes or even the art was very creepy and I wasn't initially expecting it. I thought it was awesome and definitely worked for the book, but take care.

To add to this, I want to say that the art specifically, occasionally falls into body horror-type images, which isn't everyone's cup of tea. Overall though, I thought it was really interesting and definitely an original take on all things Swamp Thing.

TL;DR: A very creepy, but sincere take on Swamp Thing and his origins. I really loved the methods of storytelling and the art is so interesting and vibrant, if not at times, terrifying. Perfect for long time fans and new readers alike.

"Twins Alec and Walker Holland have a reputation around town. One is quiet and the other is the life of any party, but they are inseparable. For their last summer before college, the two leave the city to live with their rural cousins, where they find that the swamp holds far darker depths than they could have imagined.
While Walker carves their names into the new social scene, Alec recedes into a summer school laboratory, because he brought something from home on their trip—it’s an experiment that will soon consume him. This season, both brothers must confront truths, ancient and familial, and as their lives diverge, tensions increase and dormant memories claw to the surface." —Goodreads

Recently, I wrote a review for an ARC of "Teen Titans: Beast Boy" from DC comics. While I have always been a huge fan of DC, I haven't delved into the comic book/graphic novel side of the fandom. Which is why I was so excited to receive these two ARCS for review.

I do admit, "Swamp Thing: Twin Branches" did not resonate with me quite like "Beast Boy" did, though I did still enjoy it. Stiefvater brilliantly explains the creation of Swamp Thing; however, the constant time skips within such a small graphic novel came across as jarring. The constant jumping around did not allow me to enjoy the story as much as I would have liked. While "Beast Boy" had some elements of timeskips, it was done seamlessly, while "Swamp Thing" wanted to explore an entire summer worth of events within a few pages. Understandably, the timeskips were to show the growth of Alec's science experiments, but for some reason did not seem to work.

Despite this, the emotion behind the novel was relatable and enjoyable. With every sibling relationship, Alec and Walker must accept the fact that they have grown to enjoy different things and in the process, have grown apart. While the brothers acknowledge their differences and are faced with having to accept these differences and set them aside to hold onto their relationship, outside forces threaten to teat them apart. As someone with three older siblings all in very different stages of life than I am, I truly felt the emotions coming from the twins. The emotion also coming from Alec's introverted and antisocial tenancies resonates with anyone who struggles to fit in with the crowd. Stiefvater truly creates a memorable and relatable world in which DC fans old and new will absolutely enjoy.

First of all, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this!

I love Maggie's writing and this seemed like a super cool concept EXCEPT the download is a mess! I literally couldn't read ANY of this eARC, which was pretty frustrating. The art looks amazing, but it was flipped, pages were split in half and itty bitty, so I literally couldn't read any of it.

I'm just going to give this 4 Stars and assume it was pretty good until I can read a physical copy!

A curious first step into the world of comic book writing that could have benefited from a few more panels.

“Swamp Thing” follows twin brothers who share only their likeness as one is very popular and works to get his brother out of his shell and out of the lab where he works with his plants. When they discover a family scandal they head off to meet with their cousins where a series of unfortunate events and new advances in science lead to a change for the duo that no one saw coming.

I think that this is a solid story and had the potential to be something really cool especially with the illustrations and color palette was stunning but it felt like there was a lot of jumping around or worse skipping ahead which for me hindered the overall story telling.

I think the brother dynamic was nice and I understand that it was trying to show us this pattern with them of one pulling his brother along and trying to show him what it means to live and protect him from others but it also at times felt rather cliché if that makes sense? Especially because once the brother engages with other people in a way where he feels comfortable his brother does a 180 and now wishes it was just the two of them.

The experiment stuff is cool and I like the incorporation of botany and how it can easily turn into a type of mad science and like I how the illustrations slowly showed that descent and don’t let the cover fool you this is less pretty and more downright scary.

Not a bad debut into the world of comic book writing but also not the best writing I’ve seen from her though I do think I will be in the minority there.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Swamp Thing: Twin Branches is a unique origin story for the Swamp Thing. Alec and Walker are twins and best friends. But Alec is withdrawn and awkward while Walker is very sociable and popular. Alec devotes his time to his plants and experiments and Walker devotes his time to trying to get Alec to fit in. The story focuses mainly on the dynamic between the brothers and takes place mostly before the Swamp Thing comes into being. The story moves quickly with interesting characters and there's something about an awkward hero that always causes me to wear my heart on my sleeve. The art is eye catching and pleasing to deliver a good graphic novel read for the upper teen to adult range of readers who love the Swamp Thing. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

A really fun and interesting read. I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

This origin story for DC's Swamp Thing, Alec and his twin brother, Walker, is a good story of how twins can be close but also quite different. It's an interesting story about plants and science, but it falls a little flat. It did not keep my attention well at all. I found Alec to be an intriguing enough character, loved that he is awkward and struggles with diabetes. That was nice representation. However, he still fell sort of flat for me. I also do not care for the art style of this which might have been an issue. This will probably be quite popular with teens, especially DC fans, but it wasn't for me.

From the beginning I knew I was going to love this graphic novel. Alex and I are so similar. I could feel his want to fit in and his anxieties around other people.

The drawing style was beautiful and magical and Stiefvater’s writing complimented the art so wonderfully. I especially loved the plant creatures and how they were constructed. The way plants feel and think was expertly conveyed to the reader and you not only felt for the characters but also for the plants and trees.

The story itself really resonated with me since I was never that keen on going out, drinking and doing stupid teenager things. All I wanted to do is be left alone to read in a cozy corner. I loved interesting and obscure information and was always mocked for my bursts of ‘did you know’ facts. So seeing Alec going through something similar, with people around him pressuring him to do things and drink alcohol made me feel for him because I’ve been in countless similar situations.

I also loved how Alec’s diabetes was represented and how his brother was always looking out for him and accommodated his chronic illness.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this graphic novel to anyone who is keen on reading a heartfelt portrayal of brotherhood and exploring nature like never before.

I really enjoyed this origin story. The relationship between the twins was really well written, particularly considering the short time frame of the events in the book. I also appreciated the pacing of the book, it didn’t feel like it was rushing to the point when the Swamp Thing was created and gave everything time to unfold. The artwork though out is excellent and I particularly loved the gorgeous plants. All around it is a satisfying story that made me excited to read more.

I'm not normally intro graphic novels, but I was interested because I love Maggie Stiefvater. I didn't previously know anything about the Swamp Thing before, but I am definitely interested in it now! Swamp Things is the backstory of two twins, Alec and Walker Holland. Walker is popular and Alec is more of a nerd who's obsessed with plants. I loved the artwork of the novel. It was beautiful but also gloomy, moody and creepy.

*I was given an arc by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
There was so much I loved about this graphic novel. The setting of a small town by the bayou was brought to life with the art and coloring really establishing the atmosphere. I loved the exploration and love for science that serves as the background for the whole novel, focusing on the love of discovery and nature for what it is rather than what it can do. The character of Alec was fully realized with Walker being one step behind him, their bond feeling so authentic and real. The only thing I didn't like was that the ending felt a bit rushed plotwise, but I'm unsure if that means a sequel will be following (although I would love a sequel for this book!) or if that's just how the conclusion will remain. The other side characters didn't have much depth to them, which is mainly due to the lack of screentime (pagetime?) for the characters on the pages. The ones with more focus felt realistic and raw. Overall, the illustrations were beautiful and haunting, making me wish all of nature could resemble it. This was a great read that explores the bonds of friendship, family, and science.

I liked the art style and how the green tone fit the story.
I loved the relationship between the two Holland brothers. The development in their relationship was well developed and showed how strong their bond is.
There were moments when the scenes felt incomplete or finished in a weird place. The ending felt a little rushed. Alec became the Swamp Thing in the last few pages, and then the story was over.
Overall, I thought it was an interesting graphic novel, but I wasn't obsessed with the story.

Gorgeous and weird graphic novel centered around an introvert twin bringing his research on plant to a rural swamp.

Content warnings include: bullying, violence, body horror, character has diabetes; mentions of cheating, divorce

As a twin myself I am always torn between rolling my eyes at the depiction of twins in media and just enjoying the common twin tropes because, frankly, they are fun.

Swamp Thing: Twin Branches did a good job of taking the fun elements of popular twin tropes without overdoing them. Alex and Walker might be identical on the outside and polar opposites on the inside, but they are neither attached at the hip, nor bitter enemies or rivals.

Plot wise the book developed in a completely different direction than expected. I’m not familiar with any of the Swamp Thing comics, so I didn’t even really have expectation, but I still found the story unique. There’s a stark contrast between everyday subjects, like the banality of Alec and Walker spending the summer with their cousins, their family dynamics, or Alec’s introvertedness not getting accepted, and the grotesque, plant-based beauty and horror of Alex’s experiment when it got dropped in the swamp.

There were both light and heavy moments. The bullying and antagonistm Alex faced for being introverted and preferring plants over people stung, and I was quite frankly shocked at the violence in the finale.

The book is a graphic novel: I liked the art a lot. Particularly the artwork of the plants and the background behind the panels was beautiful.
However I couldn’t always read what was of import in the art. It wasn’t always clear to me if the discoloration of Alec’s skin was an injury or just a stylistic choice, and this sort of confusion happened in other contexts too (both in the art and plot – like I didn’t always know what was part of the experiment’s consequences and what was predetermined).

The text also didn’t seem very well integrated with the artwork, and often stood out sharply in the panels – not so much in speech bubbles, but in labels and other written words that are part of the background.
This might be fixed in the final version, however, and wasn’t too big of a bother.

Overall an entertaining read that I guarantee will go completely different from whatever you go in expecting. I loved the way the plot developed, though there was an implication in the ending that I wasn’t the biggest fan of.

Some of the opening pictures were boring. Then I started to like it more . The dialogue was okay. The pictures and print were hard to read without zoom. Interesting idea.liked the characters.

There's really no other writer like Maggie Stiefvater; she has such a deep grasp on her own voice, a voice that is both truly magnificent and deeply unsettling. I'm shocked that I was moved so deeply by a DC comic of all things, but if anyone can manage to do that it's Maggie. Yet as a die-hard Maggie Stiefvater fan (clearly), I was shocked to find that, while Maggie is in fine form as always, the real star of "Swamp Thing: Twin Branches" was Morgan Beem's illustrations. With gorgeous illustrations and a color scheme to die for, Beem brings the story to life, her style complementing Maggie's perfectly.

A sibling rivalry story featuring Swamp Thing Is an odd inclusions for DC’s line of teen graphic novels, but then he a character that has always thrived on reinvention. Stiefvater does have an interesting new take on Alec Holland and throws a lot of ideas into the story but there are a bit too many in the end and the story just doesn’t have enough space to properly respect them all.