Followup-To: rec.arts.comics.dc.vertigo SWAMP THING #3 DC Comics/Vertigo imprint Kill Your Darlings Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Pencils: Roger Petersen Inks: Joe Rubinstein Colors: Alex Sinclair Letters: John Costanza Editors: Joan Hilty & Heidi MacDonald Price: $2.50 US/$3.95 Cdn Highly Recommended (9/10) Spoiler space Our first glimpse of Vaughan's Swamp Thing wasn't in the first issue of this series, but in VERTIGO: WINTER'S EDGE #3.  In that story, the _title_ character wasn't the *main* character; instead, Vaughan presented a story of human darkness that reminded me of something Hitchcock might have offered us.  I looked forward to more stories in that same vein.  The first two issues of this new regular series focused on Tefe and established the overall theme and premise of the _title_, and they were good.  Now, Vaughan gets back to that approach he introduced in WINTER'S EDGE, and I couldn't be happier. Tefe Holland is roaming the Earth, and now she finds herself aboard a crab-fishing boat with an eclectic crew.  Along with the young elemental, a captain, his obedient but unhappy daughter, her secret lover and a would-be novelist all work side-by-side on a rough ocean.  Basing his book on his experiences at sea, the writer struggles with his story, and desperate, decides to create his own ending, wreaking havoc with the lives of everyone aboard. In a very short time, Vaughan fleshes out several characters, involving the reader in their lives.  I'm amazed at how well we get to know Larry, the writer, and Cheryl, the woman who feels trapped in her life at her seafaring father's side.  Cheryl is a particularly excellent character, because the parallels between her inner conflict and that of Tefe make the unreal _title_ character seem more real and understandable. Petersen's art is amazing.  It's thoroughly accessible for the new reader, as the familiar _title_ is bound to attract some non-Vertigo/non-indie-friendly readers, and Petersen's _style_ will make for an easier transition.  But that's not all.  Despite the fact that the images are static, I really got the impression of being at sea while reading this book.  The panels weave and lurch, but the characters hardly react.  It demonstrates how at home they feel on the ocean. Another key strength of this particular comic book is that anyone, longtime comics reader or newbie, SWAMP THING fan or otherwise, can pick this up and have a good read.  It's quite accessible, and requires no knowledge of previous issues or of Swamp Thing history. Don MacPherson ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com