Single Issue Hall of Fame: Swamp Thing #53

Sure, there are a lot of great issues during Alan Moore's run on Swamp Thing, but this one deserves early entry into the Hall of Fame. There's a lot of great Man vs. Nature, Government vs. Individual Rights stuff going on here but, for me, much of the excitement of this issue is watching Gotham City's transformation. There's a beautiful lushness to the cityscape, and John Totleben sets a wonderful atmosphere throughout this giant-sized book. As much pathos as we feel for Swamp Thing himself, it's hard not to feel an equal amount for Batman and his desire to protect his city from a threat that is way beyond his skill set. In some many ways, I see this book as a real turning point in the series, as it comes across as a crescendo. At the same time, however, it doesn't seem like a bad starting point at all. A wonderful book, and one that should be in everyone's collection.