Justice League Dark Annual #1

Writer: James Tynion IV (Story), Ram V (Dialog) / Artist: Guillem March / DC Comics A Carious Bloom There are times in Justice League Dark Annual #1 that feel less like a comic book and more like a short story with accompanying pictures. Rather than the usual dispersion of texts and panels, there are various pages that have literal blocks of texts, typically coming from the journal of Dr. Oleander Sorrel, the principle subject of the story. Coming off the heels of the high-octane, magic altering event in Justice League Dark #13, this issue is a much slower burn and mainly revolves around Swamp Thing trying to figure out his place now that he has lost his role as the guardian of the Green. Let’s get one thing out of the way, this is a weird issue by any standards. But the tragic tale of Oleander Sorrel unfolds in a majestically haunting manner. The page layouts are a mix of the standard comic panels and the aforementioned ornate windows of juxtaposed text and image. While I’m usually not a fan of reading prose in my comics, the fact remains that it is a compelling read that is perfectly accented by March’s artwork. With Tynion IV’s contributions to the main story structure and Ram V’s stellar dialog, the story sings as Swamp Thing tries to connect with Sorrel. The parallels between the two characters origins and their contrasting responses to their personal tragedy is touching and heart wrenching in the best way possible.

However, March’s artwork is what elevates this fusion …