Review by Frank Plowright
When Mercy’s father is ripped to pieces by a monster lurking in the swamp she places an ad in the paper for a monster hunter, and Jonah turns up, distinctively missing an eye. Of Swamp and Sea opens with the pair of them entering the swamp. It doesn’t go to plan, and Mercy ends up with a Mist Wolf sheltering in her body. She can control the creature, but all things considered, it’s not an ideal situation. Jonah believes there’s a solution, but it will mean Mercy leaving the remote area she’s lived in her entire life.
No breakdown of credits is supplied for married couple Mia Jay Boulton and Laurel Boulton, leaving the assumption that each contributes to all aspects of what at first seems a relatively standard fantasy story. However, keeping the focus on two people builds depth, and each is gradually revealed to be more than assumed. Jonah’s not just a standard wafer thin heroic figure, and isolation doesn’t mean Mercy lacks courage or knowledge. Their bonding is of necessity, spurred by Mercy’s situation and Jonah’s guilt about it, and the writing shows continual small thoughtful and character-building touches. When Mercy has to leave her home her parting thought is that when she returns her garden will be overgrown.
Of Swamp and Sea originated as a web comic, yet avoids the faults of many panel by panel stories through ensuring visual variety. There are plenty of conversations, but the viewpoints as they take place are varied, which doesn’t matter as much when reading on a phone, but is so important on the printed page. It’s an attractive art style especially inducing sympathy for Mercy, largely drawn with big eyes, yet can also deliver shock and terror. The monster within Mercy is well rendered, as a sort of angry ghostly presence drawn transparently over her.
The cover suggests romance that doesn’t manifest here, nor is there much of the sea mentioned in the title, but once the set-up is established there’s a world to explore. Of Swamp and Sea is set in a period analogous to the early 20th century, but with people aware of supernatural intrusions. The revelation toward the end of something hiding in plain sight throughout supplies a surprising change to the art, and sets up Volume 2 very efficiently. You’re going to want to know more.
