True Swamp: Choose Your Poison

by Jon Lewis, Charles Hatfield (Introduction), Ed Brubaker (Foreword)

"True Swamp is a true classic. Melancholy frogs, awkward cross-species relationships, thoughtful discussions on the meaning of life and love and the possibility of kindness, and of course the ever-present need to eat and not be eaten. Jon Lewis has created a world so rich in detail and personality that once you've dipped your toe in the warm larvae-filled water, you won't want to leave. And to tell the truth, you never will. It's been nearly twenty years since I first read these stories and still they simmer away inside my brain, like a benevolent ink-borne parasite that burrows ever deeper, exposing strange new layers of wonder and insight in that crowded fertile swamp we call life."— Dylan Horrocks, Hicksville

True Swamp: Choose Your Poison collects the first storyline of this landmark series, telling the tale of Lenny the Frog—part coming-of-age story, part fantastic adventure, part gutter poetry. Unavailable for over a decade, this twentieth anniversary edition features meticulously restored art, never-reprinted material, an introduction by Charles Hatfield (The Hand Of Fire: The Comics Art Of Jack Kirby), and a foreword by Ed Brubaker (Criminal, Captain America, Incognito).

Jon Lewis began True Swamp in 1992. It continues today. Other comics include Ghost Ship, Spectacles, and scripts for DC, Dark Horse, and Kodansha Publishing. Lewis came to prominence as one of a tight-knit wave of early '90s Seattle cartoonists who brought new narrative ambition to alternative comics. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Animals, Comix

160 pages, Hardcover

First published November 13, 2012

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Cartoonist

Reviews

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm staggered by Lewis' imagination. True Swamp is like nothing else out there. The sheer imaginative ability on display is on a par with Larry Marder's Tales of the Beanworld. The story is rich in detail and a joy to read.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was back and forth on this one throughout my time spent reading it. At first I had trouble following the characters and the scenarios of the swamp. Talking insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and animals with a high level of intellect have that affect. These anthropomorphic creatures are not the stuff of Walt Disney nor is Jon Lewis a children’s book writer. This is some deeply philosophical material.

By the end of the collection ( this volume collects True Swamp #1-5 the comic book) I had become a fan. The art was great. The writing made me think about my life and my place in the universe. In some ways the swamp is a microcosm of our planet which is probably what Lewis was aiming for. The creatures of the swamp struggle with questions of life, death, sex, security, and general existentialism.

I’ve known about Lewis and True Swamp since the 1990s. This was the period that I was immersed in indie comix and punk rock. Lewis’s friends and contemporaries in Seattle are legends of the indie comix scene: Ed Brubaker, Tom Hart, David Lasky, James Sturm, Meghan Keslo, Jason Lutes,Julie Doucet. This crew were the cutting edge stylists of the underground at the time and after finally reading True Swamp I can see how Lewis fit right in with these giants. It should also be noted that Lewis was awarded a Xeric Foundation grant to self publish which was a big deal back then.

Seek this out and support small publishers like Uncivilized Books that are doing interesting, compelling, challenging, and outstanding work.

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too weird!

[o · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel was weird as hell - a surprisingly coherent frog getting into all sorts of adventures and misadventures - but I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would!

[Jeff Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic (I guess) of underground/independent comics, True Swamp is about a frog and the place he lives, and all the existential stuff that goes along with it. It's weird and bizarre and thoughtful and ridiculous, but it's also a product of its time and still weirdly timeless. I can't begin to truly describe this one except that if you like comics as a form, it's worth picking up due to its overall importance and clear inspirational value.

[Alexa]

2.5 stars: Choose Your Poison

I couldn’t find the edition that I have on Goodreads. (Mine is a mere 24 pages) I won’t put a rating here because of that.

But I will review: This definitely belonged in the weird comic bin in which I found it in a bookstore. I’m not even sure what I read, but it was amusing at least.

[M Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmmm... it was good. Interesting... not sure why I was drawn to it but glad I finished it.

[Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

An overall meh. There is one philosophical part with a mole that was interesting, but not much else was worth the slog.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Loathed this.