The panel design and the lettering are extraordinary. Leigh is able to encapsulate so many different voices, added with it the elements, and sounds of nature, that they flow from the page as if they were growing themselves. Needless to say, it's superbly crafted, and what I assume is meant to be a one-shot story, is deserving of more than just one. If you're a fan of Swamp Thing, this should be an easy pick-up and an enjoyable read. Read Full Review

Justice League Dark Annual #1 fills in some blanks from the back-up while also giving readers more information on the central menace of the story. V and Watters do a phenomenal job with the writing in this comic, and it begs the question: why can't the JLD have an ongoing? Mittens and Fajardo Jr. knock the art out of the park. The writing and art are outstanding, and this book is such a treat. Read Full Review

Annuals are always kind of a toss-up as they tend to have fill-in creators, but the Justice League Dark annual was every bit of the same high level of quality readers have come to expect from the regular title. If you're a fan don't miss this issue. Read Full Review

As an interlude between arcs, this is an exciting one-shot that deserves to be read on its own merits and a must-buy for anyone invested in the Justice League Dark. It's certainly not conventional, but it provides an experience unlike any other. Read Full Review

Ram V joins James Tynion IV on this oversized one-shot ,Justice League Dark Annual #1, and it doesn't miss a beat from the regular Justice League Dark series when it comes to plunging us into the DCU's worst nightmares. Read Full Review

Its a bit of a low key story, and gently paced. That makes the resolution all the more effective. Read Full Review

Fans of Swamp Thing will have a great time with this issue. Read Full Review

Guillem March's art is excellent. All of the characters look amazing, but there is great attention given to the vegetation and flowers for obvious reasons. March makes them look beautifully detailed and vibrant. Read Full Review

Justice League Dark Annual #1 is everything a Swamp Thing tale should be, and though perhaps an unfortunate portent for the JLD, a very promising offer indeed for readers. Whether you’ve been a die-hard fan or have just been curious, this is an excellent place to jump on board. The art is stunning and the storytelling full of wistful sadness. This annual has all the rich emotional beats of classic Gothic horror and the gorgeous visuals to match, and whether as a stand-alone issue or an introduction to the full series, won’t leave you disappointed. Read Full Review

I have to say the art in this issue is wonderful, especially regarding the new King of Petals himself, who is equal parts creepy and beautiful as depicted by artist Guillem March and colorist Arif Prianto. The art direction of the issue as a whole is rather gorgeous, with ornate layouts (particularly around the flashbacks of the King of Petals's past life) and panel compositions. Rob Leigh's letters also deserve a mention, as there are frequently lots of them, sometimes even broken down into paragraphs on the page beside images. It's certainly a dense read that will take you some time to get through. Read Full Review

Justice League Dark Annual #1 is a story worthy of your investment. This was the last stone left unturned from the initial attack from the Otherkind, and it has a strong connection to the set-up put in motion for the Year of the Villain event. This annual also reminds us that fixing the world of magic goes beyond what is written in the books. Read Full Review

Carried along by an undercurrent of sorrow, Ram V's scripting of the story he and Tynion IV co-wrote deals with how the new guardian gradually comes to terms with the limits of their new powers, unaware that their transformation cements there is no going back to the way things were. Any moments of hope that occur become consumed by the realization that they're not built to last. Read Full Review

Fans of Swamp Thing would do well to check this one out, despite the issues with the art. Read Full Review

The Justice League Dark annual provides some great progression to the main ongoing story while still functioning as a standalone Swamp Thing story in its own right. Definitely one for anybody looking for a jumping-on point for the team, complete with some extra little teases of whats to come. Read Full Review

While a bit over-written in my mind, this issue was still enjoyable for what it lays out and sets up for things to come.  The art was gruesomely lovely, while the story made the supernatural feel more human.  Yeah, I'd like more answers to the things going on in the world of magic, but this was a fine annual with the small progressions it gave us and I look forward to the stories that come out of it. Read Full Review

"Justice League Dark: Annual" #1 features a thrilling, creative expansion to the Swamp Thing property undercut by a script littered with unnecessary dialogue and captions. Read Full Review

It misses a few too many marks to be the great oversized issue is was hyped up to be. Read Full Review

Loved seeing Jason Woodrue again.

A bit much at times, and yet at the same time not enough?

I thought this was overwritten, but it was a fine story overall.

"there always will be a place for a monster that lives out in the swanps."

A decent Swamp Thing story, laying out exactly why he should be in a solo book and not shoe-horned into JLD. Swampy as a member of the Justice League -- even this magic-based spinoff -- is entirely out of character.

While we're at it, maybe Tynion can go write that book and put his narration-overload style to better use than having incredibly exciting characters literally sitting around, talking about cosmic events that just never come to pass while they talk some more.

Back to the Annual -- the art was very nice as the art team clearly had lots of fun with the floral motif.