Created by married duo Mia Jay Boulton and Laurel Boulton, Of Swamp & Sea tells the story of Mercy and Jonah, two strangers thrown together after a monster hunt goes wrong. This monster hunt just so happens to leave Mercy *SPOILER* possessed and Jonah feeling a heap of guilt that this happened under his watch as the hired monster hunter. What follows is Mercy and Jonah setting off on the road to free her of this possession. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and it becomes clear that is more than a supernatural tale. It’s a love story.
Still not convinced about reading Of Swamp & Sea? Don’t worry. We’ve got five reasons why you should be reading!
1. The possessed lead
Mercy is more than just the possessed woman Jonah is helping. She’s a curious goofball, an explorer of the world and her feelings, and a lover of books. And if I’m being honest, she reminds me of everything that I love about Evie from The Mummy. That’s always a plus.
2. The monster hunter who is actually a gentleman
In many ways, Jonah complements Mercy. He’s the explorer who has been out in the world, the brute force, and the guiding hand. And you see how much he truly cares for Mercy in the little things, like holding her hand to help her over a hay stack because reasons. If Mercy reminds me of Evie, then Jonah reminds me of Rick.
3. Let’s not forget the sass and teasing
Everything isn’t super serious in Of Swamp & Sea. As Mercy and Jonah get to know each other there’s this simmering humor, teasing, and sass in their exchanges. She stumbles over her words and he proves that he’s more than the brooding hero. He’s the man who listens to every every single word out of her mouth. And their exchanges always leave me grinning and kicking my feet in the air.
4. And the tropes wrapped in a slow burn romance
As Mercy and Jonah travel together, it becomes clear that this a romance. One where they both bring out the best in each other and challenge the other to try new things. And it’s in small tropey moments like the one below of Mercy falling asleep on Jonah’s shoulder, that show that there is trust between them. If this is them in the beginning of their story, wait until you read the rest!
5. Oh, and ride-or-die hotties
Overall, Mercy and Jonah are hot. There multiple panels in this webtoon where Mercy makes you swoon. And then there are even more of Jonah’s tiny broad shoulders that make you swoon as well. But you know what makes them even hotter?! How ride-or-die they are for each other. Their bond is the heart of this webtoon. And sure I want them to kiss. But dear Lord do I love the way they look at each other and every moment with them makes me love Mercy and Jonah more.
Of Swamp & Sea is currently available on Webtoon with new episodes every Wednesday. Make sure to follow the comic creators on TikTok, their individual Twitters here and here, and Instagram. Oh and you can also support their Patreon here.
Also, looking for more webtoons to read? Check out 5 Reasons You Should Be Reading The Mafia Nanny here!
