Pre-Crisis Primer: Buried Alive

Swamp Thing #28

“The Burial”

You'll catch your death of cold Swamp Thing!

For years The Swamp Thing believed he was Alec Holland. Holland, the victim of corporate espionage and sabotage, was caught in an explosion and doused in the bio-restorative formula he had been working on, a serum that was designed to allow plants to grow in desolate, barren areas of the planet. The assumption was that the serum interacted with both the fire and Holland's body to save him from certain death at the cost of mutating him into the Swamp Thing.

As was later revealed, Swamp Thing actually never was Alec Holland. Instead, as the bio-restorative formula had no effect on human cells, it was revealed that the Eco-system of the swamp was effected and the Swamp Thing is actually plant-life that thinks it's Alec Holland. While Swamp Thing struggled tocome to terms with a lost humanity he never had, the question remains: if Swamp Thing was never Alec Holland, what happened to Holland?

Wah Wah Wah.

 I really didn't mean to make that sound all so dramatic, we know what happened to Holland: he died. His corpse is rotting at the bottom of the swamp, feeding the various flora and fauna that comprise that area. Probably a skeleton by now. But this a series where WhiteFear Monkeys are the order of the day, so ghosts should be no damn problem.

Along with her job at the Elysium Hospital, working with autistic children (as well as helping them cope with being made to suffer the their greatest fears over and over again) and patching up her marriage with Matt Cable, who we know (ah, dramatic irony) has made a deal, or was possessed, not quite sure yet, by some kind of demon. Since Abby is unaware of this fact, things are looking up for her. Even better, she's best friends with a monster/superhero, Swamp Thing. Although, also unknown to Abby, is that recently Swamp Thing has been haunted by something: an image of Alec Holland in the swamp who appears and then disappears just as quickly. She makes the mistake of referring to him as Alec which sends him off the deep end and into temper tantrum territory where he stomps off into the woods like a big baby. Swamp Thing, you were my example of a superhero who knew how to not be an ass!

Swamp Thing leaves Abby behind and stomps off to find the ghost of Alec Holland who turns out isn't haunting our moss-covered hero but instead simply wishes for the titular burial. His corpse has been rotting in the swamp and he seeks proper rest. With the act of retrieving and burying the long-dead corpse of Alec Holland, both Swamp Thing and Alec can achieve a measure of peace. 

Meeting Alec for the first time.

I tend to read this issue as less the literal ghost of Alec Holland haunting the jolly green moss man and more the conclusion to Swamp Thing dealing with his own feelings regarding his identity and not being who he thought he was. He has the thoughts, memories and emotions of Alec Holland, but they do not share the same body. A major goal of Swamp Thing was to become human again, the possibilty helped him cope with the reality of his new existence. Finally burying Alec Hollands body, holding the body he thought was his for so long is the very literal way in which the Swamp Thing can move on and finally accept his reality as a new being.

This issue is a very effective done-in-one that has a suitably vague script, which leaves the actions of the story open to interpretation as well incredibly emotive art which conveys feelings the script doesn't feel the need to put in words. Another aspect of the issue I enjoyed was that even though this issue is part of an ongoing storyline, it also works a single story on its own. Everything a reader needs to enjoy this one comic is available, which is sadly something more often ignored in modern comics.

Thanks for the fanfare.