Alter Ego: Alec Holland (human catalyst); a.k.a. the Holland-Mind,
the Plant Elemental, the Erl-King
Marital Status: "Married" to Abigail Arcane
Known Relatives: Abigail "Abby" Arcane-Holland
(wife), Tefe Holland (daughter)
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: The Louisiana swamps
First faux-DC Appearance: House of Magic #1
Height: Variable Weight: Variable
Eyes:Red with yellow irises Hair: None (vegetation)
History: In all of Earth's history, the planet has created
a protector for itself time and time again: the plant elementals.
Each has been a human who died in flames, then had their decaying
corpse devoured by plantlife, which assimilated the human's former
memories and knowledge, as well as their persona, then creating
a semi-human body out of plantlife from that knowledge imbued
with the consciousness of its human core.
Each plant elementals, when in their elder years, journeys to
their final place, the Parliamant of Trees in a Brazilian rain
forest. There they form themselves into a large tree and join
the other former elementals, conscious yet motionless forever.
Long after the tradition began, Doctors Alec and Linda Holland,
a young scientist couple, began work on a "bio-restorative"
formula for the U.S. government in secret within the Louisiana
swamps. When approached by an agent of the Conclave, a criminal
organization, to purchase the formula, the Hollands refused. In
retaliation, the Conclave planted explosives in their lab. The
assault left Linda dead and Alec covered with both the formula
and fire, which he ran to the nearby swamp to put out. Upon plunging
into the swamp water, he was dead. But he didn't know that.
A new plant elemental was created from Holland's consciousness,
and for years he roamed the swamps and other locations thinking
that he was truly Alec Holland and that he could someday change
himself back.
After being shot and taken into custody, assumed dead, by the
Sunderland Corperation, the Swamp Thing arose and found notes
taken by Jason Woodrue, the Floronic Man, that proved he was not
Alec Holland, or human at all. This sent the Swamp Thing into
a depressed state where he allowed himself to drift away into
the Green, the single shared consciousness of all plantlife, only
to emerge for humanity's protection from a mad Woodrue and to
keep Abigail "Abby" Arcance, one of his only friends
and the niece of his former arch-enemy Anton Arcane, safe.
Stranger times ensued for the Swamp Thing. He and Abby became
lovers after her husband Matt's battle with posession by Anton
Arcane's spirit, saved Abby's soul from Hell itself, dealt with
the mystic John Constantine and fought the cult of the Brajurah,
and even "died" for some time, during which his spirit
was actually exiled across space. In the end, though, he always
returned to the swamp.
In his most recent years, the Swamp Thing began a rise to power
that invovled him visiting and taking the roles of the other elementals,
those of Fire, Water, and Wind, as well as Rock, the other Earth
Elemental. With each he becamem ore powerful and power-mad, until
finally all elements were under control and he became a god of
sorts, representing the planet Earth as a whole. He threatened
to kill off humanity, but the Holland-Mind insided of him was
too strong, and in the end, he freed the spirit and returned home,
the singular plant elemental once more with his family in the
swamp.
Powers/Weapons: The Swamp Thing is a plant elemental who
possesses superhuman strength. His body imitates that of a human
being, but its organs serve no actual function. He can speak,
but only slowly and with effort. The Swamp Thing can regenerate
damaged or severed portions of his body.
Moreover, the Swamp Thing can project his consciousness into other
plant life, and thereby grow a new body for himself. He can let
his body die in one place and regrow it in another location anywhere
else on Earth that plants can grow. By concentration he can even
travel into the realms of the afterlife.
The Swamp Thing eventually learned he can change his size and
shape, that he can possibly animate dead or carved wood, possibly
manipulate insects through his scents and juices, perhaps control
more than one body simultaneously, and even travel through time.
