Alec Holland (DC)

Alec Holland in Swamp Thing v5 #25.

Alec Holland is a male comic character who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Origin

Alec Holland

After years of waiting, Arcane Arcane located Swamp Thing, and had his Un-Men, led by Cranius, bring him to his castle in the Balkans. Swamp Thing did not yet know Arcane, even though Arcane had encountered Swamp Thing’s future self in a time travel incident, and was easily coerced by the sorcerer. Arcane promised him his human body back, and used his magic to assume Swamp Thing's form and shaped a human body for Swamp Thing. Arcane had finally gained a body suitable for eternal life. When Swamp Thing realized Arcane's evil intentions he reversed the spell, and Arcane fell from a tower window while fleeing the enraged elemental. The Un-Men were unsure of what to do, knowing only blind obedience to Arcane, so they leapt out the window themselves. (Swamp Thing v1 #2) Swamp Thing’s destruction of Arcane’s castle freed the Patchwork Man, Arcane’s brother, who the sorcerer had resurrected and turned into an undead monster. Patchwork Man went into the village to find his daughter Abigail, who was in the company of Matt Cable, who’d come to the Balkans looking for Swamp Thing. He’d convinced himself that Swamp Thing was responsible for the Hollands’ deaths, and had vowed to destroy him. Abigail didn’t recognize her resurrected father, and was in terror. Swamp Thing thought Patchwork Man meant her harm, and the monsters clashed, resulting in Abigail nearly falling into a chasm. Patchwork Man saved her, but ended up plummeting into the chasm himself. With nothing left for her in the Balkans, Abigail convinced Matt to allow her to accompany him in the search for Swamp Thing. (Swamp Thing v1 #3)

Swamp Thing would later hitch a ride on Matt and Abby’s plane out of the Balkans, but the aircraft later crashed in the Scottish moors. The MacCobb family took in Matt and Abigail, and warned of a monster prowling the moors. Swamp Thing investigated, and met with a werewolf. They clashed, and the beast threw Swamp Thing into quicksand. The werewolf was actually the MacCobbs’ son Ian, and they had waited years to find a victim to transfer his curse to. The MacCobbs drugged Cable and Ian, and when they awoke in bondage the MacCobbs revealed their plan for a complete drug transfusion that would transfer the curse from Ian to Cable. Ian couldn’t bear the thought of someone living with his curse, snapped his bonds, and transformed into a werewolf. Swamp Thing, who’d dug his way out of the quicksand, arrived and clashed with Ian. He knew silver could harm a werewolf, and although the MacCobbs thought they removed all of the precious metal from their home they forgot the chandelier. Swamp Thing swung the chandelier in a circle as Jenna stepped forward to protect her boy. The chandalier broke, and Ian shoved his mother to safety, allowing the silver to pierce his skin and kill him. He was relieved that he’d never again harm another person. Abigail was amazed at Swamp Thing’s heroism, but Matt was unmoved, telling her he was still not worthy of any good will on their part. (Swamp Thing v1 #4) Swamp Thing made his way from the moors to a small port, and stowed away on a ship. He hid in cargo, but when he went on deck he was discovered by the horrified sailors and forced to go overboard. He washed up on the shore of Divinity, Maine, a small town filled with superstition and distrust of strangers. He was discovered and cared for by Rebecca Ravenwind and her simple brother Timothy. She told him a man named Gideon was persecuting her for being a witch, although she swore it was a lie. She was glad to have aided the swamp monster, and Swamp Thing promised to reward her kindness by saving her from persecution. Gideon’s mob caught up with them, and one roughneck used a scythe to sever Swamp Thing’s arm. He felt no pain, and learned more about his own power when it soon regrew. The mob started a fire, and this brought back traumatic memories of Swamp Thing’s birth. In a panic he toppled over a cliff. By the time he recovered the townsfolk were ready to burn Rebecca at the stake. Swamp Thing fought the angry mob, and saved Rebecca. She flew into the air, and accused Gideon of keeping Divinity loyal through ignorance and paranoia. She summoned a storm and turned every member of the mob into a flower. She told Swamp Thing she had not lied to him. Timothy was a warlock, and he channeled his abilities through her, but he never meant anyone harm. Swamp Thing thought the town got exactly what it deserved. (Swamp Thing v1 #5)

Swamp Thing

After finally defeating Arcane, Swamp Thing was set upon by General Sunderland's men, in a covert military operation. The resulting attacks blasted a hole in Swamp Thing's head and destroyed the lives of many of his friends. Sunderland brought the Swamp Thing's body back to Sunderland Corp to study and unlock the secret of the Bio-Restorative Formula. (Swamp Thing v2 #20) Sunderland hired the Jason Woodrue to study Swamp Thing's body, which he had stored in a cryochest. Over the course of his research, the Floronic Man deduced the truth about Swamp Thing, that he was a plant that thought it was Alec Holland—the real Alec Holland had died in the explosion. Sunderland and Woodrue parted on bad terms, so the scientist used Sunderland's automated computer systems to raise the thermostat in Swamp Thing's cryochest. This allowed Swamp Thing's body to regenerate, and in his search for Sunderland, he stumbled across the Floronic Man's report, which sent him into a mindless rage. He killed Sunderland, and set off for the swamps. (Swamp Thing v2 #21) Swamp Thing went into shock from learning his true origins. He rooted himself into the swamp and spent three weeks dreaming; his mind eventually traveling into The Green. Woodrue returned to the swamp and discovered Swamp Thing's connection to The Green, but the experience drove him mad. (Swamp Thing v2 #22) When Swamp Thing realized the presence of Woodrue's corrupting influence there, he wrenched himself back into reality. He caught up with Woodrue and convinced the villain that his war against animal life was pointless, reminding him that plant life and animal life needed each other to survive. (Swamp Thing v2 #24)

In San Miguel, Swamp Thing visited the abandoned Cambridge mansion, haunted by every person ever to have been killed by the Cambridge repeater firearm. A group of thrill seekers were menaced by the ghosts. Swamp Thing managed to exorcise the ghosts from the mansion by making the sound of a hammer on a big table within. Afterward, Constantine appeared and explained that he wanted the Swamp Thing to see first-hand the effects that the coming Crisis was having on Earth. (Swamp Thing v2 #45) Swamp Thing and Constantine witnessed the effects of the Crisis: blood red skies, and people and beasts from many different time periods, displaced into the present day. The pair were suddenly teleported to the Monitor's Satellite by Alexander Luthor. Constantine introduced Swamp Thing to Alexander, who had formed a plan to ensure that reality survived the Crisis. Constantine promised that the Swamp Thing would likewise ensure that the spiritual realms survived the after-effects of the Crisis. (Swamp Thing v2 #46)

Swamp Thing entered the Green and sought an audience with the Parliament of Trees, hoping they would consider their rejection of him as immature when he revealed his journey across space. They rejected the very concept because no Earth Elemental had ever left Earth, and were unconvinced that he was actually Swamp Thing, believing, like the rest of the world, that he was dead. They touched minds and saw he was telling the truth, but revealed that in his absence they'd created the soul of a new Earth Elemental, and that having two elementals operating outside of the Parliament would throw the natural world into chaos. Because he had the right of prior status they told him to destroy the Sprout's soul. Swamp Thing rebuffed them, telling them that he was different from them, and that since he'd decided to withdraw from society the Sprout could serve as their new champion, and left the Green. Swamp Thing returned to the bayou to find John Constantine with Abby, and Constantine told him there was a new caper that needed his attention. Swamp Thing made it clear he'd withdrawn from the world and would no longer have part in Constantine's schemes. When Constantine decried the troubles of the world, including governments willing to burn the world to a cinder and superheroes making a mockery of due process, and told him to wake up, Swamp Thing simply replied that Constantine wouldn't understand his decision because he was just a human. This greatly offended Abigail's sensibilities, and she ran off crying, rightly stating that Constantine always ruined everything, including her peaceful life with her lover. Swamp Thing was angered and manipulated the flora in Constantine's guts to put him in excruciating pain. He told Constantine that the Parliament of Trees had created a new Earth Elemental in his absence, and told him he could shoulder the problems of the world. Constantine reflected that it wouldn't be a bad idea to get his hooks into the new elemental. (Swamp Thing v2 #65)

Even after making love Abby was still shaken about Swamp Thing not being able to understand her mindset because she was "just a human," sop in desperation for her to see things his way Swamp Thing entered her body through the flora of her intestines and traveled into her pineal gland, the seat of the soul. He freed her soul from her body, while he would keep watch over her corporal form, and told her to explore. Her spirit entered the Elysium Fields, where she met Alec and Linda Holland, and Alec gave her a tour of the afterlife. Swamp Thing was intrigued by existing in her fragile, corporal form, but was worried when she didn't return as soon as he expected her to. Abby did return, and was only tardy because she was having the time of her life. She was brought to tears by the beauty of Heaven, and understood that although Swamp Thing understood life on a different level than her, it didn't make them love each other less. She'd encountered the new earth elemental the Sprout in Heaven, and it had followed her to the physical plane. She asked if they could keep it, but Swamp Thing dismissed the Sprout, saying that its destiny was elsewhere. (Swamp Thing v2 #66)

Brightest Day

Alec Holland was returned to life by the Life Entity within the White Lantern whilst the Swamp Thing became a being of mindless destruction. Alec's last conscious memory was of hurling himself into the swamp to extinguish the flames engulfing him, having no memory of ever being the Swamp Thing previously. Constantine took it upon himself to seek the living Alec out and force him to reunite with the Swamp Thing as one thus returning its conscience. However, since he had been given his life back, Alec wanted to keep it with John conceding and letting him live.

The Entity revealed Alec Holland as its champion and a missing, vital component of the Swamp Thing itself. Unlike the previous incarnation, a mass of humanoid plant life with all of Holland's absorbed memories, this new, renewed Swamp Thing was generated directly from the body of Alec Holland himself. The Entity imbued upon Holland all of the powers of the Green that the former had wielded, including the additional elemental governance over fire. As the Swamp Thing, Alec grew to an enormous height to battle the corrupted being. Upon defeating it, he restored the Green to its natural order.

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Alec Holland is brought back to life but came to be haunted by the memories of the Swamp Thing. Alec tried to put those memories behind him and live life as a carpenter in Louisiana yet the Green continues to reach out for him. He was visited at work by Superman who informed him of strange animal deaths across the world. Alec declined to further investigating the matter as he explained to Superman his search for a normal life. He came to tell Superman how he tried returning to his botany work and successfully created a bio-restorative formula but he also had a vision of a world covered in Green so he destroyed it. Later that night, Alec had nightmares of the Swamp Thing and awoke to find his room covered in plants.

Overview

Powers and abilities

It was said that the Swamp Thing's mind seemed to be a function of his astral body. (Swamp Thing v5 #75)

To increase his intellect, he could grow a structure modelled on the human brain that could serve as a bio-computer. The large structure took two hours for him to grow where it towered above him. When bonded with it, Swamp Thing could become lost in though where seemingly a moment for him led to months passing in the real world. (Swamp Thing v2 #75)

As a scientist, he was noted for his research in the bio-restorative formula. Such was the importance of the formula that it was said that whoever obtained it would control the world. (Swamp Thing v1 #1)

Notes

• Alec Holland was created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson where he made his first appearance in Swamp Thing v1 #1 (November, 1972).

Alternate Versions

• In DC Nation Presents DC: Future State v1 #1 (2020), an alternate version of Alec Holland appeared in the possible Future State timeline set on a world within the Multiverse. Swamp Thing took shelter inside New York City, where he created several new forms of sentient plant life, his own sons and daughters. He did it because humans disappeared from the Earth, afraid of the planet itself: it seemed that some time ago, a great conflict between humanity and the forces of nature broke society apart, and now whole cities stood empty, with no human to be found. Alec though was still searching from them, even if some of his family did not agree with the research, especially Indigo. Connecting with the Green, he found out there were humans in New York a while ago, who then moved in the north of Canada. After hearing out his firstborn, Heather, who told him they will always follow their Green Father, he decided to move. While in Canada, one of his sons was killed while standing on guard at night. Heather found the killer, a human called Venen, and her first impulse was to punish him, but Swamp Thing stopped her, telling her they must act with kindness, and not violence. After a brief moment of rage, Heather stayed with Alec while he started to know Venen better. Venen revealed them he came from the S.T.A.R. Fortress after abandoning a community that formed there. He did it because the one leading it, the Undying Man, planned something that could result in the end of the world: awakening the Obsidian Sun. Venen started travelling, hoping to find other men or Swamp Thing, to ask for help.

In other media

Television

• In Swamp Thing, Alec Holland appeared in the setting of the 1990 live-action television series where he was portrayed by actor Dick Durock. Alec Holland was once a brilliant biochemist working in the swamps of Louisiana. He had perfected a chemical compound known as the Bio-Restorative Formula, but before he could celebrate his success, he was murdered by rival scientist Anton Arcane. Holland and his formula collapsed into the swamplands surrounding his laboratory and the formula reacted with the local plant life transforming him into the Swamp Thing. As the Swamp Thing, Alec assumed the position of guardian of the swamps and remained hidden in seclusion from the eyes of man. He always kept an eye out for anything untoward taking place in the swamps, but paid particularly close to the actions of Anton Arcane. The Swamp Thing befriended a nine-year-old boy named Jim Kipp who lived nearby at his grandmother's home. Holland felt a particular kinship with Kipp and kept a watchful eye over him. When Kipp was accosted by Toad Boy who was one of Arcane's genetic experiments, the Swamp Thing scared him off, earning himself Jim's admiration. The Swamp Thing encountered another of Arcane's experiments, a man named Falco. Falco attempted to assassinate Arcane at the funeral of Savanna Langford, but upon failing to do so, fled into the swamp where he encountered the Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing learned of Falco's hatred for Arcane, and ultimately convinced him to give up his rage and embrace life. In a later incident, the Swamp Thing entered the Langford home in order to aid Jim Kipp who felt that his life was in danger. Circumstances arose that forced the Swamp Thing to remain in the house well past dusk and his powers began to fade. Light from the morning sun rejuvenated him and he was able to leave. It was also at this time that the Swamp Thing used his miraculous healing touch to save the life of Jim's mother, Tressa Kipp, who had been mortally shot by a criminal named Eleanor.
• In Swamp Thing, Alec Holland appeared in the setting of the 1991 live-action television series where he was voiced by actor Len Carlson.
• In Swamp Thing, Alec Holland appeared in the live-action DC Universe television series where he was portrayed by actor Andy Bean.

Films

• In Swamp Thing, Alec Holland appeared in the 1982 live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Ray Wise. Alec Holland was a brilliant and dedicated scientist who worked alongside his sister, Linda, in a top-secret laboratory hidden deep within the Louisiana bayous. He successfully developed a revolutionary bio-restorative formula designed to solve world hunger by enabling plants to grow in extreme conditions, but his breakthrough ultimately became his undoing when the ruthless paramilitary leader Anton Arcane raided the facility. During the violent struggle to protect his research, a chemical explosion bathed Holland in his own volatile serum and set him ablaze, forcing him to plunge into the dark, stagnant waters of the swamp to extinguish the flames. Instead of dying, his body underwent a horrific and miraculous mutagenic transformation, as the formula accelerated the growth of the surrounding vegetation and fused it with his cellular structure to create a towering, plant-based humanoid. Retaining his human memories and a desperate love for the government agent Alice Cable, the newly born Swamp Thing waged a vengeful guerrilla war against Arcane’s mercenaries, using his superhuman strength and mastery of the marshland to dismantle their operations. In the final confrontation, he faced a mutated, monstrous version of Arcane, ultimately defeating his nemesis in a brutal swamp-duel before stoically retreating into the deep wilderness, choosing a life of solitude as the eternal guardian of the ecosystem.
• In The Return of Swamp Thing, Alec Holland appeared in the live-action film sequel where he was portrayed by actor Dick Durock. Holland emerged from the shadows of the Louisiana bayou to once again protect the innocent and confront the resurrected Anton Arcane. Having long since accepted his existence as a powerful elemental, he was drawn out of his solitude when Abigail Arcane, Anton's stepdaughter, arrived at the estate seeking the truth about her past. He acted as her silent, superhuman guardian, rescuing her from a group of mutated Un-Men and the lethal genetic experiments being conducted in Arcane's high-tech laboratory. Unlike his more brooding past self, he displayed a softer, more poetic side during his interactions with Abigail, eventually sharing a psychedelic, romantic connection with her after she consumed a special fruit grown from his own body. As the conflict escalated, he infiltrated Arcane’s fortress to stop the villain's plot to achieve immortality through the extraction of Swamp Thing's unique DNA. In a final, explosive showdown, he used his incredible strength to dismantle Arcane’s operations and defeated the mad scientist’s monster-form for a second time, ultimately choosing to stay by Abigail's side to help rebuild the estate and ensure that the swamp's delicate balance was never threatened by Arcane’s greed again.

Video games

• In Infinite Crisis, Alec Holland was referenced in the backstory of Swamp Thing who was a playable character in the MOBA video game. It was said that Swamp Thing initially believed he was a reborn Alec Holland but instead learnt he simply inherited the deceased scientist's memories.
• In Injustice 2, Alec Holland as Swamp Thing appeared as a playable character in the fighting video game where he was voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In DC: Legends, Alec Holland as Swamp Thing appeared as a playable character in the mobile video game.

Appearances

• Swamp Thing v1: (1972)
• Swamp Thing v2:
• Swamp Thing v5:
• Justice League Dark v1:
• Batman:
• Justice League Dark v2:
• The Swamp Thing v1:

External Links

• DC Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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