Abby Holland

Origin

Abby Holland was born in 1955 Transylvania, Romania to Gregori Arcane and Anise Arcane. After her mother's death, she was confronted by Anton Arcane, her Uncle, who wanted to teach her evil magic. Her father prevented this, but subsequently died in a land mine explosion, only to be brought back by Anton as the Patchwork Man. Swamp Thing intervened to save Abby when she was abducted by the Patchwork Man, leaving her with Matthew Cable afterwards.

Creation

Abby Holland was created by Len Wein in Swamp Thing #3.

Character Evolution

DC Comics/Vertigo

Abby overcame a difficult childhood. Later on, Abby is confronted by her uncle, Anton Arcane who wants to teach her evil magic but is stopped from doing so when her father intervenes. Abby's father is presumed dead when he stepped on a land mine. In 1970, Abby meets Matthew Cable, a US agent on the hunt for the Swamp Thing, and they form a great friendship with each other. One day, when Abby witnesses a explosion at Castle Arcane, she is attacked by her father who is now Patchwork Man.

Post-Flashpoint

Abby has reappeared in the New 52. She was intitially thought to be a threat when she saved Alec but then aimed a gun at him telling him to prove that he was Alec Holland, which scares Alec so much that he subconciously uses his plant powers and she recognizes him as Alec Holland. She later tells him that they have to find her brother William Arcane and stop him before he bonds with Sethe the avatar of the rot. She is revealed to have a connection with the rot like her uncle and her brother. Ounce they catch up with William they fight him which leads to Abby recognizing her love for Alec and kisssing him. Abby then gets captured by the Creatures of the rot and transformed into the queen of the rot only to be saved by swamp thing who gets badly injured fighting Sethe. Abby uses her powers to defeat Sethe and save Swamp thing.

Major Story Arcs

DC Comics/Vertigo:

Swamp Thing

Unknown to Abby, Anton transformed Gregori into the Patchwork Man after he stepped on the land mine. The Swamp Thing shows up to save her and after winning a brief battle, carries Abby away to safety. He brings Abby to Matthew. After realizing that the Swamp Thing just killed her father, Abby goes with Matthew Cable to search for the Swamp Thing. Abby and Matt are than attacked by a werewolf but are saved once again by the Swamp Thing. Abby and Matthew than travel to Burgess town, Vermont, in hopes of finding some information on the Swamp Thing. Abby and Matthew are than captured by the organization known as Conclave and are brought to Gotham City. They are rescued by the Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing later revealed his identity to Abby and Matthew, as Alec Holland.

Abby Has A Child By Swamp Thing & John Constantine

Abby later forms a romantic relationship with Matthew Cable and the two get married. Later Matthew dies after an extended period in a coma, widowing Abby. While Matthew is in a coma, Abby falls in love with Swamp Thing. When he returns to Earth, after being presumed dead, the couple decide to live together in his swamp. Later, John Constantine, allows Swamp Thing the use of his body to conceive a child with Abby; they name their daughter Tefe.

Swamp Thing (New52)

When Alec Holland was about to be killed by the entity of the Rot known as "Sethe", Abigail rode in, literally, on a Motorbike, and whisked the former Swamp Thing away. After revealing her identity to him, she forced him to reveal his powers of the Green at gun point. After explaining their shared history to him, and revealing her shared history to "The Rot." Abigail takes him on a ride down to visit her Brother, William, before the Rot uses him as it's agent.

They arrive to the Shepherd Institute and find the remains of the staff slaughtered by William. Abby and Alec continue their search and take a brief nap along the way. When Abby wakes she finds the grass and ground around her have died while it has flourished on Alec's side. They continue their search towards a slaughterhouse in Stocks, TX and come across a store to stock up on shotgun ammo and canned peaches. William comes crashing through the store and attacks with reanimated bulls and hogs. Abby begs her brother to resist the Rot but he is too far gone. Alec summons massive vines from the ground and rips apart all of William's monsters and restrains him up in a tree. He then aids Abby's wounds and shares the peaches with her before the two kiss. Alec immediately falls ill as William begins to cheer that the Rot has won. The Rot erupts from the ground and begins to wrap Abby in a cocoon as Alec lie writhing in pain. William has the army of the Rot take Abby's cocoon toward Death Valley where she will emerge as the Queen of the Rot.

Alec arrives to Death Valley to save Abby as Swamp Thing. Abby emerges as the Queen of the Rot and attacks Swamp Thing, impaling him. Abby continues to tear into Swamp Thing, unable to control herself. Swamp Thing tells her that he put vanilla seeds from an orchid were placed in her peaches and he can reverse the transformation through that. Abby breaks out of the monster and turns to face Seethe. Seemingly empowered by both the green and the rot, Abby slowly and methodically breaks Sethe apart. She then turns to Swamp Thing who is wounded from her attack. She takes him back to the swamp near her old home where he returns to heal himself.

Abigail goes into her old home and is attacked by Anton Arcane. She and Swamp Thing successfully fight him off, and Animal Man arrives in order take on the Rot together. He and Swamp Thing enter the Rot together, leaving Abigail behind.

Rotworld

For further details see: Rotworld

Animal Man and Swamp Thing are gone from the world for a year, and during that time, The Rot was able to take control of the planet. Abigail attempted to seize power from Anton, and goes to fight him. However, she was not powerful enough to stop him, and was killed.

Other Media

Film

Swamp Thing

(1982)

The original character of Alice Cable was based on Abby Arcane as an amalgam of Abby and Matthew Cable, played by Adrienne Barbeau.

Return of the Swamp Thing

(1989)

Heather Locklear played Abby Arcane in the comedic sequel Return of the Swamp Thing, portrayed as a valley girl and as the step-daughter of Anton Arcane, whom had been resurrected since the vents of the last film. In Peter David's novelization, her origin is more in line with her comic counterpart.

Television

Swamp Thing

(1990-93)

A woman named "Abigail" appeared in the USA Network's live action series. She was a synthetic girl created by Dr. Woodrue.

Swamp Thing

(1991 animated series)

Abby Arcane appeared briefly in the animated series, again as the step-daughter of Anton Arcane. She befriends Swamp Thing and helps him to become human again.

Robot Chicken

Abby appears briefly next to Swamp Thing in the Robot Chicken DC Comics Special.