Warning! Spoilers for The Swamp Thing #3!
A new original host of this leafy green giant, Alec Holland, just made a surprise return in comics! Good thing Alec knows his way around commanding all plant life because the new Avatar of The Green needs all the help he can get.
Revealed at the tail end of the newest double version of Poison Ivy who seems a bit different than what fans have ever seen before.
Scouring the unending plains of this vibrant yet slightly creepy realm, Levi has it out with the more dominant part of Poison Ivy, but before things can truly escalate, a soothing voice and familiar silhouette appears on the scene, stopping Levi in his tracks. Saying, “Calm down, Levi…” as he inexplicably materializes in front of him, Alec Holland steps into view, and with these few simple words, immediately sets the tone for who he will no doubt become in regards to the new Swamp Thing: his mentor.
Needing all the pointers, tricks, revealing conversations and a kick in the grass when things get tough, Levi finally getting his own mentor in the form of Alec is a blessing for a man that still isn’t even sure he wants to be the Avatar of The Green to begin with. Knowing he has to save Jennifer before she's lost forever, and also understanding that there’s something fishy going on deep in the folds of The Green, Levi having Alec by his side to help him along as he learns the ins and outs of being Swamp Thing is an invaluable turn of events that will no doubt factor into Levi’s transition from half-hearted hero to full blown protector of all plant life.
As for Alec, he was last seen during the Endless Winter event that saw him give part of his swampy self to a new, temporary host in order to help defeat the evil that was The Frost King. Efficient, effective and a fan favorite during his tenure as Swamp Thing, Alec was part of the Justice League Dark for a time and is the perfect person to help Levi become a better version of Swampy in the long run.
So while he isn’t inhabiting the tangled mess of vines and leaves that is Swamp Thing this time around, Alec Holland returning to help train DC’s newest Champion of The Green is a pretty big reveal that will no doubt have huge ramifications in Levi’s story of becoming the new Swamp Thing. And who knows? Alec might feel the need for green and help Levi in ways that could see him don the leafy mantle again, so fans will need to stay tuned as this limited series continues.
