Abigail Arcane

* Comics
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 2019

**Abigail "Abby" Arcane** is a fictional character and hero in comic books published by the American company DC Comics. She first appeared in *Swamp Thing* #3 (March 1973), and was created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. Abigail is the love interest of Swamp Thing and is portrayed by Crystal Reed on the 2019 TV Series.

## Television

### Live Action

In the 2019 TV series, Abigail Arcane is a CDC doctor whose strong sense of empathy puts her at the center of a horrific life-threatening epidemic in her hometown where she faces emotional demons from her past… while a chance meeting with scientist Alec Holland takes her into a world of horror and the supernatural, and of the elemental creature known as Swamp Thing. Abigail is a CDC researcher who returns to her childhood home of Houma, Louisiana, in order to investigate a deadly swamp-borne virus. There, she develops a surprising bond with scientist Alec Holland - only to have him tragically taken from her. But as powerful forces descend on Houma, intent on exploiting the swamp’s mysterious properties for their own purposes, Abby will discover that the swamp holds mystical secrets, both horrifying and wondrous - and the potential love of her life may not be dead after all.

### Animation

In the animated series, Abigail Arcane is the stepdaughter of evil scientist Anton Arcane, who was entrusted with the diary of Alec Holland (Swamp Thing) with the hopes that she would help him someday become human again.

## Personality

Smart and caring, Abigail's strong sense of empathy puts her at the center of a horrific life-threatening epidemic in her hometown, where she faces emotional demons from her past, while a chance meeting with scientist Alec Holland takes her into a world of horror and the supernatural, and of the elemental creature known as Swamp Thing.

## Comics

Abigail Holland was born into the Aristocratic Arcane family of Transylvania. She was raised by her father Gregori in Castle Arcane, and when she was 18 years old, she became a medic in the nearby Balkan village. In 1973, Interpol agent Matthew Cable came to Transylvania investigating the alleged murders of his friends Alec and Linda Holland. He believed that a strange creature known as the Swamp Thing was responsible for their deaths. He met Abby and became instantly smitten with her. At this time, Abby had a brief encounter with the bizarre Patchwork Man, and came to realize that he was actually the mute and disfigured form of her father, Gregori. It was also at this time that Abby first encountered another monstrosity – the Swamp Thing. The Swamp Thing and the Patchwork Man found themselves embroiled in a conflict with the Un-Men, a battle that resulted in the destruction of Castle Arcane.

Following the destruction of the ancestral estate, Abby agreed to leave Transylvania with Matt. She shared in several strange adventures with Matt and tried to convince him to abandon his obsessive desire to destroy the Swamp Thing. Before long, Abby reciprocated Matthew's love and the two were married. Matt arranged for Abby to become a U.S. citizen. They both soon discovered that Alec Holland was the Swamp Thing and Cable abandoned his hunt for Alec's killer (though it would turn out that the Swamp Thing was not Alec Holland after all). After many harrowing incidents with one another, the marriage between Abigail and Matt began to fall apart. She began slowly developing feelings for the Swamp Thing. Cable meanwhile became the victim of Abby's uncle Anton Arcane. After attempting to possess his body, Matthew Cable lapsed into a coma and eventually died. Distraught Abigail found comfort in the arms of the Swamp Thing. The two fell in love and married each other in their own unique private ceremony.

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

* **Psychokinesis:** Abigail Holland is a natural psychic whose abilities began to develop when she was a child.
	+ **Empathy:** Abby possesses a natural emotional affinity towards other living things. At first terrified by such an ability, Abby later accepted the power to feel the emotions of others and it was this ability that drove her towards pursuing a career in medicine. Abby's empathic control is what also enabled her to recognize her father as the Patchwork Man, and also paved the way for her romantic relationship and later marriage to Alec Holland, the Swamp Thing.
	+ **Telepathy:** In connection with her empathic control, Abby can also perceive mental impressions from the minds of others and on a low level, transmit her thoughts to other people as well. She once used this ability to telepathically sense Alec Holland's soul which had been trapped in a mystic globe by the Nebiros.

### Abilities

* **Medical Science:** Abigail Holland is experienced in the field of basic medicine and first aid.
* **Medicine**

## Trivia

* Abby's white hair with black streaks appears to be a dominant hereditary trait among the Arcane women. Her grandmother Anaïs Arcane had similar hair as does Abby's daughter Tefé.
* In the 1982 film, the character of Alice Cable (portrayed by Adrienne Barbeau) is loosely based on Abigail Arcane - basically an amalgam of Abigail and Matthew Cable. She is portrayed as a government agent who becomes in love with Alec Holland aka Swamp Thing. The movie was directed by horror icon, Wes Craven.

## In other media

*Main article: Abigail Arcane in other media*

## References

1. ↑ Hemmert, Kylie (September 6, 2018). "DC Universe's Swamp Thing Series Casts Crystal Reed as Abby Arcane". *Superhero Hype*. Retrieved on September 6, 2018.
2. ↑ Thomas, Jeremy (September 6, 2018). "DC Universe's Swamp Thing Casts Crystal Reed as Abigail Arcane". *411 Mania*. Retrieved on September 6, 2018.
3. ↑ *Swamp Thing* #18 (September 1975)