Swamp Thing (Volume 2) Issue 62

## "Wavelength"

"*Somehow the Vegetable was able to attain the correct vibrational pattern and at the last possible instant, open the Final Barrier and provide an Answer to the Ultimate Question... At the expense of his own Sanity.*"
―Metron
## Synopsis

### "Wavelength"

Near the Source Wall, Metron examines the plight of two giants who hoped to gain access to the Source by enlarging themselves. Suddenly, he hears a signal and follows it into the sleeve of one of the giants' spacesuits. Inside, he finds some interesting flora growing, but beyond that, he discovers a giant Mother Box. After shrinking it down to a manageable size, he sets a course for Highfather's staff.

Unfortunately, he finds himself immobile. His Mobius Chair's energy source was depleted by the shrinking process. Angrily, Metron kicks the Mother Box, which rendered his chair useless, away. However, he is surprised when that same Mother Box transmits the consciousness of the Swamp Thing there, and into the plant life which Metron had collected earlier.

Swamp Thing discovers the Mother Box, and believes that it has told him that he was brought there because Metron wishes to enter the Source. Metron responds that he merely wants to go to Apokolips. Swamp Thing states that no, Metron's destiny lies with the Source, and so does his own. With the help of the Mother Box, he can transport Metron into the Source and back out again.

Swamp Thing alters his appearance into that of a chair, and uses the Mother Box to lift off, and fly toward the Source. He explains that having learned how to control his electromagnetic field, he can transcend the barrier by altering his vibrations.

After an uncomfortable transition through the barrier, they burst into the domain of the Transmuters – beings posted along the fringes of reality, working the compost of creation into higher matter. One of them notices them, and they are forced to escape before they are transmuted. Swamp Thing alters his vibrational pattern at the last second, bringing them past the final barrier. What the two of them see in the Source is too much for Swamp Thing to handle. Metron manages to focus on certain elements, seeing all of creation's marvels and follies.

Metron recounts the tale to Darkseid, who laughs, revealing that what they had seen was not the Source, but an Aleph – a point from which one can view all other points in time and space. This information depresses Metron, as he'd hoped to barter the information gleaned from the source in exchange for X-Element, the fuel for his Mobius chair. Even so, Darkseid wonders if information about the Swamp Thing's nature could help him solve the Anti-Life Equation. Metron explains the Swamp Thing's nature, and notes that he has already left for Earth.

Metron reveals that the Mother Box had to remove most of Swamp Thing's memories of the Aleph. Darkseid asks to view the record of those memories. The record shows that Swamp Thing thought only of his wife, Abby. The moments he observed spread from past to future, but all ending in fire and death. The images drove Swamp Thing mad.

In exchange for the information, Darkseid offers Metron the X-Element, then, crushing the Mother Box in his fist, he curses that he had forgotten to add the element of love to his equation.

## Appearances

### "Wavelength"

#### Individuals

* Swamp Thing
* Metron
* Darkseid
* Transmuter
* Sandman ***(Cameo)***
* Abby Holland ***(In a vision)***
* Matt Cable ***(In a vision)***
* Gregori Arcane ***(In a vision)***
* John Constantine ***(In a vision)***
* Parliament of Trees ***(In a vision)***
* Arne Jacobsen ***(In a vision)***
* Alec Holland ***(In a vision)***
* Linda Holland ***(In a vision)***
* Chester Williams ***(In a vision)***
* Jed Walker
* Promethean Giants

#### Locations

* Promethean Galaxy
* Source Wall
* The Source
* Apokolips

#### Items

* Anti-Life Equation ***(Mentioned only)***
* Mother Box
* Element X

## Notes

* First issue written solely by Rick Veitch.

## Trivia

* The idea of the Aleph comes from Jorge Luis Borges' tale "The Aleph". The Argentinian writer also makes a cameo in page 16: "In a garret in Buenos Aires, I sat typing with a genius, blind twenty years."

## External links

* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 62 on DC Wiki
* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 62 on Comic Vine