Swamp Thing (Volume 2) Issue 81

## "Widowsweed"

"*I'm not some Fay Wray who's available to every bug-eyed monster that comes along!*"
―Abigail Holland
## Synopsis

### "Widowsweed"

After a vivid sex dream, Abby Holland wakes in a tent with Chester Williams to the harsh reality that the home she built with the Swamp Thing has begun to rot and collapse in his absence. They do not understand the significance of this, but they both fear that it may mean that the Swamp Thing is dead.

Abby and Chester creep inside the dried out husk of the tree house, when Chester suddenly hears a noise upstairs. They investigate, but find nothing. Convinced that the Swamp Thing isn't there, Abby turns to collect some things and go. Suddenly, an alien intruder slaps some cuffs around Abby's wrists and puts a bag over her head.

Elsewhere, at Terrebonne Parish General Hospital a doctor removes the bandages from the newly reconstructed face of TV personality Roy Raymond. After his experience of being trapped in a car with an insane swamp creature, Raymond has given up his cravings for fame and fortune, and believes that he may go back to being a real detective. Suddenly, the press waiting for him outside all rush back to their vehicles and drive off. A nurse informs him that Australia is under full scale attack by aliens.

On the alien's ship, Abby's captor receives a communique from the Dominators. The alien called Widowsweed turns out to be a freelance agent in the Dominators' invasion. They thank Widowsweed for having captured Abby, and in doing so, nullified the threat that the foetus she carries inside her poses to them. When Widowsweed realizes that Abby is pregnant, she has a change of heart, revealing to her captive that she too is a mother.

Widowsweed ignores transmissions from the Dominators, taking her ship deeper into the swamps, where she finds the derelict craft left behind by her mate many years ago. She is horrified to discover that her mate is dead, and has been for many years.

Having found what she truly came to Earth for, Widowsweed allows Abby to go free with Chester. She explains that she only agreed to work with the Dominators in the hopes of reuniting with her mate, and now that her hopes are ruined, she has no desire to pursue this mission. She gets back into her ship and begins to fly off.

Moments later, Green Lantern Guy Gardner appears before them. He tells Abby and Chester that he has come to recruit the Swamp Thing to help Earth's heroes against the Dominators. Chester and Abby try to obfuscate Swamp Thing's last known whereabouts, but in truth, they really don't know where he is.

Guy happens to see Widowsweed's spaceship arching upward above the skyline. Perceiving any alien vessel as a threat at this point, he blasts it out of the sky with a bolt of green energy, much to Abby's horror.
Later, Abby decides - despite Chester's protests - to continue living in her rotting tree house, and wait for the Swamp Thing. Inside, she finds the special wedding band that her husband made for her, and it gives her comfort. She is sure that everything is going to be all right.

## Appearances

### "Widowsweed"

#### Individuals

* Abigail Holland
* Chester Williams
* Roy Raymond
* Dominators
* Widowsweed ***(Only appearance; dies)***
* Guy Gardner
* Swamp Thing ***(In dream sequence only)***

#### Locations

* Louisiana
	+ Terrebonne Parish
	+ Houma

## Notes

* This issue is an *Invasion! First Strike* extra, and a tie-in to the larger story told in the *Invasion!* miniseries. These crossovers take place in between *Invasion!* #1 and *Invasion!* #2, largely dealing with the Alien Alliance's assault on Earth and the way heroes around the world were participating in the initial war effort.
* Outside of Abby's dream, the Swamp Thing does not appear in this issue. He was supposedly killed by the Dominion in issue *Swamp Thing* Vol. 2, #80.
* Swamp Thing originally clashed with Widowsweed's mate in *Swamp Thing* #9.
* Swamp Thing created wedding band out of vegetable matter for Abby in issue *Swamp Thing* Vol. 2, #80.
* Roy Raymond is recovering from his ordeal with Wild Thing. His last appearance was in *Swamp Thing* Vol. 2, #74.

## Trivia

* Chester has a bumper sticker on the side of his tent which reads, "Bush/Noriega '88". This is a reference to former President/Vice-President George H.W. Bush and Manuel Noriega.
* Chester's recited mantra concerning the Litany of Fear is taken from Frank Herbert's science fiction novel, *Dune*. The quote was also used in the 1984 film adaptation, directed by David Lynch.
* Fay Wray is a Silver Screen actress popularly known for playing the role of Anne Darrow in the 1933 RKO Productions film *King Kong*.

## External links

* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 81 on DC Wiki
* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 81 on Comic Vine