Swamp Thing (Volume 2) Issue 95

## "Toxic Wonderland"

"*Those who have done this recline in their lair... Shutting out The Green's anguish with walls of concrete and steel... Protected -- they think -- by their mastery of cold metals.*"
―Swamp Thing
## Synopsis

### "Toxic Wonderland"

In their home in the Louisiana swamps, Abby Holland and her husband the Swamp Thing have concerns about the way their daughter Tefé's abilities are developing. She's only a baby, and she is already tapping into The Green to reshape their home and encourage plant growth.

Again, Swamp Thing wonders if he should go to the Parliament of Trees for advice, and again, Abby discourages him. She worries that the Parliament hopes to get its hands on Tefé. Regardless, if the Swamp Thing could finally retire, then the burden of being the earth's elemental would fall on their daughter, and she is not yet ready. Abby realizes that she must accept, for now at least, that her husband has a higher calling.

In Houma, Chester Williams hosts a meeting for his environmental group. They debate over what their next course of action should be. A Greenpeace activist believes that they should ally with eco-groups in Baton Rouge, while a woman suggests that the protest a marine shale plant in Morgan City

They leave it up to Chester to decide, but when someone mentions that the new plant from the Sunderland Corporation in Morgan City is a more immediate threat to the environment. Chester's friend Wallace Munroe stands, revealing that he once worked for the Sunderland Corporation, and his actions there led to the death of his wife and unborn child. In order to atone, he hopes that they can focus on that plant.

While Abby and the Swamp Thing make love in the garden, an unattended Tefé escapes from her enclosure. She comes to a pond, and strangely, crawls across the pool's surface. Nearby, she encounters a plant-pod, and moments later it bursts. From within, a childlike Swamp Thing analogue is born. Tefé is delighted. Abby realizes that Tefé is missing, and she and Swamp Thing track her down and find her playing with the little swamp creature.

Outside the Sunderland plant, Chester apologizes to his girlfriend Liz Tremayne for having forgotten that the Sunderland Corporation had tried to have her killed. She insists that she will be fine, and that she needs to face her fears.

Meanwhile, a truck driver carrying hazardous chemicals into the plant argues with the assembled protesters, threatening to call the police. When he realizes that he's running late, he decides to rush the crowd with his truck, and make them get out of his way.

Chester realizes that the trucks is accelerating, and tells everybody to move, but Wallace is determined to hold his ground. He claims he has nothing to live for since his wife and child were killed. Desperately, Chester tries to pull him aside, but instead, the truck barrels over Wallace, killing him and leaving Chester injured.

Swamp Thing determines that the childlike swamp creature is likely the result of some of his tubers taking root in the swamp's soil. However, he senses that it and several others like it are dying because of toxic pollutants in the nearby water supply.

They are startled by the sudden appearance of Liz, who informs them of what happened to Wallace and Chester. All of the protesters were arrested on the scene, and the truck driver who hit them was left unpunished. Angrily, Swamp Thing determines where the plant is located, and leaves Abby to look after Tefé and the dying plant-children.

Swimming through The Green, Swamp Thing senses the pollution therein, and makes his way into the Sunderland plant via a spider plant in an office. He overhears an executive providing the truck driver with an alibi to tell the police. His suspicions confirmed, Swamp Thing switches the toxic materials pipe with the plant's water supply, just as the executive fills a glass of water for himself. He then destroys the plant, making it clear that it is he who is behind it. He hopes that they will heed his warning.

Even so, he is still too late to stop the brunt of the plant's damage to the swamp's ecosystem. As he walks home, he takes all of the pollutants in the swamps upon himself, healing the land, but dreadfully emaciating his body. He returns to his family to find that all the swamp-children have died. Despite the knowledge that there is still toxic waste being dumped all over the world, he does nothing, knowing that it is man's world to save, man's problem to solve.

## Appearances

### "Toxic Wonderland"

#### Individuals

* Swamp Thing
* Abby Holland
* Tefé Holland
* Chester Williams
* Sunderland Corporation
* Liz Tremayne
* Wallace Monroe ***(Final appearance; dies)***
* Ted

#### Locations

* Louisiana
	+ Terrebonne Parish
		- Morgan City
		- Houma

## External links

* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 95 on DC Wiki
* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 95 on Comic Vine