Swamp Thing (Volume 2) Issue 122

## "The Eye of the Needle"

"*Violence... can be found... in all humans... some are just... more eager to embrace it... than others...*"
―Swamp Thing
## Synopsis

### "The Eye of the Needle"

Doctor Eric Niederman owes the Sunderland Corporation his livelihood. He received a scholarship from them, when he knew he was undeserving. The General took a specific interest in him, and Niederman knew that when Sunderland asked for a favor, he would be required to do what was asked of him, and he did - without complaint. Dr. Niederman is The Needleman.

In Houma, the monkey wrencher activists visiting with Chester Williams await the arrival of their professor - the man who encouraged them towards environmentalism. Otter comments that Chester reminds him of Professor Johnson. The Professor arrives, the kids explain what happened that wrecked Spike's car, and got Otter injured. The Professor is quietly angered by this, but he is happy to meet the people who helped them. Abby Holland introduces herself, explaining that her husband, the Swamp Thing was key to saving the kids from further injury.

In the Louisiana swamp, Swamp Thing decides to step outside and create a jungle-gym for his daughter Tefé. He is interrupted by her governess Lady Jane. She is having difficulties with juggling Tefé's control over living flesh with her connection to The Green. She leads him out into the garden, where Tefé has surrounded herself with a ring of anthropomorphic flowers, singing and dancing around her.

With the young activists safely seen off with their professor, Abby and Chester decide to go for a drink at Jo-Jo's bar. While there, however, they are verbally abused by a man who is opposed to Chester's having a gay couple living under his roof. Abby and Chester attempt to leave, but the man makes a comment suggesting that Chester's ex girlfriend Liz left him because he couldn't satisfy her. Angrily, Chester socks him in the mouth. He immediately regrets resorting to violence, but the man is angry, and swears revenge.

At Tulane University in New Orleans, the monkey wrenchers decide to take a more covert approach to activism by hacking into the Sunderland Corporation mainframe directory. There, they discover something called Project Proteus. Unfortunately, they are not unnoticed by their victim, and Constance Sunderland is informed. She in turn calls Dr. Niederman and identifies Arthur "Otter" Dole as his next patient, however, she points out Professor Johnson as the real danger.

Elsewhere, Lester Boudreaux - Chester's neighbor - calls representative Ben Barron. Barron is the Republican contender for Governor of Louisiana, but he is also a bigoted white supremacist. Lester complains of Chester's homosexual housemates, Carl Vinter and Troy Washington. He also complains of Abby's comings and goings. Barron's interest peaks at the thought of causing some hurt to the Swamp Thing, and promises to look into it.

Back at home in the swamp, Abby expresses surprise at Chester's actions. Swamp Thing responds that the capacity for violence is inherent in all humans. Abby is suddenly surprised by a movement at her feet. Swamp Thing plucks the creature up, and reveals that it is one of Tefé's "pets". He explains that they are not actually sentient. Rather, they are like three-dimensional cartoon characters; the product of a young child's imagination. While they allow the little flowers to stay around, something about singing daisies gives Abby the willies.

At Tulane University, Prof. Clark Johnson receives a visit from Dr. Niederman, who pulls out a long, threatening looking needle, and demands to know where Otter is.

Early in the morning, Carl Vinter wakes to the sound of voices from people out on the lawn. He wakes Troy and Chester, and they go to investigate. Opening the front door, they are dumbstruck to see a flaming cross planted on Chester's lawn.

Otter intends to visit Professor Johnson with some information, but upon opening his mentor's office, he discovers that the professor has been murdered.

## Appearances

### "The Eye of the Needle"

#### Individuals

* Swamp Thing
* Abby Holland
* Chester Williams
* Dr. Eric Niederman
* Constance Sunderland
* Lester Boudreaux
* T-Beau
* Benjamin Barron
* General Sunderland ***(In a photograph only)***
* Lady Jane
* Tefé Holland
* Arthur "Otter" Dole
* Spike
* Michelle
* Professor Clark Johnson ***(Dies)***
* John "Jo-Jo" Jones
* Erickson
* Carl Vinter
* Troy Washington

#### Locations

* Louisiana
	+ Terrebonne Parish
		- Houma
	+ New Orleans
		- Tulane University
* Washington, D.C.
	+ Sunderland Corporation

## External links

* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 122 on DC Wiki
* *Swamp Thing (Volume 2)* Issue 122 on Comic Vine