“You want to be alone?”
 “I do not want to be alone. I am alone.”

Every so often, you will come across a line of dialogue in a comic book that captures your attention. The previous two lines come from a more recent issue of SWAMP THING and it truly does capture the pain and alienation found in the comic. Often, superheroes and comic characters are a symbol of common archtypes we see in the world. Swamp Thing remains one of the sadder characters because he is crafted as the complete outsider and he is not such an entity because he wishes to. Instead, it is his curse and it is a painful one. No matter how many times he may save mankind from its own self-destruction, humanity never embraces him. He is forever alone in the swamp and he does not wish this. Actually, he would not even wish this on his own worst enemies and it is a thoroughly painful life to be in. In many ways, the Swamp Thing can be symbolic of people trapped in circumstances beyond their control.

Alec Holland tried to do good through inventing the bio-restoration formula. He failed miserably and now he must face the consequences. That consequence is thorough loneliness.