Caliburn24 here with a spooky Halloween issue of Swamp Thing #13.
Scott Snyder, a writer with the story collection entitled Voodoo Heart and he previously wrote the Veritgo series American Vampire. His work on Batman for the Death of the Family storyline returning the Joker to the DCU has drawn fan interest to the title. Snyder is also generating interest in his run on Swamp Thing re-launching the title in the New52. His fellow creator, Yanick Paquette, has also been on the title from the beginning. He has brought in new element to the Swamp Thing mythos with the conflict between the Red, the animal part of life represented by Animal Man, and the Green, something that was brought in by Alan Moore, and its plant life represented by the Parliament of Trees and its champion is Swamp Thing. Alec Holland returns to the DCU since his death in Swamp Thing #1 by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. Swamp Thing’s first appearance was as Alex Olsen in House of Secrets #92 also by Wein and Wrightson.
The other part of this conflict is the Rot which is represented by the Arcanes, long time enemies of the Swamp Thing. In this case it is an elemental force of death and decay. So a new storyline has begun in Swamp Thing, Rotworld: The Green Kingdom which has part one in Swamp Thing #13. Paquette has a full spread page of Poison Ivy confronting Swamp Thing with a wooden sword as Deadman hovers next to her. He explains that he is Alec Holland. Swamp Thing is surprised when Poison Ivy tells him that he and Animal Man were missing for a year. Dead Man enters Swamp Thing and confirms that he is Alec Holland. Swamp Thing transforms Poison Ivy’s sword to wrap around her. She surprises him again by saying the Louisiana swamp is now the desert around them. Meanwhile, Abigail Cable, love interest to Holland, is flying over the Carpathian Mountains in a passenger jet. She is traveling there to stop the Rot. This is shown by the black blots that seep through the panels and crawl along the floor and up the seat of a grandfather.
The Rot enters his mother and he is transformed into a beast that grabs his granddaughter and vomits the Rot into her mouth. Next, there is a two page spread which has the trio traveling the last of the Parliament of Trees. Swamp Thing explains that he and Animal Man entered the Rot to attack it only hours ago. Poison Ivy explains that the world lost to the Rot and Dead Man confirms he has flown over the world and only a city on the west coast has the Red. It leads to a paradise at the top of the giant tree and Swamp Thing sprouts wings made of leaves to fly. This turns to a surreal two page filled with dream like swirls and bubbles like frog eyes. The Parliament explains to the human spirit form of Holland that the Rot trapped Swamp Thing and Animal Man so it could lead an attack on the Earth. Starfire, Cyborg battle the Rot creatures as one feeds on the corpse of Giganta. The Daily Planet is overrun and Supergirl is dragged down by the Rot creatures as Krypto snarls at them and Red Robin races to save her. The Parliament informs Holland that Anton Arcane has made a stronghold of the Rot in the center of America.
The Rot begins to attack the Parliament and Poison Ivy commands the Green Army of Swamp Things to attack the Teen Titans infected by the Rot. Swamp Thing and Dead Man are also fighting the battle. Rot Kid Flash tangles with Swamp Thing and he is struck by the Swamp Thing’s sword he made from his finger. Poison Ivy throws a wooden spear that pierces the head of Rot Red Robin. Swamp Thing is taken down by Rot Superboy. The next page has Abigail confronting the hordes of passengers infected by the Rot. She sees that the pilots are also infected and that the plane is about to crash. Rot Superboy bashes Swamp Thing as the plane crashes and the Parliament declares that Abigail Arcane is dead. The Rot World is full of horror and it looks like our heroes need to get some kind of turnout around to change the world.