Swamp Thing #62

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Graded population

CGC records 33 graded copies for Swamp Thing #62 (1987). Population is the number recorded by this grading source, not the total print run or all surviving copies.

Wavelength

Near the Source Wall, Metron) examines the plight of two giants who hoped to gain access to the Source by enlarging themselves. Suddenly, he hears a signal and follows it into the sleeve of one of the giants' spacesuits. Inside, he finds some interesting flora growing, but beyond that, he discovers a giant Mother Box. After shrinking it down to a manageable size, he sets a course for Highfather)'s staff.

Unfortunately, he finds himself immobile. His Mobius Chair's energy source was depleted by the shrinking process. Angrily, Metron kicks the Mother Box, which rendered his chair useless, away. However, he is surprised when that same Mother Box transmits the consciousness of the Swamp Thing) there, and into the plant life which Metron had collected earlier.

Swamp Thing discovers the Mother Box, and believes that it has told him that he was brought there because Metron wishes to enter the Source. Metron responds that he merely wants to go to Apokolips. Swamp Thing states that no, Metron's destiny lies with the Source, and so does his own. With the help of the Motherbox he can transport Metron into the Source and back out again.

Swamp Thing alters his appearance into that of a chair, and uses the Mother Box to lift off, and fly toward the Source. He explains that having learned how to control his electromagnetic field, he can transcend the barrier by altering his vibrations.

After an uncomfortable transition through the barrier, they burst into the domain of the Transmuters – beings posted along the fringes of reality, working the compost of creation into higher matter. One of them notices them, and they are forced to escape before they are transmuted. Swamp Thing alters his vibrational pattern at the last second, bringing them past the final barrier. What the two of them see in the Source is too much for Swamp Thing to handle. Metron manages to focus on certain elements, seeing all of creation's marvels and follies.

Metron recounts the tale to Darkseid), who laughs, revealing that what they had seen was not the Source, but an Aleph – a point from which one can view all other points in time and space. This information depresses Metron, as he'd hoped to barter the information gleaned from the source in exchange for X-Element, the fuel for his Mobius chair. Even so, Darkseid wonders if information about the Swamp Thing's nature could help him solve the Anti-Life Equation. Metron explains the Swamp Thing's nature, and notes that he has already left for earth.

Metron reveals that the Mother Box had to remove most of Swamp Thing's memories of the Aleph. Darkseid asks to view the record of those memories. The record shows that Swamp Thing thought only of his wife, Abby). The moments he observed spread from past to future, but all ending in fire and death. The images drove Swamp Thing mad.

In exchange for the information, Darkseid offers Metron the X-Element, then, crushing the Mother Box in his fist, he curses that he had forgotten to add the element of love to his equation.

| Appearing1 = **Featured Characters:** * Swamp Thing) Also as a spirit Briefly merges with Mobius Chair **Supporting Characters:** * Abby Holland) * New Gods/Celestials Celestials ** Metron) **Antagonists:** * Darkseid) **Other Characters:** * Alec Holland) Dies in a vision * Anubis) * Chester Williams) * Dinosaurs * God/The Light * The Great Darkness * Gregori Arcane) * Jed Walker) * John Constantine) * Linda Holland) * Matt Cable) * Nazi Party ** Adolf Hitler) * Old Gods ** Metron's father * Parliament of Trees * Promethean Giants * Sandman (Garrett Sanford)) ** Brute) ** Glob) * San Francisco 49ers * The Source ** The Transmuter) * Unnamed New Guinea witch doctor * Yeti * Arne Jacobsen * Jorge Luis Borges * Gods of Olympus * Highfather) * Himon) * Parademons **Locations:** * "The Great Scheme of Things" See Notes ** Hypertime See Notes ** Post-Crisis Multiverse *** Afterworlds **** Heaven **** Hell **** Spirit World) *** Astral Plane *** Dream Realm *** Fourth World) **** Apokolips *** GodWorld/"The First World" *** New Earth **** Prehistoric Era ***** Earth ***** Earth's Moon **** 1940s ***** Germany ****** Berlin **** 1960s ***** Romania ****** Transylvania ******* Arcane Mansion **** 1982 ***** United States of America ****** Houma **** 1985 ***** United States of America ****** California ******* Palo Alto ******** Stanford Stadium ****** Louisiana ******* Houma **** 1986 ***** Earth ****** Argentina ******* Buenos Aires ****** Egypt ******* Giza ******** Pyramid of Giza ****** Greece ******* Athens ******** Acropolis ****** Himalayas ****** India ******* Agra ******** Taj Mahal ****** New Guinea ****** United States of America ******* Chicago ******* Houma ***** J586 *** Place of Madness See Notes *** Promethean Galaxy **** Source Wall ** Pre-Crisis Multiverse ** The Void outside Creation **Items:** * Element X ** Mother Boxes * "*Frankenstein*" * Mobius Chair Briefly merges with Swamp Thing) **Events:** * Big Bang * The Crisis ** The Peace between God and the Great Darkness * Ragnarok of the Old Gods * Super Bowl XIX **Concepts:** * Alephs) * Alpha Effect/"Energy of Creation" * Anti-Life Equation * First World) * The Green * Higher Matter * Magic * Metahumans * Omega Effect ** Omega Beams

| Notes = * Swamp Thing's journey with Metron makes him the first human being in the DC history to travel outside the *main* DC Multiverse into the Greater Omniverse– referred to as the "*Great Scheme of Things*" by Metron in this issue. However, the Mother Box ultimately removes this event from his memory. ** After witnessing the work of the Transmuter, Metron refers to the omniversal particles– from which the various "*Creations*" are made of– as **Higher Matter**. These particles are returned back to the Source after the "*death*" of a multiverse. * During the journey between the Multiverse and what's beyond, just before reaching the Void, Swamp Thing and Metron end up in an "*aleph*"– a "*point where all the other points in Time and Space*" can be glimpsed. This representation is coherent with the future **Hypertime** concept and suggests that this issue is retroactively its first appearance before the higher realm's introduction in *The Kingdom Vol 1 2* by Mark Waid. ** Similarly, before journeying into the Greater Omniverse, the two beings travel to an extradimensional plane of existence where "*gross and soulless madder are the dominant life forms*" and almost lose their sanity. These details and the design of this realm suggest that it is actually the **Area of Madness**– or simply **Madness**– which is the realm of Delirium) of the Endless and the dimension that is accessed by the various) incarnations) of Shade the Changing Man. * The Constantine from the vision in the aleph is still meant to be his New Earth self. * This issue is reprinted in Saga of the Swamp Thing: Book Six (Collected) and Swamp Thing: Reunion (Collected). | Trivia = * This is the first issue of Swamp Thing Vol 2 written solely by Rick Veitch. * The story seems to be heavily influenced by "*The Aleph (short story)|The Aleph*," a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, who also cameos in the Aleph sequence. | Recommended = | Links = * https://web.archive.org/web/20160427015711/http://www.phinnweb.org/links/literature/borges/aleph.html

Creative credits

Writers: Rick Veitch

Interior art: Rick Veitch

Color: Tatjana Wood

Source records & attribution

Panel Profits keeps each source identity attached to its edition record.

GCD: 43063

PANEL PROFITS: 2404142