Swamp Thing Annual # 1 2012 NM-

Swamp Thing Annual # 1, released on October 31, 2012, is a 52-page "New 52" special that serves as a pivotal origin story for the relationship between Alec Holland and Abigail Arcane. Published during the "Rotworld" crossover event, it reveals the secret first encounter between the two that had been wiped from their memories. 

"Rotworld: Secrets of the Dead" 

The story is told via a flashback revealed to Swamp Thing by the Parliament of Trees. 

• The Meeting: Years before becoming Swamp Thing, a young Alec Holland travels to a barren village in the Carpathian Mountains at the request of Anton Arcane to study radiation-stunted plant life.
• Abigail's Introduction: In the village, Alec meets a white-haired girl named Abigail Arcane, Anton's niece. The two quickly form a romantic bond, unaware of the supernatural forces connecting them.
• The Reveal: Alec discovers that the local "flowers" are actually necrotic tissue made from The Rot. Anton Arcane attacks him, revealing his monstrous nature, but a previous "temporary" avatar of the Green assists Alec's escape.
• Memory Wipe: The Parliament of Trees reveals they erased Alec's memory of Abby to protect him from returning to her and falling back into Arcane's clutches. 

Key Characters and Creators 

• Writers: Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft.
• Artists: Becky Cloonan and Andrew Belanger.
• Featured Characters: Alec Holland (Swamp Thing), Abigail Arcane, Anton Arcane, Poison Ivy (cameo), and Deadman.