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Gene LaBostrie was a friend of Swamp Thing.

Gene LaBostrie, sometimes known affectionatelly as "Labo", is a Cajun from Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. He was a fisherman and former faith healer known as a Traiteur and was married to a woman named Ada. Gene Ada had their first child two years after they were married.

Labo befriended a twelve-year-old boy named Etienne Pitrie whom he apprenticed in the art of healing. Pitrie had a grim encounter with the Batman who had been infected with spores caused by The Grey.[1]

Labo met the earth elemental known as the Swamp Thing, whom he regarded as "Bon Gombo" (The Good Gumbo). In March of 1987, Gene LaBostrie rode his canoe through the swamps towards the town of Dogpatch where he lived, and suddenly sensed that something was wrong; as if all life had been drained from the swamp.[2]

During a time when the Swamp Thing was lost in time, his wife Abigail Holland was under investigation for the alleged euthanizing of her former husband Matt Cable. When the investigation was called off, Gene gave her the news that she no longer had to worry about the police.[3]

Labo and his wife, Ada, assisted Abby during her difficult pregnancy, and Labo administered several balms to ease her labor pains.[4]

Ada nearly became a victim of serial killer/faith healer Father Tocsin. After attending one of Tocsin's tent revivals, Ada was poisoned with strychnine. She found enough strength to crawl back to Gene and the Swamp Thing who then used his powers to purge the poison from Ada's body. For revenge on the attack on his wife, Gene manipulated Father Tocsin into killing himself.[5]


Abilities

  • Fishing
  • Medicine: In addition to being a former faith healer, Gene LaBostrie is proficient in holistic medicine and can cobble together a variety of balms made from unconventional ingredients such as roots, plants, spider silk, etc.
  • Multilingualism: Gene's native tongue is Cajun-French, but he can speak and understand standard French and American English with equal ease.

Related

Footnotes


Alec Holland 02
Swamp Thing Character
DC Bullet 2024

This character specifically relates to the Swamp Thing and is predominantly seen in the Swamp Thing family of titles. This character may be part of the Swamp Thing's supporting cast, a minor acquaintance, or one of his adversaries. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the Swamp Thing Characters category.

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