Swamp Thing Vol 1 3

"The Patchwork Man": Swamp Thing scales the cliffs leading to the ancient castle of his late nemesis, Anton Arcane. Upon reaching its peak, he begins exploring Anton's laboratory, but a flagstone floor gives way beneath him threatening to

"The Patchwork Man"
Cover
Swamp Thing Vol 1 #3
March, 1973
Cover Artists	Bernie Wrightson
The Patchwork Man
Writers	Len Wein
Pencilers	Bernie Wrightson
Inkers	Bernie Wrightson
Letterers	Gaspar Saladino
Editors	Joe Orlando
Previous Issue	Swamp Thing # 2
Next Issue	Swamp Thing # 4

This body imprisons me in more ways than one... refuses to help me rid myself of it...!

— Swamp Thing

Swamp Thing #3 is an issue of the series Swamp Thing (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1973.

Synopsis for "The Patchwork Man"

Swamp Thing scales the cliffs leading to the ancient castle of his late nemesis, Anton Arcane. Upon reaching its peak, he begins exploring Anton's laboratory, but a flagstone floor gives way beneath him threatening to drop him into some unknown abyss. A zombie-like Patchwork Man is present in the lab and tries to pull the Swamp Thing to safety. But he cannot keep his grip and Swampy falls down to the bottom of a vast cavern. The Patchwork Man then sets to destroying the lab causing the entire castle to explode.

Down in the nearby Balkan village, Interpol agent Matt Cable continues searching for the Swamp Thing. He blames him for the deaths of Alec and Linda Holland and wants revenge. He meets a medic at a nearby clinic named Abigail. Abigail just happens to be the niece of the mad scientist Anton Arcane. Matt and Abigail see the explosion of the castle and begin making their way towards the bridge that leads to the castle's cliff-side.

The Patchwork Man appears and Abigail faints from fright. He gingerly picks her up and begins taking her across the bridge. Swamp Thing appears (having climbed through the wreckage of the castle) and begins fighting the Patchwork Man. Abigail is about to fall from the bridge, but the Patchwork Man rescues her. As she looks into his eyes, she realizes that it is her father, Gregori Arcane – another sad experiment of her demented uncle.

Matt catches up with Abigail and the two take a sea-plane away from the Balkan village.

Appearing in "The Patchwork Man"

Featured Characters:

• Swamp Thing

Supporting Characters:

• Abigail Arcane (First appearance)
• Matthew Cable

Antagonists:

• Anton Arcane (Flashback only)
• Patchwork Man (Flashback and main story)

Other Characters:

• 
  

Locations:

• Eastern Europe
  • The Balkans
  • Castle Arcane

Items:

• 
  

Vehicles:

• 
  
  

Notes

• This issue is reprinted in Roots of the Swamp Thing #2, DC Special Series #14, Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis and the Secret of the Swamp Thing collection.
• Abigail Arcane becomes a major supporting character throughout the remainder of the series.
• Anton Arcane appears in a flashback origin of the Patchwork Man that takes place shortly before his death. Arcane appears next as one of the Un-Men in Swamp Thing #10.

See Also

• Cover gallery for the Swamp Thing series