Green Lantern Ring

Lore & Background

Anton Arcane is a scientist whose obsession with immortality led him to create monstrous 'Un-Men' and resurrect his brother Gregori as the Patchwork Man. Living in the European mountains with his niece Abigail, he lured Swamp Thing to his castle to swap bodies, but was thwarted when Alec Holland sacrificed his humanity to restore Arcane's frail form. Arcane died by falling from a cliff only to be resurrected by his Un-Men. He later attacked Swamp Thing as a hulking corpse-like figure, destroyed by the ghosts of African-American slaves who possessed his creations, and again as an insect-like cyborg before his soul was consigned to Hell. Possessing Matthew Cable's body, Arcane used reality-altering powers to resurrect serial killers from Hell at Blackriver Recorporations until exorcised back to Hell.

In Their Own Story

Promoted to demon status by the Lords of Hell, Arcane escaped to possess Swamp Thing's infant daughter Tefé Holland and later Avery Sunderland. In The New 52 reboot, he became the avatar of the Rot, a cosmic force of death and decay. Defeated by Swamp Thing, he was trapped in a specific Hell where nothing rots. His daughter Abigail, the new Rot avatar, visited him; when she let him feel rot to make him speak, he vowed revenge on her and Alec Holland. Later, Arcane escaped Earth but remained weakened without the Rot, joining forces with the realm of Metal. He poisoned the Green from within until all avatars cleansed it. In Futures End, he bound himself to Abigail to leech her power, but Swamp Thing used a White Lantern ring to destroy the Rot and kill Arcane, despite his attempts to dissuade him by citing the necessity of death.

Reader's Guide

To understand Anton Arcane's capabilities, one must look to his biogenetic expertise in creating synthetic organs and skin for his Un-Men. He wields necromancy to control the dead and possesses various arcane artifacts. In The New 52 continuity, as the avatar of the Rot, he manipulates rot, death, and decay directly. This power affects everyone trapped inside the Rot unless they possess a strong connection to the Red (animals) or the Green (plants). His strategic use of reality alteration while possessing Matthew Cable demonstrated his ability to combine magic with psychic powers. However, his reliance on specific conditions, such as consuming rotten items when not the avatar of the Rot, highlights vulnerabilities in his power set that heroes like Swamp Thing and Abigail have exploited.

Did You Know?

• Anton Arcane first appeared in Swamp Thing #2 (January 1973), created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson.
• Arcane resurrected his deceased brother Gregori as the 'Patchwork Man' through biogenetic experimentation.
• During one of his resurrections, Arcane was destroyed by the vengeful ghosts of African-American slaves who had possessed his Un-Men.
• In The New 52 continuity, Arcane was trapped in a Hell specifically made for him where nothing ever rots and all is forever pure.
• Arcane attempted to escape Hell by seducing the demon Josephine into helping him after being tortured by her.