Warning: contains spoilers for The Swamp Thing #4!
The Suicide Squad is set to hunt one of the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe - Swamp Thing! In The Swamp Thing #4, readers learn that Amanda Waller and the Squad have taken an interest in Swamp Thing and something called the "Holland Phenomenon." Written by Ram V with art by Mike Perkins, colors by Mike Spicer and letters by Aditya Bidikar, the issue is on sale now in print and digital.
A new Swamp Thing, Levi Kamei, has arisen and is coming to terms with his newfound status as Avatar of the Green. In the previous issue, he took his first trip into the Green, gaining a new ally in Poison Ivy, and in this issue, he encounters the spirit of his predecessor, Alec Holland, who gives him insight into his role as Swamp Thing. Levi is then able to rescue his friend Jennifer, who followed him into the Green, from the villainous Jason Woodrue, aka the Floronic Man.
After Levi and Jennifer return home, a special hazmat team descends upon Prescot Headquarters, the location of one of the first sightings of the new Swamp Thing. The team examines the room thoroughly and collects some of the plant material Swamp Thing left behind. The team’s leader then sends it to a mysterious Mister Pilgrim, who after examining it himself, calls Amanda Waller at Belle Reve, with an "unusual proposition." Waller, intrigued, asks Pilgrim what he has in mind, and he inquires how much she knows about the "Holland Phenomenon." The reader then sees Waller flanked by Peacemaker and the rest of her new Suicide Squad. No explanation of Mister Pilgrim or his interest in Swamp Thing is given, nor is the exact meaning of the "Holland Phenomenon," which may simply reference the existence of the Swamp Thing, or may be a new aspect to the mystical hero fans aren't yet aware of.
It was only a matter of time before someone like Amanda Waller would come looking for Swamp Thing. He is immensely powerful, and some versions have been almost god-like in their power levels; this makes him an irresistible prize for the likes of Waller and the Suicide Squad. Behind Waller, a wall of monitors registers the location of various Suicide Squad recruits, suggesting she may try to draft Swamp Thing into service to her team. While Swamp Thing wouldn't be vulnerable to Task Force X's usual neck-implanted bomb, Waller has already found a way to force Superboy to join the Suicide Squad, giving her the firepower to stand a chance against this new Avatar of the Green, and proving she has bespoke ways to control even the most powerful heroes.
Levi Kamei is just getting accustomed to being the new Swamp Thing, and now he is being hunted by one of the most ruthless power brokers in the DC Universe. What agenda Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad have in store for Swamp Thing is anyone’s guess, but the chilling truth is that if anyone can find a way to take down the god-like hero who demolished Batman, it's Waller.