Anton Arcane

Anton Arcane is a brilliant, occult-obsessed scientist and sorcerer who seeks immortality at any cost, making him the primary nemesis of Swamp Thing. He commands monstrous creations called Un-Men and will ruthlessly exploit anyone — including his own family — to cheat death and claim power over life itself.

Few villains made an entrance quite like Anton Arcane — debuting in the very first issue of Swamp Thing in 1972, conjured up by the legendary team of Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson at the height of Bronze Age horror comics. A DC antagonist whose shadow stretches across 37 years of publication, Arcane is the kind of dark, obsessive presence who keeps company with Swamp Thing, Alec Holland, Matt Cable, and the grotesque Patchwork Man — a rogues' gallery that tells you everything about the eerie, gothic world he inhabits. His appearances span Swamp Thing, DC Special Series, and Roots of the Swamp Thing, and that debut issue carries the weight of a recognized key — a collector's prize from one of comics' most atmospheric creative collaborations. Fourteen catalog appearances may sound modest, but for a villain this formative, every one counts.