Matthew (DC Comics)
| Matthew Cable | |
|---|---|
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance |
Swamp Thing (vol. 1) #1 (October–November 1972) |
| Created by |
Len Wein Berni Wrightson |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Matthew Joseph Cable* |
| Species | Raven, previously Human |
Swamp Thing (vol. 1) #1 (October–November 1972)
Matthew Joseph Cable is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics' Swamp Thing series. Introduced in Swamp Thing (Volume 1) #1 in November 1972, he died and was later resurrected as Dream's raven in Neil Gaiman's rendition of The Sandman.
Matthew Cable was a government agent assigned to protect Alec and Linda Holland while they worked on their bio-restorative formula deep in the Louisiana swamps. Unfortunately Cable was unable to save them from the machinations of the Conclave, a sinister organization that wanted the couple to work for their own nefarious ends, and the Hollands were killed. When Swamp Thing rose from the bayou, Cable believed it responsible for the Hollands' deaths and set out in pursuit, intent on avenging his friends' murders. Cable's search took him through the Balkans where he met Abigail Arcane, a longtime friend to Swamp Thing and niece to Anton Arcane, a ruthless man who wanted Swamp Thing's secrets so he could become immortal. For years, Swamp Thing believed himself to be Holland, and eventually revealed to Cable that he was "Alec", which led Cable to let him go. Cable and Abby would later get married and settled in Houma near Swamp Thing.
He encountered the Doom Patrol during this time (in the 1977 Showcase series) as well.
Eventually, Cable's mind was damaged, resulting in him gaining the ability to alter reality itself. His marriage with Abby quickly deteriorated as a result, causing Matthew's abuse of his power in the form of obscene sexual acts, such as using his powers to create decaying forms to arouse and please him, all the while straining his marriage even further. Matthew only seemed to be able to access his power while stressed or intoxicated.
After a fight with Abigail that culminates in her leaving on foot to find the Swamp Thing, Matthew has an attack of conscience and drives after her. Having been drinking heavily, he ends up crashing his car, mortally wounding himself. A huge unnatural fly landing by him said it would revive him, and he agrees allowing it to crawl down his throat. In reality, Anton, who had since died and gone to Hell, finds a way out by way of Cable. He possesses the fly and then Cable's body and with it gains Cable's godlike power. Eventually Matthew manages to send Arcane back to Hell, but at the cost of the effects of the car-crash catching up with him, and only after Arcane had molested and killed Abby. (The plot point, incidentally, that resulted in DC dropping the Comics Code seal on Swamp Thing for good, adding instead the words "Sophisticated Suspense" across the top) Still possessing enough power to repair one body and not wanting to live, he manages to bring Abby back to life (though her soul would still have to be rescued from Hell by the Swamp Thing, who succeeds in doing so). Apologizing to "Alec", he then fell into the coma he would remain in for the duration of his mortal life.
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Wikipedia