Walking Corpses & Conscious Plants: Possibilist Ecologies in ...

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the validity of singularly contained subjectivity. Mainly what this issue contends with is
rectifying the false belief that Swamp Thing was once human. Instead the narrative
systematically proves that the true Alec Holland perished during the explosion and
Swamp Thing is an entirely different entity. The creature's misconception of identity sets
the stage for questions regarding the embodiment of consciousness.
In reviving a mainstream character that was developed during a time of growing
environmental awareness, Moore and the rest of the creative team involved with
producing Saga of the Swamp Thing raise important questions about the Earth as a
habitat, an ecosystem, and human dependence upon its natural resources. By engaging
the work, readers fluctuate between states of consciousness; they literally trace the roots
of consciousness down to the organic and bounce back and forth between futuristic
science fiction concepts like universal awareness and bodily transformation. The
allegory of the Earth's vegetation existing as an interconnected network with selfawareness
imagined in the narrative is a cautioning tale when compared to our own
notion of actuality. Embodying this consciousness forces readers to interact with it
differently, as it seemingly inverts power relations and transforms the way characters
interact with nature and one another. Considering how this work differs from the
treatment of bodily transformation in The Walking Dead can be valuable in understanding
counter-culture attitudes and mainstream concerns with respect to historical moments and
our present understanding of how they have influenced the time we call now.