Batman's Most Unlikely Ally Is Stealing the Hero's Thunder Thanks to a Dark Justice League Redesign

WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for DC vs. Vampires: World War V #5!

For decades, fans have affectionately dubbed Batman the Justice League's resident goth, thanks to the dark, mysterious, and dramatic elements of his character and design. But now, with a badass new redesign, an unexpected hero is on the verge of claiming that title for himself. Even more intriguing, this bold new look could be the manifestation of the hero’s powers in an entirely new form.

Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt’s DC vs. Vampires: World War V #5 ramps up the conflict between humans and vampires, as Swamp Thing, with the help of vampire Damian "Robin" Wayne, smuggles key members of the human resistance—including Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Killer Croc—into Vampire Queen Barbara Gordon’s territory. Their mission: to find humans the queen is reportedly farming for her vampire army.

Amidst several shocking twists that steal the spotlight, one detail stands out—a subtle but striking change to Swamp Thing’s design. The Justice League Dark hero has traded his signature green for a deep matte black.

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Swamp Thing Gets His Most Hardcore Redesign in DC vs. Vampires: World War V with MASSIVE Spikes

​​​​​​While this isn’t Swamp Thing’s first appearance in the issue, it’s undoubtedly one of his most visually striking. Fans witness the green giant shift from his signature dark emerald hue to a deep matte black. Some might initially chalk this up to artistic lighting on Schmidt's part, assuming the dark green simply appears black. However, since Killer Croc and Green Arrow are seen alongside Swamp Thing in the same scene, maintaining their own green hues, it’s clear that this change is a physical transformation rather than an artistic effect—making for a surprising and epic redesign.

Swamp Thing’s black coloring also further amplifies other DC vs. Vampires-specific design changes to his character, most notably his body now covered in massive spikes that are an extension of his plant-based form. While these spikes have been a feature in previous issues, seeing them in matte black takes the design to an entirely new level of badassery. With the new color scheme and the addition of massive horns protruding from his head—reminiscent of Batman’s bat ears—there’s no denying that Swamp Thing is challenging the Dark Knight’s longstanding monopoly on the color black.

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Why Does Swamp Thing Change Colors in DC vs. Vampires?

Swamp Thing’s Color Seems to Change With His Mood

What is particularly intriguing about Swamp Thing’s black color scheme is that this change occurs mid-comic with no explanation. At the beginning, Swamp Thing is his usual dark green color, only for his design to be completely blacked out later, before eventually returning to green. Upon closer examination, it appears these shifts in color coincide with Holland’s emotions. He turns black when he senses that the only remnants of the Green left in Barbara’s territory are dying plants. Given that Swamp Thing’s entire existence revolves around his connection to the Green, it makes sense that the presence of decaying vegetation would provoke such a strong emotional reaction.

It seems, then, that Swamp Thing’s color changes between black and green are tied to his emotional state, with his black form signaling negative emotions. After the scene where Holland senses the dying vegetation, readers don’t see him again until later in the comic, when he’s back to his green coloring, cradling a newly rescued Wally "The Flash" West against his chest. Though the imagery here isn’t overly detailed, it’s clear that Swamp Thing has a whisper of a smile and an overall content expression, indicating a positive mood at being reunited with an ally. This suggests that his green form is linked to positive or, at the very least, neutral emotions.

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Swamp Thing’s Camouflage Abilities Explained

Swamp Thing's Camouflage Powers Emerge in a New and Unexpected Way

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Swamp Thing shifting between green and black shouldn’t come as too much of a shock, given his well-established camouflage abilities. Through his connection to the Green, he has repeatedly merged with surrounding plant life, manipulating his form to blend seamlessly with the environment—matching the appearance of nearby trees, foliage, and other plants, making him nearly invisible. As such, changing his color from green to black is well within the scope of his abilities. However, as mentioned earlier, it seems this shift from green to black may not be intentional. Instead, it appears to be a physical manifestation of Swamp Thing’s emotional state, adding an intriguing twist to this Justice League Dark hero’s iconic power.

DC vs. Vampires: World War V #5 is available now from DC Comics!