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Solomon Grundy (comics)
Encyclopedia
Solomon Grundy is a fictional character
, a zombie
supervillain
in the DC Comics
Universe
. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme
, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern
(Alan Scott
), but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman
and Superman
. He also has ties to DC/Vertigo's Swamp Thing
character, vital in the sprout storyline (Swamp Thing
#66 November 1987). He first appeared in All-American Comics
#61 (October 1944).
one-shots that explore the aftermath of Final Crisis
, it is written by Scott Kolins
and Geoff Johns
, with art by Shane Davis
. It is the introduction to a seven part mini-series featuring the character.
The miniseries depicted a young Cyrus Gold brought to life in the present by The Spectre and The Phantom Stranger. Their goal is for Gold to identify his killer within seven days so that he can rest and thus destroy Solomon Grundy. Etrigan is trying to take him to Hell
, instead. Gold has a habit of getting killed. No matter how much damage is done to his body, he resurrects as a complete Solomon Grundy, driven to kill. Killer Croc
attacks him, then Bizarro
attempts to be his friend. He attacks Green Lantern Alan Scott and Harlequiin in their house, destroying it, temporarily destroying the power battery as well. He seemingly (but of course, not actually) kills Poison Ivy. He then kills Amazo
, who rebuilds himself as "Amazo-Grundy." Ultimately he is brought down by Frankenstein
just as he realizes that he was his own killer. Finally, he is brought back to life as a Black Lantern.
In the late 19th century, a wealthy merchant named Cyrus Gold is murder
ed and his body disposed of in Slaughter Swamp, near Gotham City
. Fifty years later, the corpse
is reanimated as a huge shambling figure (composed partly of the swamp
matter that has accumulated around the body over the decades) with almost no memory of its past life. Gold murders two escaped criminals who are hiding out in the marsh and steals their clothes. He shows up in a hobo
camp and, when asked about his name, one of the few things he can recall is that he was "born on a Monday". One of the men at the camp mentions the nursery rhyme character Solomon Grundy
(who was born on a Monday), and Gold adopts the moniker.
Strong, vicious, and nearly mindless, Solomon Grundy falls into a life of crime
—or, perhaps returns to one as his scattered residual memories may indicate—attracting the attention of the Green Lantern, Alan Scott
. Grundy proves to be a difficult opponent, unkillable (since he is already dead) and with an inherent resistance to Scott's powers (which cannot affect wood
, a substance of which Grundy's reassembled body is now largely composed). Their first fight ends when Grundy is hurled under a train
.
Grundy is revived when a criminal scientist known as the Professor injects Grundy with concentrated chlorophyll. After this second encounter Grundy is trapped in a green plasma bubble for a time, until a freak weather occurrence releases him from his prison. Making his way across country, Grundy heads for JSA HQ. Meanwhile, Green Lantern arrives early for the meeting, when there is a knock on the door. He opens the door and gasps, "You!" Later, when the other members arrive, they find their HQ smashed to pieces and one of their members, G.L., missing from the ranks. Johnny turns on the radio, which blares the warning that Solomon Grundy is on the loose....and the members suddenly believe that Grundy got to HQ first and got Green Lantern, a belief confirmed by a large, muddy footprint on the floor. The radio continues its report, listing cities where Grundy was seen, so each member picks a city and heads for it [Wonder Woman staying behind] to see if they can get a clue as to what happened to the Master of Light. The scene now shifts back to the moment at JSA HQ where Green Lantern had opened the door in response to a knock, and said, "You!" To his surprise, Doiby Dickles walks in, and informs G.L. that Grundy has freed himself and is on the loose. Green Lantern grabs Doiby and smashes out the window, hoping to find Grundy before any of the JSA members are hurt going after him. Minutes later, Grundy arrives at JSA HQ, and, not finding the Lantern there, he smashes the place up, then leaves. And while the JSA soon enter their HQ and fear the worst, Green Lantern & Doiby are seated at a special radion Alan Scott had developed that is attuned to the mental wave-lengths of Grundy himself, and it is Green Lantern that calculates the path of Grundy and announces over the radio in JSA HQ where Grundy will strike. Then, the Emerald Crusader, leaving Doiby behind, leaves to face Grundy one-on-one. At last they meet, and Grundy rips a tree out by its roots and smashes it into the Lantern. G.L. fights back with his power ring and fists until both men fall into a nearby stream and over a small waterfall. The Lantern is severely dazed and tries to ward off the Marshland Minster with his ring, but he is much too weak. Grundy grabs G.L. by the throat and begins to squeeze the life out of him, holding his head underwater. However Hawkman strikes Grundy with his mace, and Mid-Nite is able to revive the Lantern. A combined attack brings down Grundy, and Green Lantern deposits Grundy on the moon once he is defeated due to an accidental suggestion by Johnny.
A subsequent battle commences when Grundy's body gravitates towards young astronomer Dick Cashmere, resulting in his assuming Cashmere's identity for a time. In this incarnation he gains intelligence he subsequently loses when Green Lantern defeats and buries Grundy in 1947.
At this point, he is pulled back to 1941 by the time-traveling criminal Per Degaton
, who has enlisted the aid of several supervillains to capture the Justice Society of America on December 7, 1941 (the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor
), hoping to change history enabling him to take over the World though he does not want the heroes involved, and tells Grundy he will be able to destroy Green Lantern. However Degaton is planning to get rid of him once his plan succeeds. He encountered Green Lantern, the Flash, and Wonder Woman in Echo Park. None of the heroes have fought Grundy yet the villain claims to have fought them before. Grundy bests the costumed trio and is summoned by a mysterious voice to deliver them or "pay the penalty." The All-Star Squadron
comes to their rescue, Sir Justin faces off against Solomon Grundy and Grundy is the last villain to be transported back, he is thrust back to the moon where he remains for over two decades, as this timeline is erased once Degaton is defeated.
Grundy eventually masters the use of stored up emerald energy he has absorbed over the years from his several battles with his arch-foe, and returns to Earth to battle Green Lantern, Hourman
, and Doctor Fate
. At this point, he has temporary mastery over all wooden objects. He subsequently loses this power over time. He is imprisoned in a bubble in space made by Green lantern and Doctor Fate.
He was once pulled to Earth-1 and substituted for the superstrong Blockbuster due to a machine that was accidentally pulling the Earths together in warp-space and substituting people. During this event he had absorbed some of Dr Fate's magic, is stronger than before, and is able to telekinetically lift the Flash into the air. He hates Green Lantern so much he thinks everyone he sees is Green Lantern. He is imprisoned inside a mountain by Earth-1 Green Lantern after being lifted up by Earth-1 Hawkman
and dazed by blows from all the heroes, but when the machine is turned off he is substituted for Blockbuster on Earth-2 and renews the attack, defeating numerous heroes. He has the hate knocked out of him briefly after a fight with Blockbuster, when Green Lantern placed them together to occupy them while he, the JSA and JLA went to battle an Anti-Matter being that was threatening both Earths in Warp-Space after being summoned by Doctor Fate, who had sensed the threat due to the Spectre
. He is then taken back to his Earth.
He is briefly a member of the Injustice Society of the World
. In the interim, he battles the combined might of both the Justice Society, and later their counterparts the Justice League
, nearly to a standstill at Slaughter Swamp, when he develops an affection for a lost alien child who has accidentally been sent to Earth-2 and is dying due to separation from his pet. His magic even enables him to defeat Superman. The alien child is finally reunited with his pet and sent back to his own dimension. Soon after, Grundy crosses over from his Slaughter Swamp prison on Earth-2
to Earth-1
where he encounters that Earth's Superman (see more details below).
Grundy goes on to afflict Green Lantern and his teammates, including the Huntress
who is the first female for whom he develops an affection. After Solomon Grundy is rescued from a glacier
by Alan Scott's daughter, Jade
, Grundy becomes loyal to her and, for a while, is an ally of Infinity, Inc. Eventually, this affectionate relationship turns tragic as the villainous Marcie Cooper, a.k.a. Harlequin of the Dummy
's Injustice Unlimited, uses her illusion powers to disguise herself as Jade. Harlequin manipulates Grundy to attack the members of Infinity Inc., one by one. She convinces him to press the unconscious Mister Bones
' bare hand against Skyman
; since Bones's skin constantly exudes a cyanide
-based compound, this quickly leads to Skyman's death. Once Grundy found out that Marcie had duped him, he savagely beat her within an inch of her life. This is the beginning of the end for Infinity Inc., and for Grundy's quasi-heroic career.
uses an enhanced crystal to metabolically
hasten the growth of residual cells left over in the sewers from when the original version had crossed over from Earth-2, which becomes a new, much more bestial version. During a clash with Superman
, it is determined that his might is too much of a match for the Man of Steel, so Superman flies the monster to an alien world inhospitable to all save the hardiest life forms. There, under the planet's reduced gravity, the Earth-1 Grundy is appeased when Superman gives him a cape to wear as the zombie propels himself through the air mimicking his one-time adversary.
This version repeatedly plagues Superman for years until, during an encounter wherein multiple Grundys are spawned, Superman and the Swamp Thing
both encounter the clone
s. Soon, Superman obtains a compound from S.T.A.R. Labs
which causes the Grundys to become inert, in effect killing the seemingly unkillable man-thing. Swamp Thing attempts to cry out for Superman to stop, as he believes Grundy to meet the definition of life, but Swamp Thing is unable to express this, due to physical difficulty in speaking. This version of Grundy returns one final time, without explanation, leading a gang in the Earth-One Gotham City. He is apparently destroyed yet again when Batman
tricks the creature into a blast furnace, where it is apparently consumed by the flames.
This version of Grundy was retroactively erased from history after the revamping of Superman in Crisis on Infinite Earths
.
, #12) involves Grundy and a newly-disfigured Harvey Dent
striking up an odd friendship after Dent escapes to the sewer
s to plot his revenge on Carmine Falcone
. Grundy also appears early in the story while Batman pursues one of the suspects who bombed Dent's house into the sewers during Thanksgiving
. Grundy attacks both of them, but Batman drives him off by blinding him with a shot of mace. Later, as a somewhat humorous twist in the The Long Halloween, Batman provides Solomon Grundy with a Thanksgiving dinner.
After Infinity, Inc. disbands, Solomon Grundy loses his loyalty towards Jade. A clash with Alan Scott and Jade in the pages of Green Lantern Corps Quartely
ends with Grundy turning into a statue of petrified wood. The heroes believe the threat of Grundy to have ended once and for all, but they are mistaken. Shortly thereafter, Grundy reappears in Gotham in the pages of Batman: Shadow of the Bat
, battling Batman once again and killing the female descendant of one of the killers of Cyrus Gold.
Grundy's next major appearance is in Starman
, lurking in Opal City
's sewers. Jack Knight
befriends Grundy, who has become innocent and child-like. Grundy also becomes friends with previous Starman Mikaal Tomas, and dies while sacrificing himself to save Jack Knight from being crushed by a collapsing building. When Grundy appears again, he has returned to his malicious persona; the joint efforts of Jack Knight, Batman
, Alan Scott, and Floro
are needed to stop him.
The origins of Grundy's resurrection
come from the fact that the Parliament of Trees
, a high council of Plant Elemental
s, tried to turn him into the newest Plant Elemental. However, the process was missing one vital piece: fire, as a Plant Elemental cannot be fully created unless it died in flames. Since Grundy's death did not involve fire at all, the process is not complete, and he becomes a sort of half-functional Plant Elemental. Grundy has been seemingly destroyed on several occasions, only to rise from the swamp again in a new incarnation. Each version of Grundy has been somewhat different from the last, depending on the medium used to dispatch him (and the drawing style of the current artist. The original Grundy, for example, had prominent front teeth). Some have been truly evil
; some much less so. Some versions are more mindless than others; some are actually moderately intelligent, recalling the literate, well-spoken monster
of Mary Shelley
's Frankenstein
.
Grundy hides out for a time in the Arrowcave, the long abandoned former headquarters of the Emerald Archer, Green Arrow
. While searching for artifacts of his former life, Oliver and his former ward, Roy "Arsenal" Harper
, stumble onto Grundy's new hideout. The story, "Grundy No Like Arrows in the Face!", is found in Green Arrow (vol. 3) #18. Green Arrow notes that this version seems much more violent, and manages to kill him by choking him with the string to his broken bow (despite the fact that Grundy does not have a heartbeat, functional veins, or need to breathe). In Green Arrow (vol. 3) #53, "Solomon's Revenge", Green Arrow helps Dr. Chrissie Cavendish, a S.T.A.R. Labs
employee, who claims she is the great, great granddaughter of the man the monster spawned from, to find and cure him. Her cure, however, warps her into a monster much worse than Grundy. Green Arrow subdues the new monster, and leaves Grundy to be. It is not known if Grundy is still using this building.
, Issue #0 of the same name, one of the Seven Unknown Men of Slaughter Swamp recounts the death of the miserly pedophile, Cyrus Gold, at the hands of an enraged mob, but also mentions that Gold could just as easily have been the innocent victim of a misunderstanding, as Slaughter Swamp is a point in space where time means nothing. In the final issue - Seven Soldiers #1 - the same Unknown Man punishes another of his group - the Eighth Man, Zor - by dressing him in Cyrus Gold's clothing and leaving him for the mob to find, implying that Zor - an extremely vain character, notable for attempting several times to overthrow the Universe and for having defeated The Spectre - would later become the first Solomon Grundy.
, Grundy is manipulated by Gorilla Grodd
via mind control into attacking Batman and Superman for President Luthor
for the bounty of one billion dollars in Superman/Batman
. Batman is able to stop Grundy. While no specifics are given, Solomon Grundy is also coerced into joining the Secret Society of Super Villains
. He participates in the final strike against the Secret Six
. Ragdoll II
encounters Grundy in a doorway. Ragdoll's scarred face relates to Grundy, and Grundy goes on to turn against the Secret Society
. The aftermath of that battle is inconclusive, but Grundy evidently survives, as he was last seen in a murky swamp in JSA Classified. In it, he is convinced by Icicle
to help Wizard
, who is in trouble.
After helping Icicle free Johnny Sorrow
from Prometheus'
cosmic key, Grundy stays with the newly formed Injustice Society
.
In Infinite Crisis #7, Solomon Grundy is seen fighting against the Blood Pack in the Battle of Metropolis, until he is vaporized by Superboy-Prime's heat vision, which apparently kills the Blood Pack and destroys Grundy's current incarnation.
's Justice League of America, Grundy is reborn with intelligence after being killed in the Battle of Metropolis. He is revealed to be the mastermind behind the abduction of Red Tornado
's robot body (it is revealed he gained this intelligence when he was reborn after being burned by Prime). Grundy expresses a desire to stop his cycle of dying and being reborn and so it appears he enlists the help of Professor Ivo to build him an Amazo
body to live in forever. The Red Tornado kills Grundy with F5
tornado winds, ripping him apart.
He later appears in the Salvation Run
mini-series in which he is killed during a battle with Parademon
s. His body, awaiting its inevitable resurrection, is left behind when the villains leave the Hell Planet. However, when the villains exit, Grundy's hand trembles, accompanied with a groaning sound.
and Scott Kolins
, Cyrus Gold returns to life in Slaughter Swamp, as he was prior to becoming Grundy. He returns to Gotham City, but is shot by police after attacking a charity worker. In the police morgue, he transforms into Solomon Grundy. Grundy is once more an unintelligent monster, repeating the opening line of the nursery rhyme. A week later, having retreated to the sewers, he has a fight with Killer Croc
. At the end of the fight, exhausted, he reverts to Cyrus Gold again. He finds himself in front of his own grave, where the Phantom Stranger
tells him he has seven days to undo his curse, as "There is an unholy night coming, as black as the dead's blood. And it's best if Solomon Grundy was not around for it." (A reference to the upcoming Blackest Night
storyline.) Alan Scott serves as his reluctant guide, as the story continues in the Solomon Grundy miniseries.
In the count down to Blackest Night, Cyrus Gold was given one week to discover the truth of who murdered him, so he could repent for all of his sins and gain absolution. Alan Scott and the Phantom Stranger were given as his guides throughout the week. Eventually it is revealed that Gold committed suicide, meaning he forced the curse of Solomon Grundy on himself. At the end of the series' run we see Grundy reanimated as a Black Lantern
, and Cyrus Gold in hell. Grundy then tracks down and attacks Bizarro
, using a past friendship they had to stir up the creature's emotions. Bizarro eventually manages to defeat Grundy by flying him into the sun, which completely incinerates him, and the black ring.
's power ring (which is attributed to his part-plant essence; originally because he had absorbed plant matter from the swamp, and later because he was a partial "plant elemental" like Swamp Thing
). He does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, although oddly he was once choked to death by Green Arrow. Despite being a zombie, Solomon Grundy does not engage into cannibalism
to survive, unless until "The Tornado's Path" storyline, where he rips of the limbs of the recently turned human Red Tornado
and eats them with pleasure.
Grundy possesses a healing factor
. While he has occasionally been destroyed, he has always returned to life sooner or later, though often with different personalities and powers.
. Sir Solomon appears to be identical in physical appearance to the mainstream Solomon Grundy with the exception of a trimmed mustache and a small goatee. In keeping with his educated personality, Sir Solomon dresses himself as a 19th century Englishman would, and speaks accordingly. His super strength and invulnerability made him a formidable hero, until Ultraman
renders him inert on a Saturday.
Universe. He is amalgamated with Solomon Grundy and the Hulk.
Bruce Banner was a scientist working with gamma rays. He was testing his gamma bomb out in the desert, but a tall figure walked out into the testing area. When Banner went out to see who it was, the man turned out to be Solomon Grundy. The bomb went off fusing Grundy and Banner together. When Banner gets angry he becomes Grundy, but the creature made a name for itself, calling itself Skulk.
's Seven Soldiers series, the Witch-People
of Limbotown (who are descended from the immortal Melmoth
) bury their dead, and later dig them up, at which point they become animate and are used as slave labor. These zombies are called "Grundies" or "Grundymen", and resemble Solomon Grundy. It has also been established that the Spawn of Frankenstein
is partly animated by the immortal blood of Melmoth, making him a Grundyman.
event, Solomon Grundy was invited by Lt. Matthew Shrieve to be the new member of the Creature Commandos
, but Solomon Grundy then betrays him, killing his family. It is revealed that Solomon Grundy had been working by General Sam Lane who is responsible for the deaths of Miranda's family.
mentioned the character in "Superman's Song
" from their 1991 album The Ghosts That Haunt Me
: "Superman never made any money / For saving the world from Solomon Grundy". Solomon Grundy was used in the song because lead singer Brad Roberts
could not think of any other super-villains that rhymed with "money."
An underground rap album, The Undying, featured a temporary redux of rapper Blaze Ya Dead Homie
's identity to that of Colton Grundy. The album describes the story of a casket-maker by the name of Solomon who could not die and thus jumped into a freezing river and awakening in the 1990s, transformed into Blaze, and eventually into Colton Grundy.
The American ska
band Skavoovie and the Epitones, on their first studio album: "Fat Footin'", contains a song titled "Solomon Gundy" which is the Jamaican patois
pronunciation of Solomon Grundy.
A music act named after the super villain Solomon Grundy
was formed in the late 1980s as a side project of Pacific Northwest grunge-era group Screaming Trees
. Van Conner
was featured as singer on their self-titled New Alliance Records
release.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
in the DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme
Solomon Grundy
"Solomon Grundy" is an English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 19299.-Lyrics:The rhyme has varied very little since it was first collected by James Orchard Halliwell and published in 1842 with the lyrics:* The premiere of Sesame Street features a Solomon Grundy...
, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
(Alan Scott
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
), but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
. He also has ties to DC/Vertigo's Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...
character, vital in the sprout storyline (Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...
#66 November 1987). He first appeared in All-American Comics
All-American Comics
All-American Comics was the flagship title of comic book publisher All-American Publications, one of the forerunners of DC Comics. It ran for 102 issues from April 1939 to October 1948, at which time it was renamed All-American Western. In 1952, the title was changed again to All-American Men of...
#61 (October 1944).
Solomon Grundy Theme
"Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday, christened on Tuesday, married on Wednesday, took ill on Thursday, grew worse on Friday, died on Saturday, buried on Sunday, that is the end of Solomon Grundy."Publication history
Grundy is the focus of one of the four Faces of EvilFaces of Evil
"Faces of Evil" is a DC Comics "event" in January 2009, that editor Dan DiDio described as "inspirationally tied to Final Crisis" as they aim to address the question the series raises: "What happens when evil wins?" Numerous monthly books will have villains displayed on their covers while four...
one-shots that explore the aftermath of Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, it is written by Scott Kolins
Scott Kolins
Scott Kolins is an American illustrator, writer and creator for multiple different superhero and science fiction comic books. His main credits are as a penciler but he is an established inker as well as colorist and has some credits as a writer.-Biography:...
and Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
, with art by Shane Davis
Shane Davis
Shane Davis is an American comic book artist, currently under exclusive contract for DC Comics.-Career:Davis broke into the industry in 2003 by illustrating Robin #110 and a spot illustration in JLA-Z #3...
. It is the introduction to a seven part mini-series featuring the character.
The miniseries depicted a young Cyrus Gold brought to life in the present by The Spectre and The Phantom Stranger. Their goal is for Gold to identify his killer within seven days so that he can rest and thus destroy Solomon Grundy. Etrigan is trying to take him to Hell
Hell (DC Comics)
Hell is a fictional location, an infernal underworld utilized in titles published by DC Comics. It is the locational antithesis of the Silver City. The DC Comics location known as Hell is based heavily on its depiction in Judeo-Christian mythology...
, instead. Gold has a habit of getting killed. No matter how much damage is done to his body, he resurrects as a complete Solomon Grundy, driven to kill. Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
attacks him, then Bizarro
Bizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
attempts to be his friend. He attacks Green Lantern Alan Scott and Harlequiin in their house, destroying it, temporarily destroying the power battery as well. He seemingly (but of course, not actually) kills Poison Ivy. He then kills Amazo
Amazo
Amazo is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in The Brave and the Bold #30 and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson. An android, Amazo's special ability is to replicate the special abilities of various superheroes and...
, who rebuilds himself as "Amazo-Grundy." Ultimately he is brought down by Frankenstein
Frankenstein (DC Comics)
Frankenstein is a DC Comics character who is based on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's original Frankenstein's monster, but is physically and mentally more reminiscent of the classic Universal representation of the character...
just as he realizes that he was his own killer. Finally, he is brought back to life as a Black Lantern.
Earth-Two version's history
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed and his body disposed of in Slaughter Swamp, near Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
. Fifty years later, the corpse
Cadaver
A cadaver is a dead human body.Cadaver may also refer to:* Cadaver tomb, tomb featuring an effigy in the form of a decomposing body* Cadaver , a video game* cadaver A command-line WebDAV client for Unix....
is reanimated as a huge shambling figure (composed partly of the swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
matter that has accumulated around the body over the decades) with almost no memory of its past life. Gold murders two escaped criminals who are hiding out in the marsh and steals their clothes. He shows up in a hobo
Hobo
A hobo is a term which is often applied to a migratory worker or homeless vagabond, often penniless. The term originated in the Western—probably Northwestern—United States during the last decade of the 19th century. Unlike 'tramps', who work only when they are forced to, and 'bums', who do not...
camp and, when asked about his name, one of the few things he can recall is that he was "born on a Monday". One of the men at the camp mentions the nursery rhyme character Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy
"Solomon Grundy" is an English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 19299.-Lyrics:The rhyme has varied very little since it was first collected by James Orchard Halliwell and published in 1842 with the lyrics:* The premiere of Sesame Street features a Solomon Grundy...
(who was born on a Monday), and Gold adopts the moniker.
Strong, vicious, and nearly mindless, Solomon Grundy falls into a life of crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
—or, perhaps returns to one as his scattered residual memories may indicate—attracting the attention of the Green Lantern, Alan Scott
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
. Grundy proves to be a difficult opponent, unkillable (since he is already dead) and with an inherent resistance to Scott's powers (which cannot affect wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, a substance of which Grundy's reassembled body is now largely composed). Their first fight ends when Grundy is hurled under a train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
.
Grundy is revived when a criminal scientist known as the Professor injects Grundy with concentrated chlorophyll. After this second encounter Grundy is trapped in a green plasma bubble for a time, until a freak weather occurrence releases him from his prison. Making his way across country, Grundy heads for JSA HQ. Meanwhile, Green Lantern arrives early for the meeting, when there is a knock on the door. He opens the door and gasps, "You!" Later, when the other members arrive, they find their HQ smashed to pieces and one of their members, G.L., missing from the ranks. Johnny turns on the radio, which blares the warning that Solomon Grundy is on the loose....and the members suddenly believe that Grundy got to HQ first and got Green Lantern, a belief confirmed by a large, muddy footprint on the floor. The radio continues its report, listing cities where Grundy was seen, so each member picks a city and heads for it [Wonder Woman staying behind] to see if they can get a clue as to what happened to the Master of Light. The scene now shifts back to the moment at JSA HQ where Green Lantern had opened the door in response to a knock, and said, "You!" To his surprise, Doiby Dickles walks in, and informs G.L. that Grundy has freed himself and is on the loose. Green Lantern grabs Doiby and smashes out the window, hoping to find Grundy before any of the JSA members are hurt going after him. Minutes later, Grundy arrives at JSA HQ, and, not finding the Lantern there, he smashes the place up, then leaves. And while the JSA soon enter their HQ and fear the worst, Green Lantern & Doiby are seated at a special radion Alan Scott had developed that is attuned to the mental wave-lengths of Grundy himself, and it is Green Lantern that calculates the path of Grundy and announces over the radio in JSA HQ where Grundy will strike. Then, the Emerald Crusader, leaving Doiby behind, leaves to face Grundy one-on-one. At last they meet, and Grundy rips a tree out by its roots and smashes it into the Lantern. G.L. fights back with his power ring and fists until both men fall into a nearby stream and over a small waterfall. The Lantern is severely dazed and tries to ward off the Marshland Minster with his ring, but he is much too weak. Grundy grabs G.L. by the throat and begins to squeeze the life out of him, holding his head underwater. However Hawkman strikes Grundy with his mace, and Mid-Nite is able to revive the Lantern. A combined attack brings down Grundy, and Green Lantern deposits Grundy on the moon once he is defeated due to an accidental suggestion by Johnny.
A subsequent battle commences when Grundy's body gravitates towards young astronomer Dick Cashmere, resulting in his assuming Cashmere's identity for a time. In this incarnation he gains intelligence he subsequently loses when Green Lantern defeats and buries Grundy in 1947.
At this point, he is pulled back to 1941 by the time-traveling criminal Per Degaton
Per Degaton
Per Degaton is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain who can travel through time. Per Degaton made his first appearance in All Star Comics #35 and was created by John Broome and Irwin Hasen...
, who has enlisted the aid of several supervillains to capture the Justice Society of America on December 7, 1941 (the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
), hoping to change history enabling him to take over the World though he does not want the heroes involved, and tells Grundy he will be able to destroy Green Lantern. However Degaton is planning to get rid of him once his plan succeeds. He encountered Green Lantern, the Flash, and Wonder Woman in Echo Park. None of the heroes have fought Grundy yet the villain claims to have fought them before. Grundy bests the costumed trio and is summoned by a mysterious voice to deliver them or "pay the penalty." The All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
comes to their rescue, Sir Justin faces off against Solomon Grundy and Grundy is the last villain to be transported back, he is thrust back to the moon where he remains for over two decades, as this timeline is erased once Degaton is defeated.
Grundy eventually masters the use of stored up emerald energy he has absorbed over the years from his several battles with his arch-foe, and returns to Earth to battle Green Lantern, Hourman
Hourman
Hourman is the name of three different fictional DC Comics superheroes, the first of whom was created by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily in Adventure Comics #48 , during the Golden Age of Comic Books.-Rex Tyler:Scientist Rex Tyler, raised in upstate...
, and Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate
Doctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
. At this point, he has temporary mastery over all wooden objects. He subsequently loses this power over time. He is imprisoned in a bubble in space made by Green lantern and Doctor Fate.
He was once pulled to Earth-1 and substituted for the superstrong Blockbuster due to a machine that was accidentally pulling the Earths together in warp-space and substituting people. During this event he had absorbed some of Dr Fate's magic, is stronger than before, and is able to telekinetically lift the Flash into the air. He hates Green Lantern so much he thinks everyone he sees is Green Lantern. He is imprisoned inside a mountain by Earth-1 Green Lantern after being lifted up by Earth-1 Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
and dazed by blows from all the heroes, but when the machine is turned off he is substituted for Blockbuster on Earth-2 and renews the attack, defeating numerous heroes. He has the hate knocked out of him briefly after a fight with Blockbuster, when Green Lantern placed them together to occupy them while he, the JSA and JLA went to battle an Anti-Matter being that was threatening both Earths in Warp-Space after being summoned by Doctor Fate, who had sensed the threat due to the Spectre
SPECTRE
SPECTRE is a fictional global terrorist organisation featured in the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, the films based on those novels, and James Bond video games...
. He is then taken back to his Earth.
He is briefly a member of the Injustice Society of the World
Injustice Society
The Injustice Society is a group of fictional supervillains in the . They are the main antagonists of the Justice Society of America.-Original team:...
. In the interim, he battles the combined might of both the Justice Society, and later their counterparts the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, nearly to a standstill at Slaughter Swamp, when he develops an affection for a lost alien child who has accidentally been sent to Earth-2 and is dying due to separation from his pet. His magic even enables him to defeat Superman. The alien child is finally reunited with his pet and sent back to his own dimension. Soon after, Grundy crosses over from his Slaughter Swamp prison on Earth-2
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
to Earth-1
Multiverse (DC Comics)
The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct that exists in stories published by comic book company DC Comics. The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity, allowing writers the creative freedom to explore alternative versions of characters and...
where he encounters that Earth's Superman (see more details below).
Grundy goes on to afflict Green Lantern and his teammates, including the Huntress
Huntress (comics)
The Huntress is a name used by several characters in DC Comics.The Golden Age Huntress is a supervillainess, while the Bronze Age and Modern Age Huntresses are superheroines....
who is the first female for whom he develops an affection. After Solomon Grundy is rescued from a glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
by Alan Scott's daughter, Jade
Jade (comics)
Jade is a fictional character, a superheroine in the . Known affectionately as "Jennie" or "Jen", she is the daughter of Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern. Her mother is Rose Canton, the Golden Age villain known as Thorn...
, Grundy becomes loyal to her and, for a while, is an ally of Infinity, Inc. Eventually, this affectionate relationship turns tragic as the villainous Marcie Cooper, a.k.a. Harlequin of the Dummy
Dummy (DC Comics)
Dummy is the name of two fictional supervillains in DC Comics. The first Dummy debuted in Leading Comics #1 .He is not to be confused with Scarface, the ventriloquist dummy/alter-ego operated by Arnold Wesker.-First Dummy:...
's Injustice Unlimited, uses her illusion powers to disguise herself as Jade. Harlequin manipulates Grundy to attack the members of Infinity Inc., one by one. She convinces him to press the unconscious Mister Bones
Mister Bones
Mister Bones is a fictional character in the , created by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, and Todd McFarlane, in Infinity, Inc. #16 . A former low-level supervillain, he reformed and joined the Infinity Inc...
' bare hand against Skyman
Sylvester Pemberton
Sylvester Pemberton, alternately known as The Star-Spangled Kid and Skyman, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe. Sylvester first appeared in Action Comics #40 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman....
; since Bones's skin constantly exudes a cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
-based compound, this quickly leads to Skyman's death. Once Grundy found out that Marcie had duped him, he savagely beat her within an inch of her life. This is the beginning of the end for Infinity Inc., and for Grundy's quasi-heroic career.
Earth-One version's history
The Earth-One Grundy arises when the ParasiteParasite (comics)
The Parasite is the name of several fictional characters that appears in Superman comic book stories published by DC Comics. A supervillain, Parasite has the ability to temporarily absorb the energy, knowledge and super-powers of another being by touch, making him a formidable foe for the Man of...
uses an enhanced crystal to metabolically
Metabolism
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that happen in the cells of living organisms to sustain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories...
hasten the growth of residual cells left over in the sewers from when the original version had crossed over from Earth-2, which becomes a new, much more bestial version. During a clash with Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
, it is determined that his might is too much of a match for the Man of Steel, so Superman flies the monster to an alien world inhospitable to all save the hardiest life forms. There, under the planet's reduced gravity, the Earth-1 Grundy is appeased when Superman gives him a cape to wear as the zombie propels himself through the air mimicking his one-time adversary.
This version repeatedly plagues Superman for years until, during an encounter wherein multiple Grundys are spawned, Superman and the Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...
both encounter the clone
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
s. Soon, Superman obtains a compound from S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
which causes the Grundys to become inert, in effect killing the seemingly unkillable man-thing. Swamp Thing attempts to cry out for Superman to stop, as he believes Grundy to meet the definition of life, but Swamp Thing is unable to express this, due to physical difficulty in speaking. This version of Grundy returns one final time, without explanation, leading a gang in the Earth-One Gotham City. He is apparently destroyed yet again when Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
tricks the creature into a blast furnace, where it is apparently consumed by the flames.
This version of Grundy was retroactively erased from history after the revamping of Superman in Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
.
Post-Crisis
Green Lantern and Solomon Grundy clash many times over the years, though he also squares off against other DC heroes. One storyline (Batman: The Long HalloweenBatman: The Long Halloween
Batman: The Long Halloween is a 13-issue comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It was originally published by DC Comics in 1996 and 1997. It was inspired by the three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials by the same creative team...
, #12) involves Grundy and a newly-disfigured Harvey Dent
Two-Face
Two-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
striking up an odd friendship after Dent escapes to the sewer
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
s to plot his revenge on Carmine Falcone
Carmine Falcone
Carmine "The Roman" Falcone is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe, who made his debut in the four part story Batman: Year One written by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli in 1987.- Publication history :...
. Grundy also appears early in the story while Batman pursues one of the suspects who bombed Dent's house into the sewers during Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
. Grundy attacks both of them, but Batman drives him off by blinding him with a shot of mace. Later, as a somewhat humorous twist in the The Long Halloween, Batman provides Solomon Grundy with a Thanksgiving dinner.
After Infinity, Inc. disbands, Solomon Grundy loses his loyalty towards Jade. A clash with Alan Scott and Jade in the pages of Green Lantern Corps Quartely
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
ends with Grundy turning into a statue of petrified wood. The heroes believe the threat of Grundy to have ended once and for all, but they are mistaken. Shortly thereafter, Grundy reappears in Gotham in the pages of Batman: Shadow of the Bat
Batman: Shadow of the Bat
Batman: Shadow of the Bat was a comic book series featuring Batman, published by DC Comics. The series ran for 96 issues, from 1992 to 2000. The stories took place in Batman's then-current continuity along with Detective Comics and Batman, in contrast to Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, which...
, battling Batman once again and killing the female descendant of one of the killers of Cyrus Gold.
Grundy's next major appearance is in Starman
Starman (comics)
Starman is a name used by several different fictional DC Comics superheroes, most prominently Ted Knight and his sons David and Jack.Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley, the original Starman, Ted Knight, first appeared in Adventure Comics #61...
, lurking in Opal City
Opal City
Opal City is a fictional city set in the DC Universe. Created by James Robinson and Tony Harris, Opal City first appeared in Starman vol. 2 #0 . "The Opal" has been established as the home of several DC Comics characters, most notably several super-heroes who have operated under the name of Starman...
's sewers. Jack Knight
Starman (Jack Knight)
Starman is fictional character, a comic book superhero in the , and a member of the Justice Society of America. He is the son of the original Starman, Ted Knight...
befriends Grundy, who has become innocent and child-like. Grundy also becomes friends with previous Starman Mikaal Tomas, and dies while sacrificing himself to save Jack Knight from being crushed by a collapsing building. When Grundy appears again, he has returned to his malicious persona; the joint efforts of Jack Knight, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, Alan Scott, and Floro
Floronic Man
The Floronic Man , also known as the Plant Master and Floro, is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe...
are needed to stop him.
The origins of Grundy's resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
come from the fact that the Parliament of Trees
Parliament of Trees
The Parliament of Trees is a fictional group of Plant Elementals in the form of trees, first appearing in Swamp Thing Vol. 2, #47. It is owned by DC Comics/Vertigo.-Fictional character biography:...
, a high council of Plant Elemental
Elemental
An elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus in the 16th century. Traditionally, there are four types:*gnomes, earth elementals*undines , water elementals*sylphs, air elementals...
s, tried to turn him into the newest Plant Elemental. However, the process was missing one vital piece: fire, as a Plant Elemental cannot be fully created unless it died in flames. Since Grundy's death did not involve fire at all, the process is not complete, and he becomes a sort of half-functional Plant Elemental. Grundy has been seemingly destroyed on several occasions, only to rise from the swamp again in a new incarnation. Each version of Grundy has been somewhat different from the last, depending on the medium used to dispatch him (and the drawing style of the current artist. The original Grundy, for example, had prominent front teeth). Some have been truly evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
; some much less so. Some versions are more mindless than others; some are actually moderately intelligent, recalling the literate, well-spoken monster
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
of Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
's Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
.
Grundy hides out for a time in the Arrowcave, the long abandoned former headquarters of the Emerald Archer, Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
. While searching for artifacts of his former life, Oliver and his former ward, Roy "Arsenal" Harper
Roy Harper (comics)
Roy Harper is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. He was known for over fifty years as Green Arrow's teenage sidekick Speedy. He first appeared alongside his mentor in More Fun Comics #73...
, stumble onto Grundy's new hideout. The story, "Grundy No Like Arrows in the Face!", is found in Green Arrow (vol. 3) #18. Green Arrow notes that this version seems much more violent, and manages to kill him by choking him with the string to his broken bow (despite the fact that Grundy does not have a heartbeat, functional veins, or need to breathe). In Green Arrow (vol. 3) #53, "Solomon's Revenge", Green Arrow helps Dr. Chrissie Cavendish, a S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs
S.T.A.R. Labs, is a fictional research facility, and comic book organization appearing in titles published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Superman vol. 1 #246 , and was created by Cary Bates and Rich Buckler.-Publication history:...
employee, who claims she is the great, great granddaughter of the man the monster spawned from, to find and cure him. Her cure, however, warps her into a monster much worse than Grundy. Green Arrow subdues the new monster, and leaves Grundy to be. It is not known if Grundy is still using this building.
Seven Soldiers of Victory
In the first issue of Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers of VictorySeven Soldiers of Victory
The Seven Soldiers of Victory is a fictional team of comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe...
, Issue #0 of the same name, one of the Seven Unknown Men of Slaughter Swamp recounts the death of the miserly pedophile, Cyrus Gold, at the hands of an enraged mob, but also mentions that Gold could just as easily have been the innocent victim of a misunderstanding, as Slaughter Swamp is a point in space where time means nothing. In the final issue - Seven Soldiers #1 - the same Unknown Man punishes another of his group - the Eighth Man, Zor - by dressing him in Cyrus Gold's clothing and leaving him for the mob to find, implying that Zor - an extremely vain character, notable for attempting several times to overthrow the Universe and for having defeated The Spectre - would later become the first Solomon Grundy.
Infinite Crisis
Prior to Infinite CrisisInfinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, Grundy is manipulated by Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
via mind control into attacking Batman and Superman for President Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
for the bounty of one billion dollars in Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman
Superman/Batman was a monthly comic book series published by DC Comics that features the publisher's two most popular characters: Batman and Superman...
. Batman is able to stop Grundy. While no specifics are given, Solomon Grundy is also coerced into joining the Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. He participates in the final strike against the Secret Six
Secret Six (comics)
The Secret Six is the name of three different fictional comic book teams in the , plus an alternate universe's fourth team. Each team has had six members, led by a mysterious figure named Mockingbird, whom the characters assume to be one of the other five members.-Original Secret Six:The Secret Six...
. Ragdoll II
Rag Doll (comics)
The Rag Doll is a fictional character, a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. He was first introduced as an adversary for the Golden age Flash in a story published in Flash Comics #36...
encounters Grundy in a doorway. Ragdoll's scarred face relates to Grundy, and Grundy goes on to turn against the Secret Society
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. The aftermath of that battle is inconclusive, but Grundy evidently survives, as he was last seen in a murky swamp in JSA Classified. In it, he is convinced by Icicle
Icicle (comics)
Icicle is the name of two fictional DC Comics supervillains.-Dr. Joar Mahkent:When noted European physicist Dr. Joar Mahkent arrived in America with his latest scientific discovery, spectators at dockside were astonished to witness the luxury liner upon which Mahkent was traveling suddenly frozen...
to help Wizard
Wizard (DC Comics)
The Wizard is a fictional DC Comics Golden Age supervillain.-Fictional character biography:Born approximately 1913, William I. Zard grew up living a life of crime. As a gun man for various crime bosses, he ultimately ended up in jail. With the passage of time, he formulated a strategy to become a...
, who is in trouble.
After helping Icicle free Johnny Sorrow
Johnny Sorrow
Johnny Sorrow is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant #1 Johnny Sorrow is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in...
from Prometheus'
Prometheus (comics)
Prometheus is the name of three fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.The first Prometheus debuted in New Teen Titans vol. 2, #24 and was created by Marv Wolfman and Eduardo Barreto . The second version debuted in New Year's Evil: Prometheus Prometheus is the name...
cosmic key, Grundy stays with the newly formed Injustice Society
Injustice Society
The Injustice Society is a group of fictional supervillains in the . They are the main antagonists of the Justice Society of America.-Original team:...
.
In Infinite Crisis #7, Solomon Grundy is seen fighting against the Blood Pack in the Battle of Metropolis, until he is vaporized by Superboy-Prime's heat vision, which apparently kills the Blood Pack and destroys Grundy's current incarnation.
The Tornado's Path
In Brad MeltzerBrad Meltzer
Brad Meltzer is a bestselling American political thriller novelist, non-fiction writer, TV show creator and award-winning comic book author.-Early life:...
's Justice League of America, Grundy is reborn with intelligence after being killed in the Battle of Metropolis. He is revealed to be the mastermind behind the abduction of Red Tornado
Red Tornado
Red Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
's robot body (it is revealed he gained this intelligence when he was reborn after being burned by Prime). Grundy expresses a desire to stop his cycle of dying and being reborn and so it appears he enlists the help of Professor Ivo to build him an Amazo
Amazo
Amazo is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in The Brave and the Bold #30 and was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson. An android, Amazo's special ability is to replicate the special abilities of various superheroes and...
body to live in forever. The Red Tornado kills Grundy with F5
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
tornado winds, ripping him apart.
He later appears in the Salvation Run
Salvation Run
Salvation Run is a seven-issue 2007-2008 DC Comics limited series which was designed to tie in to the company's major event series Final Crisis in 2008.-Premise:The premise of the series, which is based on a pitch by George R. R...
mini-series in which he is killed during a battle with Parademon
Parademon
Parademons are a fictional group of aliens in the . They are monstrous shock troops of Apokolips used by Darkseid to maintain order of the planet. The original Parademons were created by Jack Kirby in The New Gods #1 .-Fictional history:...
s. His body, awaiting its inevitable resurrection, is left behind when the villains leave the Hell Planet. However, when the villains exit, Grundy's hand trembles, accompanied with a groaning sound.
Blackest Night
In the one-shot Faces of Evil: Solomon Grundy (March 2009) by Geoff JohnsGeoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
and Scott Kolins
Scott Kolins
Scott Kolins is an American illustrator, writer and creator for multiple different superhero and science fiction comic books. His main credits are as a penciler but he is an established inker as well as colorist and has some credits as a writer.-Biography:...
, Cyrus Gold returns to life in Slaughter Swamp, as he was prior to becoming Grundy. He returns to Gotham City, but is shot by police after attacking a charity worker. In the police morgue, he transforms into Solomon Grundy. Grundy is once more an unintelligent monster, repeating the opening line of the nursery rhyme. A week later, having retreated to the sewers, he has a fight with Killer Croc
Killer Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
. At the end of the fight, exhausted, he reverts to Cyrus Gold again. He finds himself in front of his own grave, where the Phantom Stranger
Phantom Stranger
The Phantom Stranger is a fictional character of unspecified paranormal origins who battles mysterious and occult forces in various titles published by DC Comics, sometimes under their Vertigo imprint.-Publication history:...
tells him he has seven days to undo his curse, as "There is an unholy night coming, as black as the dead's blood. And it's best if Solomon Grundy was not around for it." (A reference to the upcoming Blackest Night
Green Lantern: The Blackest Night
"Blackest Night" is a 2009–2010 American comic book crossover storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, central miniseries written by Geoff Johns and penciled by Ivan Reis, as well as a number of tie-in books. "Blackest Night" involves Nekron, a personified force of death...
storyline.) Alan Scott serves as his reluctant guide, as the story continues in the Solomon Grundy miniseries.
In the count down to Blackest Night, Cyrus Gold was given one week to discover the truth of who murdered him, so he could repent for all of his sins and gain absolution. Alan Scott and the Phantom Stranger were given as his guides throughout the week. Eventually it is revealed that Gold committed suicide, meaning he forced the curse of Solomon Grundy on himself. At the end of the series' run we see Grundy reanimated as a Black Lantern
Black Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
, and Cyrus Gold in hell. Grundy then tracks down and attacks Bizarro
Bizarro
Bizarro is a fictional character that appears in publications published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as a "mirror image" of Superman and first appeared in Superboy #68...
, using a past friendship they had to stir up the creature's emotions. Bizarro eventually manages to defeat Grundy by flying him into the sun, which completely incinerates him, and the black ring.
Powers and abilities
Solomon Grundy has superhuman strength and endurance. His strength has varied greatly through the years; for instance, in the Long Halloween story arc Batman beat Grundy, while at various points his strength is on par with Superman's. He is virtually indestructible thanks to the elemental energy that imbues his form with pseudo-life. He is nearly invulnerable to physical, magical, and energy attacks and he is not affected by fire or cold. He has proven highly resistant to the effects of the original Green LanternAlan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
's power ring (which is attributed to his part-plant essence; originally because he had absorbed plant matter from the swamp, and later because he was a partial "plant elemental" like Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...
). He does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, although oddly he was once choked to death by Green Arrow. Despite being a zombie, Solomon Grundy does not engage into cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
to survive, unless until "The Tornado's Path" storyline, where he rips of the limbs of the recently turned human Red Tornado
Red Tornado
Red Tornado is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Justice League of America #64 , and was created by Gardner Fox and Dick Dillin.-Publication history:...
and eats them with pleasure.
Grundy possesses a healing factor
Healing factor
A healing factor is a term used to describe the ability of some characters in fiction to recover from bodily injuries or disease at a superhuman rate...
. While he has occasionally been destroyed, he has always returned to life sooner or later, though often with different personalities and powers.
Anti-Matter Earth Post-Crisis version
Solomon Grundy had a counterpart on the Crime Syndicate's Earth called Sir Solomon Grundy who was a member of Quizmaster's Justice Underground. Sir Solomon Grundy is a distinguished, poised mountain of a man. During an aerial bombardment of Dover, he is blasted to life out of the rock from the white cliffsWhite cliffs of Dover
The White Cliffs of Dover are cliffs which form part of the British coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliffs are part of the North Downs formation. The cliff face, which reaches up to , owes its striking façade to its composition of chalk accentuated by streaks of black flint...
. Sir Solomon appears to be identical in physical appearance to the mainstream Solomon Grundy with the exception of a trimmed mustache and a small goatee. In keeping with his educated personality, Sir Solomon dresses himself as a 19th century Englishman would, and speaks accordingly. His super strength and invulnerability made him a formidable hero, until Ultraman
Ultraman (comics)
Ultraman is the name of several fictional characters, who are supervillains appearing in stories published by DC Comics. The characters are all evil alternate-universe counterparts of Superman. Ultraman first appeared in Justice League of America #29 .-Publication history:Ultraman first appeared as...
renders him inert on a Saturday.
Amalgam Comics
The Skulk is a hero of the AmalgamAmalgam Comics
Amalgam Comics was a publishing imprint shared by DC Comics and Marvel Comics, in which the two comic book publishers merged their characters into new ones . These characters first appeared in a series of twelve comic books which were published in 1996, between issues 3 and 4 of the Marvel vs...
Universe. He is amalgamated with Solomon Grundy and the Hulk.
Bruce Banner was a scientist working with gamma rays. He was testing his gamma bomb out in the desert, but a tall figure walked out into the testing area. When Banner went out to see who it was, the man turned out to be Solomon Grundy. The bomb went off fusing Grundy and Banner together. When Banner gets angry he becomes Grundy, but the creature made a name for itself, calling itself Skulk.
The Grundymen
In Grant MorrisonGrant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's Seven Soldiers series, the Witch-People
Klarion the Witch Boy
Klarion the Witch Boy is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe character first seen in the pages of The Demon in 1973.-Kirby's Klarion:...
of Limbotown (who are descended from the immortal Melmoth
Sheeda
The Sheeda are a fictional race published by DC Comics. They first appear in Seven Soldiers #0 , and were created by Grant Morrison and J.H. Williams III. Their first DC Universe appearance was in Morrison's introductory run on the JLA: Classified series in 2004.- History :The Sheeda are a...
) bury their dead, and later dig them up, at which point they become animate and are used as slave labor. These zombies are called "Grundies" or "Grundymen", and resemble Solomon Grundy. It has also been established that the Spawn of Frankenstein
Frankenstein (DC Comics)
Frankenstein is a DC Comics character who is based on Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's original Frankenstein's monster, but is physically and mentally more reminiscent of the classic Universal representation of the character...
is partly animated by the immortal blood of Melmoth, making him a Grundyman.
Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event, Solomon Grundy was invited by Lt. Matthew Shrieve to be the new member of the Creature Commandos
Creature Commandos
The Creature Commandos are a fictional DC Comics team of military superhumans originally set in World War II. The original team, created by J. M...
, but Solomon Grundy then betrays him, killing his family. It is revealed that Solomon Grundy had been working by General Sam Lane who is responsible for the deaths of Miranda's family.
Television
- Solomon Grundy also appears in the 1979 live action TV specials, Legends of the SuperheroesLegends of the SuperheroesLegends of the Superheroes is an umbrella title for two one-hour and live-action Hanna–Barbera TV specials based on the Super Friends cartoon show that aired on NBC in January 1979...
, played by actor Mickey Morton.
- Solomon Grundy appears in Challenge of the Super FriendsChallenge of the Super FriendsChallenge of the Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from September 9, 1978, to December 23, 1978, on ABC. The complete series was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions for Warner Bros. Television and is based on the Justice League and...
voiced by Jimmy WeldonJimmy WeldonJimmy Weldon is an American voice actor, ventriloquist, and former television host.He is best known as the voice of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Yakky Doodle Duck and the host and ventriloquist in the locally-produced television series, "The Webster Webfoot Show".-History:Born James Weldon...
. He is a member of Lex Luthor's Legion of Doom. In this cartoon series, Grundy speaks broken English with a southernSouthern United StatesThe Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
accentAccent (linguistics)In linguistics, an accent is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation.An accent may identify the locality in which its speakers reside , the socio-economic status of its speakers, their ethnicity, their caste or social class, their first language In...
This incarnation of Grundy is arguably one of the more "intelligent" versions of the character, as he is able to carry on a conversation and devise plans of his own. This version of the character was later used in a promotional spot for Cartoon NetworkCartoon NetworkCartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
with Solomon Grundy declaring that "Solomon Grundy want pants too!" in response to Brainiac'sBrainiac (comics)Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....
request for pants.
- Solomon Grundy appears in the Super Friends episode "Revenge of Doom" again voiced by Jimmy Weldon. He and the rest of the Legion of Doom get back together after salvaging the Legion of Doom headquarters from the swamp.
- Solomon Grundy first appears in the Justice LeagueJustice League (TV series)Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
episode "Injustice for All" voiced by Mark HamillMark HamillMark Richard Hamill is an American actor, voice artist, producer, director, and writer, best known for his role as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy of Star Wars. More recently, he has received acclaim for his voice work, in such roles as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series, Firelord...
. In this series, his origin was that of a mobster (also named Cyrus Gold) who eventually crossed the wrong people. He was killed, cursed, then dumped in a mystical swamp, rising again 25 years later as a soulless monster, forever seeking his lost soul without being aware of it. He is often paired with CopperheadCopperhead (DC Comics)Copperhead is a DC Comics supervillain, he first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #78, June and was created by Bob Haney and Bob Brown.-"John Doe":...
to comedic timing in various episodes. Later, Grundy became a more sympathetic figure, even a hero of sorts, by helping Doctor FateDoctor FateDoctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
save the world from a monstrous, bloodthirsty, ThanagarThanagarThanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...
ian deity named Ichthultu (based on the H. P. LovecraftH. P. LovecraftHoward Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
ian CthulhuCthulhuCthulhu is a fictional character that first appeared in the short story "The Call of Cthulhu", published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. The character was created by writer H. P...
) that he calls "Snake-Face". He befriends HawkgirlHawkgirlHawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
, calling her "Bird-Nose". Fate's team in the episode is a pastiche of Marvel's DefendersDefenders (comics)The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...
, with Grundy standing in for the Hulk, AquamanAquamanAquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title...
standing in for Namor, Doctor FateDoctor FateDoctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
standing in for Doctor StrangeDoctor StrangeDoctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
, and HawkgirlHawkgirlHawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
standing in for both Valkyrie and NighthawkNighthawk (Marvel Comics)Nighthawk is the name of several fictional characters that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. There have been five versions of the character: a supervillain-turned-superhero from the mainstream Marvel Universe continuity, Kyle Richmond, who belonged to the team Squadron Sinister;...
. "Bird-Nose" was Hulk's nickname for Nighthawk, and other heroes have referred to him as such. Grundy attacks Ichthultu on his own, under the impression that the soul-devouring monster is in possession of his own soul. He is poisoned in the attempt, but his efforts allow Hawkgirl to kill the monster. Even the normally staunch Hawkgirl weeps for him, and comforts him in his last moments, assuring him that his soul is waiting for him when he dies. His epitaphEpitaphAn epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
simply reads, "Solomon Grundy — Born on a Monday", a reference to the poem after which he was named.
- Grundy would later return in Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
episode "Wake the Dead" voiced by Bruce TimmBruce TimmBruce Walter Timm is an American character designer, animator and producer. He is also a writer and artist working in comics, and is known for his contributions building the modern DC Comics animated franchise, the DC animated universe.-Animation:Timm's early career in animation was varied; he...
. He was resurrectedResurrectionResurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
by a dark spell cast by a group of young amateurs, which used chaos magic to inadvertently infuse him with the spirit of a powerful demon lord when the magic circle used to bind the demon in place was accidentally broken, allowing the demon to escape and possess the remains of Grundy, with his memory of his past incarnation severely addled and lacking the ability to speak. Mindless and uncontrollable, he goes on a destructive rampage, his power augmented to levels far beyond his original self by the magic animating him. After a lengthy battle with the Justice League, he regains a small fraction of his memory when he beholds Hawkgirl, whom he has accepted as a friend, and he submits to Shayera, who sorrowfully kills him to put him out of his misery.
- Solomon Grundy appeared in The BatmanThe Batman (TV series)The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
episode "Grundy's Night" voiced by Kevin GreviouxKevin GreviouxKevin Grevioux is an American actor, screenwriter, and comic book writer. He is most known for his role as "Raze" in the Underworld movies.-Biography:...
. In this version, Grundy is a zombie created by the working class citizens of 19th century Gotham CityGotham CityGotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
to wreak havoc on the rich landowners that polluted the local lake with industrial wasteIndustrial wasteIndustrial waste is a type of waste produced by industrial activity, such as that of factories, mills and mines. It has existed since the outset of the industrial revolution....
. This version of Grundy is slimmer and more ghoulish than his Justice League counterpart — this version bears a closer resemblance to an actually rotted, desiccated corpse — and, due to being "born" in Gotham, he is more of a Batman villain. Local legend had it that Grundy would again arise on a HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
night when there was a total lunar eclipse in order to take revenge on the descendants of the rich landowners; Gotham City residents therefore referred to this Halloween as "Grundy's Night". This Grundy is actually Clayface in disguise, though at the end of the episode something begins to rise out of the swamp as a moan is heard.
- Solomon Grundy appears in Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
voiced by Diedrich BaderDiedrich BaderKarl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
. This version of Grundy is a still a zombie, but also a crime lord (a combination of the intelligent and incompetent versions) who commands a group of thugs, but speaks in grunts and growls due to his mouth being stitched together. He is also shown to have a right-hand man named Weasel that understands his orders. He fights against Batman and Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
in the teaser of "Night of the Huntress" where he tries to steal a scientist's brain. Black Canary defeats him by fooling him into falling through a glass roof atop a building. He reappears in "The Color of Revenge" robbing a bank in BludhavenBlüdhavenBlüdhaven is a fictional city in the . Created by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel in 1996, it was originally intended to serve as a backdrop for the Nightwing comics series.-Fictional geography:...
. RobinDick GraysonDick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
stops Grundy and the police take him away. He is also one of the villains summoned very briefly by Bat-MiteBat-MiteBat-Mite is a fictional character appearing in stories published by DC Comics. Bat-Mite is an Imp similar to the Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk...
to test Batman's mettle in "Legends of the Dark Mite". He also appears in "Chill of the Night!Chill of the Night!-Background:The episode is a re-telling of Batman's origin story. Paul Dini, who wrote the script for Batman: The Animated Series, wrote the script for this episode. Michael Chang directed the episode. The episode first aired on April 9, 2010. People who voiced characters in Batman: The Animated...
" as one of the Batman Villains to bid on a weapon auctioned by Joe ChillJoe ChillJoe Chill is a fictional character in the DC Comics Batman series. He is best known for murdering young Bruce Wayne's parents , thus making him indirectly responsible for Batman's existence....
. Solomon Grundy is later seen in "The Knights of Tommorow" being defeated by both the Batman and the Robin from the past and the future. He also appears in "Night of the Batmen" where he, BaneBane (comics)Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
, Blockbuster, and Killer CrocKiller CrocKiller Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
try to steal a statue, but all four were stopped by Captain MarvelCaptain Marvel (DC Comics)Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
dressed as Batman. He was also seen in "Powerless," where he is one of the villains in a training simulator to help a depowered Captain AtomCaptain AtomCaptain Atom is a fictional comic book superhero that has existed in three basic incarnations. Created by writer Joe Gill and artist/co-writer Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Space Adventures #33 . Captain Atom was created for Charlton Comics but was later acquired by DC Comics and revised for...
fight crime when his powers were taken away by Major ForceMajor ForceMajor Force is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He is a supervillain that first appeared in Captain Atom vol. 3, #12 .-Early life:...
. Unfortunately, he could not defeat the simulation of Grundy. Solomon Grundy is also seen in the opening of "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth", as one of the villains at the JokerJoker (comics)The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
's celebrity roast, where they were (literally) roasting Batman. He tried to make a joke about Batman, but was cut off by Joker due to his inability to speak clearly.
- Grundy appears in the 10th and final season of SmallvilleSmallvilleSmallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
in a cameo role as a member of Marionette Ventures. He appeared in the episode "Prophecy" and portrayed by John DeSantis. Toyman was assigning him to attack Black CanaryBlack CanaryBlack Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
as his target.
Film
- Solomon Grundy appears in the animated movie Superman/Batman: Public EnemiesSuperman/Batman: Public Enemies# "Markets Crash"# "Main Titles"# "Freeway Chase"# "Admit Something"# "Meteor"# "Metallo"# "High Voltage"# "Framed"# "Luthor talks to Power Girl"# "S.T.A.R...
voiced by an uncredited Corey BurtonCorey BurtonCorey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...
. Gorilla GroddGorilla GroddGorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
controls Solomon Grundy's mind to kill BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
. Batman defeats Grundy after he fails to drown him. He is considerably more intelligent due to Grodd's mind control, and Batman comments that "Grundy sounds like William F. BuckleyWilliam F. Buckley, Jr.William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for...
".
Video games
- Solomon Grundy appears in DC Universe OnlineDC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
, voiced by David Jennison.
- Solomon Grundy appears in Batman: Arkham City voiced by Fred TatascioreFred TatascioreFrederick "Fred" Tatasciore is an American voice actor who portrays secondary characters as well as monstrous-looking types...
. In this game, he was found in the basement of the Iceburg Lounge, as he was already somehow brought there when the PenguinPenguin (comics)Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...
bought the museum. He mainly attacks by swinging around giant metal balls chained to his arms and releasing maggot-like creatures to attack Batman, each attack carrying an electrical charge. Each time he is defeated, Penguin activates an electric generator that restores his health and life force. Batman tries numerous times to destroy the generator and stop Grundy, but to no avail. At the battle's final stage, Grundy attempts to electrocute Batman by grabbing the generator and the Dark Knight at the same time, but this backfires and Batman manages to trap both of the chains in the generator, tying Grundy's arms behind his back. Soon, Batman defeats him by ripping out the source of his life in his chest, though whether this "killed" Grundy is unclear.
Music
The Canadian music group Crash Test DummiesCrash Test Dummies
The Crash Test Dummies is a Canadian folk rock/alternative rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, widely known for their 1993 single "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm".The band is most identifiable through Brad Roberts and his distinctive bass-baritone voice...
mentioned the character in "Superman's Song
Superman's Song
"Superman's Song" was the first single of the Canadian folk-rock group Crash Test Dummies and came from their 1991 debut album The Ghosts That Haunt Me. The single was the group's first hit, charting in both Canada and the United States...
" from their 1991 album The Ghosts That Haunt Me
The Ghosts That Haunt Me
The Ghosts That Haunt Me is the 1991 debut album by Crash Test Dummies. It featured their hit "Superman's Song".The artwork featured on the cover, and throughout the liner notes, is by 19th-century illustrator Gustav Doré and is from 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge...
: "Superman never made any money / For saving the world from Solomon Grundy". Solomon Grundy was used in the song because lead singer Brad Roberts
Brad Roberts
Bradley Kenneth "Brad" Roberts is the lead singer and guitarist for the Canadian folk-rock band Crash Test Dummies. He sings in the bass-baritone range.-Career:...
could not think of any other super-villains that rhymed with "money."
An underground rap album, The Undying, featured a temporary redux of rapper Blaze Ya Dead Homie
Blaze Ya Dead Homie
Chris Rouleau, also known as Blaze Ya Dead Homie, is an American rapper from Romeo, Michigan. His stage persona is that of a reincarnated gang member killed in the late 1980s, and his music is a fusion of gangsta rap and horrorcore.-Biography:...
's identity to that of Colton Grundy. The album describes the story of a casket-maker by the name of Solomon who could not die and thus jumped into a freezing river and awakening in the 1990s, transformed into Blaze, and eventually into Colton Grundy.
The American ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band Skavoovie and the Epitones, on their first studio album: "Fat Footin'", contains a song titled "Solomon Gundy" which is the Jamaican patois
Patois
Patois is any language that is considered nonstandard, although the term is not formally defined in linguistics. It can refer to pidgins, creoles, dialects, and other forms of native or local speech, but not commonly to jargon or slang, which are vocabulary-based forms of cant...
pronunciation of Solomon Grundy.
A music act named after the super villain Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy (band)
Solomon Grundy were a psychedelic rock band from Ellensburg, Washington. They formed in 1989 and released their debut album release in 1990. The band featured Van Conner from the Screaming Trees as a guitarist and vocalist...
was formed in the late 1980s as a side project of Pacific Northwest grunge-era group Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees
Screaming Trees was an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington in 1985 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bass player Van Conner and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel had been replaced by Barrett Martin by the time the band reached its most successful period...
. Van Conner
Van Conner
Van Conner is an American rock musician. In 1984 he co-founded the band Screaming Trees with his brother Gary Lee Conner and close friends Mark Lanegan and Mark Pickerel. On the 25 June 2000 Screaming Trees announced their official breakup...
was featured as singer on their self-titled New Alliance Records
New Alliance Records
New Alliance Records was the record label founded by The Minutemen's D. Boon and Mike Watt and longtime friend and associate Martin Tamburovich after the example of Black Flag's SST Records...
release.
Miscellaneous
- The real Solomon Grundy appears in issue 19 of The Batman Strikes!The Batman (TV series)The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
(which is based on The BatmanThe Batman (TV series)The Batman is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation based on the DC Comics superhero Batman. It ran from 2004 to 2008, on the Saturday morning television block Kids' WB...
).
- The Joker uses a hard light hologram of Solomon Grundy to battle Superman and Batman in the direct-to-video original animation DC Super Friends: The Joker's Playhouse (2010).
See also
External links
- Solomon Grundy at the DC Database Project
- Solomon Grundy at The Watchtower, a Justice League fan site
- Solomon Grundy another Grundy bio
- A look at Grundy's debut six decades ago in the DCU, complete with images