Solomon Grundy (DC)

Latest revision as of 05:59, 17 May 2024

Solomon Grundy in Batman v3 #2.

Solomon Grundy is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Pre-Crisis

Cyrus Gold

In 1894, the wealthy merchant Cyrus Gold was murdered and his body disposed of in Slaughter Swamp. Gold's corpse was reanimated in 1944, as a huge shambling figure with almost no memory of its past life. Gold murdered two escaped criminals who were hiding out in the marsh and stole their clothes. He showed up in a hobo camp and when asked about his name, one of the few things he could recall was that he was "born on a Monday." One of the men at the camp mentioned the nursery rhyme character Solomon Grundy, and Gold adopted the moniker. Strong, vicious, and nearly mindless, Solomon Grundy fell into a life of crime — or perhaps returned to one, according to his scattered residual memories — attracting the attention of the Green Lantern. Grundy proved to be a difficult opponent, unkillable as he was already dead and with an inherent resistance to Scott's powers which could not affect wood. Their first fight ended when Grundy was hurled under a train. (All-American Comics v1 #61)

He was revived by a criminal named Baron of York, using concentrated chlorophyll, which left him green. The now green Grundy, along with the Baron gang, started a wave of crimes across the USA, until Grundy killed Baron. Alan Scott was able to defeat him when, after a long chase, they arrived at a place with a petrified forest. Something about Grundy's altered physiology with chlorophyll made him as immobile as the trees around him. (Comic Cavalcade v1 #13)

A freak weather occurrence releases Solomon Grundy from his prison. Making his way across country, Grundy heads for the headquarters of the Justice Society of America. Green Lantern arrives early for the meeting and when the other members arrive, they find their headquarters smashed to pieces and Green Lantern missing from the ranks. Johnny turns on the radio, which blares the warning that Solomon Grundy is on the loose; the members believe, based on a large, muddy footprint on the floor, that Grundy got to HQ and took Green Lantern. The radio continues its report, listing cities where Grundy was seen, so each member picks a city and heads for it to try to find Green Lantern while Wonder Woman stays behind. The scene now shifts back to the moment at JSA HQ where Green Lantern had opened the door. To his surprise, Doiby Dickles walks in, and informs him that Grundy has freed himself and is on the loose. Green Lantern leaves immediately, 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. Green Lantern and Doiby use a special radio-like device Alan Scott had developed that is attuned to the mental wavelengths of Grundy himself; Green Lantern calculates the path of Grundy and announces over the radio in JSA HQ where Grundy will strike. When Green Lantern and Grundy meet, Grundy rips a tree out by its roots and smashes it into the Lantern. Green Lantern 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 Grundy with his ring, but he is much too weak. Grundy grabs Green Lantern by the throat and begins to squeeze the life out of him, holding his head underwater. However, Hawkman strikes Grundy with his mace, and Doctor Mid-Nite revives the Lantern. A combined attack brings down Grundy, and Green Lantern deposits Grundy on a distant, lifeless planet. (All-Star Comics v1 #33)

A battle soon commences when Grundy's body gravitates towards young astronomer Dick Cashmere as he learns to ride light waves, resulting in his assuming Cashmere's identity for a time while leaving the real one bound and gagged, though the Society finds him soon after. In this incarnation, he gains intelligence, which he subsequently loses when Green Lantern defeats and buries Grundy in 1947. (Comic Cavalcade v1 #24)

Grundy eventually mastered the use of the stored up emerald energy he had absorbed over the years from the many battles with his arch-foe, and returned to Earth to battle Green Lantern, along with Hourman and Doctor Fate. At this point, he had temporary mastery over all wooden objects, though he subsequently lost this power with his next death. (Showcase v1 #55)

Superman found Solomon Grundy taking refuge in the Metropolis sewers and engaged him in battle. Swamp Thing was also present, he’d been searching for Grundy because he’d noted the similarities between himself and Grundy, and he hoped that if he learned more about Grundy he’d have insights about curing his condition. He found Superman and Grundy, and tried to articulate himself to make them stop fighting, but when that failed he pinned back Superman’s arms and allowed Grundy to knock him out. Grundy was convinced they were friends because they were both monsters and Swamp Thing led him deeper into the sewer, discovering a rudimentary lab stocked with chemicals. He convinced Grundy to give him a skin sample, but after hours of study concluded that he and Grundy were fundamentally different, and that Grundy was not even alive in the normal sense of the word. Superman wanted to prevent Grundy from resurrecting from Slaughter Swamp, so he took a sample of swamp water and gave it to Dr. Klyburn of S.T.A.R. Labs. This disturbance caused Slaughter Swamp to produce 60 Grundy clones, all bent on attacking Superman and S.T.A.R. Labs. Swamp Thing had no success in getting them to calm down, so Superman used a chemical from Klyburn to destroy the Grundys one by one. Swamp Thing was outraged, even though Grundy didn’t fit some definitions of life, neither did he. He tried to shout at Superman, but the hero avoided him after their earlier fight, and Swamp Thing watched helplessly as Superman dispatched the Grundys. (DC Comics Presents v1 #8)

Post-Crisis

Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Cyrus Gold

Cyrus's father was said to had buried him alive in a grave every year on his birthday, supposedly to make him grow into a stronger man. (Solomon Grundy v1 #1) It was known that his father came to change the family surname to Gold upon moving to Gotham City. This was under the hope of striking it rich. Cyrus' father though came to die penniless leading to him becoming determined to be rich at any cost. Gold came to be a corrupt sociopath, and this made him a natural businessman, but he accumulated many enemies. He was noted to had bankrupted his uncle John, and shot him out of spite. (Faces of Evil: Solomon Grundy v1 #1) Duggan and his gang beat Cyrus savagely for daring to invade their territory namely Duggan's Alley. Cyrus' friend Pearl found his bleeding form and prayed for him, but he told her he did not need God. A demonic old man approached Cyrus and promised him powers and riches as long as he agreed to work for him until he died. A week later Cyrus caught Duggan alone and stabbed him to death. (Solomon Grundy v1 #2) Some would later claim that Cyrus was a miser and a pervert who killed kids whose bodies were left in Slaughter Swamp. Though others had said that Cyrus Gold was an innocent victim of mob injustice. The Seven Unknown Men that were based in Slaughter Swamp were aware of both accounts of Cyrus Gold's life. (Seven Soldiers v1 #0)

According to one account, the Parliament of Trees were responsible for the transformation of Cyrus Gold when they looked to create a new champion but the process was not complete thus creating a failed plant elemental who called himself Solomon Grundy. (Swamp Thing v2 #68)

Later on, a plant elemental called Sprout that had yet to be born came to take possession of Solomon Grundy’s body. Sprout knew that Grundy was a man who died in Slaughter Swamp and was reborn, and Sprout theorized that Grundy was a failed Plant Elemental, needing only fire to be a true elemental. Swamp Thing had been concerned about the Sprout, and met him in Slaughter Swamp. Sprout thanked Swamp Thing for standing up for him in front of the Parliament, and explained Grundy’s origins. He planned on adding the last element, fire, by subsuming Grundy’s body in a blaze at Slaughter Swamp Pulp and Paper. Grundy violently rejected the Sprout being in his mind and attacked Swamp Thing, reducing him to pulp. Sprout appealed to visions of Grundy’s happy life as Cyrus Gold, but Grundy wanted no happiness if it ment losing his identity. Grundy bathed himself in toxins at the Pulp plant, forcing Sprout to exit his body. The one clear thought in his muddled head was Jade, and he went in search of his friend. (Swamp Thing v2 #67)

Grundy later took to living in Gotham City’s sewers. He was disturbed by hitman Mickey Sullivan, who fled to the sewers to escape Batman. Grundy went berserk and attacked Batman, who had followed Sullivan. After a brief fight Grundy slunk away. Batman felt pity for the man-monster, and later brought a turkey dinner down to the sewer on Thanksgiving for Grundy to enjoy. (Batman: The Long Halloween v1 #2) Solomon Grundy consistently haunted Gotham City, and has been known to take residence in the Gotham sewer system. In the early years, his primary enemy was Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, though he also fought Batman as well. During The Long Halloween, he struck up an odd kinship with Harvey Dent. (Batman: The Long Halloween v1 #12) Harvey Dent assembled a crew including Grundy, Joker, Mad Hatter I, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy and Catwoman to kill gangster Carmine “The Roman” Falcone. Batman defeated Dent’s lackeys but couldn’t stop Dent from personally killing The Roman. (Batman: The Long Halloween v1 #13)

Vandal Savage would later gain control over Grundy where he teamed him up with Eclipso, Clayface Matt Hagen and Thorn to kill the fledgling Justice League of America. However, in-fighting amongst the villains ultimately led to their defeat at the hands of the superheroes. (JLA: Year One v1 #2)

For a time, a new innocent, child-like Grundy lurked in the sewers of Opal City, where he was befriended by Starman Jack Knight, who affectionately referred to him as Solly. (Starman v2 #10) Solly also became friends with Starman Mikaal Tomas, and sacrificed himself to save Mikaal from being crushed by a collapsing building. This left Grundy in critical condition. In return for his sacrifice (as well as trying to stop the old Grundy from reemerging), Jack and Ted Knight and Alan Scott enlisted the aid of the Floronic Man, who like Grundy was a creature of The Green, to try and save his life. Woodrue was accompanied by Batman, and had them all eat seeds, allowing them to enter the consciousness of Grundy in order to pull out the Solly aspect of Grundy's personality, rather than one of Grundy's evil versions. Unfortunately, the bad aspects of Grundy were too overwhelming and the Solly version couldn't be saved. When the heroes returned to the normal world, Grundy disappeared. Grundy's next appearance saw the return of his malicious persona, where he was found by Jack Knight on a strange blue planet, apparently having landed there when he was cast into orbit by Alan Scott and Dr. Fate in the 40's. The crash on the planet killed him, apparently allowing him to resurrect with a different body on Earth. This suggests that Grundy's consciousness may be able to inhabit multiple bodies, though only one at a time. This new Grundy had a much higher intelligence than normal, but claimed to have no knowledge of Jack Knight or his previous exploits on earth since he was cast into orbit. This version of Grundy was summarily destroyed. (Starman v2 #34) Mikaal Tomas was the next to battle Grundy. This Grundy displayed an average intelligence and was once again malicious. However, when as assassin (Frankie Soul) tried to take out Mikaal with a sniper rifle, Grundy sensed the coming shot and stepped in front of it, sacrificing himself once again to save Mikaal. With his dying words Grundy claimed that this was not a result of the Solly personality reemerging, but was unable to explain why he had done it. (Starman v2 #49)

Solomon Grundy joined the Injustice Society. Under orders from the Injustice Society’s new leader Legacy (Wizard) they broke Icicle II out of D.E.O. custody and fought the JSA. Using some of Legacy’s arcane devices the Injustice Society transported the founding members of the JSA to a prison in a pocket dimension, then Legacy teleported the Injustice Society to safety. (JSA All-Stars v1 #1) Grundy ran amok in Central Park, fighting the JSA. He was incensed that they’d caused by him dying the past, and intended to kill them all, but he was stopped by Sand, who tookhimout with a localized earthquake. (JSA v1 #65) Solomon Grundy spent all day battling Stargirl. (JSA v1 #68) He later came to be under the mental control of Gorilla Grodd where he was sent to attack Batman and Superman for President Luthor where he looked to claimed the one billion dollar bounty. (Superman/Batman v1 #3) Grundy was defeated by the JSA and wrapped up in chains by Green Lantern. (The Flash v2 #209) Grundy went berserk and engaged in a battle with the JSA. They were having a hard time handling him until [[Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) showed up and knocked him out with a single blow. (Supergirl v5 #1) Dr. Crissie Cavendish discovered Solomon Grundy’s old journals and realized she was his great-great granddaughter. She had Green Arrow take her to Grundy’s lair in his old estate, and after Arrow momentarily subdued the monster she took a sample of his DNA, promising to find a way to restore his humanity. She later changed her mind, and in twisted admiration for Grundy she used his blood to reverse engineer a version of the formula that made him an elemental. She injected herself and became a monstrous dinosaur-like creature, lashing out at both Arrow and Grundy. She almost killed Arrow, but Grundy knocked her out with a boulder. Grundy allowed Arrow to leave with Crissie, and the hero took her to S.T.A.R. Labs for treatment. (Green Arrow v3 #53)

The Society planned a worldwide prison break to free every incarcerated supervillain, and Solomon Grundy and Hellhound were two Society agents sent to threaten a warden to open the cell doors of his prison on an appointed date. Hellhound told the warden he'd release Grundy in his house if he refused. After the prison breaks Grundy and the escaped villains massed in Metropolis. They were confronted by an army of virtually every hero on Earth, and the heroes and villains engaged in an epic battle. (Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special v1 #1)

Grundy was shown to had join the ranks of the Society and participated in their attack against the Secret Six. During the fight, he encountered the Rag Doll Peter Merkel Jr. who came to befriend Grundy leading to him turning against the Society. (Villains United v1 #5) The Society planned a worldwide prison break to free every incarcerated supervillain, and Solomon Grundy and Hellhound were two Society agents sent to threaten a warden to open the cell doors of his prison on an appointed date. Hellhound told the warden he'd release Grundy in his house if he refused. After the prison breaks Grundy and the escaped villains massed in Metropolis. They were confronted by an army of virtually every hero on Earth, and the heroes and villains engaged in an epic battle. (Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special v1 #1)

He was exiled to the Prison Planet during Salvation Run, where a large number of supervillains were exported several lightyears into space, and left to fend for themselves on a foreign planet. He joined Lex Luthor's camp, but was killed in the gigantic Parademon raid shortly before the villains could escape. (Salvation Run v1 #7)

Post-Flashpoint

Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Cyrus Gold

During the War of Jokes and Riddles, Grundy came to side himself with the Joker's faction in the war against the Riddler that engulfed Gotham. (Batman v3 #28)

Solomon Grundy is among the villains that protected Ingrid Karlsson during a riot at Arkham Asylum. Before Ingrid was killed by an inmate using a rogue Batarang despite the villains getting her away from the riot, she gave birth to Astrid Arkham who would later become Arkham Knight. (Detective Comics v1 #1004)

The sorceress Selena created a mindless clone of Solomon Grundy from his DNA sample to serve as the muscle for the Fatal Five and fought Supergirl. (Supergirl v7 #12)

Overview

Personality and attributes

A woman named Chrissie Cavendish claimed to had been great-great grand-daughter of Cyrus Gold. She came to be a scientist and a consultant at S.T.A.R. Labs where she had secret ambitions of becoming a superpowered monster like Solomon Grundy. (Green Arrow v3 #53)

Powers and abilities

Solomon could establish a mystical link with the Earth itself, and if he wished then nobody could lift him. (Superman v1 #301)

At Slaughter Swamp, his regenerative powers were even stronger where his severed limbs returned and reattached themselves to his torso in seconds. (Solomon Grundy v1 #5)

Notes

• Solomon Grundy was created by Alfred Bester and Paul Reinman where he made his first appearance in All-American Comics v1 #61 (October, 1944).

Alternate Versions

• In JLA Secret Files and Origins 2004 v1 #1 (2004), an alternate version of the character named Sir Solomon Grundy appeared on an Earth located in the Anti-Matter Universe. He came to be a member of the Quizmaster's Justice Underground. Sir Solomon Grundy was a distinguished, poised mountain of a man. During an aerial bombardment of Dover, he was blasted to life out of the rock from the white cliffs. Sir Solomon appeared 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 dressed himself as a 19th-century Englishman would, and spoke accordingly. His super strength and invulnerability made him a formidable hero, until Ultraman rendered him inert on a Saturday.
• In Earth 2 v1 #3 (2012), an alternate version of Solomon Grundy appeared on Earth-Two in the post-Flashpoint Multiverse. This version had been a simple poor man who worked his fingers to the bone in order to support his anxious wife Pinney and newborn child. In 1898, he worked at the local butcher shop while constantly under the watchful eye of his morally dubious boss, Henry Pittance. One day his wife ran out of the office of his employer after what had appeared to be a molestation incident as evident by her screaming, though he quickly fell back in line when Henry ordered it. Later on, his wife would commit suicide over the incident leading to him following her in death where he became approach by the Grey to become their agent in the world leading to his revival as an undead monster named Solomon Grundy.

In other media

Television

• In Challenge of the Super Friends, Solomon Grundy appeared in the setting of the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Jimmy Weldon.
• In Justice League Action, Solomon Grundy appeared in the setting of the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
• In Gotham, Solomon Grundy appeared in the setting of the live-action television series where he was portrayed by actor Drew Powell. This version was originally Butch Gilzean who was a mob enforcer working for gangster Fish Mooney.
• In Stargirl, Solomon Grundy appeared in the setting of the live-action DC Universe television series.

Films

• In Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Solomon Grundy appeared in the setting of the animated film where he was voiced by uncredited actor Corey Burton.

Video games

• In DC Universe Online, Solomon Grundy appeared in the setting of the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor David Jennison.
• In Injustice: Gods Among Us, Solomon Grundy appeared in the setting of the fighting video game where he was voiced once again by actor Fred Tatasciore.

Appearances

• All-American Comics v1: (1944)
• Justice League of America v1:
• Superman/Batman v1:
• Justice League of America v2:
• Solomon Grundy v1:
• Earth-2 v1:

External Links

• DC Comics Entry
• DC Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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