Solomon Grundy (Cyrus Gold) is a supervillain and occasional antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was originally depicted as a murder victim brought back to life as a corporeal revenant or zombie, though subsequent versions of the character have occasionally depicted a different origin. His name is taken from the 19th century nursery rhyme "Solomon Grundy."
Grundy was introduced as an enemy of comic book hero Alan Scott (the original Green Lantern), but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes such as Superman, Batman, and other members of the Justice League. As a revenant whose backstory often involves coming back to life after being deposited in a swamp, later writers have also given him ties to Swamp Thing, one of DC's horror-fantasy heroes.
Solomon Grundy has been adapted into numerous media outside comics, including television series and films. Mark Hamill and Fred Tatasciore, among others, have voiced the character in animation. The character appeared as Butch Gilzean in the first four seasons of Fox's television series Gotham, portrayed by Drew Powell. Grundy also appeared in the first and second seasons of Stargirl, portrayed via CGI.
Publication history Created by Alfred Bester,ad Green Lantern #223 he first appeared in All-American Comics #61 (October 1944).
Grundy is the focus of one of the four Faces of Evil one-shots that explore the aftermath of Final Crisis, written by Scott Kolins and Geoff Johns, with art by Shane Davis.Scott Kolins on Faces of Evil: Grundy, Newsarama, November 3, 2008, Newsarama, 13 November 2008. It is the introduction to a seven part mini-series featuring the character.
Fictional character biography Pre-Crisis Earth-Two version's history
In the late 19th century, a wealthy merchant named Cyrus Gold is murdered and his body is disposed of in Slaughter Swamp, near Gotham City. Fifty years later, he is reanimated as a zombie-like creature composed partly of swamp matter with no memory of his previous life. He becomes an enemy of the Green Lantern, Alan Scott, proving to be a difficult enemy due to being made of wood and thus resistant to his powers.All-American Comics #61
A criminal scientist calling himself the Baron of York kills his brother and takes over his gang, stating to them that he knows where to find the body of Solomon Grundy. Once the body is found, the Baron of York injects Grundy with concentrated chlorophyll upon knowing his background. The side effect turns Solomon Grundy into a plant. When the Baron of York bluffs about him being worshipped and served, Solomon Grundy kills the Baron of York and takes over his gang. While noting that Solomon Grundy is more invulnerable to his ring due to the chlorophyll, Green Lantern chases after Solomon Grundy until he becomes exhausted in the petrified forest in Arizona. Using his ring, Green Lantern traps Grundy in a green plasma bubble for a time.'Comic Cavalcade #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 #33 (1947)
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.Comics Cavalcade #24
At this point, Grundy is freed and enlisted along with several other supervillains by the time-traveling criminal Per Degaton in his second appearance, who has traveled to 1941 to capture the Justice Society of America on the day of the attack on timeline, hoping to change history and take over the world. Grundy encounters Green Lantern, Flash, and Wonder Woman in Echo Park, whom Grundy knows from 1947. 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, 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.All-Star Squadron #1-3 (September–October 1981)Justice League of America #183 (1981)
After many years, Grundy is knocked loose from his planet prison and returns to Earth to battle Green Lantern, Hourman, and Doctor Fate. At this point, he has temporary mastery over all wooden objects. Solomon Grundy is imprisoned orbiting the Earth in a stronger bubble created by the combined powers of Green Lantern and Doctor Fate.Showcase #55 (March–April 1965)
Grundy was once pulled to Earth-One 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 Doctor Fate's magic, is stronger than before, and is even able to telekinetically lift 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-One Green Lantern after being lifted up by Earth-One Hawkman and dazed by blows from all the heroes, but when the machine is turned off he is substituted for Blockbuster on Earth-Two and renews the attack, defeating numerous heroes. However, the JSA and JLA went to battle an Anti-Matter being that was threatening both Earths in Warp-Space after being summoned by Fate, who had sensed the threat due to the Spectre. As the heroes return, they find Green Lantern had placed Grundy and Blockbuster together to occupy them, and the two have knocked the hate out of each other. Grundy is then taken back to his Earth by the Justice Society.Justice League of America #46-47 (August–September 1966)
In his next appearance, Solomon Grundy 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. Having absorbed magic from Doctor Fate and Green Lantern, Grundy is easily able to defeat the combined might of Superman, Flash, Earth-Two Hawkman, Earth-One Hawkman, and Green Lantern, until he is defeated by both Green Lanterns and sealed in Slaughter Swamp. The alien child is finally reunited with his pet and sent back to his own dimension.Justice League of America #91 (August 1971)
While imprisoned, Grundy incorrectly deduces that the second Green Lantern's Earth must contain a second Solomon Grundy and crosses over from his Slaughter Swamp prison on Earth-Two to Earth-One where he overpowers that Earth's Superman before being tricked and stranded on the moon.Superman #301 (July–August 1976)
Solomon Grundy briefly works with the Injustice Society when the Fiddler retrieves Grundy from the moon of Earth-One to attack the JSA. The two defeat Hawkman and Wildcat before Grundy is thrown into a cooling volcano by Power Girl and Superman.All-Star Comics #63 (1976)
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.Infinity Inc. #51-53
Earth-One version's history When Earth-Two's Solomon Grundy visited Earth-One, he left behind some residual cells in the sewers. The Earth-One Solomon Grundy is born when the Parasite uses an enhanced crystal to metabolically hasten the growth of residual cells which becomes a new, much more bestial version. During a clash with Superman, it is determined that his might is too much for the Man of Steel, so Superman flies the monster to an alien world inhospitable to all save the hardiest life as the zombie propels himself through the air, mimicking his one-time adversary.Superman #319-322
This version repeatedly plagues Superman for years until during an encounter wherein multiple Grundys are spawned, Superman and the Swamp Thing both encounter the Grundy clones. 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. The Swamp Thing attempts to cry out for Superman to stop as he believes Grundy to meet the definition of life, but the Swamp Thing is unable to express this due to his physical difficulty in speaking.DC Comics Presents #8 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.Detective Comics #523
This version of Grundy was retroactively erased from history after the revamping of Superman in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Post-Crisis