"Born on Monday" - Golden Age Solomon Grundy Appreciation Thread 2021!

[MajorHoy]

First appearance = All American Comics #61 (October 1944)

with that initial story being reprinted in Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains #4 (December 1972)


And from All-Star Squadron #3 (November 1981),

[jb681131]

Nice.

His first: "Born on a Monday"


He has energy absorbtion powers (such as Green Lantern's power):


He then mastered how to use those absorbed powers:

[jb681131]

He was also part of the Injustice Society of the World for a while:


Here is another portrait I found:

[jb681131]

He appeared in:

• All-American Comics Vol.1 #61
• All-Star Comics Vol.1 #33,63
• All-Star Squadron Vol.1 #1-3,14
• America vs. the Justice Society Vol.1 #3
• Batman Vol.1 #194
• The Best of DC Vol.1 #32,69
• The Brave and the Bold Vol.1 #115
• Comic Cavalcade Vol.1 #13,24
• Convergence: Action Comics Vol.1 #1
• Crisis on Infinite Earths Vol.1 #5,9
• Detective Comics Vol.1 #523
• Infinity Inc. Vol.1 #3-4,13,22-23
• Justice League of America Vol.1 #46-47,91-92,193
• Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths
• Showcase Vol.1 #55
• Super-Team Family Vol.1 #4
• Superman Vol.1 #301,319
• Wanted Vol.1 #4
• Wonder Woman Vol.1 #271-273

[MajorHoy]

. . . He has energy absorbtion powers (such as Green Lantern's power):

I didn't think it was "energy absorption" as much as his body was less effected by Alan's ring because of the swamp wood that was a part of his overall body?

He was also part of the Injustice Society of the World for a while:

Grundy wasn't involved with the Injustice Society during their two Golden Age appearances. He first became involved with them during the 1970s revival of All-Star Comics.

[jb681131]

Well the golden is from 1938 to the mid 50's (the adoption of the Comics Code).
But A golden age hero/vilain/team is a hero/vilain/team created during the golden age.

You will note that Solomon Grundy as well as the members of the Justice Society of America from the 70's revival of All-star Comics are all Golden age characters.
And not a newer form from the Silver or Bronze age.

Those storie are concidered to happen on Earth-1 (information from DC Wikia), being the Golden Age earth.

Earth-2 is silver and bronze age earth, New-earth is the modern age earth, Prime-earth is the New52/Rebirth earth.
Earth-1 and Earth-2 are now a days gone and merge along other earths into New-Earth.
There are also an Earth-one (with more realistic vilains), and an Earth-two (where Prime-earth heroes are vilains there).

[MajorHoy]

Well the golden is from 1938 to the mid 50's (the adoption of the Comics Code).
But A golden age hero/vilain/team is a hero/vilain/team created during the golden age.

I'm well aware of that. I just was clarifying that

. . . Grundy wasn't involved with the Injustice Society during their two Golden Age appearances. He first became involved with them during the 1970s revival of All-Star Comics . . .

And it wasn't so much the adoption of the Comics Code that was the dividing line between Golden and Silver Age. Showcase #4 (cover-dated September-October 1956) is considered by many to be a starting point of DC's Silver Age since that was the first appearance of the Barry Allen-version of The Flash.

You will note that Solomon Grundy as well as the members of the Justice Society of America from the 70's revival of All-star Comics are all Golden age characters.
And not a newer form from the Silver or Bronze age.

Those storie are concidered to happen on Earth-1 (information from DC Wikia), being the Golden Age earth.

Earth-2 is silver and bronze age earth, New-earth is the modern age earth, Prime-earth is the New52/Rebirth earth.

Either DC Wikia has it wrong or you misunderstood what they wrote.

The Golden Age stories were considered to have taken place on Earth-2/Earth-Two, not Earth-1/Earth-One. The concept of Earth-2/Earth-Two wasn't introduced until the story "The Flash of Two Worlds" in The Flash #123 (Sept. 1961). And over the years, throughout various meetings between the heroes from the two Earths, there would be the occasional joke asking why the Earth that first had superheroes should be called "Earth-Two"/"Earth-2" and who decided which Earth was designated with which number.

The following is from Adventure Comics #461 (January-February 1979):

[DrNewGod]

To me, hands down the best and most horrifying depiction of Solomon Grundy.

d5oecws-b1e4ee23-1b4d-47e9-af6b-fb91884b2c64.jpg

[jb681131]

I'm well aware of that. I just was clarifying thatAnd it wasn't so much the adoption of the Comics Code that was the dividing line between Golden and Silver Age. Showcase #4 (cover-dated September-October 1956) is considered by many to be a starting point of DC's Silver Age since that was the first appearance of the Barry Allen-version of The Flash.

Either DC Wikia has it wrong or you misunderstood what they wrote.

The Golden Age stories were considered to have taken place on Earth-2/Earth-Two, not Earth-1/Earth-One. The concept of Earth-2/Earth-Two wasn't introduced until the story "The Flash of Two Worlds" in The Flash #123 (Sept. 1961). And over the years, throughout various meetings between the heroes from the two Earths, there would be the occasional joke asking why the Earth that first had superheroes should be called "Earth-Two"/"Earth-2" and who decided which Earth was designated with which number.

I may avec mixed up Earth-1 and Earth-2.
But you've got it a bit mixed up to.
Earth-Two is a different earth than Earth-2, the same for Earth-1 and Earth-one.

Indeed Showcase #4 is the 1st Silver age comics from DC.
But like you sayd in the silver age story of Flash "The Flash of Two Worlds", it was explaind why the Silver age heroes and the Golden age ones are different.
Because there are 2 earths (so at least 2 different univers) with Earth-1 and Earth-2.

To go back to the main topic. The stories with Solomon Grundy as part of the Injustice Society does happen on the Golden age Earth. Even though the silver age had alread begun.
But I agree there is something tricky, those stories bare the "Comics Code Authority" approuval, sign of a silver age comic.
So the tone of Solomon Grundy (and the Justice Society of America) is slightly different than their earlier appearances.

To conclude, all of this is tricky and messy, because some comics written during the Silver age era still happen on the Golden age earth, but are written with the Silver age tone.

[MajorHoy]

I may avec mixed up Earth-1 and Earth-2.
But you've got it a bit mixed up to.
Earth-Two is a different earth than Earth-2, the same for Earth-1 and Earth-one.

Silver Age/Bronze Age stories would use the terms "Earth-Two" and "Earth-2" interchangeably. Besides, how can "Earth-Two" be different from "Earth-2"? Say both out loud. They're the same thing!
"Two" is the word-form of "2". Any kid in elementary school can tell you that.

By the way, when did you start regularly reading DC comic books?
Was it before Crisis on Infinite Earths came out in 1985?

[Lizzy]

I never heard the version where he got robbed, looted and murdered.
I like the one where he was "Christened on Tuesday, married on Wednesday, then died on Saturday" -- seems like a pretty normal life

Cheers, Lizzy

[MajorHoy]

From Comic Cavalcade #24 (December 1947-January 1948):

[DrNewGod]

From Comic Cavalcade #24 (December 1947-January 1948):

How many times did SG appear before DC's Golden Age heroes went on ice back in 1951? Including his All-Star Comics story, I had the impression that it was only two or three.

[MajorHoy]

How many times did SG appear before DC's Golden Age heroes went on ice back in 1951? Including his All-Star Comics story, I had the impression that it was only two or three.

The GCD lists four appearances of Solomon Grundy prior to his revival in 1965's Showcase #55.

[signalman112]

Solomon Grundy on the cover of DETECTIVE COMICS #523. That is where I first saw him.
This story will be reprinted in next months TALES OF THE BATMAN: GERRY CONWAY Vol #3.

DetectiveComics523.jpg