DCU Comic Book Reviews

FACES OF EVIL:  SOLOMON GRUNDY

The Curse!

March 2009

Written by Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins

Pencils by Scott Kolins

Inks by Scott Kolins

Cover by Shane Davis and Sandra Hope

Synopsis

In Gotham City, 1885, thief and scoundrel Cyrus Gold is killed and then reborn as Solomon Grundy, destined to be killed and born repeatedly.  This time, Grundy is born in a swamp near Gotham City.  He finds a hermit living in the woods and kills him.  He then travels to Gotham City.  The sights and sounds of returning to his home overwhelms him.  He hits a bystander, and then runs from the police.  He is then hit by a bus and killed.  On Monday, Solomon Grundy is born again.  For the next week, he brings destruction on the city.  On Saturday night, he encounters Killer Croc in the sewers.  The two fight.  On Monday, Solomon Grundy wanders through a graveyard.  He finds the tombstone of Cyrus Gold.  He also encounters the Phantom Stranger and Alan Scott.  They tell him he has seven days to end his curse.  There is an unholy night coming and it is best if Grundy was not around for it. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I am not exactly thrilled to read a comic that is essentially the first issue of an upcoming mini-series.  Or a comic that connects to the upcoming storyline “Blackest Night.”  While I understand these “Faces of Evil” stories are essentially marketing ploys for comics coming in the coming year, I did not think it would be so blatant.  I expected some kind of resolution to this issue with perhaps a few loose ends left scattered in the comic that would be designed to lead into the character’s next appearance.  But this?  With a cliffhanger?  Annoying.  Even more annoying because I think I may actually get the mini-series (and my wallet will suffer).  I am intrigued.  Essentially, this is nothing more than an origin story, but there is enough here about Grundy’s existence before he became Grundy, that I am curious to see what happens.  

The final words from the Phantom Stranger are interesting, if only because it promises to deliver an ending that I doubt DC would actually follow through on.  I mean, if Grundy’s curse ends, then the character of Grundy no longer exists.  I doubt DC editorial would willingly remove a character, especially one such as Grundy who can provide writers a villain who is fairly easy to write (a big physical brute who spouts “Born on a Monday) and is tough and strong to provide challenge to the hero, but is usually defeated.

I checked the DC site for information on the upcoming mini-series and noticed that Geoff Johns was not involved with the writing.  So, I am guessing that Johns (who has a reputation of someone who can work wonders with convoluted continuity) was involved to make sure Kolins got Grundy’s continuity correct and to make it matches with what is going on in the DC universe right now. 

Comic Connection

Solomon Grundy first appeared in All-American Comics, issue #61 (October 1944).

Solomon Grundy was born with a superior intellect and battled against the Justice League of America in a plot to use Red Tornado (as seen in the third panel of page 3) to avoid further reincarnation.  Grundy first appeared in issue #4 of Justice League of America. 

The creature once known as Holland, I believe is supposed to be Swamp Thing.  The reference to the scientist named Woodrue is the Floronic Man, whose most famous appearance occurred in an issue of Swamp Thing. 

 

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