Real
Name: The individual member seen here was unidentified;
the expression "Grogronk of Gronk" is equivalent to "Human of Earth"; Grogronk is the name of their race; Gronk that of their home dimension
GROGRONK OF GRONK
Real
Name: The individual member seen here was unidentified;
the expression "Grogronk
of Gronk" is equivalent to "Human of Earth"; Grogronk is the name of their race; Gronk that of their
home dimension
Identity/Class: Extra-Dimensional (Gronk)
Nature of abilities: Magic user
Occupation: Dimensional garbage collectors
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Doctor Strange; Augustyne Phyffe; Henri-Désiré Landru
Enemies: The Grogronks are exceedingly timorous, and therefore have made very few enemies
Known Relatives: Unrevealed.
Aliases: N/A
Base of Operations: Gronk (home dimension)
one was seen at the Bazaar at the End of Unreason
First Appearance: Marvel
Super-Heroes III#12 (January 1993)
aka Winter Special 1992
Powers/Abilities: The Grogronks of Gronk take (for a fee) all kinds of troublesome, dangerous or cursed magical artifacts; their dimension (Gronk) is, according to Doctor Strange, the "closest thing this section of the Multiverse has to a cosmic landfill." When it's full, the Living Tribunal comes and incinerates all the refuse. The Grogronks are able to "smell" curses and other "stenches" associated with an artifact. They are able to teleport.
History: (Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special 1992 Vol. 2, No. 12) - In order to get rid of the accursed Diary of the Aged Genghis, Dr. Strange traveled to the Bazaar at the End of Unreason, where he sought out a Grogronk. Accompanied by Augustyne Phyffe, they found a Grogonk in the Den of Shadows. Instantly recognizing the tome and very interested in it, the Grogonk had to consult his "Overlord" before agreeing to take it. Upon receiving approval, he returned and offered Augustyne some orphium to celebrate. Augustyne resisted his near addiction to the extradimensional mind-altering drug, but Dr. Strange used a single dose of it to help him overcome his weakness from the curse of the Diary, and defeat the attacking Wandor.
Comments: Created by Jean-Marc Lofficier, Roy Thomas (writers) and Brian Postman (penciller) and Armando Gil (inks).
The "saga" of Augustyne Phyffe has a rather unusual backstory. Mike Rockwitz and Rob
Tokar, then respectively editors of Doctor Strange and Marvel Super-Heroes, located two complete Doctor Strange
stories in inventory, pencilled and inked but not scripted, which had been commissioned in the past (no one knew
by whom), presumably paid for, but had never been used. The first story had a plot attached by a Stuart Hopen;
the second story had no such credit. There were no art credits and these had to be guessed by the editors. Wanting
to use the stories, Tokar asked Roy Thomas and Jean-Marc Lofficier if it was possible to script them. Lofficier
came up with the idea of linking the two otherwise unconnected stories through the appearance of a bearded young
man in both of them -- that character became Augustyne Phyffe -- and certain thematic similarities. None of the
characters from the original Stuart Hopen plot survived during the rewriting necessary to script the new concept,
except the name "Bazar at the End of Unreason".
"Profile by" Jean-Marc Lofficier (yes, that Jean-Marc Lofficier!--Snood).
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Grogronk of Gronk should be distinguished from:
Images:
Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special 1992 Vol. 2, No. 12, p.12, panel 2
Marvel Super-Heroes Winter Special 1992 Vol. 2, No. 12, p.18, panel 4
Last updated: 04/16/04
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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