TORK

Real Name: Tork

Identity/Class: (Presumably extratemporal (31st century Reality-691) extraterrestrial (Procyonite)

Occupation: Warrior, monitor

Group Membership: Minions of Menace/Intimidators (Brahl, Dumog, Grott, Teju)

Affiliations: Tork achieved a position of power with the Stockade prison, such that the guards let him do whatever he wanted;
    former agent of Korvac

Enemies: Galactic Guardians (Firelord, Hollywood, Phoenix, Spirit of Vengeance, Martinex T'Naga, Replica), Guardians of the Galaxy (Charlie-27, Nikki, Starhawk, Martinex T'Naga, Yondu Udonta, Vance Astro), Mainframe of 31st century Earth-691;

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Last seen in the Stockpade;
    formerly Klattu (Mainframe's world);
    formerly Korvac's planet(oid);
    formerly Korvac's ship;
    possibly originated on the planet Perratin (second from the sun) in the Procyon system, Milky Way galaxy

First Appearance: Thor Annual#6 (1977)

 

Powers/Abilities: As a Procyonite, Tork is a large reptilian biped, covered with dense brown scales, with his back covered with a large brown carapace. The carapace and much of his skin is covered by spikes and raised bumps, and he can shrug off laser pistol fire. His spiked tail can be used as a powerful weapon, and he presumably has at least enhanced human strength. His eyes lack lids.

 

 

 

History:
(Thor Annual#6 (fb) - BTS) - Korvac sent out probes through time and space to recover long-lost devices and artifacts, as well as to recruit a number of lieutenants, his Minions of Menace: Brahl, Dumog, Grott, Korvac, Teju, and Tork.

(Thor Annual#6) - Aboard Korvac's ship, Tork futilely took a swing at Brahl for his mocking of the reptilian Teju, and Dumog grabbed Tork to calm him down. Korvac commanded them all to stand down and then revealed his plot to cause Earth's sun to go nova and siphon the power into his equipment so he could use it to establish his own empire.
    When Teju noted the Guadians of the Galaxy's ship returned (having survived a meteor storm Korvac had sent against it, Korvac ordered defense drones to destroy it. The Guardians and their guest, Thor of Earth-616, set their ship on auto-pilot and beamed down to Korvac's world where the Minions of Menace confronted them. Tork swung and missed at Nikki repeatedly, but her hand-blaster merely stung his dense hide. Nikki eventually began to tire of evading his strikes, but then Charlie-27 punched Tork through a wall, knocking him out. The rest of the Minions were dispatched as well, while Thor and Starhawk foiled and drove off Korvac.

(Guardians of the Galaxy#22 (fb) - BTS) - On an unidentified planet, Dumog and Tork committed a crime during which Dumog "skragged a mammal" (presumably killed a humanoid).

(Guardians of the Galaxy#22) - Brahl met with Dumog and Tork as they rushed into a dead end ally while fleeing from the authorities. He offered his help...

(Guardians of the Galaxy#23) - Tork joined Brahl and Dumog in meeting Grott and recruiting him to help fulfill his master plan.

(Guardians of the Galaxy Annual#2 (fb) - BTS) - Brahl re-formed the Minions of Menace as the Intimidators. Somehow obtaining a chip encoded with the sum total of Korvac prior to his traveling to the modern era of Earth-616, Brahl brought the chip and the Intimidators to the planet Klattu, home of the immense computer Mainframe (the alternate future counterpart of the Vision). The hooked up the chip and activated it, draining virtually every last erg of power from Mainframe. A simultaneous infection with the powerful computer virus Ultra-Max rendered Mainframe unable to resist them.

(Guardians of the Galaxy Annual#2) - The team that would become the Galactic Guardians (Firelord, Hollywood, Spirit of Vengeance, Martinex T'Naga, Replica) confronted the Intimidators in hopes of saving Mainframe. The Intimidators proved no match for their assailants: Tork stunned Replica with a swat of his tail, but was then punched out by Hollywood, after which Martinex trapped Dumog, Grott, Teju, and Tork within chunks of ice.
    The soon-to-be Guardians were unable to stop Brahl before he could complete the Korvac program, but they managed to overload Korvac and free Phoenix (Girard) who made short work of Korvac.
    Mainframe recovered, and the heroes decided to stay together as the Galactic Guardians.

(Guardians of the Galaxy#51 (fb) - BTS) - Tork was sent to the interstellar Stockade prison.

(Guardians of the Galaxy#52 (fb) - BTS) - Tork gained control of Stockade's Maxblock.

(Guardians of the Galaxy#51 (fb) - BTS) - Hearing that Charlie-27 was imprisoned in the Stockade, having been mistaken for the "intergalactic serial killer," Ripjak, Tork arranged with the Jadroxxian Gladiator guards to get some time with Charlie without their interference.

(Guardians of the Galaxy#51) - Alongside a pair of powerful allies, Tork confronted Charlie-27 in his cell.

(Guardians of the Galaxy#52 (fb) - BTS) - Tork and his allies severely beat Charlie-27.

(Guardians of the Galaxy#52) - Tork let the guards know he was done with Charlie-27 and reminded them they were to follow orders.

(Guardians of the Galaxy#53) - Tork entered Charlie-27's cell, announcing it was time for another beating, yelling at and then tail-slapping Charlie's cellmate, Esteban Diablo, when he verbally tried to stop him. However, Charlie-27, having recovered completely with the aid of Diablo's potions, then got up and punched out Tork.
    Soon after, the Guardians got Charlie released from Stockade.

Comments: Created by Steve Gerber, Len Wein, Jim Starlin, Dan Adkins, Don Newton, & Jim Mooney.

    Korvac does say that he recruited his lieutenants (the Minions of Menace) from across time and space, but there's no evidence that Tork comes from anywhere other than 31st century Reality-691.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No KNOWN connections to:

images: (without ads)
Guardians of the Galaxy#51, p11 (main)
Thor Annual#6, p23 (w/ Grott)

Appearances:
Thor Annual#6 (1977) - Len Wein & Roger Stern (writers), Sal Buscema (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Guardians of the Galaxy#22 (March, 1992) - Jim Valentino (writer/pencils), Steve Montano (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Guardians of the Galaxy#23 (April, 1992) - Jim Valentino (writer), Mike Texeira (art), Craig Anderson (editor)
Guardians of the Galaxy Annual#2 (1992) - Jim Valentino (writer), Herb Trimpe (pencils), Steve Montano (inks), Craig Anderson (editor)
Guardians of the Galaxy#51-53 (August-September, 1994) - Michael Gallagher (writer), Kevin West (breakdowns), Steve Montano (finished art), Craig Anderson (editor)

First Posted: 08/05/2007
Last updated: 08/05/2007

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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