MUD-BUTT

Real Name: Mud-Butt (presumably)

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Weirdworld Dwarf)

Occupation: Thief, adventurer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Dragons, Lianissa, Red Soryll, Savage Elves, Tyndall, Velanna, "White Wolf", Wulfbuck

Enemies: Darklens, Gargoyles, Goblins, Lord Raven, Night-Fangers, Nightgaunt, Shreekar, Swamp Serpents, Were-Men, Zarthon

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mobile on Weirdworld

First Appearance: Marvel Super Special#11 (June, 1979)

Powers/Abilities: Mud-Butt is a rough fighter, although not particularly skilled; his tendency to lose fights and fall into the mud earned him his distinctive name. He carries a sword.

For some time, Mud-Butt wielded the hilt of Glorywand, although he did not guess its true nature and purpose.

History: (Marvel Fanfare I#24 (fb) - BTS) - Mud-Butt stole into the castle of Lord Raven and stole the item Glorywand from him, having no idea how powerful or priceless it was.

(Marvel Fanfare I#24) - Mud-Butt got into a fight at the Pine Cone Inn at Nanty Glo, and the elves Tyndall and Velanna came to his aid. Mud-Butt had them buy him a drink, and he learned something of their adventures as they told stories. When Lord Raven's Were-Men were summoned forth to capture Mud-Butt, Tyndall and Velanna came to his aid. Mud-Butt tried to ride to safety, but accidentally led himself, Tyndall and Velanna to Lord Raven's castle.

(Marvel Fanfare I#25) - Mud-Butt, Tyndall and Velanna were attacked by Lord Raven's gargoyles. Unable to overcome the creatures, they entered Raven's castle, and witnessed his sorcerous powers, including the animation of pillars made of goblins to attack them. In trying to escape Raven's goblins, they accidentally fled through a portal into the "Sea of Nothing." Velanna managed to lead them back to Weirdworld, and a mystical table in Lord Raven's castle spoke to them about the magical sword Glorywand, which could destroy the true "Heart of Evil."

(Marvel Fanfare I#26) - Mud-Butt, Tyndall and Velanna came upon three of the dwarf women who were under Lord Raven's spell, and began to exit the castle by following Velanna's directions. They were intercepted again by Lord Raven and the goblins. When Lord Raven demanded that Mud-Butt restore the item he had stolen, Mud-Butt began to turn over the handle to Glorywand. Recognizing the item, Velanna took it and used it to summon a bolt of mystical energy that knocked Lord Raven through the castle wall. They escaped the castle with the dwarf women, and Tyndall and Velanna decided that they should seek out Glorywand's missing blade so that they could rid Weirdworld of all evil.

(Marvel Super Special#11) - Mud-Butt, Tyndall and Velanna traveled through the Great Marsh, following Mud-Butt's directions to the City of Seven Dark Delights, which he was eager to visit. Along the way they spied a savage elf, and Tyndall saved it from a Swamp Serpent with his crossbow. However, the elf didn't even stop to thank them. Just then, five Night-Fangers flew overhead, and the trio hid from them. When they finally came to the City of Seven Dark Delights Mud-Butt began to show them around, but their stay was interrupted by the arrival of the Dark Riders.

(Marvel Super Special#12) - Tyndall, Velanna and Mud-Butt found that the Dark Riders were after the Savage Elf they had met; they tried to help him, but he was slain by the Dark Riders. Dying, the elf gave the Darklens gems he had been guarded to the trio, who were then pursued by the Night-Fangers. The three were able to obtain refuge at an inn run by the white wolf in mortal form. Mud-Butt hoped that they could sell the gems for money, but Tyndall insisted that they complete the elf's mission. They brought the gems to the sorcerer Zarthon, who identified their name and purpose.

(Marvel Super Special#13) - Tyndall, Velanna and Mud-Butt learned from Zarthon that Darklens' body lay in the Tomb of Limbo, and he fashioned for them the Key of Illumination so that they could access Darklens' body and destroy it. The Savage Elves helped lead the trio to the tomb, but when they had opened it and begun the ceremony to destroy Darklens' bones, Zarthon burst in, claiming the gems and absorbing Darklens' evil. As Zarthon/Darklens clashed with the Dark Riders, the "White Wolf" came to Weirdworld's aid, revealing himself as the god who slew Darklens, but that after he aided Weirdworld this time, he would have to leave them to fend for themselves. The White Wolf slew the Night-Fangers and Zarthon/Darklens, and Weirdworld was made safe. Mud-Butt immediately suggested to his friends that they return to the City of Seven Dark Delights.

(Marvel Super Special#13 - "Encounter at Halfway Earth-Weird" feature) - Marvel comics writer Doug Moench once traveled to a point somewhere between Earth and Weirdworld where he met Tyndall, Velanna and Mud-Butt. Moench confused the trio by referring to himself as their creator, and they held a brief discussion about the nature of Weirdworld's existence. When all four were suddenly returned to their own worlds, Moench found that he had retained a recording he had made of their conversation.

(Epic Illustrated#9/5) - A year later, Tyndall and Velanna had moved to the dwarf village of Treehaven. Mud-Butt heard various unsettling stories about Weirdworld, including nights growing longer in the east, the men of Nanty Glo slaying each other, the women of Dwarf Haven killing their own children, flash floods in the south and stones fall on the City of the Mad. Mud-Butt went to Treehaven to share information with Tyndall and Velanna, and suggested that they seek out the wizard of Skyhook Mountain for help. Treehaven was soon attacked by the dragons of Klarn, but Tyndall was able to send them away. With Tyndall and Velanna no longer welcome in Treehaven, they joined Mud-Butt in his quest to Skyhook Mountain.

(Epic Illustrated#11/6) - Tyndall, Velanna and Mud-Butt continued in their journey to Skyhook Mountain, and Velanna became more corrupt with time; Velanna made a pass at Mud-Butt, but he resisted her, and tried to spare Tyndall's feelings by claiming that he had been the one going after Velanna, but Tyndall knew better. Their rocky path was torn apart in a quake, knocking them into the sea. Arriving back on dry ground, they were attacked by the goblins of Shreekar and soon found that goblins were preparing to siege Skyhook Mountain. At the last moment, a passageway into the mountain appeared, and a stone road was lowered to allow them access. After Tyndall, Velanna and Mud-Butt reached the top of the bridge, it crumbled apart, destroying the goblins who had been pursuing them. Entering Skyhook Mountain, they met the wizard - Lianissa.

(Epic Illustrated#12) - Tyndall, Velanna and Mud-Butt learned the origins of Glorywand and Wulfbuck from Lianissa, and she alerted them to the danger of Nightgaunt and the cosmic game played by the gods of Weirdworld. Seeing that Mud-Butt had the hilt of Glorywand, Lianissa helped them get out of Skyhook Mountain without being caught by the goblins, then teleported them to Wulfbuck, where they convinced him to reclaim Glorywand. Wulfbuck brought them to the Crystal Caverns where the blade had been embedded, and Red Soryll released the blade with his fiery breath; Red Soryll also alerted Tyndall to Nightgaunt's presence at the Land of the Dead, and offered the aid of his fellow dragons in pursuing him.

(Epic Illustrated#13) - Mud-Butt joined his friends in battle against Nightgaunt and the goblin hordes of the Land of the Dead, and they ultimately triumphed by keeping the game of the gods at a stalemate.

Comments: Created by Doug Moench and Mike Ploog, but first depicted by Doug Moench, John Buscema and Rudy Nebres.

The Lord Raven story that was printed in Marvel Fanfare I#24-26 was originally written before the Warriors of the Shadow Realm saga, but was not published until years later because artist Mike Ploog had walked away from the project (and Marvel Comics). In Marvel Fanfare I#24, Mud-Butt was depicted with a different visual than was used in Warriors of the Shadow Realm-- a visual that was ultimately rejected.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Mud-Butt should not be confused with:

• Mud Pi, muddy demon, fought Captain Ultra, @ Marvel Holiday Special 1994

Images taken from:
Marvel Super Special#11, poster
Marvel Super Special#12, page (numbered), panel
original Mud-Butt- Marvel Fanfare I#24, page 4 (numbered), panel 2