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PIERRE DUVAL

Real Name: Pierre Duval

Identity/Class: Human (French, WWII era)

Occupation: Custodian; former resistance fighter

Group Membership: None; formerly French Forces of the Interior

Affiliations: Gargoyles of Notre Dame (see comments), other French resistance fighters

Enemies: Nazis

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Paris, France

First Appearance: Journey into Mystery I#54/4 (September, 1959)

Powers/Abilities: None.

History: (Journey into Mystery I#54/4) - An orphan, Pierre Duval found the only job that gave him great satisfaction was as custodian of the gargoyles of Notre Dame. He admired their sculpted elegance and was very happy to take care of the statues. He loved to spend his time with the gargoyles and was bored when he went back home.

    In 1940 German forces conquered France and invaded Paris. Duval joined the underground resistance (French Forces of the Interior) and for four years fought the Nazi invaders in every way he could.
    Unfortunately after a sabotage mission Duval was captured and taken to the Nazi headquarters in Paris. After a short trial he was condemned to be shot at dawn.
    The next day Duval was blindfolded in the courtyard, waiting for the shot that would kill him, but the shots he heard did not kill him. Instead he heard the screams of the soldiers, screams of surprise and of pain, the gunfire, lashing of wings and thuds of flesh and stones. When Duval put off the blindfold the firing squad had disappeared, so he fled.

    Pierre Duval rejoined the resistance movement until France was freed by the allied forces.
    When he went back to Paris he soon went to see his gargoyles and found out that they had been hit by Nazi bullets. But no Nazi would climb up Notre Dame to shoot at the statues, so Duval realized that the gargoyles had saved him fighting the German soldiers.

Comments: Created by unknown writer and Al Williamson (art).

    Living gargoyles? The easier explanation is that some of the Notre Dame gargoyles were Stonians.

    Or Gargoyles created by druids like Derwyddon.
--Markus Raymond

Pierre (French) = pietra/Pietro (Italian) = stone/Peter (English)

The Gargoyles of Notre Dame and relevant Nazi soldiers could be among the French Underground, Gargoyles(as statues), Nazi Officers & Soldiers (Major Schwam identified) seen in Captain America Comics#41(8/44)
Plus perhaps Pierre Duval is a relative of Paul Pierre Duval the Grey Gargoyle (his lab was in Paris, France when he gained his powers so perhaps the Duval Family has always lived there).
--John Holstein
Or, perhaps, Duval is not that uncommon of a name…Snood.

Profile by Spidermay.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Pierre Duval has no known connections to


images: (without ads)
Journey into Mystery I#54/4, p3, pan3 (main image)
Journey into Mystery I#54/4, p2, pan1 (image)


Appearances:
Journey into Mystery I#54 (September, 1959) - John Severin (artist), Stan Lee (editor)


Last updated: 03/30/14

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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