GRUND race GRUND race
Classification: Semi-humanoid extraterrestrial race
Location/Base of Operations: Grundar, 5th planet from the sun in the Quat system, Milky Way galaxy
Grundar's habitat is 71% water with large forested areas;
Grundar's gravity is 1.2%;
Grundar's atmosphere is 67% hydrogen, 27% oxygen, and 6% other gases
Known Members: Gromitz, Grundune + 2 other "Galaxy Gamers";
unidentified former Runestaff inhabitant;
unidentified Grunds among the passengers on Straker and Foster's ship;
Grundar has a population of 2.5 billion Grunds
see comments
Affiliations: None known as a race, although individual members have their own affiliations;
at least four Grunds serve the Byan'Hantandu and work alongside a number of Darbians
Enemies: None known as a race, although individual members have their own enemies
First Appearance: (Reality-691) Giant-Size Defenders#3 (January, 1975);
Thor I#335 (September, 1983)
Powers/Abilities: The Grunds reportedly can
absorb solar and perhaps other forms of energy radiation via their
antennae, after which they can fire concussive blasts. However, this
ability has only been demonstrated by a native of an alternate future (see comments). Reality-616's Grunds have this ability, they have refrained from using it, even in life-threatening situations.
Similarly, it has been reported that Grunds can regenerate severed antennae in approximately one (terrestrial?) year. This situation has not been encountered in Reality-616's Grunds, but there is nothing to contradict its possibility.
The fact that their gravity is 1.2% that of Earth's may indicate that despite their small size, they are stronger +/- more physically dense than they would otherwise appear.
Grunds wore helmets on Earth, but it is unrevealed whether they required them to breathe, or whether they just wore them as part of the Galaxy Game, but could otherwise breathe normally without them.
The Grunds has an "unremarkable"
level of technology, with no interstellar travel; however, they seemed
to readily adapt to technology, as demonstrated by Gromitz, Grundune,
etc.
Traits: The Grunds are somewhat childlike and amoral. Grundar is ruled by matriarchal feudal states
The Byan'Hantandu described the Grund as childlike.
Type: Bilaterally symmetric semi-humanoid bipeds
Eyes: Two (on head; color not clearly seen, iris apparently dark)
Fingers: Three (plus opposing thumb; see comments)
Toes: Four (see comments)
Skin color: Gray
Average height: Approximately 4'10"?
Other Distinguishing Features: Paired antennae atop the head
History:
(Thor I#335 (fb) - BTS) - An
unidentified Grund, presumably an inhabitant of the scholarly
planet Rus, was pulled into the Runestaff when its new owner Kamo Tharnn
(aka the Possessor) conjured improperly.
(Cloak & Dagger III#3 (fb)) - At least some of the Grund spent much of their time observing early television transmissions from Earth, including Westerns, quiz shows, and cartoons.
(Thor I#335 (fb) - BTS) - After retrieving the Runestaff following it having been taken by the Olympian god Hercules, Kamo Tharnn attempted to use the Runestaff again, and its inhabitants, presumably including the Grund, were transferred into Tharnn himself.
(Thor I#335) - The Asgardian goddess Sif used the Runestaff on Kamo Tharnn, freeing all those who had been trapped within, including the Grund.
(The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger#3 (fb) - BTS) - As the Byan'Hantandu race -- who traveled from galaxy to galaxy, removing (per guidance from their sacred tome, the Book) certain dangerous objects from the grasps of planetary inhabitants whom the Byan'hantandu felt were too unsophisticated to safely possess them -- became dependent on life support within their immense ship, they recruited agents, including at least four Grunds (including Gromitz, Grundune, and, at least, two others) and a number of lobotomized Darbians.
The Byan'Hantandu
found that the Grunds would only carry out their commands if it was fun
for them to do so. To this end, the Byan'Hantandu invented the "Galaxy
Game," a sort of scavenger hunt where they earned points for recovering
targeted items. Each player was assigned a planetary totem; the
punishment for cheating (such as illegally accessing dimensional warps)
was to destroy that totem.
The Byan'Hantandu supplied their agents with rocket cycles that could travel from space to a planet and throughout a planet's atmosphere. These cycles could travel at great, though unspecified, speed and navigate through confined spaced. They could project snare/binding beams and some sort of force of other beam to open spatial/dimensional warps. They also wore atmospheric helmets, patterned after their planetary totems.
(The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger#2 (fb) - BTS)
- The Byan'Hantandu sent the four Grunds to Earth to retrieve an
incredibly dangerous object unwittingy constructed by young Franklin
Richards (son of Reed and Susan Richards, Mr. Fantastic and the
Invisible Woman).
(The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger#2) - Somehow learning of a guardian of an interdimensional portal on Earth, Gromitz accessed that portal and arrived on Earth first, emerging from within the Darkforce-accessing Cloak (Tyrone Johnson). The other three Grund pursued Gromitz through the portal.
Gromitz retrieved the object, but when Cloak refused to allow him to use him for interdimensional travel, Gromitz cast the object through the portal to prevent his opponents from getting it.
Learning of this the Byan'Hantandu sent Jophurg the Darbian to retrieve the guardian of the portal to the Darkforce Dimension, but their information was out of tdate and they instead recovered the alleged previous guardian (referred to here as the "old man," as he was never named). Jophurg then brought Cloak to the Byan'Hantandu ship, and the old man was sent back.
Learning the Byan'Hantandu planned to destroy Gromitz's totem-planet, Earth, as punishment for his cheating (using an interdimensional portal), Cloak refused to yield the object to them. Ultimately, he offered to return the object if they let him say farewell to his partner, Dagger (Tandy Bowen), whom he manipulated into unleashing a blast of light that caused feedback that overloaded the ship's systems.
Although Gromitz aruged that "Earth must be annihilated if I'm to learn by lesson!", the Byan'Hantandu considered Dagger a "begetter of living light," who were considered sacred above all others in the myriad galaxies, and announced that Earth would be spared.
Cloak was sent back toward Earth, and the Byan'Hantandu ship departed as soon as repairs allowed it.
However, the Bhontar (transport sphere) they
generated lacked sufficient propulsion, and he was left seemingly
stranded in space...
(Avengers: Celestial Quest#2)
- A pair of Grunds were passengers on a ship piloted by Foster and
Straker; other passengers included a Fonabi, a Herm, pair of Kodabaks,
a Kymellian, a Megan, a Sm'ggani, a Yrd, a pair of long-faced aliens
(who are they?), and Priest of Pama (presumably Kree), who cloaked
himself in the form of a human-sized Pegasusian. The ship was targeted
by a trio of pirate ships piloted by Raptra, Reptyl,
and Syn. Knowing the pilot ships lacked the shields to follow them,
Foster and Straker dove the ship into a Class 3 Nebula; as they
predicted, the pirates abandoned pursuit and sought other targets. The
passengers were elated, and one Grund noted, "Straker always..." (only
a bit of the dialogue was shown, but presumably he meant that Straker
always found a way to save them) and the other said, "Blake
would've..." (see comments).
(Avengers: Celestial Quest#8 (fb) - BTS) - The Grunds and, at least, the Herm apparently were consumed by the Rot (see comments).
(Avengers: Celestial Quest#8)
- After Death and Thanos destroyed the Rot (created by a brief
non-romantic physical/energy union between Death and Thanos, it was a
spatial anomaly that destroyed anything that touched it) all those
consumed by the Rot were destroyed. The pair of Grunds as well as the
Herm and presumably others from the ship were seen floating in space.
From the posture, it is difficult to determine whether the Grunds, etc. were alive or not.
Comments: Grunds of any reality (Reality-691
specifically) created by Steve Gerber, Len Wein, Jim Starlin, Dan
Adkins, Don Newton, and Jim Mooney.
Reality-616 versions documented by Alan Zelenetz, Mark Bright,
and Vince Colletta.
The Grunds' Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe referred to them as being able to absorb unspecified energies (including solar radiation) via their antennae to project concussive blasts. That description was in reference to Grott the Man-Slayer, native to Reality-691's 31st century. It may be that this is only characteristic of 31st century Grund (possibly only Reality-691) or possibly only true of Grott himself.
Grott has three fingers and a thumb, and the Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe entries have reported that
characteristic. In Thor I#335 the Grund's hands could not be seen. In
Avengers: Celestial Quest, it is difficult to see clearly, but it looks
like the Grunds have three fingers and a thumb. In The
Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger#2-3, however, they are shown
with four fingers and a thumb. Either Gromitz, Grundune, and the other
two Galaxy Gamers are mutations/variants, or there was an art error,
or, someone's got some 'splainin' to do...
Further, Grott clearly has four toes, and the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe entries have reported that characteristic. In Thor I#335 the Grund's feet could not
be seen. In The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger#2-3 and Avengers:
Celestial Quest#8 , however, the Grunds have fused digits (I think the
20th century handbooks referred to the feet as "spatulate"), with no
divisions seen between the toes. It is also possible that they are
wearing flesh-toned stockings that make their toes appear to be fused.
Speaking of art errors, the aliens in groups scenes
in Avengers: Celestial Quest were consistently miscolored (the Grunds
for example, were green). Perhaps it was the lighting...
Despite the green miscoloring in Avengers: Celestial Quest#2 (left image), the characters were clearly Grunds. However, the appearance in Avengers: Celestial Quest#8 (right image) is off both in color and appearance, grossly. If we didn't see a Grund in the same outfit a few issues earlier, I probably would not have thought the characters in #8 to be Grunds. More likely the bastard children of an Elan and Clumsy Foulup. Or something.
When
Thanos and Death destroyed the Rot, all it had consumed were restored, including a
pair of Grunds (I wouldn’t have recognized them as such…they are green and look
more like something else I can’t place…not Elan, but something).
In
issue two the ship entered into what the pilot believed to have been a nebula
to escape Captain Reptyl and his pirates. The nebula turned out to have been
the Rot. Well that's how I read it.
--Michel Gariepy
That’s
the only thing I could think of, as well, but they’re all fine after entering the
nebula, and it doesn’t look at all like the Rot. The Rot
is this black void…the nebula looked more like a vortex.
Straker and Foster from Avengers Celestial Quest#2 were presumably meant as at least homage to the SHADO members, Colonels Edward Straker and Paul Foster from the British series "UFO." Google it. I've never seen the show, but I thought the use of such specific and human-sounding names was suspicious, so I googled the names together and came up with this information. One of the Grunds said, "Blake would've..." -- Not being familiar with the material, all I have to go with is the fact that some of the set equipment from UFO appeared on another British Sci-Fi show, Blake's 7...but maybe that's not it at all.
All of the Grunds we've seen have had the same physical shape. Either
Grunds lack secondary sex characteristics that clearly differentiate
male from female; Or we just haven't seen female Grunds; Or, there are
not female Grunds, meaning they reproduce asexually.
As previously noted, Grott the
Man-Slayer is native to Reality-691 circa the 31st century. He has his
own profile, and the Grunds of Reality-691 and any other realities will
not be covered in the Grund-616 profile.
In addition to the above appearanes, there are reportedly (an associate was kind enought to pass this list on to me, but I have neither time not interest or research it further) a few other appearances of alternate reality Grunds, which are beyond the scope of this Reality-616 profile.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Grund should be distinguished from:
(Avengers: Celestial Quest#2) - A pair of Grunds were passengers on a ship piloted by Foster and Straker, other passengers included a Fonabi, a Herm, pair of Kodabaks, a Kymellian, a Megan, a Sm'ggani, a Yrd, a pair of long-faced aliens (who are they?), and Priest of Pama (presumably Kree), who cloaked himself in the form of a human-sized Pegasusian. The ship was targeted by a trio of pirate ships piloted by Raptra, Reptyl, and Syn. Knowing the pilot ships lacked the shields to follow them, Foster and Straker dove the ship into a Class 3 Nebula; as they predicted, the pirates abandoned pursuit and sought other targets. The passengers were elated, and one Grund noted, "Straker always..." (only a bit of the dialogue was shown, but presumably he meant that Straker always found a way to save them) and the other said, "Blake would've..." (see comments).
(Avengers: Celestial Quest#8 (fb) - BTS) - The Grunds and, at least, the Herm were consumed by the Rot (see comments).
(Avengers: Celestial Quest#8)
- After Death and Thanos destroyed the Rot (created by a brief
non-romantic physical/energy union between Death and Thanos, it was a
spatial anomaly that destroyed anything that touched it) all those
consumed by the Rot were destroyed. The pair of Grunds as well as the
Herm and presumably others from the ship were seen floating in space.
From the posture, it is difficult to determine whether the Grunds, etc. were alive or not.
--Avengers: Celestial Quest#2
images: (without ads)
Thor I#335, pg. 17, panel 1 (amongst those released from the Runestaff);
Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe#4: Appendix to Alien Races: Grunds
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Vol. 2#15: Appendix to Alien Races: Grunds
Avengers Celestial Quest#2, pg. 8, panel 1 (nebula);
pg. 9, panel 1 (seated in starship);
#8, pg. 31, panel 2 (floating in space)
Appearances:
Official
Handbook of the Marvel Universe#4: Appendix to Alien Races: Grunds
(April, 1983) - Mark Gruenwald (editor/head writer/designer), Peter
Sanderson & Mark Lerer (writers), David Cpdy Weiss, Joanne Harras,
Bob Simpson, & Roger Stern (research), Michael Carlin (associate
editor/designer), Paty Cockrum (penciler), Frank Giacola (inker)
Thor I#335 (September, 1983) - Alan Zelenetz (scripter), Mark Bright (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Vol. 2#15: Appendix to Alien Races: Grunds (aka Deluxe Edition; March, 1987) - Mark Gruenwald (writer/producer), Peter Sanderson (writer/researcher), Kyle Baker (penciler),
Josef Rubinstein (inker), Eliot Brown (technical illustrator), Gregory
Wright (assistant editor), Marc McLaurin (editorial assistant)
The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger#2 (December, 1988) - Terry Austin (writer), Dan
Lawlis (pencils), P. Craig Russell (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger#3 (January, 1989) - Terry Austin (writer), Mike
Vosburg (pencils), Scott Williams (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Avengers: Celestial Quest#2 (December, 2001) - Steve Englehart
(writer), Jorge Santamaria (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Marc
Sumerak (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Avengers: Celestial Quest#8 (June,
2002) - Steve Englehart (writer), Jorge Santamaria & El Valiente (pencilers), Scott
Hanna (inker), Marc Sumerak (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort (editor)
First posted: 07/26/2019
Last updated: 07/26/2019
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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