ROCKY MARTIN

Real Name: Rocky Martin

Identity/Class: Human (1950s era)

Occupation: Adventurer (supposedly)

Group Membership: Unidentified club (possibly the Explorers' Club; see comments)

Affiliations: Kunga tribesmen (supposedly)

Enemies: Gorilla (supposedly); club members (including John, Mike, and unidentified new member)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "That windbag" (as called by John)

Base of Operations: His apartment in an unidentified American city

First Appearance: Adventures into Terror#25/2 (November, 1953)

Powers/Abilities: The muscular Rocky Martin was a brutal and violent man who possessed no paranormal abilities (other than a vivid imagination).

As a hobby, he owned an extensive collection of stuffed animal-head trophies, all of which he had actually purchased.

But Martin was a narcissist who concocted long-winded tall-tales of his exaggerated bravery--he claimed that he had personally killed all the animals himself, and he forced others to listen to his fanciful yarns.

Height: 6' 3" (by approximation)
Weight: 220 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Dark-brown

Distinguishing Features: Martin wore a patch over his left eye.

He also had a tattoo of a gorilla's head on his chest... but after he unwittingly traded it for a gorillion trophy, it was forcibly removed (along with several layers of his skin).

History:
(Adventures into Terror#25/2 (fb) - BTS) - The past of Rocky Martin is largely unrevealed, but he accumulated a collection of animal-head trophies by purchasing them; at some point, he had a gorilla's head tattooed on his burly chest.

   Martin eventually joined a club (see comments), where he would show off his collection and brag to the other members, regaling them for hours with tales of how he acquired the trophies in his fanciful "adventures."

(Adventures into Terror#25/2) - One night, Martin was at the club, once again presenting his collection and boring the other members with his yarns. John was tired of hearing the phony stories, so he stood up and was about to leave, but Martin punched him and ordered him to stay; then Martin threateningly asked the rest if any of them wanted to leave--none of the other members challenged the physically-imposing Martin, so they begrudgingly sat and listened.

   Martin resumed his usual routine of lies and (again) told the story of how he got the gorilla trophy--supposedly, he had fought the beast, armed with only a knife; as "proof" of the furious battle, Martin unbuttoned his shirt and showed his grotesque tattoo, claiming that the chief of Kunga tribe had given it to him as a tribute to his bravery.

   Four hours later, Martin finally finished with his wild stories. The other members demanded that Mike, the club's president, had to do something to make Martin shut up, or else they'd quit; Mike told them that he'd try to find a way.

(Adventures into Terror#25/2 - BTS) - At some point, Mike apparently recruited a new club member--a strange little man, who Mike was certain could finally shut Rocky Martin up for good.

(Adventure into Terror#25/5) - A few days later at the club, Martin cornered the group of members and started his usual ritual of bragging; he talked for three hours, then unbuttoned his shirt and showed off his tattoo. When Martin asked the members if they wanted to go to his apartment and see his trophies, they all remained silent--every member had seen the collection a dozen times, and they knew it would mean another four hours of torture to listen to Rocky's hot-air. But the new club member responded that he'd be delighted to see the collection. As Rocky and the strange little man walked away to Rocky's apartment, Mike assured the others that the new member would be the one who could take care of their problem with Rocky Martin.

   When they got to Rocky's apartment, the new member was impressed by Rocky's collection of stuffed heads...but he was disappointed that there was no gorillion head amongst the trophies. After the little man explained what the creature was, Rocky punched him, saying there was no such animal. But the little man claimed he had such a trophy in his apartment, so the two left to go to the new member's home.

   When they reached the little man's apartment, Rocky was shocked to actually see the gorillion trophy, and he was determined to get it for his own collection--Rocky offered to buy it, admitting that was the way he got all his heads. But the little man told him it wasn't for sale; however, he was willing to trade for something Rocky had, because he also had a hobby, and Rocky had something that he wanted to add to his own collection. Before learning what the terms of the trade would be, Rocky grabbed the gorillion trophy and agreed to the deal. The strange little man summoned his two henchmen, and they seized Rocky. As one of the henchmen pulled out a knife, Rocky was alarmed and asked the little man what he collected--when his inquiry was answered, the horrified Rocky wanted to call the deal off...but a deal is a deal...

   And so a short time later, the trade was completed, and the little man had the latest addition to his collection--the gorilla-head tattoo from Rocky Martin's chest! (see comments)

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Matt Fox.

This 4-page story--The Terrible Trophy--left Martin's final fate unrevealed.

The name and nature of the club was never revealed; I guess it could be the Explorers' Club, but I kind of doubt it--I can't believe that a group of bold adventurers, who've braved some of the most dangerous regions of the world, would be intimidated by one stupid thug like Rocky Martin. Maybe the club was actually an association of businessmen or something.

This profile was completed 4/13/2021, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 20th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Ron Fredricks.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Rocky Martin has no known connections to:

The Kunga tribesmen have no known connections to:

The gorillion trophy has no known connections to:

gorilla

Rocky Martin made up a fanciful tall-tale to explain to his fellow club-members how he got his stuffed gorilla-head trophy. He claimed the gorilla came at him, snorting and beating its chest, but he bravely pulled out his knife and waded into the beast--when the furious battle was over, Martin was the victor.

But in reality, the battle had never happened, for Martin had only purchased the trophy, and the fight with the gorilla was entirely a product of Martin's imagination.

--Adventures into Terror#25/2

Kunga tribe

Supposedly a primitive tribe located somewhere in Africa, they bowed in praise of Rocky Martin after he--armed only with a knife--had killed a fierce gorilla; as a tribute to his bravery, the chief of the tribe put the tattoo of a gorilla's head on Martin's chest.

However, these events were only from Martin's tall-tales of his bravery, and he likely got the tattoo in an American tattoo parlor.
 
(Comment: It was unrevealed if there actually was a Kunga tribe, but it's doubtful that Martin ever really met them.)

--Adventures into Terror#25/2

John

John (last name unrevealed) was a member of an unidentified club (see comments).

One night at a meeting, Rocky Martin began to tell the club-members another of his hours-long tall-tales of his "adventures". John stood up and was about to walk out and go home, because Martin had told his phony stories a dozen times at the meetings, and John was getting sick and tired of hearing them.

But before John could leave, Martin punched him and forced him to sit back down.

--Adventures into Terror#25/2

Mike

Mike (last name unrevealed) was the president of an unidentified club (see comments).

His club had made the mistake of taking Rocky Martin as a member, because Martin would spend hours boring the other members with tall-tales of his bravery, and he threatened them if they didn't listen.

One night, the other members told Mike that they would quit unless he did something to make Martin shut up.

Later, Mike apparently recruited a new club-member--a strange little man, who Mike believed would take care of their problem with Rocky Martin.

--Adventures into Terror#25/2

gorillion trophy

Supposedly an animal with two heads--one of a gorilla, the other of a lion--its place of origin was unrevealed.

The trophy was somehow acquired by a strange little man, who later used it to lure Rocky Martin to his apartment for an unusual trade.

(Comment: Assuming the trophy wasn't a fake, and such a creature really exited, perhaps it had some connection to the gorilla/lion-hybrid Night Beast.)

--Adventures into Terror#25/2

unidentified new member

A strange dwarfish man, his hobby was collecting other people's tattoos--he employed two unidentified henchmen to actually remove the tattoos (along with several layers of flesh) with a knife.

At some point, he had somehow acquired a gorillion trophy.

He was apparently recruited to the club by Mike, in the hopes that he could make the braggart Rocky Martin shut up.

After seeing the gorilla-head tattoo on Martin's chest, the new member lured Martin to his apartment and showed him the gorillion trophy--Martin was determined to get the trophy, and he unwittingly entered into a trade deal with the new member.

The new member summoned his henchmen, who seized Martin, and one of them pulled out a knife and went to work...

A short time later, the new member had the latest acquisition for his tattoo collection.

(Comment:...and as to what he used all those tattoos for--see the lamp shade in the first image.)

--Adventures into Terror#25/2

images: (without ads)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p1, pan1 (Main Image - Rocky Martin, presenting his collection of heads to club members)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p2, pan1 (Headshot - Rocky Martin)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p2, pan5 (Rocky Martin shows off his tattoo to club members)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p3, pan8 (in Rocky Martin's apartment, Martin punches unidentified new member)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p2, pan3 (in imaginary flashback, Rocky Martin battles gorilla)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p2, pan4 (in imaginary flashback, Kunga tribesmen praise Rocky Martin; Rocky Martin standing on dead gorilla (background))
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p1, pan2 (John (in green suit) stands up to leave club)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p1, pan4 (John gets punched by Rocky Martin)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p3, pan5 (Mike (smoking pipe) explains who little man is)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p3, pan6 (Mike)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p4, pan2 (gorillion-head trophy (in red circle) hanging on wall; unidentified new club member, Rocky Martin (foreground))
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p4, pan4 (Rocky Martin grabs gorillion-head trophy and agrees to trade)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p4, pan7 (unidentified new member holds Rocky Martin's tattoo)
Adventures into Terror#25/2, p4, pan6 (unidentified new member watches as his henchmen seize Rocky Martin)

Appearances:
Adventures into Terror#25/2 (November, 1953) - unidentified writer, Matt Fox (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 09/08/2021
Last updated: 09/06/2021

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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