Solomon Grundy Question

[Stazz]

Since the heroes know that every time he dies, he comes back to life again, are they allowed to use "lethal" force on him? Not having read much with him in it, the only deaths I know of his were by Superboy Prime in IC, and Vandal Savage apparently in Secret Six. Canary said in JLA #5 they should let Diana rip his heart out, so was she being serious?

[rwe1138]

Since the heroes know that every time he dies, he comes back to life again, are they allowed to use "lethal" force on him? Not having read much with him in it, the only deaths I know of his were by Superboy Prime in IC, and Vandal Savage apparently in Secret Six. Canary said in JLA #5 they should let Diana rip his heart out, so was she being serious?
Back in an issue of JSA, Jakeem Thunder, who's like 14, had the Thunderbolt burn him from the inside out, reducing him to ash. If a teenager would do that, I assume Dinah was being serious.

[IvCNuB4]

I thought Dinah said Diana should tear his head off ....

[Comic-Reader]

As far as heroes being "allowed" to use lethal force, I think it has to do with the particular person's view on killing.

I don't see Superman as someone who would kill Grundy even if he was assured Grundy would come back because Superman doesn't want to kill in the first place.

You can't get to the "coming back to life part" without the "killing part," so I can't see Supes putting himself in that position. Diana, on the other hand, would probably kill him even if he couldn't come back if there were no other way to stop him.

[nietoperz]

Wouldn't it make better sense to incarcerate him anyway, considering that if he is reincarned nobidy will know where or with what abilities and personality?

[wretchedangel]

kind of a moot point considering (highlight for spoiler)hes immortal now as of the new Justice League book and even when he did have to regenerate he always woke back up in the same swamp

[Kebab Gud]

Green Arrow once killed him....
but then again ollie did go on a killing spree in the 90's

[vbartilucci]

I think the argument is more whether or not he's "living" in the first place. He's sentient, yes (tho dumb as a post until recently) but not "alive", per se. As opposed to, say, the Shaggy Man, who is artificial.

You know who probably has the hardest job in the DCU? Priests. Too damn many permutations...

[Stephen Day]

You know who probably has the hardest job in the DCU? Priests. Too damn many permutations...

If either DC or Marvel put out a series dealing with that, it could potentially be really intertesting.

[Sakie]

I think its sort of a "wait and see" type of thing with Solomon Grundy. Everytime he dies and comes back, he comes back with a different personality. In Starman, when we first find Grundy, he has the mental prowess of a small child, however he becomes a friend to Jack Knight and his crew. So in essence, he doesn't always come back as a bad guy, infact like in the case of Starman, Grundy can come back as a pretty effective ally.

[stiltman6969]

hell he almost replaced Swamp Thing at one point.

[sexyjesus]

I hope Grundy doesn't stay smart. With this look, he reeks of Dave Matthews Band. Eecch.

[jza1218]

I think its sort of a "wait and see" type of thing with Solomon Grundy. Everytime he dies and comes back, he comes back with a different personality. In Starman, when we first find Grundy, he has the mental prowess of a small child, however he becomes a friend to Jack Knight and his crew. So in essence, he doesn't always come back as a bad guy, infact like in the case of Starman, Grundy can come back as a pretty effective ally.


I say just kill him until he comes back with a personality similar to his Starman persona and then lock him up forever.

[bonsai]

I hope Grundy doesn't stay smart. With this look, he reeks of Dave Matthews Band. Eecch.


Say wha, huh? Dave Matthews Band? Not getting the reference.

[BlueStreak]

Killing Grundy is practically a rite of passage in the JSA.

[crood]

Originally Posted by vbartilucci
You know who probably has the hardest job in the DCU? Priests. Too damn many permutations...


If either DC or Marvel put out a series dealing with that, it could potentially be really intertesting.


Unfortunately, comic book civilians need to remain blissfully ignorant in order for their world to be as close to ours as possible. Sure John Henry Irons can build an advanced suit of armor in his apartment building's boiler room, but average Joe DC has to drive a Hyundai.

It's a world where in the 40's time travel was discovered and a brain was successfully transplanted into a robot, but still noone knows what happened on the grassy knoll. The ramifications would be infinite:

Is time travel a valid method for obtaining evidence?
What are legal rights of the newly resurrected?
Does the Martian Manhunter have a green card?
What are the religious ramifications when life after death is a proven fact?


Is there scientific research into the medical uses of "Karkull energy"?

[Guderian]

Unfortunately, comic book civilians need to remain blissfully ignorant in order for their world to be as close to ours as possible. Sure John Henry Irons can build an advanced suit of armor in his apartment building's boiler room, but average Joe DC has to drive a Hyundai.

It's a world where in the 40's time travel was discovered and a brain was successfully transplanted into a robot, but still noone knows what happened on the grassy knoll. The ramifications would be infinite:

Is time travel a valid method for obtaining evidence?
What are legal rights of the newly resurrected?
Does the Martian Manhunter have a green card?
What are the religious ramifications when life after death is a proven fact?


Is there scientific research into the medical uses of "Karkull energy"?

A few more moral quandries that lie heavy upon the souls in the DCU.

How does the proven existence of flesh and blood angels (both holy and fallen) affect religious doctrines?
Is turning a known murderer over to a legal system that has repeatedly proven incapable of keeping such people in custody the ethical thing to do?
If you do turn them in, are you morally culpable for any future murders they commit after they escape?
Does time travel invalidate the fundamentalist belief in a literal interpretation of the bible/koran/torah/etc.?
If a person has access to advanced medical technology (say, Kryptonian for example) can they be considered a good and moral person if they don't make the medical knowledge public?

By this time, Batman must know that when he turns the Joker over to Arkham Asylum, he's going to escape and kill more people. Doesn't killing the Joker then become the lesser of two evils, and therefore the morally correct thing to do?

The advanced technology that aliens like Superman or time travelers like Booster Gold have access to could easily cure diseases like AIDS, Malaria, Influenza, TB, etc, and could likely cure cancer and fix the majority of congenital maladies? Wouldn't sharing this technology save far more lives than flying around in a pair of tights fighting thieves and madmen?