Showcase #55

Issue Details

Synopsis

SOLOMON GRUNDY GOES ON A RAMPAGE! Solomon Grundy has returned to Earth after his last encounter with Green Lantern and he is released from the energy capsule in which Lantern had locked him. Once free, Grundy returns to Slaughter Swamp, where he recovers most of his supernatural powers.   Meanwhile in Salem, Kent and Inza Nelson notice the crystal ball inside the Tower of Fate is glowing strangely and upon investigating, they learn there is trouble near the Tyler Chemical Company and Kent soon goes to investigate as Doctor Fate. Meanwhile, Rex Tyler also finds out someone has entered the radioactive waste dumpster of his company and he goes to investigate as Hourman. Doctor Fate is first to arrive and spots Green Lantern's former energy capsule shattered. At that moment, Hourman confronts Grundy, but the un-living monster is stronger than Hourman. Doctor Fate arrives to help Hourman, but he has no better luck than his associate. Eventually, Fate tries to use his most powerful magic against Grundy, just as Hourman attacks the zombie, but the monster is untouched and the heroes end up knocked unconscious.   Without resistance, Grundy continues his quest to find Green Lantern and get revenge for their past encounter. Thanks to the radiation he absorbed, Grundy can manipulate objects with his mind and takes many wooden objects with him and starts wreaking havoc in Gotham City until Green Lantern finally shows up. The ensuing battle is short as Grundy uses the wood (GL's only weakness) to defeat Lantern and he grabs his mortal enemy to take him back to Slaughter Swamp. Doctor Fate and Hourman have already recovered and they follow Grundy's radioactive trail, but when they confront him, they are somehow drawn to attack each other and they knock each other out again.   Grundy continues on his path and he is eventually found by some of his former associates, who inquire about Grundy's journey back to Earth. The monster explains that after he was dropped in a planet far away, a comet passed nearby and lifted Green Lantern's energy capsule. Using this energy, Grundy steered the capsule back to Earth until he was pulled by gravity. Afterwards, Grundy assists his crooked friends by breaking the security measures of a bank.   Meanwhile, Doctor Fate and Hourman recover and they finally realize that Hourman's Miraclo pills have contrary effects when he is near Fate's magic, which turns them against each other. After making this deduction, the heroes resume the chase of Grundy, but midway, Hourman stops to fight Grundy's crooked friends and prevent them from stealing from the bank. Dr. Fate continues alone until he locates Grundy back at Slaughter Swamp, but the monster has already submerged the unconscious Green Lantern inside the swamp. Using an illusion of Green Lantern, Dr. Fate lures Grundy away from the swamp and Fate then uses his magic to rescue Green Lantern, who has been transformed into a creature similar to Grundy. Again, Fate's magic reverts the process and Green Latern returns to normal.   By the time Grundy realizes he has been duped, Fate, Hourman and Green Lantern have recovered and they attack Grundy with all their might. Although the villain is incapacitated, he is not defeated thanks to his supreme resistance. Green Lantern and Doctor Fate then create a new energy capsule, this time improved by magic and Hourman uses his super-strength to throw Grundy inside the capsule, trapping him for good. The heroes combine their forces and they toss the energy capsule to Earth's orbit, where Grundy will remain trapped and they heroes can keep a close eye on him.