Merv the Griffin: Difference between revisions

}}'''Merv the Griffin''', also known as simply '''Griffin''', was a bipedal, anthropomorphic [[demon]] [[griffin]] from the [[Sixth Realm]]. He was summoned to [[Reality Z-25 31-H]] by [[Doctor Brain]] and magically compelled to seek out and destroy [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Captain Evening]]. After being freed from his magical binding by the Captain and [[Jenny Nowhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Jenny Nowhere]] (then posing as [[Jenny Everywhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Jenny Everywhere]]), Merv remained in this new universe in order to get his revenge on Doctor Brain and [[Jesse Brain|the Wicked Witch]], and ended up joining Captain Evening's [[The Odds|superhero team]].

Merv was a creature of honour, who would dedicate himself to getting reparation if he felt that he had been wrong. He was not above showing emotion, however, as evidenced by his shameless cryng and other displays of despair when he thought that he would remain trapped in [[Reality Z-25 31-H]] forever due to his inability to find and defeat [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Captain Evening]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Tales To Behold (comic story)|Tales To Behold]]'')

[[File:Summoning of Mervin.png|thumb|left|230px|The summoning of Merv the Griffin by [[Doctor Brain]], [[Jesse Brain|Jesse]] and two of the Docor's henchmen. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[For Whom The Toll Bells (comic story)|For Whom The Toll Bells]]'')]]Merv the Griffin was summoned from the [[Sixth Realm]] to [[Reality Z-25 31-H]] by the young witch [[Jesse Brain]] on behalf of her father, the supervillain [[Doctor Brain]]. He was magically bound to this realm until he could find [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Captain Evening]] (a superhero and Doctor Brain's archnemesis) and arrange for his death. However, the malevolent Doctor failed to tell Merv who or what “Captain Evening” was or how he might be found. Thus, Merv wandered the world for weeks, despairing of ever fulfilling his magical obligation and returning home.  

While flying around in a despairing haze, he eventually crashed into a belltower that turned out to be that of Captain Evening's own stately home. The Captain, being too honourable for his own good, confessed that he ''was'' Merv's quarry. However, the [[shift]]er [[Jenny Nowhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Jenny Nowhere]] (then posing as the heroic [[Jenny Everywhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Jenny Everywhere]]) saved the Captain by briefly switching him out with his [[Captain Evening#Zombie Captain Evening|counterpart]] in a [[Universe (For Whom The Toll Bells)|parallel universe populated by zombies]]. Merv struck the zombie Captain Evening, and confirmed that he was dead afterwards; even though the zombie had been dead all along, this counted as far as fulfilling his magical obligation went.

[[File:Merv carrying Jenny Nowhere.png|thumb|right|215px|Merv carrying [[Jenny Nowhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Jenny]] during the assault on the [[Legion of Light]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Enter–the Legion of Light! (comic story)|Enter–the Legion of Light!]]'')]]Merv soon settled in [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Captain Evening]]'s home. When [[Professor Madison]] and [[Rodney Rabbit]] came to stay there as guests, Merv was the one to offer them cookies. He later participated in the growing team of superheroes' expedition to investigate a transdimensional portal whose opening Madison had detected using [[Professor Madison's device|a new invention of hers]], although it turned out to be nothing to do with Doctor Brain. Merv subsequently participated, with obvious glee, in the impromptu “family game night” of putting [[Armstrong Fatbuckle]], the Living Skeleton, back together after his bones had been disjointed by [[Red Vicious]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Enter–the Legion of Light! (comic story)|Enter–the Legion of Light!]]'') This completed the formation of the initial roster of Captain Evening's improvised superheroic team, “[[the Odds]]”. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Redistribution (comic story)|Redistribution]]'')

[[File:Captain Evening and Merv the Griffin in Redistribution.png|thumb|left|Merv the Griffin, [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Captain Evening]] and [[Jenny Nowhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Jenny]] in the sewers of [[New York City|New York]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Redistribution (comic story)|Redistribution]]'')]]When [[Jenkins]] and [[Professor Madison]] broke into Floor 239 of the headquarters of the [[Bureau of Singularity]] (who watched over [[Reality Z-25 31-H]], among other universes) at the [[Nexus of Realities]], Merv was visible on one of the monitors. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Singularity War (comic story)|Singularity War]]'') Within a few weeks of the group's formation, the Odds were summoned by the New York Chief of Police, who was desperate to solve the mystery of the “reverse robberies” which had been popping up all across the city. The Odds agreed to help and discovered that the culprit was [[Armagedda]], who was hiding out in the sewers and had plans to bring down human civilisations. The Captain ordered an ill-advised charge on Armagedda and a henchmen; he, Merv and Armstrong were easily captured, but Armstrong managed to distract Armagedda while the still-free Jenny worked out a way to exploit Armagedda's weakness to magic. After Armstrong tricked her into taking human form and going on a date with him, he brought her back to the sewers where Merv punched the still-human to the ground; before Armagedda could get her bearings and return to her true size and powers, Jenny [[shift]]ed her to [[Universe (Redistribution)|another universe]] using the [[Magic Sword of the Legion of Light]]). ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Redistribution (comic story)|Redistribution]]'')

[[File:Merv the Griffin in Battle of Britain.png|thumb|right|250px|Merv punches an [[Insect Person]] sentinel. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Battle of Britain (comic story)|Battle of Britain]]'')]]Merv accompanied the other [[The Odds|Odds]] to [[England]] when they were called by [[Chief Inspector Dennis]] of [[Scotland Yard|the Yard]] to help deal with the matter of a city which was being taken over by [[Insect Person|Insect People]]. It turned out that the Insect People were not taking it over militarily, just showing up all over the city and behaving in unpleasant but not violent or illegal ways. As the only Odd who could currently fly, he carried [[Armstrong Fatbuckle|Armstrong]] and [[Jenny Nowhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Jenny]] up the giant anthill to enter the Insects' hive; he offered his assistance to [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|the Captain]], who'd been forced to leave his [[Skycycle]] behind, but the superhero was too proud to accept it.  

[[File:Merv the Griffin in Encore.png|thumb|left|Merv the Griffin using [[Professor Madison's device]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Encore (comic story)|Encore]]'')]]Using [[Professor Madison's device]], Merv was able to pinpoint its location to under an ancient monolith, which he lifted. Underneath, they found the remains of Sir Dennis of Inde, [[the Blue Knight]], an [[King Arthur|Arthurian]] knight made immortal by his magical armour, who had been trapped under the boulder for centuries, magically kept alive. In thanks for their freeing him, the Blue Knight quickly pledged his services to the Odds, bowing to Captain Evening as his new “liege”. After they discovered that, over the centuries, the Blue Knight had degenerated into an incorporeal spirit animating a hollow armour, [[Merlin (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Merlin]] appeared out of nowhere and transferred the Blue Knight's spirit into the body of his [[Chief Inspector Dennis|last descendant]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Encore (comic story)|Encore]]'')

[[File:Merv the Griffin in Meanwhile, On Earth.png|thumb|right|Merv the Griffin at [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Captain Evening]]'s party. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Meanwhile, On Earth (comic story)|Meanwhile, On Earth]]'')]][[Jenny Nowhere#In Reality Z-25 21-H|Jenny]], announcing that she had recovered her powers completely, [[shift]]ed the entire [[The Odds|Odds]] team, now including [[the Blue Knight]], back to the [[Fortress of Evening]] in an instant, with them appearing in [[Professor Madison]] and [[Rodney Rabbit]]'s bedroom. Madison began running tests on the Blue Knight while the other heroes freshened up in the Fortress's shower room. They soon had to leap back into action as Rodney informed them, based on what he was seeing on live television, that the ceremony where [[Captain Perfect]] was to be given the Keys to the City by [[Mayor Wilson]] was under attack by a giant robot called “[[Ultimatron]]”. The Odds rushed to the scene, but only succeeded in distracting Perfect, who was knocked out by the robot. They tried to defeat Ultimatron, but had little luck, with [[Centennia]] soon arriving and dispatching it herself.  

After it transpired that the entire attack had been staged by Captain Perfect as a publicity stunt, he was punched into the distance by Centennia. Impressed, Captain Evening asked Centennia if she would consider joining “the Odds”, and she seemed to agree. To celebrate their victory and Centennia's joining, Captain Evening organised a party at the Fortress, inviting “all his hero friends” — including the Odds, the [[Terrific Two]], [[Glow Girl]], [[Mysto the Space-Wizard]], [[the Big Bad Wolf (Reality Z-25 31-H)|the Big Bad Wolf]], [[Red Riding Hood (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Red Riding Hood]] and [[Terry Tornado]]. Among other things, the Captain grilled some steak on the roof, with Merv asking that his be cooked “very rare”. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Meanwhile, On Earth (comic story)|Meanwhile, On Earth]]'')

[[File:Merv the Griffin vs Red Vicious.png|thumb|left|Merv is attacked by [[Red Vicious]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Meanwhile, In Queens (comic story)|Meanwhile, In Queens]]'')]]Soon thereafter, Merv and the rest of the other Odds were lured to a warehouse under the belief that it was [[Armagedda]]'s lair. It was actually a trap set up by [[Evil Cloak]], who had gathered all of the Odds' past foes and revealed herself as the same person as the “Jenny Everywhere” the Odds had been fighting with, who was actually [[Jenny Nowhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|an incarnation of Jenny Nowhere]]. Nowhere ordered the villains to attack the Odds, with Merv being attacked by a fellow [[demon]], [[Red Vicious]], who mocked him for being weak to fire. Realising that they, and the other fighting pairs, were ill-matched, Captain Evening soon told Merv to attack Captain Perfect while the Blue Knight took on Red Vicious. However, even then, Red Vicious tossed the Blue Knight ''at'' Merv. The battle went no further as, after Nowhere was abruptly killed by [[Gazoom]], a demonic entity she'd summoned using [[Doctor Brain's Portal]], the heroes and villains agreed to call it a tie and cease fighting. Back at the Fortress, Merv agreed to take a vacation from superhero work to go on a road trip with the Blue Knight and [[Armstrong Fatbuckle|Armstrong]], who wanted to show the other two the sights of 21st-century Earth. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Meanwhile, In Queens (comic story)|Meanwhile, In Queens]]'')

[[File:Merv, Centennia and the Captain fly in.png|thumb|right|325px|Merv [[Centennia]] and [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|the Captain]] fly to the rescue. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Journey Out Of Misery (comic story)|Journey Out Of Misery]]'')]]However, this plan was delayed for one last battle after an actual robot known as the [[Cosmic Solution]] began attacking [[New York City]] (having actually been sent by the [[Cosmic Order]] to carry out the destruction of humanity following [[Armagedda]]'s failure). Though [[Robot Madison]] summoned as many heroes as she could, meaning a small team including [[Mysto the Space-Wizard]], [[Terry Tornado]], [[the Big Bad Wolf (Reality Z-25 31-H)|the Big Bad Wolf]], [[Red Riding Hood (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Red Riding Hood]] and [[the Human Tree]] got there first, [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Captain Evening]] soon answered the call, leading most of [[the Odds]] into battle on his [[Skycycle]].

[[File:Merv the Griffin in Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014.png|thumb|left|265px|Merv the Griffin lives out his fantasy of single-handedly defeating hordes of [[zombie]]s. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014 (comic story)|Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014]]'')]][[The Odds]] (now joined by the [[Jenny Everywhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|real Jenny Everywhere]]) were offered a vacation by the mysterious [[Mr Montibar]], and flew to the equally-mysterious, magical [[Kokotomo Island]], where dreams could magically come true for a limited period of time. In Merv the Griffin's case, this allowed them to briefly spend time recreationally fighting zombies. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014 (comic story)|Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014]]'') He was also seen simply flying through the air above the beach. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[2014 KAMeo Kaper (comic story)|2014 KAMeo Kaper]]'') He eventually returned home on the same plane with the other Odds, save for Jenny and [[Centennia]], who decided to stick around on Kokotomo. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014 (comic story)|Tales To Behold Halloween Cameo Caper 2014]]'')

[[File:Merv the Griffin in Chasing Shadows.png|thumb|left|275px|Even Merv struggled during the Odds' initial battle with [[the Shadow Queen]]'s armies. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Chasing Shadows (comic story)|Chasing Shadows]]'')]]When [[the Shadow Queen]] attacked [[New York City (Reality Z-25 31-H)|New York City]], [[the Odds]] — including Merv, [[Captain Evening (Reality Z-25 31-H)|the Captain]], [[Armstrong Fatbuckle]] and [[the Blue Knight]] — responded almost immediately. Despite their speed, they did not fare well in their first battle against the Queen's shadow-warriors, who were intangible when they tried to punch them, but very much capable of dealing damage to flesh-and-blood opponents. Only the setting of the sun brought an end to the fight, forcing the Queen to retreat lest her shadows dissolve into the darkness of the night. However, the Captain managed to hurl a tracking device at her.