GUNK
|
  Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Alternate
Reality (Earth-93060/Ultraverse)
human mutate (ultra);
presumably an American citizen (presumably
Doc Gross )
Occupation: Unrevealed (possibly a student)
Group Membership: "Gross
Babies" (Culebra/Jay Alvaros, Dragonfly,
Duey, Elven/Elvia Swensen, Prime/Kevin
Green, Wicca/Stephanie),
Affiliations: Culebra (Jay Alvaros), Elven (Elvia
Swensen), Dragonfly,
Phade, Prime
(Kevin Green), Turbocharge
(Michael Hardaway), Wicca (Stephanie), the Prime
race (notably the Primogenitor)
Enemies: Doc Gross (Vincent
Gross), Duey;
formerly the Prime
race (notably the Homebringer and Primogenitor)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "That blob kid" (from Dragonfly)
Base of Operations: Unrevealed location on
Earth-93060
First Appearance:
(Unidentified) Prime I#26 (August, 1995);
( identified) Power
of Prime#2 (August, 1995) |
.
|
 Powers/Abilities: The young man who became Gunk
could adopt a massive, semi-amorphous state that surrounded and
protected his body and supplying him with
oxygen, etc.
Presumably if he remained in
his Gunk form long enough and/or expended too much energy, the
form would degenerate on its own, decomposing into a liquid form
that may or may not have had a membrane though which he had to
tear to breathe.
His Gunk form typically
had a face and arms, but the lower body lacked definition beyond
sometimes having tentacles.
This form could be almost
liquid, pouring over and potentially drowning someone, or it
could become tough enough that an extended tendril/tail might
bind the limbs of the immense and powerful Homebringer.
Gunk could extend tendrils, and
it generally moved via flagella/tail directed propulsion.
Gunk's form likely had an
unspecified degree of superhuman strength and durability.
His human form was apparently
youthful and possibly physically or mentally impaired. He was
not shown to speak, and the only times he was shown in his human
form, someone was holding him, as if he could not stand or walk
on his own. He was intelligent and kind enough to sacrifice his
own form to re-empower Prime, who had the best chance of
defeating their opponents.
He also was shown to be drooling, although
that may have been because he was being held by the older Steffi
(the human form of Wicca).
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'8" in
human form; perhaps 8-12' in Dragonfly form)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 130 lbs. in human form;
weight in Dragonfly
form unrevealed as it was likely full of an unidentified fluid
in addition to containing Jay's form)
Eyes: Unrevealed; (as Dragonfly) green or white
Hair: Black or dark brown; (as Dragonfly) none
|
.
History:
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - Via a combination of science and sorcery,
a collection of alien beings on the Godwheel created god-like forms for
themselves as an homage to the gods that had vanished following a
cataclysmic war. These aliens then considered themselves to be of one
race, the Prime race, though every score of years they had to rest and
renew their godlike forms, returning briefly to their original forms, with
which they were now disgusted.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) <Over 15 years before Prime I#1> - The Prime race's renewal
cycle became accelerated, so that some bodies lasted only minutes or
seconds, and many of their number perished.
The Prime sent their Homebringer to Earth, carrying
genetic samples from their oldest records. They sought out Dr. Vincent
Gross, a brilliant and daring geneticist, whom they hoped could cultivate
a fresh code.
(Power of Prime#1 (fb) - BTS) - Gross had been working in
genetic manipulation for some time without success before receiving the
information from Homebringer.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - Gross
promised to cultivate a new code but said it would take years to
develop. Homebringer periodically returned to Earth to examine Gross'
progress.
(Power of Prime#1 (fb) - BTS / Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS / other
sources) - Gross used these techniques on a number of women, leading to
numerous children who developed the ability to generate a second,
superhuman form around their bodies, similar to what those of the Prime
race did. These included the youths who would
become Culebra, Dragonfly, Duey, Elven, Gunk, Prime, and Wicca.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - Finally,
Homebringer discovered that Gross' work had come to fruition in Prime
(Kevin Green).
(Power of Prime#1 (fb) - BTS) - Considering the other
"Gross Babies" to be monstrous and defective, the Primogenitor ordered
their destruction.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - Homebringer opened a portal and pulled Gunk into the Prime region
of the Godwheel ignoring his questions of who he was or his instruction to
stay away.
Gunk was
imprisoned in a stasis tube alongside a number of other "Gross Babies"
(Culebra, Dragonfly, Gunk,
Wicca) and slated for incineration.
(Prime I#26 - BTS) - Homebringer opened a portal to transport Prime to the Godwheel. Apparently
false images of Culebra, Dragonfly, Duey, Gunk, and Wicca urged him to
come join them, giving his essence back to his creators rather than
wandering the world confused. However, Phade and Turbocharge were able
to pull Prime back to Earth.
As Phade and Turbocharge did some
research and tracked down the location of other "Gross Babies" (children
of women manipulated by Doc Gross, apparently via the material given to
him by Homebringer), Prime sought out Elven and convinced her to join
him in investigating their origins.
After Prime and Elven met up with Phade
and Turbocharge, Elven called out a challenge to the Homebringer, who
opened a portal and pulled her in, after which Prime, Phade, and Turbo
followed her through the breach. Phade temporarily destroyed Homebringer
when he assaulted the heroes.
(Power of Prime#2 - BTS) - As the
Primogenitor discussed the origins of the Prime race and the Gross Babies,
Turbocharge elected to check out the infirmary, where
he found a pair of Primes (or guards, if they weren't primal beings)
dragging the woman they had taken away toward a fiery
chamber. Subduing the guards, Turbocharge asked the woman what they
were going to do to her. 
(Power of Prime#2) - Although he could not understand her words, she pointed to a pile
of bodies beside a number of chambers containing Culebra, Dragonfly, Gunk,
and Wicca. Correctly surmising that the pile was people whose Prime bodies
had failed and were going to be destroyed and that those in the tanks were
the "Gross Babies," Turbocharge opened Gunk's chamber. He was shocked when
massive amounts of slime poured out of the tank.
Unable to get any traction in the muck, Turbocharge was
soon covered by Gunk's semi-liquid form.
(Power of Prime#2 (fb) - BTS) - Turbocharge either
got free or Gunk recovered and retracted his slime, or perhaps someone
else helped free him. 
Turbocharge subsequently freed the rest of the "Gross
Babies."
(Power of Prime#2) - Turbocharge
brought the "Gross Babies" back to Prime and the others, warning
that the Primogenitor was not some benevolent god.
(Power of Prime#3) - Turbocharge
further explained that the other Gross Babies -- who were considered
"flawed" -- had been slated to be incinerated along with the members of
the Prime race who could no longer generate primal bodies.
Wishing to have his own form
stabilized, Prime ultimately agreed to let the Primogenitor use his
genetic code to help his people and make him Prime forever on the
condition that they also send home the Gross Babies and helped fix their
powers however they wanted them to be.
As Primogenitor prepared to accept
these terms, however, Duey (Doc Gross' early creation who had absorbed
and controlled Gross) interrupted, advising Primogenitor to refuse to
let the others dictate their terms but instead take the genetic material
that they needed.
As the Primogenitor resolved to discuss
the matter with the council, Duey revealed his alliance with the
Homebringer, who subsequently grabbed Jay (whose Culebra form the
Primogenitor had previously removed) and Dragonfly and then exclaimed
that the genetic material they sought was their legacy and that he would
not see it dispersed to "the world of these feeble imitations" (Earth).
When Elven and Wicca assaulted
Homebringer, Turbocharge pulled Gunk along at high speed, stretching
Gunk's form repeatedly around Homebringer's ankles. Primogenitor
insisted that Homebringer must not be harmed and that Prime stop his
friends or all deals were off.
Prime ultimately sided with his friends
and joined the fight against Homebringer. Wicca delivered a blast that
-- aided by Gunk's binding his feet and Prime's adding a punch to his
face -- knocked Homebringer to the ground.
Duey eventually drew out Doc Gross from
within his own body and then cut into Prime's body and pulled out his
heart, which was the source that generated his Prime bodies.
(Power of Prime#4) - Elven and Wicca
assaulted Duey and Homebringer, causing Prime's heart to fall back into
his body, after which Gunk flowed over Prime, sacrificing his form's
energy to restore Prime's body.
Prime subsequently delivered Gunk's
unpowered youthful form to the also de-powered (de-primed) Wicca,
The Primogenitor used the Prime race's
fading power to briefly adopt a giant form and subdue Homebringer and
Duey. 
After Primogenitor transported the
group to an island on Earth, Dragonfly noted that the heroes had
something to come back for, but what were they (referring to herself,
Culebra, Gunk & Wicca).
Comments: Created by Gerard
Jones, Len Strazewski, John
Statema, Mark Pacella, Bob Smith, and Chris Ivey.
Gunk was the least developed of the
Gross Babies in this series. He was consistently called Gunk in the Cast
of Characters story summaries that I believe started in Power of
Prime#2, as well as the intro page in Power of Prime#4, but I don't
think he was actually called that in-story. Prime only called him "he,"
and Dragonfly called him "The blob kid."
Any plans for the Gross Babies at the
end of the Power of Prime fell to the wayside as the Ultraverse was
restructured during Black September.
As can be seen in the credits below,
there were different artists in Prime#26, Power of Prime#2 and Power of
Prime#3-4, which explains the variation in appearance somewhat. Artistic
license in the real world, but as Gunk could change his form as desired,
I think his "skin" color and facial appearance could vary significantly
as well.
This profile was completed 10/12/2025,
but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th
anniversary 's celebratory event.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Dragonfly should be distinguished from:
- JUNIOR BARNES - who is a Gunky--Bill Cosby:
Revenge
- other "Gunk" characters,
groups, items, events, races or places...
images: (without ads)
Prime#26, pg. 4 (illusory self);
Power of Prime#2, pg. 17, panel 3 (stasis tank opened by Turbocharge);
pg. 20 (full-ish; main; slightly
obscured by Wicca);
#3, pg. 13, panel 1 (pulled by
Turbocharge to wrap around Homebringer's legs);
#4, pg. 3 (small mostly full body by
large face-shot panel);
pg. 8, panel 1-2 (flowing over Prime);
pg. 14, panel 4 (full un-primed form, held
by Prime);
pg. 15, panel 1-2 (un-primed Wicca holding
un-primed Gunk; un-primed face);
pg. 21-22 (returning to Earth);
pg. 23, panel 2 (final panel)
Appearances:
Prime I#25 (July, 1995) - by Len Strazewski &
Gerard Jones (writers), John Statema (penciler), Bob Smith (inker), Hank
Kanalz (editor)
Prime I#26 (August, 1995) - Gerard
Jones & Len Strazewski (writers), John Statema (penciler), Bob Smith
(inker), Hank Kanalz (editor)
Power of Prime#1 (July, 1995) - Len Strazewski & Gerard Jones
(writers), Mark Pacella (penciler), Chris Ivey (inker), Hank Kanalz
(editor)
Power of Prime#2 (August, 1995) - Len Strazewski
& Gerard Jones (writers), Kevin West and Tim Hamilton (pencilers),
Bob Almond (inker), Scott Bernstein (assistant editor), Hank Kanalz
(editor)
Power of Prime#3-4 (August-September, 1995) - Len
Strazewski & Gerard Jones (writers), Mark Pacella (penciler), Chris
Ivey (inker), Scott Bernstein (assistant editor),
Hank Kanalz (editor)
First posted: 09/14/2025
Last updated: 03/30/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and � 1941-2099
Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you
should check out the real thing!
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Special Thanks to
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