GrimJack
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GrimJack is the main character of a comic book published by First Comics. He was created by John Ostrander and Timothy Truman.
GrimJack is the street name of John Gaunt, a sword-for-hire, ex-paramilitary, war veteran and ex-child gladiator. He operates from Munden's Bar in the Pit, a slum area of Cynosure, a pan-dimensional city to which all dimensions connect.
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[edit] The character
[edit] John Gaunt
John Gaunt, alias GrimJack, was born in The Pit, a slum area of the pan-dimensional city of Cynosure, where both magic and technology, humans and aliens intermingle. Sentenced to fight in the Arena of Cynosure at age eight, he joined one of the gangs of child warriors called "Wolfpacs." Gaunt went on to fight in the arena for thirteen years. During that time, Gaunt went by the name of "Grinner" and was known as the second-best fighter in the arena, behind the flashier Dancer.
Gaunt escaped the Arena and found peace for a time when he found refuge in the dimension of Pdwyr, where he met the love of his life, a woman named Rhian. His inner demons got the better of him when he met Major Lash, who convinced him to come back to Cynosure and fight off the invasion of the city by Hell itself. Gaunt went on to fight in the Demon Wars, and was thus unable to prevent the invasion of Pdwyr by Hell, and the death of all those he loved, including Rhian. Following the end of the War, Gaunt joined the Major's group of temporal bounty hunters, the Lawkillers.
GrimJack later left the Lawkillers and joined the Trans-Dimensional Police, Cynosure's police department. Upon quitting the TDP, he was enlisted as the first member of Cadre, a spy agency of the Cynosure government. After the events detailed in the GrimJack: Killer Instinct storyline, he abandoned Cadre and set himself up as a mercenary and private investigator in Cynosure. At some point he purchased the bar known as Munden's, apparently named after bartender Gordon Munden.
[edit] The GrimJack clone
During a bloody conflict with the Lawkillers, John Gaunt managed to kill two of Major Lash's men, Preacher and Grunt, but turned his back on Lash, disgusted with the senseless bloodshed and murder, including the revelation that the enemy he had killed months ago was his biological son. Lash seized this opportunity and killed GrimJack. Gaunt was shocked to find himself in Heaven, where he was reunited with his former love, Rhian. He was informed that for all his faults, he always stood by his friends, and for that he was judged worthy. But he soon discovers that Dancer has reanimated Gaunt's corpse in order to murder his friend Blackjacmac. Gaunt is horrified at this, as Blackjacmac would go to Hell if he were to die at this point in his life. Forfeiting a peaceful Afterlife, but continuing to act for the benefit of those he called friends, Gaunt animated a clone body of himself, returning to Cynosure as a younger clone of himself, although without legal rights.
[edit] James Twilley
Having willingly abandoned Heaven to save the soul of a friend, Gaunt found himself barred both from Heaven and from Hell. Upon the undisclosed death of his clone, he discovers that he is now condemned to cycle of deaths and rebirths until the city of Cynosure itself ceases to exist.
GrimJack was reborn as James Edgar Twilley, the son of a rich Cynosure family. Initially unaware of his past life, Twilley began remembering it when he witnessed a thug murdering a jock who bullied him in high school. As his past life returned to him, Twilley murdered the thug, and marked himself with the trademark GrimJack scar of his previous life. Twiley went underground, disappearing from his family and friends as he set about re-learning his past skills. When he was ready, Twilley showed up at Munden's, and using a clause written into the ownership contract of the bar, claimed his identity as well as the bar. Sometime later, his parents, distraught over the changes that their son has undergone, kidnapped him and sent him to therapy to erase the troubling memories, but when presented with a copy of John Gaunt as supposed proof that Twilley's memories were false, he flew in a frenzy and ripped out the Gaunt copy's throat with his teeth.
James Edgar Twilley eventually left his family, assumed once again the street name of GrimJack, and chose once again Munden's Bar as his base of operations.
James Twilley died in issue #81 of GrimJack, concluding First Comics' run.
[edit] Other incarnations
A few other incarnations of GrimJack have been hinted at by the series creators, including FutureJack, a GrimJack incarnation from the far future who tries to murder Gaunt before the curse of rebirth can befall him. Although these have never seen print, Ostrander hinted at a GrimJack in Hell story, as well as the possibility of one incarnation featuring GrimJack as a twin brother.
There are currently no plans for stories featuring other incarnations of GrimJack, although Ostrander and Truman have not denied the interest.
[edit] Publication History
[edit] Starslayer
GrimJack began as a back-up feature in issue 10 of the comic book Starslayer. The character of GrimJack was created by John Ostrander and Timothy Truman, but the setting, in the pan-dimensional city of Cynosure, predates the character.
The GrimJack backup story was very popular with the readers of Starslayer, and First Comics decided to give the character his own title. The GrimJack back-up story ran from issue 10 to 17. GrimJack guest-starred in the main Starslayer story in issue 18, in July 1984.
[edit] GrimJack
Issue #1 of GrimJack was published by First Comics in August 1984, and ran until issue #81, in April 1991. Artists who worked on the series included Sam Grainger, Tom Mandrake, Jim McDermott, Steve Pugh and Tom Sutton.
Throughout its run, and with the exception of a few full-length issues, GrimJack featured a back-up story in the manner of other First Comics series. From issue 1 to 69, the backstory was titled Munden's Bar, a comical, episodic retelling of the events at the eponymous bar, owned by GrimJack. The story brought a small amount of fame to the series for its occasional guest stars, such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Starting issue 70, a new back-story began, as Munden's Bar's light tone was found to clash too much with the more somber, dramatic storylines taking place in the main story. The back-story, titled Youngblood, was penned by Steve Pugh, and told the story of John Gaunt's troubled childhood. It concluded in issue #81.
Although one of First Comics' most popular title, the series was cancelled when First Comics declared bankruptcy, and did not make it in print again before 2005.
[edit] Demon Knight
Published by First Comics in 1990, Demon Knight is a stand-alone graphic novel featuring the James Twilley incarnation of GrimJack, going back in time to the Demon Wars to try and change his fate. The story is a stand-alone, but ties in thematically with the "Demon Wars" flashback storyline taking place in issues 66-69.
[edit] GrimJack Casefiles
Running from November 1990 to March 1991, GrimJack Casefiles reprints the Starslayer back-up story, as well as the first issues of the GrimJack series. It ran a total of 5 issues.
[edit] GrimJack: Killer Instinct
Following the original creators of GrimJack getting back the rights to the character out of legal limbo, John Ostrander and Timothy Truman teamed up again to publish GrimJack: Killer Instinct, a 6-issues miniseries published by IDW Publishing. The miniseries, since then reprinted in graphic novel form, serves as a prequel to the First Comics' GrimJack series, and shows John Gaunt's life leading up to his first appearance in Starslayer #10. The series met with critical acclaim for its art, storyline and original setting.
The series is written by John Ostrander, drawn by Timonthy Truman, lettered by John Workman and edited by Mike Gold, all of whom worked on the original GrimJack comic.
[edit] Legend of GrimJack
On the heels of GrimJack: Killer Instinct, IDW Publishing also re-issued First Comics' GrimJack run as an anthology. As of February 2006, 5 collections have been released, covering the Starslayer back-up story, as well as the first issues of the series. The anthology was originally planned as a trade paperback or hardcover series of graphic novels, although IDW Publishing has cancelled the hardcover edition starting with issue #4.
[edit] Other appearances
In addition to the aforementioned series and specials, GrimJack made appearances in two Munden's Bar specials, as well as a few First Comics crossover specials such as The Gift and Crossroads.
[edit] Legal History
Following the bankruptcy of First Comics in 1991, the legal rights to GrimJack became tied up with First Comics' other assets. Kevin F. Levin, co-founder of First Comics, and Mike Gold, GrimJack's original editor, set out to free the rights to the character from legal limbo.
After 12 years of efforts, all rights to GrimJack were released, and a new company was founded, the NightSky GrimJack Rights and Production Vehicle (Four Wheel Drive Model), LLC, with legal ownership to the character. John Ostrander and Timothy Truman are said to have "substantial equity positions" in the venture.
[edit] GrimJack: The Movie
J. Michael Straczynski had reportedly planned to write a movie adaptation of GrimJack during his time on Babylon 5. He initially planned to produce the script during the summer of 1996, but timing conflicts prevented him from doing it. As a result, the project was put on hold, and has not been resurrected since. According to J. Michael Straczynski, the movie was budgeted for $30 million dollars, and as scriptwriter, Straczynski intended to remain as faithful as possible to the source material.
The freeing of the legal rights to GrimJack make the production of a GrimJack movie a possibility again, but there has been no word from the series' creator as of yet.
