| Maelstrom's Minions | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Marvel Two-in-One #71 (Jan 1981) |
| Created by | Mark Gruenwald Ralph Macchio Ron Wilson |
| In-story information | |
| Member(s) | Gronk Helio Phobius |
Maelstrom's Minions are a trio of supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe that work for Maelstrom. They are Gronk, Helio, and Phobius.[1]
Contents |
The Maelstrom's Minions first appeared in Marvel Two-in-One #71 (January 1981), and was created by Mark Gruenwald, Ralph Macchio and Ron Wilson.
The characters subsequently appear in Avengers #250 (December 1984), Quasar #21-23 (April-June 1991), #25 (August 1991), and Fantastic Four Unlimited #10 (July 1995).
The group has an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #7.
The Minions were dispatched by Maelstrom to Hydro-Base to steal the Anti-Terrigen Compound developed by Mister Fantastic and the Inhumans. They battled the Thing, Gorgon, Karnak, and Stingray. The Minions were captured,[2] but then put to death by Deathurge at Maelstrom's command.[3] When the four heroes invaded Maelstrom's base, they battled again and one more time the Minions were defeated. They died when Gorgon destroyed Maelstrom's base.[3]
Their cloned bodies were later activated by Maelstrom, and dispatched against the Avengers. The Minions confronted Iron Man and Starfox, but were coerced into helping the Avengers by Starfox. They were rendered unconscious by Wonder Man. The Minions's spare clonal bodies were destroyed, and they was taken captive.[4]
Much later, Helio and Phobius posed as Malcolm Stromberg's domestic servants. Malcolm Stromberg is a fake identity that Maelstrom use to capture Quasar and his friends invited over as guests.[5] Helio attempted to keep Ghost Rider from entering Stromberg's estate.[6] The Minions then battled Moondragon and Sersi, and Sersi turned Phobius into a rat, Gronk into a pig and Helio into a goose.[7]
After the death of Maelstrom during a fight with Quasar, the Minions joined forces with Maelstrom's lovers, the Weird Sisters, to capture Deviants and siphon their kinetic energy in the purpose to revive Maelstrom. They managed to capture Donald and Deborah Ritter, Karkas, Ransak, and Yrdisis and succeeded in reviving Maelstrom. After learning that Ransak was his son, Maelstrom decide to spare his son's life by rejecting the energy that could have finished the process. Phobius was defeated by Thena, who overcame his powers because of her determination to save her children. Gronk and Helio were defeated by respectively the Thing and the Invisible Woman.[8]
Gronk serves as a bodyguard. He is superhumanly strong thanks to a chemical enhancement of his genetic potential with the mutagenic Terrigen Mist. He can also secrete a highly adhesive chemical, enabling him to adhere to anything or make anything adhere to him.
Helio serves as a scout. He gained his superhuman powers from exposure to the mutagenic Terrigen Mist. He has superhuman agility and reflexes. He can manipulate air molecules for various effects, such as propulsion for flight at supersonic speeds, tornado-force explosions ("air-quakes"), and near-vacuums. His eyes, nose, and skin are especially adapted to resisting rigorous atmospheric conditions. Unless he is wearing weighted shoes, Helio's feet never touch the ground. Helio's hair is also lighter than air and consequently floats freely about him unless braided and weighted down. Helio has moderate experience at hand-to-hand combat utilizing his lighter-than-air body and air manipulating attributes. He possesses various laboratory technician skills.
Phobius serves as an interrogator. He has the ability to mentally project any kind of fear into anyone.
The lore of the minion and henchman (or henchperson, as today's political correctness has named them) has been embraced by a variety of organizations. In particular, The International Union of Minions and Henchpeople: Benevolent and Evil[9] has been formed, allowing Minion fans to join and share in the fun.