GRUNT (Henry Bucher)	BIOGRAPHY
Created by John Byrne

PERSONAL DATA

Real Name: Henry Bucher
Identity: Secret
Occupation: Adventurer
Status: Active
Citizenship: American
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Mr. And Mrs. Bucher (parents)
Base of Operation: Oolong Island
Group Affiliation(s): Formerly Doom Patrol
Gender: Male
Hair: Black (blond when he was human)
Distinguishing Features: Grunt is a human brain in the body of a four-armed gorilla
First Appearance: JLA #94 (May 2004)
Creators: John Byrne

OVERVIEW

Trapped in the body of a four-armed gorilla, Henry Bucher protected his beloved Nudge as she became a superhero and joined the Doom Patrol. When Nudge recently died, Grunt took off with her body for parts unknown.

HISTORY

Henry Bucher had a crush on fellow student Mi-Sun Kwan and was spying on her when she and some other students were trying out a drug created by Doctor Rhonda Lorre. He was discovered by Lorre who kidnapped him and used him in an experimental brain transplanting procedure, where his brain was transplanted into the body of a four-armed gorilla. Due to the fact that the gorilla's skull was smaller than Henry Bucher's she cut away more than half his cerebral cortex damaging the speech and memory centers of his brain. After three weeks of captivity Bucher managed to escape killing his captors in the process.

Bucher then wound up at a circus after being run down by van of Gambol's Circus. Here he would once again meet Mi-Sun, who had run away from home and was looking for a job. When she arrived at the circus she stumbled upon some animal handlers who had trouble subduing Bucher. Instantly bonding with Bucher, whom she called Grunt, she was able to calm him down and they soon became a double-act at the circus. When The Chief of the Doom Patrol heard of the four-armed gorilla he sent Elasti-Girl and Robotman to acquire him. Using her powers Mi-Sun managed to make them take her with them as well.

After helping out the Doom Patrol against the vampire Crucifer, Grunt and Mi-Sun (as Nudge) joined the team along with Vortex. During one of their early missions, Grunt was badly hurt and taken into custody. Henry Gambol showed up to bring the Grunt back to the circus but Nudge and Vortex managed to find him before Gambol was able to take him away. Upon seeing Nudge, Grunt broke free of his restraints and broke out of the police plaza carrying her and Vortex in his arms. Seeking a place where they could hide, Grunt brought them to his old room at his parents' apartment. Here, he showed them a picture of himself from his school yearbook and Nudge realized who he was. Grunt was then reunited with his parents where he stayed for some time before rejoining the Doom Patrol.

When the Doom Patrol went up against Dr. Amanda Beckett in the rogue nation of Buena Suerte, Nudge was gunned down by the military and Grunt disappeared with her body into the woods.

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Grunt possesses the strength of a fully grown gorilla and the intelligence of a human being. His four arms give him an extra edge in combat.

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Grunt in chronological order click here