Grey Gargoyle

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caption = Thor fights the Grey Gargoyle for the first time in "Journey Into Mystery" #107 (Aug. 1964). Art by Jack Kirby.
comic_color = background:#ff8080
character_name = Grey Gargoyle
real_name = Paul Pierre Duval
publisher = Marvel Comics
debut = Journey Into Mystery #107 (Aug. 1964)
creators = Stan Lee
Jack Kirby
alliance_color = background:#c0c0ff
alliances =Masters of Evil AIM
The Hood's unnamed crime syndicate
aliases = Paul St. Pierre
powers = Ability to turn anything to stone with touch
Superhuman strength and durability

The Grey Gargoyle (Paul Pierre Duval) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in "Journey into Mystery" #107 (Aug. 1964) and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.

Fictional character biography

Paul Pierre Duval was a French chemist and lab assistant who gained his powers by accidentally spilling an unknown concoction on himself. Imbued with a living granite body and a touch that could turn anything to stone, Duval turns to a life of crime. Duval eventually grows bored and seeks a new goal: immortality. Naming himself the Grey Gargoyle, Duval finds and confronts Thor, believing that Thor's hammer Mjolnir is the secret of his immortality. Thor, however, defeats the Grey Gargoyle, ["Journey Into Mystery" #107 (Aug. 1964)] and then once again several months later. ["Journey Into Mystery" 113 (Feb. 1965)] The Grey Gargoyle goes on to fight a number of superheroes beginning with Iron Man. ["Tales of Suspense" #95 - 96 (Nov. - Dec. 1967)] The Grey Gargoyle next attempts to steal "Element X," and battles Captain America, the Falcon, and Nick Fury. ["Captain America" #139 - 142 (July - Oct. 1971)] He battles Captain America and Spider-Man before being launched into deep space. ["Marvel Team-Up" #13 (Sep. 1973)] He is revealed to have been rescued by the alien starship the "Bird of Prey" and was made their captain. However, he allies with Thor against the crew of the "Bird of Prey" in an attempt to return to Earth. ["Thor" #257 - 259 (Mar. - Jun 1977)] He returns to Earth to fight the Avengers, ["Avengers" #190 -191 (Dec. 1979 - Jan. 1980)] and years later again as part of the fourth Masters of Evil. ["Avengers" #271 (Sep. 1986)] The Grey Gargoyle is later discovered to be living under the false identity of sculptor Paul St. Pierre, and schemed to make a fortune in the art world by selling persons transformed to stone as authentic sculptures, before this scheme is foiled by Iron Man. ["Iron Man" #235 - 236 (Oct. - Nov. 1988)] The Grey Gargoyle is then employed by Doctor Doom to neutralize the Incredible Hulk, who humiliates the Grey Gargoyle by breaking his arm. [During "Acts of Vengeance" - "Incredible Hulk" #363 - 364 (Dec. 1989 - Jan 1990)]

The Grey Gargoyle later attacks She-Hulk ["Sensational She-Hulk" vol. 2, #27 (May 1991)] and then the Thing, and after turning the Thing to stone is defeated by the rest of the Fantastic Four. ["Fantastic Four" vol. 2, #38 - 39 (Jan. - Feb. 2001)] The temporary transformation allows the Thing the ability to now change between his stone and human form at will. After another bout with Thor ["Thor" vol. 2, #47 (Apr. - May 2002)] the Grey Gargoyle is incarcerated, and is later seen as an escapee of the Raft prison. ["New Avengers" vol. 4, #1 (Jan. 2005)]

Duval attempts to hire the law firm of Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway to pursue a case against Thor Girl, but the case is disrupted by the Eternal Starfox. ["She-Hulk" #10, (Oct. 2006)] The Grey Gargoyle then battles the heroine Spider-Woman, before being defeated by Ms. Marvel, and sent to prison. ["Civil War: The Initiative" (Apr. 2007)] The Grey Gargoyle is among the villains recruited to join the Hood's crime syndicate. ["New Avengers" #35 (2007)]

Powers and abilities

During an experiment Duval spilled an unknown organic chemical compound on his right hand, causing a mutagenic reaction that permanently transformed the hand into living stone. As a result, Duval can turn any matter touched with his "stone" hand to a similar substance. The effect lasts for approximately one hour. Duval can also use the effect to transform himself into a being of living stone - with no loss of mobility - possessing superhuman strength and durability. Duval is not invulnerable in granite form, having had an arm broken by the Hulk.

Magical objects are apparently impervious to the stone effect, as when Duval grasped the sword of the Black Knight, it was unaffected and the Gargoyle was reverted back to human form. ["Avengers" #271 (Sep. 1986)]

Duval also has a master's degree in chemistry.

Other media

Television

* Grey Gargoyle appeares in The Mighty Thor segment of "The Marvel Superheroes".
* Grey Gargoyle appears in the "Iron Man" TV series voiced by Ed Gilbert and Jim Cummings.

Video games

* Grey Gargoyle appears in the video game "" voiced by Tom Kane.

References

External links

* [http://www.marvel.com/universe/Grey_Gargoyle Grey Gargoyle] at Marvel.com
* [http://www.marveldirectory.com/individuals/g/greygargoyle.htm "Marvel Directory"'s article on the Grey Gargoyle]
* [http://www.immortalthor.net/bio-greygargoyle.html "ImmortalThor.net"'s profile on the Grey Gargoyle]
* [http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=18563 "Grand Comics Database Project"'s article on the issue containing the Grey Gargoyle's debut]