Mister Grushko
Sequence
Mr. Grushko primarily appeared in the seventh issue of Global Frequency, “Detonation”. It was published in 2003. This entry has S P O I L E R S for everything in it.
For full context, we suggest reading the following profiles in order :
- Miranda Zero.
- Jia Lau.
- John Stark.
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Background
- Real Name: Grushko may be his actual family name.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: Global Frequency.
- Base of Operations: Unrevealed.
- Height: 6’5″ (1.95m). Weight: 290 lbs. (132 Kg.).
- Eyes: Unrevealed. Hair: White.
Powers & Abilities
Mister Grushko is a hulking, scary man.
He seems to have extensive experience with combat, torture and slaughter. One gets the impression that he possesses exceptional physical and mental endurance.
When seen in a tactical situation, Mr. Grushko wielded a Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun.
But if he can, he’ll prefer to have his axe. This is a long, specially sharpened felling axe – not unlike a traditional Dane (or Russian) war axe. Mister Grushko excels at mutilating and killing with his special axe.
He likely has some sort of counter-intelligence experience, in the broadest possible sense.
History
Mister Grushko is a Russian specialist working with the Global Frequency.
He worked with Miranda Zero in two documented cases.
- The “Detonation” story (recapped in our Jia Lau character profile).
- The “Harpoon” story (recapped near the end of our John Stark character profile).
Description
A huge man in a dark suit. He has a messy “high and tight” haircut, pale skin, bushy eyebrows and strange tiny rectangular sunglasses.
He might have a form of albinism. But it’s more likely that he just has pale skin and bleached hair.
One of his teeth has a skull-shaped steel jewel on it.
His grammar in English is very slightly off. This suggests an audible but not thick Russian accent.
Personality
A creepily calm, articulate man with a horrible, really bad, not good vibe about him.
Beyond killing people, Mister Grushko primarily skill seems to be intimidation. And, yeah… he’s really good at it. So it’s unclear whether he’s really some sort of monstrous psychotic axe murdering ogre, or it’s an act.
My own intuition — based on nothing — is that he actually has some sort of cinematic murder addiction disorder. In this hypothesis, his deal with the Frequency is that they provide him with expensive medication and care.
This allows Mister Grushko to live peacefully and free of his urges. Which would be why he gratefully refers to Miranda Zero as “my friend”.
Quotes
“Did you ever have a nightmare about a large man who killed your parents, and your siblings, and then your lover, and then everyone you know ? And then burned your house down and destroyed everything precious you ever conceived of ? That was me.”
“I am here. I have my special axe with which I did all those terrible things in Miami two years ago. The policeman who found the bodies. He still wets himself when he sees cutlery. You will tell my friend Ms. Zero where your owner is.” (rests his axe’s head on the man’s groin) “You have until I swing my special axe down on this point. The worst thing about this is that it will not kill you.”
“[Lau] told you that you were not leaving the room.”
Other universes history
Mister Grushko is an horror movie slasher archetype, such as Michael Myers or Leatherface. One quote loosely suggests that he was created by writer Warren Ellis after a nightmare.
Having a terrifying, preternatural axe murderer help the good guys is a rarer sub-archetype. We used that one for Kerann Mardirossian, the Devil’s Executioner.
Adνеrtisеmеnt
DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Mister Grushko
| Dex: 04 | Str: 04 | Bod: 05 |
| Int: 04 | Wil: 03 | Min: 05 |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 05 |
| Init: 013 | HP: 020 |
Skills:
Charisma (Interrogation, Intimidation): 06, Vehicles (Land): 03, Thief (Stealth): 03, Weaponry: 04
Advantages:
Familiarity (Security), Iron Nerves, Language (Russian).
Connections:
Global Frequency (Low).
Drawbacks:
Creepy Appearance and perhaps others.
Motivation:
Unrevealed.
Occupation:
Unrevealed.
Wealth:
005
Equipment:
- SPAS-12 combat shotgun [BODY 04, Shotgun Blast (Range 03): 06, Ammo: 08, R#02, Recommended STR: 02, Drawback: Very Long Reload]. He also likely had a concealed tactical vest on during this op.
- Mister Grushko’s special axe [BODY 05, Enhance (EV): 02 (cap is 08), Descriptor: Slashing, Recommended STR 03].
- Global Frequency Phone [BODY 04, Radio Communications (Scrambled): 19, Misc. Advantage (Allow Remote Sensing from Central Operations)].
Source of Character: Global Frequency comics.
Writeup completed on the 24th of November, 2018.