<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Gorilla Grodd is a member of the Flash's Rogues Gallery (referred to as the Rogues for short), a very select group of villains created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino during the Silver Age Flash's first couple of years.

Somewhere hidden in the African jungle is a secret city of super-intelligent gorillas called Gorilla City. These apes were given their intelligence years ago by an alien vessel that crash landed in their area. The curious apes removed two items from the ship; what appeared to be a strange alien infant and a round gem. The apes played with the gem, then fought for it. Suddenly it emitted two rays. One was "straight and pure", and hit the ape that would become Solovar, the ruler of Gorilla City. The other was "warped and dangerous" and hit the gorilla that would be Grodd. The gem then exploded, enhancing the intelligence of the entire group of apes.

The apes took the alien and both imprisoned and worshiped him. They destroyed his space ship so that he could never leave, and he tutored the apes in the ways of civilization. It wasn't long before the apes began to build the scientifically and culturally advanced metropolis that would be Gorilla City.

In 1873, two British explorers came upon the city. They were welcomed at first, and Solovar spoke to them of his dream of revealing the city's existence to the world, and joining the community of advanced nations. Grodd, unfortunately, took control of their minds, and forced them to kidnap and kill the worshiped alien. The apes killed one man, but the other escaped to tell his tale to an incredulous public, who locked him away for being insane. In the meantime, believing the humans acted on their own, Solovar ordered an "Aura-Screen" constructed and activated that would render Gorilla City invisible to the outside world. He decreed that they would never come into contact with man again.

Of course, Grodd was not done. He would not stop until he had overthrown Solovar and expand his rule to include the human world as well. In Grodd's first appearance in Flash #106 (1959) Solovar is captured by humans on an expeditionary trip, and remains captive pretending to be a dumb ape, not wishing to reveal the secret of Gorilla City. Grodd finds Solovar, and telepathically steals the secret of mentally dominating his fellow super-apes. He returns to Gorilla City with plans to become its new ruler and conquer the human world. Solovar escaped, and recruited the Flash to help stop him.

Gorilla Grodd is one of the Flash's most dangerous foes. Grodd has used his warped intelligence, his telepathic and mind control powers again and again, only to be defeated by the Flash every time. He is the founder and original leader of the Secret Society of Super-Villains.