Who's Who: Blok

BLOK
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: None

Super-Power(s): Super-strength, near-invulnerability, tremendous mass
Planet of Origin: Dryad

Legion Seniority: Blok was asked to join after he reformed and helped the Legion defeat The Dark Man. He was originally a member of the League of Super-Assassins, making him the only Legionnaire with an actual criminal record. He is Legionnaire #31.

Legion Log 
Blok is a member of a race of sentient stone beings from the planet Dryad. When a natural cataclysm threatened to tear the planet apart, the Legion of Super-Heroes provided assistance, but to young Blok, it appeared as if the Legion was responsible for the destruction. Tharok's evil clone, the Dark Man, used that misconception to brainwash Blok and five other youths and turn them into the Legion of Super-Assassins. Defeated and sent to prison, Blok saw a chance at redemption when Timber Wolf and Light Lass asked for help to defeat the Dark Man. He was inducted into the Legion as a reward.

Blok became one of the Legion's most dependable members, becoming well-versed in Legion history, and making close friends of Timber Wolf and the White Witch, whom he sweetly dated. The more hot-blooded Legionnaires, such as Shadow Lass and Wildfire,  did not however appreciate his slow and philosophical nature.

During a battle against the being called Omen, Blok was seriously injured and disfigured. His skin melted and pocked, but his form soon suffered a slow metamorphosis. This turned out to be something akin to his race's equivalent of puberty. He eventually mutated to feature volcano-like protuberances on his shoulders. 

After the disaster dubbed "Black Dawn," Blok found the pressures on the Legion too much; he resigned to meditate on the secrets of his race on the Puppet Planetoid. Three years later, when the Dominator-controlled Earthgov sensed the impending re-formation of the Legion, they sent Roxxas the Butcher to prevent it. Roxxas killed Blok to attract the rest of the Legionnaires. Instead of preventing the Legion from re-forming, however, Blok's death accelerated it, and led to Roxxas' defeat. Blok was buried with honors on Shanghalla.

 In the Reboot continuity, no version of Blok is known to exist, though other Dryads are seen.

In the Threeboot continuity, Blok only briefly appears as a character in a campfire story showing the Legion's influence, and the urban legends and myths that have sprung up around it. It is not known how, or even if, this cameo fits into continuity.

After Infinite Crisis, Blok's original history has more or less been reestablished. When Earth Man created a culture of xenophobia on Earth, he was one of many Legionnaires to be captured by Earth Man’s so-called “Justice League.” Once freed, Blok wasted no time in trying to free the White Witch, who had been taken by Mordru. He found her on Sorcerer's World, where she had been corrupted. His love for her was able to mitigate the dark forces inside her, and her soul was saved. She then healed his battle-ravaged body and gave him a smooth new "ebony" skin. The two lovers remain on Sorcerer's World.

As of Justice League United #8, Blok appears to be a Legion member once again.

Blok had cameos in several episode of The Legion of Super-Heroes animated series and in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Far From Home", but no dialog.

Important Blok Stories: 

Superboy/Legion #253-254

Blok makes his debut as a member of the League of Super-Assassins

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #270-271

 Blok is recruited by Timber Wolf and Light Lass

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #272

Blok officially joins the Legion

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #280-282

 Blok's first time travel mission to Smallville 

Legion of Super-Heroes Annual (v1) #1 (1982)

Blok sports a new uniform

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #290

Blok goes back to his sports trunks look

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #291

Blok meets White Witch for the first time

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #291

Blok punches one of Darkseid's minions to help Light Lass

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #295

Blok helps convince Timber Wolf to stay in the Legion

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #298-299

Blok threatens a Khund who threatens his friends

Legion of Super-Heroes (v2) #307-310

Blok suffers injuries against The Prophet and Omen

Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes #314-315

Blok is a "softie" as he reviews White Witch's origin story

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #8

Blok meets the League of Super-Assassins again

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #13

Blok gets a new uniform

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #37-38
Action Comics (v1) #591, Superman (v2) #8

Blok travels back in time and ends up fighting Superman

Legion of Super-Heroes (v3) #52-56

 
Blok is kidnapped just as he begins to "mutate"

Legion of Super-Heroes (v4) #3

Blok is murdered by Roxxas the Butcher

Legion of Super-Heroes (v5) #15

Blok is just an element of a campfire tale in the Threeboot universe

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #2

Blok rescues the White (now Black) Witch from Mordru's clutches

Adventure Comics (v2) #4

Blok follows the Witch to Sorcerer's World, where he frees her from dark

influences; he gains a new look and decides to stay with her

Legion of Super-Heroes (v7) #20

Blok is still at the Witch's side as her consort and most trusted adviser

The Legion of Super-Heroes animated series

One of several non-speaking cameos Blok had