Doctor Virman Vundabar was an orphan who was born on Apokolips, the planet ruled by the tyrant Darkseid. Vundabar was brought up in an "orphanage" run by Granny Goodness as a harsh military school. It was Granny Goodness who named him Virman Vundabar and Vundabar patterned his life after the fantasies his mock Germanic name inspired in him. Vundabar developed a love for military precision and eficiency, and adopted the mode of dress, mannerisms, an dlifestyle of the military leaders of the Prussia of 19th Century Earth.

Deeply loyal to Granny Goodness, Vundabar became a military leader in Darkseid's elite. Granny Goodness sent Vundabar to Earth to kill Mister Miracle who had fled from Apokolips, but Mister Miracle escaped Vundabar's cunning trap.Vundabar then returned to Apokolips.