Bunker (character)

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Bunker
Bunker (a DC Comics character).jpg
Bunker from Teen Titans vol. 4, #1 (artist Brett Booth).
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Teen Titans vol. 4, #1 (November 2011)
Created by Scott Lobdell (writer)
Brett Booth (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoMiguel Jose Barragan
Species Metahuman
Team affiliations Teen Titans
Justice League
Justice League Queer
AbilitiesEnergy constructs

Bunker is a fictional superhero of Mexican descent, published by DC Comics. [1] He first appeared in Teen Titans vol. 4, #1 (November 2011), and was created by Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth.

Contents

Booth said on his blog:

We wanted to show an interesting character whose homosexuality is part of him, not something that's hidden. Sure there are gay people who you wouldn't know are gay right off the bat, but there are others who are a more flamboyant, and we thought it would be nice to actually see them portrayed in comics. Did we go over the top, I don't think so. [2]

Fictional character biography

Bunker first appeared as a member of the Teen Titans in Teen Titans vol. 4, #1, as part of The New 52, a reboot of DC's continuity and timeline. [3]

Raised in the small Mexican village called 'El Chilar', Miguel Jose Barragan had grown up in a loving and supportive community, and found acceptance as an openly gay teenager. When Miguel manifested the meta-human ability to create psionic energy constructs, the extroverted idealist sought out Red Robin in an attempt to become a full-fledged superhero.

Miguel – who adopts the code-name "Bunker" – then becomes a target of N.O.W.H.E.R.E., a mysterious organization abducting super-powered youths for their own nefarious purposes. Red Robin makes contact with Bunker, and soon organizes a group of targeted teenagers into a meta-human resistance force known as the 'Teen Titans'. Together, they are able to liberate the living weapon known as Superboy and dismantle N.O.W.H.E.R.E.’s secret complex in the Antarctic.

In July 2012, Lobdell announced that he was going to reveal Bunker's boyfriend, "who will be heading to the US from Mexico after coming out of a coma and learning that his boyfriend had run off to become a superhero". [4]

In issue #23, Bunker leaves the team for a short while. [5] The Teen Titans series then concluded, with #30 along with an annual in April 2014. [6] The series was later relaunched in July with a new issue #1, written by Will Pfeifer and art by Kenneth Rocafort. [7]

In the annual, during an epilogue, Bunker is shown being funded by the Green Team to create the 'Spectacular Internationale'. [8]

Powers and abilities

Bunker has the ability to create energy constructs with his mind, often creating brick-like walls and pummeling fists. His constructs manifest as purple bricks. He has full control over their density, being able to make them soft to cushion impacts or falls, or hard as rock to inflict damage. He can create a wide variety of shapes including pillars, shields, body armor, platforms to levitate himself and others, etc. He has also been shown launching his bricks as projectiles.

Arsenal in Red Hood and the Outlaws #16 said: "This Bunker reminds me of me in a way. He acts like he doesn't take any of it too seriously. But a wall like that doesn't come out of thin air. He's got more going on than anyone gives him credit for. You watch-- he'll be in the Justice League before he's twenty".

In other media

Bunker makes non-speaking cameo appearances in DC Super Hero Girls as a student at Super Hero High.

Merchandising

In 2013, a HeroClix figure of Bunker was produced as part of the Teen Titans set. [9]

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References

  1. ↑ Melrose, Kevin (September 18, 2011). "DC's relaunched Teen Titans to debut gay teen superhero". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  2. ↑ Goellner, Caleb (September 18, 2011). "Openly Gay Superhero To Join DC's Relaunched Teen Titans". comicsalliance.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2011.
  3. ↑ Johnston, Rich (June 13, 2011). "Scott Lobdell Talks Teen Titans to Bleeding Cool". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  4. ↑ Esposito, Joey (July 13, 2012). "Comic-Con: DC New 52 Panel Recap". uk.ign.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  5. ↑ Ashelford, James (September 3, 2013). "Why I will miss Bunker (and why Titans won't)". alessthanreputablesource.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  6. ↑ Gerding, Stephen (January 16, 2014). "DC Comics Cancels Teen Titans with Issue #30". comicbookresources.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  7. ↑ Yehl, Joshua (April 8, 2014). "DC Comics Will Relaunch Teen Titans in July". ign.com. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  8. ↑ Gray, Martin (May 7, 2014). "Teen Titans Annual #3 review". blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  9. ↑ "DC HeroClix Teen Titans: Bunker". heroclix.com. April 24, 2013. Archived from the original on August 6, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
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