Damage (DC Comics)

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Damage
Damage (comics).jpg
The Grant Emerson incarnation of Damage as depicted in Justice Society of America #6 (2007); art by Alex Ross.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance
  • Grant Emerson: Damage (vol. 1) #1 (April 1994)
  • Ethan Avery: Damage (vol. 2) #1 (March 2018)
Created by
In-story information
Alter egoGrant Albert Emerson
Ethan "Elvis" Avery Junior
Species Metahuman
Team affiliations Teen Titans
Freedom Fighters
Justice Society of America
Black Lantern Corps
Justice League Task Force
Justice League
Abilities
  • Grant Emerson:
    • Enhanced strength
    • Energy projection
  • Ethan Avery:
    • Transformation
    • Enhanced physical abilities

Damage is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.

Contents

The Grant Emerson incarnation of Damage first appeared in a comic book of the same name during the Zero Hour crisis. He is the son of the original Atom, Al Pratt. He has been a member of the Titans, the Freedom Fighters, and the Justice Society of America. [1]

The Ethan Avery incarnation of Damage debuted in a self-titled series released in 2018. He is a soldier who is given a serum derived from Hourman's Miraclo drug, giving him the ability to transform into a monstrous grey form for one hour at a time. [2]

A reimagined, villainous version of Ethan Avery appears in My Adventures with Superman , voiced by Jason Marnocha.

Publication history

The Grant Emerson incarnation of Damage first appeared in Damage #1, and was created by Tom Joyner and Bill Marimon. [3]

The Ethan Avery Jr. incarnation of Damage first appeared in Damage (vol. 2) #1, and was created by Robert Venditti and Tony Daniel. Critics have compared him to Marvel Comics character Hulk. [2]

Fictional character biography

Grant Emerson

High school student Grant Emerson had just moved with his parents to a new home in suburban Atlanta. His parents moved often due to their work for the Symbolix Corporation, and Grant usually felt like an outsider among other kids. At his new school, Grant suddenly discovers he is a metahuman with incredible strength and the ability to produce explosive blasts when he accidentally levels his entire school. [4] During the Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! event, Grant's powers became the spark that restarted the universe after Parallax destroyed it; thanks to Damage's powers, the new universe evolved along natural lines, guided by nature rather than Parallax's will. [5]

Grant Emerson as Damage; art by Tom McWeeney and Bill Marimon. Damage (Grant Emerson).png
Grant Emerson as Damage; art by Tom McWeeney and Bill Marimon.

A superhero/supervillain battle, involving Baron Blitzkrieg, Iron Munro, and others, results in extensive damage to downtown Atlanta. Damage is arrested for his part in the event. However, Sarge Steel is able to cut a deal for him: he would be banned from Georgia for the rest of his life and remanded into the custody of the Titans, led by Roy Harper. Around this time, Damage deals emotionally with the murder, at the hands of a supervillain, of a schoolmate he cares for. After a while, Damage leaves the Titans to find his origins.

Damage learns that he gained his powers as part of an experiment at Symbolix called Project: Telemachus, where he was imbued with the DNA of various superheroes by Vandal Savage. Around the same time, he learns that he is the son of Al Pratt, the original Atom, and his wife Mary. [1] [6]

When the original five Titans reform the group, Arsenal nominates Damage for membership. [7] Arsenal manages to erase Grant's criminal records, making him no longer a fugitive, and Grant joins the team.

Several members of the modern Freedom Fighters team are killed by the Injustice Society in Infinite Crisis #1. Damage is one of the survivors, though his face is severely scarred by Zoom. [8]

Post-Infinite Crisis

Damage appears in the relaunched Justice Society of America series, released in December 2006. [9] He wears a full mask and a costume similar to that of his father and Atom Smasher, featuring a biohazard symbol. He also has a significantly gruffer and more cynical attitude, partly because, as the villain Rebel insinuates, Damage was left badly scarred, but alive, by Zoom. Zoom later encounters the Justice Society, claiming to have maimed, but not killed, the boy intentionally, to give him a defining tragedy.

Damage's face is later healed by the reborn Gog. [10] This is enough to restore his original personality, pushing him to attempt making contact with Sonia Sato, the new Judomaster, with whom he enters a relationship. [11] When the JSA learns that Gog transformed a group of people who would harm others into trees and intends to keep overkill from punishing the wicked, they are divided on the subject. Grant and Judomaster, among others, side with Gog, and keep the rest of the JSA from trying to stop him. [12]

Damage is then sent back to America to preach the will of Gog to the masses, showing a fanatical devotion to Gog and a strong streak of vanity about his improved looks. The rest of the JSA arrive, having learned from Sandman that Gog is rooting himself into Earth and that Earth will die if he leaves; this leaves them with the one option of killing Gog and separating his head from Earth, which is the only way to save the planet. The other Society members following Gog attempt to protect him, until they see him attempt to attack a Society member. All of the followers take up the fight, and Gog punishes them by taking away his blessings, including Damage's restored face. [13]

Blackest Night

During the "Blackest Night" event, the JSA are attacked by their fallen members, now reanimated as Black Lanterns. Damage is saved from Black Lantern Al Pratt by Atom (Ray Palmer), but is killed by Black Lantern Jean Loring soon afterward. His death and the subsequent collection of his heart was the final one needed to bring about the rise of Nekron. [14] Damage is resurrected as a Black Lantern himself, but supposedly sacrifices himself to destroy the other Black Lanterns. [15] [16]

Damage is resurrected during the Doomsday Clock event, where he appears with the Justice Society of America after they are restored to the timeline. [17]

Ethan Avery

DC introduced a new version of Damage as part of its The New Age of DC Heroes promotion in the form of US army recruit Ethan "Elvis" Avery Jr. He was turned into "a living weapon of mass destruction" through the Damage Project who, on a daily basis, becomes a hulking monster for one hour at a time. After breaking free from his confinement following a mission against the Modoran Separatist Army, Damage went on a rampage in Atlanta, Georgia before going into hiding. [18]

After waking up in a homeless shelter, Avery saw the news about Damage and went outside to calm himself down. He is tracked down by Task Force XL (a variation of the Suicide Squad consisting of Akando, Deadshot, Giganta, Harley Quinn, Parasite, and Solomon Grundy), who have orders to capture him. When Ethan tries to talk them out of attacking, Parasite begins draining his life force, only to collapse after absorbing too much energy. Ethan suddenly transforms into Damage and attacks Task Force XL. After easily defeating Task Force XL, Damage is confronted by Wonder Woman who advises Task Force XL to step aside and let her deal with Damage. [19]

Wonder Woman fights Damage and uses her magic lasso on him, learning that he is actually a human. Upon breaking free, Damage throws Wonder Woman into a tree and escapes. Wonder Woman later informs the Justice League about her fight with Damage. Batman promises to continue to investigate the origin of Damage. The next morning, Ethan is at a coffee shop where he sees the news about Damage. Ethan decides to leave the city. [20]

Powers and abilities

The Grant Emerson version of Damage can generate a power charge that enhances his strength, durability, speed, and reflexes to superhuman levels. He can additionally project energy and fly by using energy blasts as propulsion.

The Ethan Avery version of Damage can transform into a monstrous form who possesses immense strength and durability. Avery is largely unable to control himself while transformed, possessing a dual personality that fights to trigger his transformation.

In other media

The Ethan Avery incarnation of Damage appears in My Adventures with Superman , voiced by Jason Marnocha. [21] This version is an agent of Task Force X whose abilities are derived from Kryptonian armor.

References

  1. 1 2 Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Damage", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 94, ISBN   978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC   213309017
  2. 1 2 Grossberg, Josh (March 15, 2018). "DC Unveils first look at Damage #3". Syfy . Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  3. ↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 80. ISBN   978-1-4654-5357-0.
  4. ↑ Joyner, Tom  ( w ),Marimon, Bill ( p ),McWeeney, Tom ( i ),Setzer, Buzz ( col ), Costanza, John  ( let ),Duffy, Chris, Goodwin, Archie , Spivey, Jim ( ed )."Damage"Damage,vol. 1,no. 1(April 1994).New York City, New York:DC Comics.
  5. ↑ Jurgens, Dan  ( w ),Jurgens, Dan ( p ), Ordway, Jerry  ( i ), Wright, Gregory  ( col )."Zero Hour" Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! ,vol. 1,no. 0(September 1994).DC Comics.
  6. ↑ Joyner, Tom  ( w ),Marimon, Bill ( p ), Hillsman, Don  ( i ),D'Angelo, Gene ( col )."Picking Up the Pieces, Part Three: Ties that Bind"Damage,vol. 1,no. 15(August 1995).DC Comics.
  7. ↑ Grayson, Devin  ( w ), Buckingham, Mark  ( p ), Von Grawbadger, Wade  ( i ), Wright, Gregory  ( col )."That Strange Buzzing Sound" Titans ,vol. 1,no. 1(March 1999).DC Comics.
  8. ↑ Johns, Geoff  ( w ), Jimenez, Phil  ( p ), Lanning, Andy  ( i ), Cox, Jeromy ; Major, Guy ( col )."Infinite Crisis" Infinite Crisis ,vol. 1,no. 1(December 2005).DC Comics.
  9. ↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 313. ISBN   978-1-4654-8578-6.
  10. ↑ Johns, Geoff ; Ross, Alex  ( w ), Pasarin, Fernando  ( p ),Buchman, Rebecca ( i ),Hi-Fi Design ( col )."One World, Under Gog (Part I): He came, and salvation with him" Justice Society of America ,vol. 3,no. 16(July 2008).DC Comics.
  11. ↑ Johns, Geoff ; Ross, Alex  ( w ), Eaglesham, Dale  ( p ),Gray, Mick; Justice, Kris; Massengill, Nathan ; Ordway, Jerry  ( i ),Hi-Fi Design ( col )."One World, Under Gog (Part III): War Lords" Justice Society of America ,vol. 3,no. 18(October 2008).DC Comics.
  12. ↑ Johns, Geoff ; Ross, Alex  ( w ), Eaglesham, Dale  ( p ), Massengill, Nathan ; Ordway, Jerry  ( i ),Hi-Fi Design ( col )."One World, Under Gog (Part IV)" Justice Society of America ,vol. 3,no. 19(November 2008).DC Comics.
  13. ↑ Johns, Geoff  ( w ), Eaglesham, Dale ; Ross, Alex ; Ordway, Jerry  ( p ), Massengill, Nathan ; Wiacek, Bob  ( i ),Hi-Fi Design ( col )."One World Under Gog, Part VI: Saints and Sinners" Justice Society of America ,vol. 3,no. 21(January 2009).DC Comics.
  14. ↑ Johns, Geoff  ( w ), Reis, Ivan  ( p ),Albert, Oclair; Prado, Joe ( i ), Sinclair, Alex  ( col )."Blackest Night, Part 4" Blackest Night ,vol. 1,no. 4(December 2009).DC Comics.
  15. ↑ Johns, Geoff  ( w ), Reis, Ivan  ( p ),Albert, Oclair; Prado, Joe ( i ), Sinclair, Alex  ( col )."Blackest Night, Part 5" Blackest Night ,vol. 1,no. 5(January 2010).DC Comics.
  16. ↑ Robinson, James ; Bedard, Tony  ( w ), Barrows, Eddy ; Marz, Marcos ( p ),Ferreira, Julio; Ferreira, Eber; del Negro, Luciana ( i ),Reis, Rod ( col )."Troubled Souls" Blackest Night: JSA,vol. 1,no. 2(March 2010).DC Comics.
  17. ↑ Johns, Geoff  ( w ), Frank, Gary  ( p ),Frank, Gary ( i ),Anderson, Brad ( col )."Discouraged of Man" Doomsday Clock ,vol. 1,no. 12(February 2020).DC Comics.
  18. ↑ Venditti, Robert  ( w ), Daniel, Tony S.  ( p ),Miki, Danny ( i ),Morey, Tomeu ( col )."Out of Control, Part 1: Let Loose"Damage,vol. 2,no. 1(March 2018).DC Comics.
  19. ↑ Venditti, Robert  ( w ), Daniel, Tony S.  ( p ),Miki, Danny ( i ),Morey, Tomeu ( col )."Out of Control, Part 2: Going in Heavy"Damage,vol. 2,no. 2(April 2018).DC Comics.
  20. ↑ Venditti, Robert  ( w ), Daniel, Tony S.  ( p ),Miki, Danny ( i ),Morey, Tomeu ( col )."Out of Control, Conclusion"Damage,vol. 2,no. 3(May 2018).DC Comics.
  21. ↑ "Damage Voice - My Adventures With Superman (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 6, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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