| Damage | |
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.jpg) The Grant Emerson incarnation of Damage as depicted inJustice Society of America #6 (2007). Art byAlex Ross. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance |
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| Created by |
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| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Grant 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 |
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Damage is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comic books published byDC Comics.
The Grant Emerson incarnation of Damage first appeared in acomic book of the same name in 1994. He is the son ofthe original Atom, Al Pratt. He has been a member of theTitans, theFreedom Fighters, and theJustice Society of America.[1]
The Ethan Avery incarnation of Damage debuted in a self-titled series released in 2018 as part of "The New Age of DC Heroes". He is a soldier who is given a serum derived fromHourman's Miraclo drug, giving him the ability to transform into a monstrous grey form for one hour at a time.[2]
A reimagined version of Ethan Avery appears inMy Adventures with Superman, voiced by Jason Marnocha.
The Grant Emerson incarnation of Damage first appeared inDamage #1, and was created byTom Joyner and Bill Marimon.[3]
The Ethan Avery Jr. incarnation of Damage first appeared inDamage (vol. 2) #1 as part of "The New Age of DC Heroes" and was created byRobert Venditti andTony Daniel. Critics have compared him toMarvel Comics characterHulk.[2]
High school studentGrant Emerson had just moved with his parents to a new home in suburbanAtlanta. 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 ametahuman with incredible strength and the ability to produce explosive blasts when he accidentally levels his entire school.[4] During theZero Hour: Crisis in Time! event, Grant's powers became the spark that restarted the universe afterParallax destroyed it; thanks to Damage's powers, the new universe evolved along natural lines, guided by nature rather than Parallax's will.[5]
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A superhero/supervillain battle involvingBaron 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 theTitans, led byRoy 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 byVandal Savage. Around the same time, he learns that he is the son ofAl 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 allowing him to join the team.
Several members of the modern Freedom Fighters team are killed by theInjustice Society inInfinite Crisis #1. Damage survives, though his face is severely scarred byZoom.[8]
Damage appears in the relaunchedJustice Society of America series, released in December 2006.[9] He wears a full mask and a costume similar to that of his father andAtom Smasher, featuring abiohazard 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 rebornGog.[10] This is enough to restore his original personality, pushing him to attempt making contact with Sonia Sato, the newJudomaster, 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 doing so, 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 fromSandman 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]
During the "Blackest Night" event, the JSA are attacked by their fallen members, now reanimated asBlack Lanterns. Damage is saved from Black Lantern Al Pratt byAtom (Ray Palmer), but is killed by Black LanternJean Loring soon afterward. His death and the subsequent collection of his heart is the final one needed to bring about the rise ofNekron.[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 theDoomsday Clock event, where he appears with the Justice Society of America after they are restored to the timeline.[17]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(October 2023) |
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, giving him the ability to transform into a monstrous form with immense strength and durability for one hour at a time. After breaking free from his confinement following a mission against the Modoran Separatist Army, Damage rampages in Atlanta, Georgia before going into hiding.[18]
After waking up in a homeless shelter, Ethan sees the news about Damage and goes outside to calm himself down. He is tracked down by Task Force XL (a variation of theSuicide Squad consisting of Akando,Deadshot,Giganta,Harley Quinn,Parasite, andSolomon 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 defeating Task Force XL, Damage is confronted byWonder Woman, who advises Task Force XL to step aside and let her deal with Damage.[19]
Wonder Woman fights Damage and uses her magiclasso on him, learning that he is actually a human. After breaking free, Damage throws Wonder Woman into a tree and escapes. Wonder Woman later informs theJustice 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]
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.
The Ethan Avery incarnation of Damage appears inMy Adventures with Superman, voiced by Jason Marnocha.[21] This version is an agent ofTask Force X whose abilities are derived from his cyberneticKryptonian arms.
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