Damage (comics)
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Damage is a DC Comics superhero who 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, Young Justice, the Freedom Fighters, and is currently a member of the Justice Society of America.
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[edit] Fictonal character history
High school student Grant Emerson suddenly discovers he is a superhuman with incredible explosive powers.[1] During the Zero Hour crisis, Grant's powers became the spark that restarted the universe after it was destroyed by Parallax; thanks to Damage's powers, the new universe evolved along natural lines, guided by nature rather than the will of Parallax.[2]
After he accidentally blew up half of downtown Atlanta, Sarge Steel was able to cut a deal for him: he would be banned from Georgia and remanded into custody of the then federally-sponsored Titans team, lead by Arsenal. After a while, though, he left to find his origins. He learned that Vandal Savage was involved in an experiment at Symbolix called Project: Telemachus, where he took DNA samples he had collected from various superheroes and injected them into a fitting vessel: Grant. Symbolix was allied with Shadowspire through Shadowspire's leader the Baron (Baron Blitzkrieg). The Baron became a recurring foe in Damage's series, starting with issue number three. Grant eventually learned that he was the son of the original Atom, Al Pratt and his wife Mary. Grant was forced to go underground after leaving the Titans, since he violated his parole by doing so.
When the original five Titans reformed the group[3], Arsenal nominated Damage for membership. Arsenal managed to erase Grant's criminal records, so he was no longer a fugitive, and Grant joined the team. After some missions, Damage confronted something he had buried for a long time: he had been victim of abuse at the hands of his foster father. After opening up to Roy Harper, Grant took a leave of absence and sought peace and healing on the Navajo reservation where Roy was raised.
He has helped the current Justice Society of America against Imperiex and the villainous team of Obsidian, Eclipso and Mordru, both times as part of a modern All-Star Squadron. He has since been seen with a new team of government-sponsored Freedom Fighters, whose activities are yet unknown. He also has something of a brotherly relationship with Atom Smasher, the godson of his father, the original Atom. It was thought that Grant had a brother, Walter, who was recently killed by Walter's superhero daughter, Manhunter, aka Kate Spencer. However, in an odd parallel to Damage's paternity search, Walter was actually the son of Iron Munro and Phantom Lady.
Several members of the modern Freedom Fighters team were killed by the Society in Infinite Crisis #1, with the exception of Damage, who was severely injured by Zoom, and the Ray, who was captured by the Psycho-Pirate and told that Luthor wanted him alive. The Society was collecting people representatives of each of the Earths merged in the original Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Damage appears in the relaunched Justice Society of America released in December 2006. 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. The villain Rebel insinuates that Damage suffered heavy facial scarring from his encounter with Zoom,[4] which is why he wears the mask.[5] Issue #4 indeed reveals that Damage suffered scarring at Zoom's hands.
[edit] Powers and abilities
Damage can generate a power charge that enhances his strength, durability, speed and reflexes to superhuman levels. If he doesn't use the energy in the aforementioned manner he is forced to expend it in a discharge, most notably the time he created the Big Bang during Zero Hour.
