Damage Control (comics)
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| Damage Control (comics) | |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Marvel Comics Presents #19 (May 1989) |
| Created by | Dwayne McDuffie Ernie Colon |
| In story information | |
| Type of business | Construction |
| Base(s) | The Flatiron Building, New York City |
| Owner(s) | Ann-Marie Hoag |
| Employee(s) | Lenny Balinger Robin Chapel Albert Cleary John Porter Bart Rozum Eugene Strasser Ant-Man Robbie Baldwin Hercules Walter Declun Monstro Tom Foster |
Damage Control is a fictional construction company appearing in Marvel Comics, which specializes in repairing the property damage caused by conflicts between superheroes and supervillains. Four Damage Control limited series have been published to date.
Contents |
[edit] Publication history
Damage Control employees first appear briefly in a four-page story in 1988's Marvel Age Annual and fully in 1989 in a serialized story published in the anthology comic Marvel Comics Presents #19. Subsequently, the employees of Damage Control have been the subject of three separate comic book limited series (each limited to four issues), published between 1989 and 1991, and have had frequent minor roles in many other Marvel comics; as well, the first issue of World War Hulk Aftersmash: Damage Control, a three-issue limited series tying in to World War Hulk, was published in January 2008.
Dwayne McDuffie, who co-created the concept with artist Ernie Colon and wrote Damage Control's initial non-adventures, pitched Damage Control to Marvel as "a sitcom within the Marvel Universe". [1]
[edit] Fictional biography
Damage Control was founded by Ms. Ann-Marie Hoag and was originally owned by Tony Stark and Wilson Fisk, each owning half the stock of the company, though Stark felt uneasy cooperating with Fisk, a notorious criminal.
Damage Control employees have been in the middle of a breakout at the Vault, confronted Doctor Doom, have been threatened with death by the Punisher and have met vastly powerful cosmic entities such as the Silver Surfer and Galactus. They have 'fought' side by side with the X-Men, socialized with the New Warriors and even were almost menaced by the Hulk.
When Ms. Hoag was offered a job in government, she nominated Robin Chapel as her replacement. Stark and Fisk sold their stock in Damage Control: Stark because he didn't want to be associated with Fisk and Fisk because he had no confidence in Robin's ability to lead the company. Another company, Carlton Co, took control of Damage Control and tried to make Damage Control more profitable, but in the process angered a lot of employees and nearly ruined Damage Control. Ms. Hoag convinced S.H.I.E.L.D. to invest in Damage Control and they loaned her the money to buy back the company. S.H.I.E.L.D. also found out that the sale of Damage Control had been a plot by Fisk to buy back the company for cheap. During the events of Acts of Vengeance (an event Fisk helped organize), massive damage was done to the city and Fisk made a large profit when Damage Control was hired to repair the damages.
[edit] Damage Control: The Movie
The confrontation with the Kingpin was the loose basis for a movie concerning the company. Simon Williams played John Porter. In a decision which would haunt him throughout his career, Simon shows his rear in the movie, humiliating Porter. Marlon Brando plays the Kingpin. James Coburn plays Lenny Ballinger. Shelley Long, with plenty of nude scenes, angers the woman she plays, Robin Chapel. Jimmy J.J. Walker plays Albert Cleary. Changing reality, Albert is portrayed as being from the 'ghetto' and is eventually strangled by the Kingpin. John Candy plays Eugene Strausser, technical genius and comic relief.
At the wrap party for the premiere, the Damage Control staff is summoned by the Silver Surfer to help deal with Edifice Rex, a former employee. He had gained cosmic powers and this, combined with an anal retentive personality, threatens the cosmos. Several of the employees meet and discuss the problem with other cosmic entities, such as Galactus and Lord Chaos. Robin Chapel eventually solves this problem by firing Rex.
In later appearances, Hercules is seen working with Damage Control, on one occasion serving a community service sentence levied as punishment for a drunken rampage. Later, Hercules becomes a full-fledged employee, forced to earn a living after the Constrictor successfully sues the demigod for injuries incurred in his apprehension.
[edit] Civil War
Damage Control is seen during the Civil War[2]
The super-villain Nitro, who blew up the town of Stamford, killing hundreds and starting the Civil War, reveals that a "Walter Declun", has provided him with Mutant Growth Hormone. Via Namor, Wolverine learns Walter is the CEO of Damage Control, Inc[3].
This leads Wolverine to Anne-Marie Hoag, Damage Control's President (and a brief contfrontation with Ann, long-time D.C. receptionist). Anne-Marie reveals that Declun and his investors took a controlling share of the stock after the company went public to obtain more funds. D.C. has also obtained the Stamford reconstruction contract and the contract to train and evaluate registered super-beings. Anne-Marie has suspected Declun of illegal activities but did not have enough evidence strong enough to counter his ties with Washington D.C. and the President.
In his fight against Declun and Damage Control, which includes destroying D.C. assets, Wolverine engages in a fight with several of their employees, who are equipped with Mandroid Armor, S.H.I.E.L.D. weaponry, Stark Enterprises technology and other items salvaged from superhuman fights. The super-hero Sentry captures Wolverine but he later escapes. He makes his way back to Damage Control officers. Declun takes the Mutant Growth Hormone in response to Wolverine's threats. During the fight, Wolverine kills Declun.
John Porter also becomes involved with another aspect of the Civil War[4]. When FF members Susan and Reed Richards temporarily split up over ethical differences, Susan leaves a hole punched through every floor of the building. Porter estimates the repairs will be $789,000 dollars. He notes the price is so low because of the modular nature of the building. He also thanks Reed for the work as lately, the (real) company Halliburton have been getting no-bid jobs. Then Valeria and Franklin Richards drop blocks on John's head.
[edit] Employees
[edit] Main characters
- Ann-Marie Hoag: Founder and first director of Damage Control, an elderly lady, she is good friends with then-S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury and convinced him that S.H.I.E.L.D. should loan her the money to buy Damage Control's stock. Current owner of Damage Control.
- Hercules: Did community service with Damage Control before, but seen as a regular employee for Damage Control[5][6], after losing much of his godly riches to the Constrictor in an excessive force lawsuit. Hercules works on construction and demolition.
- Robin Chapel: Traffic manager and Ms. Hoag's most trusted employee. She initially had a rivalry with John Porter, because he was hired to fill a position for which she had applied. Over time, the two became good friends, and by the time of the fourth series, they are romantically involved. Robin is very capable and ambitious, but is a friendly person underneath her businesslike exterior. Temporarily thrown out by Walter Declun's manipulations, she was recently rehired as CEO of Damage Control.
- Albert Cleary: Comptroller, Albert is a financial genius and always keeps a cool head, even when presenting bills to the likes of Doctor Doom. He possesses the uncanny ability never to wrinkle his suit. Doctor Doom at one time offers Cleary a job. Cleary politely turned down the offer. Doom respected Cleary's decision enough to let him live. Although Cleary will never admit it, he found his encounter with Doom unnerving.
- John Porter: Account executive, worked independently in "superhero insurance", but was offered a job by Ms. Hoag[7]. He initially had a rivalry with Robin Chapel, but the two have become good friends and he has expressed a romantic interest in her. John has the ability to find peaceful, practical solutions to the most complicated problems. Has an odd, peaceful relationship with notorious villain Thunderball.
- Bart Rozum: Former intern, offered a full-term contract as personal assistant to Robin Chapel. Infatuated with the receptionist Anne. He is named for John Rozum.
- Eugene 'Gene' Strausser: Technician, briefly became an armored supervillain when Damage Control's new board of directors fired him; with an ally, he even attacked She-Hulk. Was rehired when Ms. Hoag regained control. He served the required jail time for his misdeeds on a work-release basis, thanks to his "former boss", Nick Fury, pulling some strings on his behalf.
[edit] Search and Rescue Division
- Lenny Balinger: Currently the leader of Damage Control's new Search-and-Rescue division. He is a middle-aged man. Lenny's no-nonsense attitude has made him very popular with his crew. During a strike action, he even took their side in a strike against Carlton Co, who had offered him a large amount of money to do the opposite. Although occasionally mistaken for the late actor Lee Marvin, Lenny feels he looks more like Paul Newman.
- Goliath: Tom Foster, nephew of Bill Foster. Joined Damage Control following World War Hulk.
- Monstro: Real name is Frank Johnson. A former firefighter who lived a nomadic life before joining the team.
- Visioneer: Real name is Abigail. She has low level psychic abilities and assists in locating civilians trapped in rubble..
- "Slaying Mantis": Eric O'Grady was a member of the Search-And-Rescue team. Damage Control had no knowledge that he was secretly Ant-Man.
[edit] Other employees
- Anne (last name unknown): Receptionist.
- Henry Ackerdson: Head of marketing, not very popular because of his idea that every employee should wear superhero costumes, but eventually accepted as part of the team; first appeared in Marvel Age Annual #4.
- Robby Baldwin (Speedball): Briefly worked as an intern for Damage Control.
- Walter Declun: A ruthless corporate raider who bought out controlling shares of Damage Control when it went public, he tried manipulating supervillains to increase property damage, and therefore Damage Control's workload and profits. Indirectly responsible for the Stamford Incident, ultimately had his shares bought out, and was then immediately fired by Hoag (with Tony Stark's help), and killed by Wolverine.
- Kirk Eden: Partner of Jim Palmetto, assigned to the Bronx to report on any damage caused by the Ghost Rider
- Jay (last name unknown): Head of security
- Marie Leahy: Account executive.
- Ray Lippert: Former representative of Carlton Co. who stayed with Damage Control after Carlton sold the company.
- Kathleen O’Meara: Vice-president, brief love interest for Ben Grimm.
- Jim Palmetto: Partner of Kirk Eden, assigned to the Bronx to report on any damage caused by the Ghost Rider.
- Vincent "Vinnie" Patilio: Former super-villain known as Leap-Frog who briefly was employed by Damage Control. Eugene Strausser made some improvements on the Leap-Frog suit.
- Rex Randolph (Edifice Rex): Former employee, who found an artifact that gave him cosmic powers. As the anal retentive cosmic being Edifice Rex, Rex tried to clean up the universe by uncreating it, but was stopped by Robin Chapel, who fired him.
[edit] Other versions
[edit] Ultimate Damage Control
In the Ultimate Universe, Damage Control is also a construction and demolition company. The Ultimate version of the Wrecking Crew are employees of Damage Control as debuted in Ultimate Spider-Man #86.
