Gunfire (comics)
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| Gunfire | |
 Cover to Gunfire #1, artist Steve Erwin |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Deathstroke annual #3, October 1993 |
| Created by | Len Wein (writer) Steve Erwin (artist) |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Andrew Van Horn |
| Team affiliations | Blood Pack |
| Abilities | Agitation of particles to either cause objects to explode or fire energy projectiles. |
Gunfire is a fictional DC Comics superhero and freelance anti-terrorist operative. He first appeared in Deathstroke annual #2 October 1993, he was created by Len Wein and Steve Erwin.
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[edit] Fictional character biography
During the Bloodlines crossover, Venev, one of the the Alien Parasites, is on the hunt in Metropolis airport. She consumes a luggage handler. A carelessly thrown piece of luggage from the dead man's inattentive partner stuns and entraps her in the cargo compartment of the plane. She emerges in Paris and in her human form, senses the power inside of Deathstroke.
She follows him to the Van Horn company building, where he is finalizing his order for new armor. While on the hunt, Venev attacks and slays the owner of the company. Andrew Van Horn, his son, arrives in the main office to talk to his father again about more environmentally friendly projects. He is attacked and seemingly killed. Venev notes how he has a 'familiar taste'.
Andrew soon awakens and with the assistance of two friends, realizes that something is inside what is now his company, slaughtering the employees. He creates a suit of armor and follows the trail of bodies. He encounters Deathstroke and thinking he was responsible, attacks. Both men are too well protected, thanks to Van Horn technology and fail to hurt each other. In the course of the battle, Andrew discovers his blasting powers and attempts to use them on Deathstroke. It isn't quite enough. Both men soon come to their senses and head off to battle Venev.
[edit] New Bloods
Soon after this incident, Andrew's connection with the aliens draws him to Metropolis, where veteran superheros are battling the creature that the parasites have brought forth. Andrew works with dozens of other 'New Bloods', people who have acquired powers when attacked. Eventually, the superheros are freed and the aliens are destroyed. Gunfire learns his father had profited from weapons sales to terrorists. He works to neutralize this and comes into conflict with 'Dominion', a former employee of his father's business. Domion runs a group called the 'Oblivion Front' but Gunfire soon takes it, and Oblivion, down. Gunfire was seen as one of the many prisoners in stasis tubes after the Ultra-Humanite, using the magic of Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt, conquers the world.
[edit] Infinite Crisis
During the Infinite Crisis, the Secret Society of Supervillains gathers an army to march on Metropolis. An army of heroes, including Gunfire, is gathered by the information broker Oracle. A massive battle ensues, with fatalities on both sides.
[edit] Other versions
[edit] DC One Million
Gunfire's eyepiece survived into the far, far future, appearing in Hitman One Million. This grants a citizen of the future Gunfire's exact powers simply because it is so very, very old and was used by a known, super-powered hero. Unfortunately the man utilizing the eyepiece was not very competent. He turns his medical pack into a gun, injuring himself, then accidentally turns his very own buttocks into a grenade. He perishes moments later.
[edit] Powers and abilities
- Gunfire is able to agitate the atoms present in matter and either cause said objects to explode or convert a portion of their mass to directed blasts of concussive energy. Originally the objects, needed to have a topological focal point for the blasts (such as the tip of a crowbar or a metal pipe). Eventually, due to much of their mass being converted to energy the objects tend to disintegrate.
- If Gunfire attempts to use an object without a defined topological focal point (i.e. perfect sphere like a snowglobe), it would become a timed explosive, like a hand grenade.
- On at least one occasion Gunfire was able to release a concussive force blast without using an object. He was able to agitate atoms in the air in front of his hands and released enough energy to send himself flying backwards through a wall. This would seem to indicate that his abilities also function on non-solid materials, since air itself has no defined focal point.
- Gunfire's ability to convert matter to energy is similar to an ability possessed by Russian superhero Pozhar.
