The Hulk is one of Marvel Comics’ Flagship superheroes. With the strength of a cosmic giant, the Green Goliath seldom has any rivals when it comes to raw brute strength. But looks like DC Comics might finally have an answer to Marvel’s Hulk.
Say Hello to Damage!!
Also Read: Facts About Sideways – DC’s Spider-Man
He is a Military Experiment
Damage’s origin story is not natural. He was once a normal United States War Veteran. After he served his tour, Ethan Avery volunteered himself to become the text subject for the Damage Project. The Hulk was a result of accidental gamma outburst. Damage on the other hand, was not a fluke but a well-defined experiment. Damage was actually a success. The United States Government got exactly what they had hoped for with Avery. The only difference was Ethan was unaware of the true purpose of the experiment. So when he turned into a human weapon of mass destruction, even he was taken aback by the sudden occurrence of his powers.
Destroyed a Country in under 10 Minutes
Damage was mainly used by the military to overthrow and depose Anti-American Governments and Organisations behind enemy lines. Damage would typically be air-dropped into enemy territory and his job would be to leave a trail of chaos and destruction. In a flashback sequence, Damage is shown being used in a top secret operation called Operation Blue Mongoose. The Vltatvian Militia had taken over a Baltic Region Country and Damage literally took on an entire army. Tank Rounds bounced off of him. Bullets deflected away. He destroyed an entire nation’s full force in mere minutes. This established Damage’s reputation as an actual heavy hitter on par with Superman and Doomsday.
Has a time limit on Transformation
Bruce Banner can transform into his Jade Giant form and stay in it for an indefinite amount of time. Sometimes that would prolong for years on end. But Ethan Avery’s transformation has a major flaw. He has the power to transform into the unstoppable beats for a period of one whole hour. That is something Marvel’s new Red Hulk and Damage have in common. When Ethan transforms, the readers see a chronometer showing how much time he has left till he transforms back. The Transformation can’t also be broken down. When Ethan transforms into damage, he stays in that form for one whole hour.
Has a Beef with Amanda Waller
Ethan’s handler was Colonel Jonas, who was his superior and commanding officer. He was the one that gave him his missions. When Damage went AWOL, Amanda Waller dispatched her Suicide Squad to take him down. Damage made short work of the new Task Force X. The short time in which Damage defeated Waller’s Suicide Squad made her a joke in front of her superiors. As a result, Waller and Damage never see eye to eye. Amanda Waller wants Damage’s head on a platter because he humiliated her in front of everyone.
More Powerful than the Man of Steel
When Damage first lost control, he left an entire city in ruins. The authorities were unable to stop him. So Wonder Woman jumped in to save the day. She was in for one hell of a surprise. Wonder Woman is one of the most powerful superheroes of the DC Universe. And even she had trouble containing Damage. Damage brought her to her knees. He left only because he was almost reaching his time limit and needed to escape the scene before he transforms back. Wonder Woman reported back the events to the Justice League and openly claimed that she has not seen this kind of power in anyone, “Not Even Superman”.
Also Read: Incredible Feats of Green Lantern – Ranked
Has Nth Metal in his blood
The Nth Metal or the Ninth Metal is what makes up Hawk Girl and Hawk Man’s weapons. It is a mystical element that has many mystical properties. It was the very subject of the acclaimed Dark Nights Metal story line. This arc led to the New Age of DC Heroes. Apparently, after Dark Nights Metal, it was revealed that there are people with special cosmic metal alloys in their blood that can grant them incredible abilities. Ethan Avery was one of those chosen chaps who later became Damage.
He is now a runaway fugitive
The hulk and Damage do have a lot in common. The similarity is extremely uncanny when it comes to their back story. Damage was created by the Military and they used him as a human weapon against their enemies. The Hulk was also supposed to be used as a human weapon by the United States Army. Both Damage and the Hulk ran away from the Army and are now hunted down by the United States Forces, who consider them far too important an asset to let go.
Has Absolute Control over his powers
Bruce Banner transforms into the Hulk only after letting his rage take over. Once he lets loose, the Hulk comes out and wreaks havoc. Banner loses total control of his powers and the Hulk destroys anything it could find in sight. But since Damage only has a one hour time limit, the United States Army had to ensure Ethan stays in control all the time, even when he is in his Damage State. Ethan has no anger management issues. Even Ethan does not know how he dos it but he can control when and where he transforms.
Idolizes Superheroes
Ethan Avery was born to a middle class family. His parents are Dale and Helen Avery. Ever since Ethan was a child, he had idolized superheroes. Heroes like Superman and the Flash were the reason Ethan joined the Military and help make a difference. His intention to join the Damage Project was also to ultimately become a force for good. He might have been used extensively by the government as a tool to destroy but deep down, Ethan’s original plan was to become a hero just like the ones he looked up to when he was a kid.
Has only one weakness
For all his powers, Ethan Avery aka Damage has just one weakness. When he first let himself loose and destroyed a city, Wonder Woman and the Suicide Squad tried to stop him and were mercilessly beaten up. Giganta, Deadshot, Parasite, Solomon Grundy, Wonder Woman, and the Armed Forces – all of them failed. The only super human who was able to hurt the Grey Beast was a new Task Force X initiate named Akando. Akando is powered by the Red – a mystical energy field that connects all animal life. Akando was also dispatched by Damage on account of the latter’s formidable strength but the fact that the Red can hurt him is an information that Amanda Waller will find useful in the long run who wants to forge a weapon powered by the Red to kill Damage.
