Doyle Reviews DC's "Damage"
Ethan “Elvis” Avery just wanted to serve his country. Instead, he’s been changed into a monster! Tasked as the government’s own living, breathing, ticking time bomb, Ethan retains no control when the monster takes over. Cheaper than a nuclear warhead and twice as effective, Ethan fights to rein in the damage he unleashes when the beast inside him springs free for one hour a day. With everyone around him in danger, Ethan struggles to contain the DAMAGE he inflicts on the DC Universe.
“DAMAGE” Ethan “Elvis” Avery I think they are trying to give him kind of a Rockstar personality with that name, but we see zero of that personality here, in fact we don’t see anything that would make us like the main character/any character in this opening issue.
Ethan Hulks out. I mean “DAMAGES” out from the get go. Does some “DAMAGE” I guess. We do get a sense of his power here but the artist doesn’t give us a single wide shot to take in the destructive force that is “DAMAGE!” Every panel is close cropped and although, yeah, he is blowing stuff up and punching things it’s all rather contained. Also, he seems to be at least somewhat in control. What the f*ck DC! The only thing you got right was the hour a day thing. The comic starts out by counting down on every page and then gives that up randomly. Also, Ethan doesn’t seem to want this power that he has been given. He doesn’t want to be their monster, however later in the comic you get the idea that he kind of signed up for this?
Honestly… It was a pretty bad first issue, it had some okay roots, and I truly hope it grows into a good young DC title with lots of smart action packed “DAMAGE” for the readers. But this first issue really missed the mark and I had/have high hopes for “DAMAGE.” When I first read the elevator pitch above, beyond that I was pretty sold on the idea of Hulk on a chess board. Chess though, has rules, Hulk has no rules! I was stoked you get this overpowered mindless ball of destruction and it’s up to the writers (ARMY) to best decide how and when to use him. You know, without the whole thing blowing up in their faces. This kind of governor they put on the Hulk makes the character more interesting to me, well at least makes the idea of the character more interesting.
This book seems like a rush job, no real story, no real continuity with even DC’s Pitch for what the Comic was supposed to be about, and oh yea -SPOILER ALERT- Just toss in the Suicide Squad at the end, that should get em’ chomping at the bit for more. Well bravo to you DC it kind of did, it was the only thing in fact that makes me want to read the next issue. Hoping for more story and sweet sweet action-packed panels as the Squad goes looking for… wait for it… “DAMAGE! It’s hard to recommend this title beyond what I hope it will become, it somehow spins out of METAL although I have no idea how that ties in. I give “DAMAGE” 1 and 1/2 Marthas out of 5, Suicide Squad ending really the only thing bring me back for
issue 2 here.
