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The New Age of DC Heroes #1
Damage, Vol. 1: Out of Control
Ethan "Elvis" Avery just wanted to serve his country when he volunteered for the Damage Project. What no one told him was that he would be turned into a living, breathing, ticking time bomb of a monster that no one can stop. For one hour, Avery becomes the brute known as Damage, with zero control over his actions.
After nearly destroying Atlanta, Damage proves unstoppable as he quickly takes down Amanda Waller's Task Force XL and then goes toe-to-toe with Wonder Woman. Colonel Marie Jonas created him to be a living weapon of mass destruction to save countless soldiers from risking their lives in combat, but when she loses control of Damage and can't find him, he becomes a target.
Alone and on the run, Ethan just wants to be left alone, but he crosses paths with Poison Ivy, who wants to use Damage as her own weapon against humanity. She'll stop at nothing to transform the area into a refuge for Gorilla Grodd and his followers, and if Damage is in Louisiana, there's little doubt his presence will come to the Swamp Thing's attention!
Meet one of DC Comics' New Age of Heroes in this first volume from artist Tony S. Daniel (Batman, Justice League) and writer Robert Venditti (Green Lantern), along with artists Diogenes Neves (Deathstroke) and Danny Miki (All-Star Batman). Collects Damage #1-6.
After nearly destroying Atlanta, Damage proves unstoppable as he quickly takes down Amanda Waller's Task Force XL and then goes toe-to-toe with Wonder Woman. Colonel Marie Jonas created him to be a living weapon of mass destruction to save countless soldiers from risking their lives in combat, but when she loses control of Damage and can't find him, he becomes a target.
Alone and on the run, Ethan just wants to be left alone, but he crosses paths with Poison Ivy, who wants to use Damage as her own weapon against humanity. She'll stop at nothing to transform the area into a refuge for Gorilla Grodd and his followers, and if Damage is in Louisiana, there's little doubt his presence will come to the Swamp Thing's attention!
Meet one of DC Comics' New Age of Heroes in this first volume from artist Tony S. Daniel (Batman, Justice League) and writer Robert Venditti (Green Lantern), along with artists Diogenes Neves (Deathstroke) and Danny Miki (All-Star Batman). Collects Damage #1-6.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2018
5 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Robert Venditti
699 books398 followersRobert Venditti is a New York Times bestselling author of more than three hundred comic books and graphic novels. Some of his works include the monthly comic book series Justice League, Superman ’78, Hawkman, and Green Lantern for DC Comics, X-O Manowar, Armor Hunters, and Wrath of the Eternal Warrior for Valiant Entertainment, and the graphic novel Six Days, inspired by the story of his uncle’s participation in D-Day. He has also adapted Rick Riordan’s global bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus novels, as well as Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia and Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. His graphic novel The Surrogates was adapted into a feature film by Touchstone Pictures, and his work on The Flash was the basis for season three of the CW television series.
Venditti lives in Atlanta, where he both writes and serves as a storytelling consultant for some of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world.
Venditti lives in Atlanta, where he both writes and serves as a storytelling consultant for some of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 18, 2018
Damage is DC’s poor man’s version of Hulk. The only difference is that he can just hulk out for an hour every 24 hours and the person he is when he’s not Damage has less personality than a brick. There’s no story either, just a series of characters lining up to hit and get hit by Damage: Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Poison Ivy and Gorilla Grodd. Anyone looking for anything – literally anything resembling something worth reading – would be better off reading a takeaway menu instead. Y’know, something with a little more depth.
Tony Daniel’s design of Damage is so ugly. Damage keeps saying he wants to be a hero – and this is being advertised as part of “The New Age of Heroes”, whatever that means – but he looks like Doomsday’s little brother and he spends an inordinate amount of time punching Wonder Woman, one of the most famous superheroes ever. Hmm.
Utter drek – the only thing out of control was my sense of flabbergast that something so rubbish got published in the first place. What was anyone involved in this thinking??
Tony Daniel’s design of Damage is so ugly. Damage keeps saying he wants to be a hero – and this is being advertised as part of “The New Age of Heroes”, whatever that means – but he looks like Doomsday’s little brother and he spends an inordinate amount of time punching Wonder Woman, one of the most famous superheroes ever. Hmm.
Utter drek – the only thing out of control was my sense of flabbergast that something so rubbish got published in the first place. What was anyone involved in this thinking??
November 3, 2018
I'm honestly surprised Marvel hasn't sued for copyright infringement. This is the Hulk set in the DC universe. He's even chased by a female Nick Fury. The best thing I can say about the book is Tony Daniel makes it look great. Unfortunately, he only does the first 3 issues. Then Cary Nord and Diogenes Neves step in and they are serviceable except Diogenes needs to learn how to draw apes if he's going to pencil Grodd. The plot consists of DC characters lining up to punch the Hulk, I mean Damage across the U.S.
Is this New Age of Heroes line just supposed to be Marvel characters set in the DCU? Because I read Sideways and it was a ripoff of Spider-Man.
Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
Is this New Age of Heroes line just supposed to be Marvel characters set in the DCU? Because I read Sideways and it was a ripoff of Spider-Man.
Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
September 18, 2018
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see the Hulk running around in the DC universe? Well, that is exactly what this book is. Damage is a mix of the traditional Hulk with the newer Red Hulk's one hour time limit to his powers. I am a big Hulk fan, so I don't mind the copying so much (after all, more Hulk is a good thing, even if it's under a different name), but this volume really isn't anything special. Mostly, it is people literally lining up to take on Damage. An army guy in a special suit, the Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Poison Ivy, and Gorilla Grodd all take turns beating on Damage. There is a side plot of the military wanting him back after he escapes from them, but mostly this book is nothing but punching montages.
The worst part, however, were all of the bad puns: "This DAMAGE won't go unpunished!". "It's time to cause some DAMAGE!". Yeah, you get the picture. It's a little cringy when they do that.
The worst part, however, were all of the bad puns: "This DAMAGE won't go unpunished!". "It's time to cause some DAMAGE!". Yeah, you get the picture. It's a little cringy when they do that.
December 17, 2019
Is this a real comic?
This must be a joke...
So Hul- I'm sorry, DAMAGE, is about a man who loses control and becomes a big hulking monster and hulks out by beating up every fucking superhero you can think of. Suicide squad, wonder woman, poison ivy and more make their fun little cameo in this terribly boring, beat up everyone, rip-off comic. Nothing besides some art is worth checking this out.
This must be a joke...
So Hul- I'm sorry, DAMAGE, is about a man who loses control and becomes a big hulking monster and hulks out by beating up every fucking superhero you can think of. Suicide squad, wonder woman, poison ivy and more make their fun little cameo in this terribly boring, beat up everyone, rip-off comic. Nothing besides some art is worth checking this out.
July 25, 2018
Yes this is the Hulk.
World: The art is okay, there is the first arc with Daniels which does good gritty and ridiculous women, the art is solid, the sense of motion is good and the destruction looks on point. The world buiding, you know what they say about flattery and copying and all that, well this is very clearly DC’s version of the Hulk. Sure there are bits and pieces that make it unique like the 1 hour thing with ties to the reason behind in in DC canon and all the little nods to our universe and the ties to Waller and such, but at the end of the day it is a copy. This is the Hulk, this is the same thing, there is a Thunderbolt Ross, there are all the leanings of trying to control the being inside, there is the research it’s all there. I know comic books copy from each other, there is Aquaman and thern there’s Namor, there’s Darkseid and then Thanos, there’s The Flash and the Quicksilver the list goes on and on and on. But I feel that to call this the ‘New Age of Superheroes’ you need to bring actually something somewhat new and fresh to the table, I’m reading Sidways next and people are already saying it’s a Spidey clone. DC has been doing so well with Rebirth and Metal and Young Animal, this direction seems off (Although I loved the John Wick wannabe Silencer very very much).
Story: The story is okay, it’s forgettable and nothing special. It’s written well and moves fast much like Venditti writing (which I often enjoy). If you think too much about the book and the logic behind the actions you’ll break the story but overall it’s typical superhero comic book on the run stuff that people will have forgotten 10 min after reading it. The Ivy link in the second was bad the turn from Ivy was sudden, janky ans unearned. I don't know what to say, it was a boring read.
Characters: As I said this is a Hulk meets Cap meets SHIELD book but it's in DC. Damage gets barely any development other than rah rah (I think the kid is called Elvis) and then there is the really on the nose writing that Latinos are not all bad (which is not the type of racial writing that we need right now also, swinging the other way is pandering). The rest of the cast with the general Female Nick Fury rip off and the Waller connection was just meh.
Overall a book that does not need to exist. DC doesn't need a Hulk clone. Hulk books are imo not that great anyways and the character is well designed for shirt bursts and not prolonged storytelling anyways.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
World: The art is okay, there is the first arc with Daniels which does good gritty and ridiculous women, the art is solid, the sense of motion is good and the destruction looks on point. The world buiding, you know what they say about flattery and copying and all that, well this is very clearly DC’s version of the Hulk. Sure there are bits and pieces that make it unique like the 1 hour thing with ties to the reason behind in in DC canon and all the little nods to our universe and the ties to Waller and such, but at the end of the day it is a copy. This is the Hulk, this is the same thing, there is a Thunderbolt Ross, there are all the leanings of trying to control the being inside, there is the research it’s all there. I know comic books copy from each other, there is Aquaman and thern there’s Namor, there’s Darkseid and then Thanos, there’s The Flash and the Quicksilver the list goes on and on and on. But I feel that to call this the ‘New Age of Superheroes’ you need to bring actually something somewhat new and fresh to the table, I’m reading Sidways next and people are already saying it’s a Spidey clone. DC has been doing so well with Rebirth and Metal and Young Animal, this direction seems off (Although I loved the John Wick wannabe Silencer very very much).
Story: The story is okay, it’s forgettable and nothing special. It’s written well and moves fast much like Venditti writing (which I often enjoy). If you think too much about the book and the logic behind the actions you’ll break the story but overall it’s typical superhero comic book on the run stuff that people will have forgotten 10 min after reading it. The Ivy link in the second was bad the turn from Ivy was sudden, janky ans unearned. I don't know what to say, it was a boring read.
Characters: As I said this is a Hulk meets Cap meets SHIELD book but it's in DC. Damage gets barely any development other than rah rah (I think the kid is called Elvis) and then there is the really on the nose writing that Latinos are not all bad (which is not the type of racial writing that we need right now also, swinging the other way is pandering). The rest of the cast with the general Female Nick Fury rip off and the Waller connection was just meh.
Overall a book that does not need to exist. DC doesn't need a Hulk clone. Hulk books are imo not that great anyways and the character is well designed for shirt bursts and not prolonged storytelling anyways.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
March 24, 2022
Ethan Avery is Damage - for one hour out of every twenty four, he can transform into an enormous monster with insane levels of super strength. And now he's free from his military masters, and all he wants is to be left alone. Sound familiar?
Damage isn't a particularly unique concept, almost by design. A lot of the New Age Of Heroes books are riffs on Marvel concepts, like the Terrifics, or even DC's own, like Silencer. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're bad, just a bit derivative. Damage's first six issues are a decent introduction to the character, both in terms of origin story and in what he wants. Pursued by the military, the Suicide Squad, and even Wonder Woman, he just wants to go back to a normal life of not being a giant monster. Funny how life doesn't go the way you want.
I feel like Damage is setting out to tell a story, and I hope it gets to conclude on its own terms. Ethan's a sympathetic character, in that he just wanted to do good, and now all he can do is smash things. I think the second half of the volume is stronger in terms of story, with the first arc mostly about running away while the second has Ethan take more control over his own life. I think it's a progression that's going to continue through the series as he realises that fleeing his problems won't make them go away, they'll just be behind him for the rest of his life. Plus issue 6 has Swamp Thing in it, so I was always going to like that.
The art takes a bit of a dip in the second half though - Tony Daniel departs after three issues of glorious destruction, leaving Cary Nord and Diogenes Neves to pick up the pieces. I know Nord is something of an industry legend, but I just cannot vibe with his stick figures made of jagged lines. Neves is usually much better, but everything feels a little unpolished compared to his older work, which is a shame.
Damage isn't reinventing the wheel so much as smashing it with a giant fist, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a fun ride, with a good main character and a lot of nice set dressing, even if it doesn't always look as good as it could.
Damage isn't a particularly unique concept, almost by design. A lot of the New Age Of Heroes books are riffs on Marvel concepts, like the Terrifics, or even DC's own, like Silencer. But that doesn't necessarily mean they're bad, just a bit derivative. Damage's first six issues are a decent introduction to the character, both in terms of origin story and in what he wants. Pursued by the military, the Suicide Squad, and even Wonder Woman, he just wants to go back to a normal life of not being a giant monster. Funny how life doesn't go the way you want.
I feel like Damage is setting out to tell a story, and I hope it gets to conclude on its own terms. Ethan's a sympathetic character, in that he just wanted to do good, and now all he can do is smash things. I think the second half of the volume is stronger in terms of story, with the first arc mostly about running away while the second has Ethan take more control over his own life. I think it's a progression that's going to continue through the series as he realises that fleeing his problems won't make them go away, they'll just be behind him for the rest of his life. Plus issue 6 has Swamp Thing in it, so I was always going to like that.
The art takes a bit of a dip in the second half though - Tony Daniel departs after three issues of glorious destruction, leaving Cary Nord and Diogenes Neves to pick up the pieces. I know Nord is something of an industry legend, but I just cannot vibe with his stick figures made of jagged lines. Neves is usually much better, but everything feels a little unpolished compared to his older work, which is a shame.
Damage isn't reinventing the wheel so much as smashing it with a giant fist, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a fun ride, with a good main character and a lot of nice set dressing, even if it doesn't always look as good as it could.
October 24, 2018
DC & Marvel have been copying ideas for characters for sometime. Just look at Marvels Squadron Supreme. They are all analogs to the members of the Justice League. So with the new Age of Heroes at DC Comics we finally get DC comics take on Marvel like super heroes. Robert Venditti and stellar artist Tony S. Daniel introduce us to DC's version of the Hulk, Damage. Yes, Damage is very similar to the Hulk in many ways except a few little differences. To me Damage is more like a mesh between the Hulk, Venom, and Hourman. The latter has a large connection to the hero of this book. I will briefly tell you what I like about the book and then give you the negative. First, this is a gorgeous looking book. Tony Daniel is one of my favorite DC comics artist. There are some spread pages that would make fantastic posters. The coloring and lettering were also really well done. Because this book looks amazing it definitely was not going to get a low score. Next, I really love how Venditti integrates Damage into the DC Comics mythos so easily. The connection to the powers of Hourman had me very intrigued with the character's back story. Damage's interaction with well establish DC characters worked really well. I really enjoyed the Suicide Squad issue and the Swamp Thing portions the most. Now I have to unfortunately say I did not enjoy the dialogue in this book. It just came across generic and cliché in some parts. Venditti had this nasty habit of making the main character continuously repeat his name throughout the whole book. It was like he had to constantly remind you the "Damage" is what this book is about. Finally we do not get much of any back story to Damage aka Ethan at all. I feel like there should have been one issue devoted to giving the reader just a look into Ethan's history. Then I would have probably cared a bit more about the character and it would have giving the story more stakes. Hopefully the story will give Damage more character building moments. Overall Damage was a easy to jump into superhero book. It has a lot of action but is missing a little heart. I have collected and read few other DC New age of Heroes series. I highly recommend you check out Sideways (2018-) Vol. 1: Steppin' Out & The Terrifics Vol. 1: Meet the Terrifics. I am looking forward to reading The Silencer Vol. 1: Code of Honor. Silencer has gotten a lot of big buzz in the comic book community.
January 12, 2020
Kind of underwhelming rip-off of the Hulk. Damage is the result of an experiment on a poor soldier, Ethan Avery, turning him into an unstoppable force of destruction for an hour each day (after which he must sleep it off). Damage even looks like the Grey Hulk, with a bit of Deathlok thrown in for good measure. Avery can't really control the beast within (though the issues here suggest that won't be the case for long), and the female colonel responsible for his creation wants him back once he gets loose. Damage fights the Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and even has a run-in with Poison Ivy and Gorrilla Grodd, and yet remains pretty much a cypher. We don't know who he is or what's driving him and the plotting doesn't help very much. Also, the art is quite variable, with most of it courtesy of Tony S. Daniel (which often consists of little more than two-page splash spreads of Damage in battle), but also some fill-in work by Diogenes Neves, Cary Nord, and Danny Miki. By the end of the 6th issue, Damage doesn't even look like the same character anymore. **Having read Weapon H by Greg Pak in the interim, I can see an even more direct ripoff--hell, this is essentially the same exact story!!!**
September 26, 2018
3 1/2 Stars
I received a copy of Damage Vol. 1 through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Damage is a new series by DC Comics, and if you look at the cover you can immediately get a good idea of what sort of character this guy is. Like we’ve seen in many a comic book series, Ethan Avery was a solider willing to do anything to help his country – including letting mad scientists experiment on him. Unfortunately for him, while the experiment was a success, he didn’t make out so well as many other characters in the same position.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
I received a copy of Damage Vol. 1 through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Damage is a new series by DC Comics, and if you look at the cover you can immediately get a good idea of what sort of character this guy is. Like we’ve seen in many a comic book series, Ethan Avery was a solider willing to do anything to help his country – including letting mad scientists experiment on him. Unfortunately for him, while the experiment was a success, he didn’t make out so well as many other characters in the same position.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
September 25, 2018
Private First Class Ethan Avery is enlisted to become a one-man army in Damage Vol 1: Out of Control, part of the New Age of Heroes series.
Ethan is genetically modified by the army to have super strength and defense along with being the size of a three-story building. When transformed, he is called Damage. He can only transform for one hour each day before he must rest. On his first mission to destroy the Vlatvian facists threatening the US with nuclear war, he is a great success. When he goes rogue, the Suicide Squad volunteers to help defuse him with unplanned results. Eventually, Wonder Woman is also called in to help.
The plot reminds me of a famous comic movie franchise only their man-into-monster has retractible claws. Even though the plot wasn’t too original, the artwork was. It’s awesome! It uses real shadowing—not the usual cross-hatching—and accurate light sources. The feeling is almost photorealistic except for the extraordinary images being portrayed. The coloring is also true to life rather than the usual bright or dusky color palette.
Damage Vol 1: Out of Control is perfect for comic art fans. The art gets 5 stars but the plot only 3 for a net score of 4 stars! (Sorry my accounting alter ego might be showing a bit here.)
Thanks to DC Comics and NetGalley for an advance copy.
Ethan is genetically modified by the army to have super strength and defense along with being the size of a three-story building. When transformed, he is called Damage. He can only transform for one hour each day before he must rest. On his first mission to destroy the Vlatvian facists threatening the US with nuclear war, he is a great success. When he goes rogue, the Suicide Squad volunteers to help defuse him with unplanned results. Eventually, Wonder Woman is also called in to help.
The plot reminds me of a famous comic movie franchise only their man-into-monster has retractible claws. Even though the plot wasn’t too original, the artwork was. It’s awesome! It uses real shadowing—not the usual cross-hatching—and accurate light sources. The feeling is almost photorealistic except for the extraordinary images being portrayed. The coloring is also true to life rather than the usual bright or dusky color palette.
Damage Vol 1: Out of Control is perfect for comic art fans. The art gets 5 stars but the plot only 3 for a net score of 4 stars! (Sorry my accounting alter ego might be showing a bit here.)
Thanks to DC Comics and NetGalley for an advance copy.
January 13, 2019
4
Granted this is full of cameos and feels like a bunch of one shots, but I liked the book. Robert Venditti has turned Damage into the Hulk of the DC world, and I'm 100% down for that. The New Age of Heroes appears to be a mixed bag of quality, but every fan has to read the good and the bad, like any bad season of your favourite show or a bad film in the franchise.
Venditti might have created one of the most interesting new heroes in the DC canon, granted Damage was created in the early 90s, but this new version has an intriguing premise. Marvel's The Hulk has been angry for the better half of fifty years and now DC has the chance to remould the formula and offer something different. Venditti crafts interesting storylines, but I fear it feels like a gimmick each issue. He might be better off allowing the characters a chance to create their own path before swamping us with the common characters of the DC canon.
Why the 4?
I enjoyed the book and thought it was one of the better new DC books. Damage has room to improve, but I thought this volume was fun and pulpy. A shift into an actual storyline would help this grow into a self contained series, at the moment it is fodder and that will kill the series. I'm eager for more and will also check out some of the other New Age of Heroes for interest.
Granted this is full of cameos and feels like a bunch of one shots, but I liked the book. Robert Venditti has turned Damage into the Hulk of the DC world, and I'm 100% down for that. The New Age of Heroes appears to be a mixed bag of quality, but every fan has to read the good and the bad, like any bad season of your favourite show or a bad film in the franchise.
Venditti might have created one of the most interesting new heroes in the DC canon, granted Damage was created in the early 90s, but this new version has an intriguing premise. Marvel's The Hulk has been angry for the better half of fifty years and now DC has the chance to remould the formula and offer something different. Venditti crafts interesting storylines, but I fear it feels like a gimmick each issue. He might be better off allowing the characters a chance to create their own path before swamping us with the common characters of the DC canon.
Why the 4?
I enjoyed the book and thought it was one of the better new DC books. Damage has room to improve, but I thought this volume was fun and pulpy. A shift into an actual storyline would help this grow into a self contained series, at the moment it is fodder and that will kill the series. I'm eager for more and will also check out some of the other New Age of Heroes for interest.
November 16, 2018
3.5 Stars.
The first book I have read from the "New Age of Heroes" from DC Comics.
Ethan Avery, who wanted to serve his country and fight, has become the only success of the Damage Project, a chemically altered warrior (think pretty much exactly like the Incredible Hulk) who is unstoppable for 60 minutes. Taking on the city of Atlanta and the new Task Force XL (Suicide Squad), then Wonder Woman, as well as Poison Ivy and Gorilla Grodd, Damage lives up to his name.
But he is changing.... Damage and Ethan can speak to each other and can help let loose or keep in line. And still, Ethan only wants to serve.
But... what has Colonel Marie Jonas subjected Ethan to as Damage? And how can Swamp Thing help this new hero?
Character design is cool and the story has potential to be good, but it really feels like a 'Hulk for DC'. I'll continue on, seeing how the character develops more, as well as how he integrates into the universe as a whole.
Recommend.
The first book I have read from the "New Age of Heroes" from DC Comics.
Ethan Avery, who wanted to serve his country and fight, has become the only success of the Damage Project, a chemically altered warrior (think pretty much exactly like the Incredible Hulk) who is unstoppable for 60 minutes. Taking on the city of Atlanta and the new Task Force XL (Suicide Squad), then Wonder Woman, as well as Poison Ivy and Gorilla Grodd, Damage lives up to his name.
But he is changing.... Damage and Ethan can speak to each other and can help let loose or keep in line. And still, Ethan only wants to serve.
But... what has Colonel Marie Jonas subjected Ethan to as Damage? And how can Swamp Thing help this new hero?
Character design is cool and the story has potential to be good, but it really feels like a 'Hulk for DC'. I'll continue on, seeing how the character develops more, as well as how he integrates into the universe as a whole.
Recommend.
October 4, 2018
First, a thank you to Edelweiss and DC Comics for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review
This book introduces a new character to the DC mythology, one Mr Ethan "Elvis" Avery who for one hour every day turns into a hulking, huge, living weapon of mass destruction controlled and operated by the military. I’ll be honest, I didn’t realise he was brand-brand new at first. I felt certain I’d seen this character before but now I’m thinking I mixed him up with Doomsday.
Very much character-driven, there wasn’t much of a plot or arc to the book but it was a great study of a new and interesting character. As an introduction there was not a great deal of development shown – though that would be a tall order given the length of the book and its primary purpose of laying the Ethan’s foundations.
Much of the book focuses on Ethan’s internal struggle with controlling the monster inside of him, Damage. The book begins with Avery feeling very much under Damage’s control as well that of the military but the two join forces in order to engineer their escape.
The art was awesome, and Damage does look good though it wasn’t really optimised for digital consumption given the several double page spreads. I have to say my favourite drawn character had to be Wonder Woman. She looked so great in this and her fight scene with Damage was perhaps one of my favourite parts of the book.
I would definitely consider reading more of this character’s books based on this origin, as I think he has potential, but I feel he may be best suited to a team book. As interesting as he is, his limitations and powers will only have the ability to cause suspense and investment if Ethan is surrounded with people he doesn’t want to hurt. I just don’t see a future for him as solo/loner character – but hey, I could be wrong, right?
Writing Quality – 5/10
Image/Illustration Quality – 7/10
Character Development – 6/10
Overall – 6/10
Find my full review on my blog, Bloodthirsty Little Beasts.
Review
This book introduces a new character to the DC mythology, one Mr Ethan "Elvis" Avery who for one hour every day turns into a hulking, huge, living weapon of mass destruction controlled and operated by the military. I’ll be honest, I didn’t realise he was brand-brand new at first. I felt certain I’d seen this character before but now I’m thinking I mixed him up with Doomsday.
Very much character-driven, there wasn’t much of a plot or arc to the book but it was a great study of a new and interesting character. As an introduction there was not a great deal of development shown – though that would be a tall order given the length of the book and its primary purpose of laying the Ethan’s foundations.
Much of the book focuses on Ethan’s internal struggle with controlling the monster inside of him, Damage. The book begins with Avery feeling very much under Damage’s control as well that of the military but the two join forces in order to engineer their escape.
The art was awesome, and Damage does look good though it wasn’t really optimised for digital consumption given the several double page spreads. I have to say my favourite drawn character had to be Wonder Woman. She looked so great in this and her fight scene with Damage was perhaps one of my favourite parts of the book.
I would definitely consider reading more of this character’s books based on this origin, as I think he has potential, but I feel he may be best suited to a team book. As interesting as he is, his limitations and powers will only have the ability to cause suspense and investment if Ethan is surrounded with people he doesn’t want to hurt. I just don’t see a future for him as solo/loner character – but hey, I could be wrong, right?
Writing Quality – 5/10
Image/Illustration Quality – 7/10
Character Development – 6/10
Overall – 6/10
Find my full review on my blog, Bloodthirsty Little Beasts.
January 17, 2026
لما دي سي تقرر انها تعمل شخصية زي هالك مارفل
سلسلة متوسطة المستوي بالرغم من ظهور اغلب شخصيات دي سي زي باتمان وسوبر مان وفلاش وغيرهم
سلسلة متوسطة المستوي بالرغم من ظهور اغلب شخصيات دي سي زي باتمان وسوبر مان وفلاش وغيرهم
September 25, 2018
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
If there’s one thing that Dark Nights: Metal has left us with, it’s the arrival of new forces and threats into the DC Universe. With the damage done to the Source Wall, it was only a matter of time before unimaginable things started to occur. In that regards, DC Comics launched eight new comic book series which introduces fans to brand new heroes to explore and love. This incredibly monumental move could be devastating if the results aren’t promising as it’ll take a lot of good story-telling to convince anyone to invest their time into something so close to the unknown. Then again, if this bold move leads to great things in the near future, this might turn out to be a historical moment in the history of DC Comics, similar to the birth of iconic heroes we love and cherish to this day. What’s left to see is if the new creative teams that are put on each of these series manages to conjure anything of great quality or end up only creating great disappointment.
Damage: Out of Control is the story of Ethan “Elvis” Avery, a soldier who volunteered for the Damage Project to become a hero and serve his country. What he didn’t know was what he would become and how much destruction he could cause. Ethan Avery’s new powers allow him to become an indestructible force of nature for exactly one hour with a period of recuperation of 23 hours. During that hour of absolute chaos, Ethan is able to speak to his alter ego known as Damage who unfortunately sees itself as a monster meant to wreak havoc. Focused heavily on hulking out—see what I did there?—Damage almost takes out the whole city of Atlanta and unfortunately draws unwanted attention as he runs loose from his superiors and seeks isolation. On a quest to figuring out what happened in his past and who he wants to become, will Ethan ever find the answers he wants or will he forever be prey and predator to the whole world?
As much as I hoped this first story arc would establish an original, breath-taking and clever tone to this new character, you’ll find yourself in front of something much more simpler that favors action sequences to just about anything else. I did feel like the artwork also took over the narrative in this one, especially with Tony S. Daniel’s work in the first couple of issues. Establishing the raw power that Damage is capable of delivering clearly seemed to be the intention here, and at least that was done quite well. While there’s nothing wrong in giving fans a taste of Damage’s might rather than putting emphasis on the character development or world-building, it still left little reasons to want to follow Ethan Avery and his quest to establish a certain synergy with Damage, as well as his quest to finding answers to one of his past missions known as Operation Blue Mongoose, for which he’s unable to remember much about.
This story arc also felt like it was trying to shoehorn Damage within the DC Universe by having Damage run into a bunch of established characters. With the likes of Task Force XL, Wonder Woman or even Poison Ivy, Damage finds himself having to prove fans that he’s not to be taken lightly. While fun at times, it also made for some truly awkward dialogues too. In fact, it’s safe to say that there’s some truly cheesy lines (referring to the puns in particular) thrown in there that didn’t help me take this character too seriously. Don’t get me wrong. Damage still turns out to be a fun addition to the DC Universe, especially since it is DC’s real attempt to have a giant ugly monster playing hero, or at least trying to play hero.
Damage: Out of Control sets the table for its first new hero, but still has to find its groove regarding Ethan Avery’s character and story. Even if there’s lots of punching going around, there’s still an underlying plot teased in this volume that could potentially turns thing around for Damage.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
If there’s one thing that Dark Nights: Metal has left us with, it’s the arrival of new forces and threats into the DC Universe. With the damage done to the Source Wall, it was only a matter of time before unimaginable things started to occur. In that regards, DC Comics launched eight new comic book series which introduces fans to brand new heroes to explore and love. This incredibly monumental move could be devastating if the results aren’t promising as it’ll take a lot of good story-telling to convince anyone to invest their time into something so close to the unknown. Then again, if this bold move leads to great things in the near future, this might turn out to be a historical moment in the history of DC Comics, similar to the birth of iconic heroes we love and cherish to this day. What’s left to see is if the new creative teams that are put on each of these series manages to conjure anything of great quality or end up only creating great disappointment.
Damage: Out of Control is the story of Ethan “Elvis” Avery, a soldier who volunteered for the Damage Project to become a hero and serve his country. What he didn’t know was what he would become and how much destruction he could cause. Ethan Avery’s new powers allow him to become an indestructible force of nature for exactly one hour with a period of recuperation of 23 hours. During that hour of absolute chaos, Ethan is able to speak to his alter ego known as Damage who unfortunately sees itself as a monster meant to wreak havoc. Focused heavily on hulking out—see what I did there?—Damage almost takes out the whole city of Atlanta and unfortunately draws unwanted attention as he runs loose from his superiors and seeks isolation. On a quest to figuring out what happened in his past and who he wants to become, will Ethan ever find the answers he wants or will he forever be prey and predator to the whole world?
As much as I hoped this first story arc would establish an original, breath-taking and clever tone to this new character, you’ll find yourself in front of something much more simpler that favors action sequences to just about anything else. I did feel like the artwork also took over the narrative in this one, especially with Tony S. Daniel’s work in the first couple of issues. Establishing the raw power that Damage is capable of delivering clearly seemed to be the intention here, and at least that was done quite well. While there’s nothing wrong in giving fans a taste of Damage’s might rather than putting emphasis on the character development or world-building, it still left little reasons to want to follow Ethan Avery and his quest to establish a certain synergy with Damage, as well as his quest to finding answers to one of his past missions known as Operation Blue Mongoose, for which he’s unable to remember much about.
This story arc also felt like it was trying to shoehorn Damage within the DC Universe by having Damage run into a bunch of established characters. With the likes of Task Force XL, Wonder Woman or even Poison Ivy, Damage finds himself having to prove fans that he’s not to be taken lightly. While fun at times, it also made for some truly awkward dialogues too. In fact, it’s safe to say that there’s some truly cheesy lines (referring to the puns in particular) thrown in there that didn’t help me take this character too seriously. Don’t get me wrong. Damage still turns out to be a fun addition to the DC Universe, especially since it is DC’s real attempt to have a giant ugly monster playing hero, or at least trying to play hero.
Damage: Out of Control sets the table for its first new hero, but still has to find its groove regarding Ethan Avery’s character and story. Even if there’s lots of punching going around, there’s still an underlying plot teased in this volume that could potentially turns thing around for Damage.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
September 30, 2018
'Damage Vol. 1: Out of Control' by Robert Venditti with art by Tony Daniel is part of the DC New Age of Heroes line. Once you start reading this, that will seem like a confusing title for this character.
Ethan Avery volunteered for a project with the military called 'The Damage Project.' That should have been his first warning to run away. Instead, he got turned in to a monster that wreaks havoc blindly on everything around. The good news is that this only lasts for an hour, then he becomes poor old Ethan again and can't Hulk, er, Damage out again for 24 hours. After he wreaks some Havoc on Atlanta, Suicide Squad XL, then Wonder Woman tries to take him out. Damage makes pretty quick work of them and flees. This isn't what Ethan signed up for. Can he figure out how to control Damage and become a kind of hero?
There isn't much plot in this volume. It's kind of one big running slug-fest, and, yes, it is reminiscent of the Hulk. Honestly comics do this kind of thing all the time, so that didn't bug me. I kind of like the idea of a massive heavy hitter working alongside Superman and Batman. The Ethan persona needs to be given more to do. His character is flat and lifeless and we don't really feel a lot of sympathy for this hapless guy who signed up for the wrong experiment.
I did really like the art in this. The Damage character looks a bit like Doomsday without the spines, and that joke is even made along the way.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Ethan Avery volunteered for a project with the military called 'The Damage Project.' That should have been his first warning to run away. Instead, he got turned in to a monster that wreaks havoc blindly on everything around. The good news is that this only lasts for an hour, then he becomes poor old Ethan again and can't Hulk, er, Damage out again for 24 hours. After he wreaks some Havoc on Atlanta, Suicide Squad XL, then Wonder Woman tries to take him out. Damage makes pretty quick work of them and flees. This isn't what Ethan signed up for. Can he figure out how to control Damage and become a kind of hero?
There isn't much plot in this volume. It's kind of one big running slug-fest, and, yes, it is reminiscent of the Hulk. Honestly comics do this kind of thing all the time, so that didn't bug me. I kind of like the idea of a massive heavy hitter working alongside Superman and Batman. The Ethan persona needs to be given more to do. His character is flat and lifeless and we don't really feel a lot of sympathy for this hapless guy who signed up for the wrong experiment.
I did really like the art in this. The Damage character looks a bit like Doomsday without the spines, and that joke is even made along the way.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
October 14, 2018
Wow, this must easily be on the way to being DC's biggest-selling book, like, totally evs! It's got this super indestructible title character, who's a bit of a monster, but only for a one-hour shift each day. I mean, just look at him go – even his own controllers can't control him, not even in an Iron Man suit. So up comes the Suicide Squad! And you know what? Not even they can control him! So Wonder Woman comes along – and even other characters in the JLA get a whole word to speak, it's that amazing. Seriously, any fan of any series ever will jump on board here – and I'm not even joking?!
Er… except that I am. This is stodgy retreading of old ground. Yes, it jokes about how flippin' familiar Damage is, but it really is a Hulk rip-off, even if you factor in the human talking to the monstrous and the anima talking to the man inside that wants out, and the contrivance of the time limit. But everywhere you turn you find something over-familiar, or crap – or, of course, both. The woman in charge of it all would be called Amanda Waller except (a) she has a Nick Fury eye-patch, and (b) Waller comes in later. And then the whole trying-too-hard sugar rush completely collapses, as the second half of this book is a set of three monthlies where our hero and some new friends are faced with newly-made-evil Poison Ivy.
It's good that they've made her sexy again, or tried to; but it's not good that this is just a mess. This launch title for the so-called New Age relaunch proves that to be completely misnamed.
Er… except that I am. This is stodgy retreading of old ground. Yes, it jokes about how flippin' familiar Damage is, but it really is a Hulk rip-off, even if you factor in the human talking to the monstrous and the anima talking to the man inside that wants out, and the contrivance of the time limit. But everywhere you turn you find something over-familiar, or crap – or, of course, both. The woman in charge of it all would be called Amanda Waller except (a) she has a Nick Fury eye-patch, and (b) Waller comes in later. And then the whole trying-too-hard sugar rush completely collapses, as the second half of this book is a set of three monthlies where our hero and some new friends are faced with newly-made-evil Poison Ivy.
It's good that they've made her sexy again, or tried to; but it's not good that this is just a mess. This launch title for the so-called New Age relaunch proves that to be completely misnamed.
February 22, 2025
Damn, that artwork is amazing! The first artist doesn't last long, but the second one isn't bad either. The character has enough differences from Hulk to still warrant a read. Just don't expect anything groundbreaking.
Ethan Avery has a power he can barely control. Every 12 hours he can turn into Damage for 1 hour and can cause a lot of... damage. Hence, the name. His handlers were sure he could be restrained, used as a weapon in controlled bursts, but then we wouldn't have a story. Things start breaking when he escapes. His handlers led by Colonel James must recapture him, lest he cause mayhem in a nearby city. A voice in his head is the only thing that prevents him from going full Hul... wait, different comic. Yeah, you know what I mean.
Ethan Avery has a power he can barely control. Every 12 hours he can turn into Damage for 1 hour and can cause a lot of... damage. Hence, the name. His handlers were sure he could be restrained, used as a weapon in controlled bursts, but then we wouldn't have a story. Things start breaking when he escapes. His handlers led by Colonel James must recapture him, lest he cause mayhem in a nearby city. A voice in his head is the only thing that prevents him from going full Hul... wait, different comic. Yeah, you know what I mean.
June 16, 2019
Glad I got this as a trade instead of single issues. The art really falls in quality after Tony Daniel leaves after issue 3 and so does the story. The focus shifts from Jonas and the team she has hired to this unneccessary Posion Ivy/Gorrilla Grodd plot and and to me there was no reason for Swamp Thing except to get Ethan a ride up the river to D.C. but please have Damage do so some landscaping first for ST. I will not continue to pick up subsequent trades of this title but wanted to check it out since I am still reading Silencer and the Terrifics and enjoy them (and they are the last two titles left from the Age of Heroes line too).Lastly got six issues we, the readers, do not learn much at all about Ethan other than he wanted to be a super hero and that is why he volunteered for the Damage experiment that is not enough to get readers to care for what the protagonist is going thru to stick with the book; if Vendetti had better developed this character (I have to admit not sure how much pull he had in the writing maybe he just plotted it out and left Daniel, Nord and Nieves to add meat to the bones of this turkey) I might have picked up another trade.
January 17, 2020
Collects Damage issues #1-6
DC Comics created this new character a couple of years ago, and I probably would have skipped checking it out, if not for some friends' recommendations. I'm glad they did recommend it, because I ended up really enjoying it. This new character could be thought of as a DC version of Marvel's Hulk because it is about a young soldier that agrees to be experimented on for the sake of his country. This experiment led to him being able to transform into a super-strong creature (that kind of looks like the gray Hulk), but he can only keep this monstrous form for one hour. Plus, the creature has a mind of its own. Check out the blurb that opens every issue:
"Ethan Avery joined the military to become a hero, but instead was turned into a monster. Escaped and on the run, he's the one-hour weapon of mass destruction code-named Damage!"
That sounds pretty awesome, and I'm excited to read on in the series.
DC Comics created this new character a couple of years ago, and I probably would have skipped checking it out, if not for some friends' recommendations. I'm glad they did recommend it, because I ended up really enjoying it. This new character could be thought of as a DC version of Marvel's Hulk because it is about a young soldier that agrees to be experimented on for the sake of his country. This experiment led to him being able to transform into a super-strong creature (that kind of looks like the gray Hulk), but he can only keep this monstrous form for one hour. Plus, the creature has a mind of its own. Check out the blurb that opens every issue:
"Ethan Avery joined the military to become a hero, but instead was turned into a monster. Escaped and on the run, he's the one-hour weapon of mass destruction code-named Damage!"
That sounds pretty awesome, and I'm excited to read on in the series.
August 9, 2018
Damage Vol. 1 was a refreshingly different superhero tale for the DC universe. Faithful soldier, Elvis Avery wants to be a hero and volunteers for a secret military experiment. A monster is what he becomes for one hour at a time he wreaks havoc wherever he may be. Taking on the Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman, Damage is just a monster who wants to be left alone and defending the helpless when that is the only option. The art is easy on the eyes with splendid colors and clean, beautiful drawings. I found Damage intriguing, action-packed, and one exciting joy ride of a read. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
November 2, 2018
One of the better Hulk stories you are going to read was done by DC...?
Yeah, I'm as confused as you are.
And they aren't even subtle about it, yet it works. The lead is interesting, the art is really nice, great action scenes, and even the shadowy government group tracking Damage aren't as annoying as they usually are in these kind of stories.
It shouldn't work, but yet it is an entertaining read.
Maybe, marvel with their rainbow of Hulks just conditioned me to accept anything vaguely Hulk-ish, or maybe I just wanted an old school Hulk story when marvel wasn't doing much with the character, but this series is pretty good.
Yeah, I'm as confused as you are.
And they aren't even subtle about it, yet it works. The lead is interesting, the art is really nice, great action scenes, and even the shadowy government group tracking Damage aren't as annoying as they usually are in these kind of stories.
It shouldn't work, but yet it is an entertaining read.
Maybe, marvel with their rainbow of Hulks just conditioned me to accept anything vaguely Hulk-ish, or maybe I just wanted an old school Hulk story when marvel wasn't doing much with the character, but this series is pretty good.
August 2, 2018
This is a decent story. I mean, it rips off the Hulk from Marvel wholesale, but that said, there were some interesting interactions between Damage and other established players in the DC universe. I especially enjoyed the story arc bits involving Ivy and Swamp Thing. I think there is inherently a lot of potential with Damage, and I hope they go on to fulfill it in future volumes instead of just continuing to rehash story arcs that have been done for decades with Hulk comics, which is how this volume started but quickly moved away from.
June 14, 2019
This was awful. It’s clearly a Hulk analogue (he even says he wants to be left alone), and not a very good one. Every issue has a different artist, which I hated. And these New Age of Heroes books all out the artists first on the collection’s cover, which makes zero sense when you’re still doing different artists for every issue. Also, DC clearly has no faith in the concept since they decided to put a guest star in every single issue: Amanda Waller and the Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman and the Justice League, Poison Ivy, Gorilla Grodd, and Swamp Thing.
This was seriously just super dumb.
This was seriously just super dumb.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2018
Ethan Avery wanted to become a hero, so he joined the military where he became part of a secret weapons test. Now he becomes Damage and destroys for an hour and then need to rest for twenty-three hours. Ethan is not happy, so he escapes, knocks out the Suicide Squad and fights Wonder Woman to a draw in Atlanta. Interesting interlude with Poison Ivy and Swamp Thing that offers him new options. An interesting beginning for a different hero.
August 27, 2023
I like that DC is trying to focus on other superheroes, but like all the other reviews say: this is basically DC's version of the Hulk. I liked the art, but the story itself felt derivative and I'm not sure how I felt about the Poison Ivy depicted in this (I haven't read the part that intersects in the Batman comics so maybe it would make more sense), though I liked seeing Swamp Thing.
September 18, 2024
Damage started well enough, the art was great and I thought the character had potential. But then not only they changed the artist, but also a host of other DC characters started randomly appearing in the book, as if it was a playground for "characters who might help sales that don't look like a flying mammal".
Not impressed so far. I expected much more from Robert Venditti.
Not impressed so far. I expected much more from Robert Venditti.
November 17, 2018
Hulk combined OMAC combined with Hour Man gets you Damage.
It's a typical comic story bringing a new hero into DC...I'm just not sure why Metal is on the cover and if DC needed a Hulk when they have OMAC currently on the bench.
It's a typical comic story bringing a new hero into DC...I'm just not sure why Metal is on the cover and if DC needed a Hulk when they have OMAC currently on the bench.
June 24, 2020
This book is like the DC version of the Hulk story, though there is an element of the Suicide Squad to it (also guest starring). It could have gotten more into the head of the protagonist to make it more engaging.
September 13, 2021
Um...big man who destroys things and people. I GUESS it's a guy who doesn't really want to but he has to because big man and he fight for control? The story is non-existent. Very boring and the action isn't very great either. :(
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