Damage (DC Comics)

Damage is the name of two different superheroes in the DC Comics Universe. The first, Grant Emerson, debuted in Damage #1 (April 1994) and was created by Tom Joyner, Bill Willingham, and Wayne Faucher. The second, Ethan Avery, debuted in Damage #1 (March 2018) and was created by Robert Venditti and Tony S. Daniel.

Grant Emerson (Original Damage)

Grant Emerson, also known as Damage, is a metahuman possessing superhuman strength, speed, and durability, as well as the ability to generate powerful concussive blasts of energy. His powers are derived from Project: Atom, a government program that created metahuman soldiers. Grant is the son of Al Pratt, the Golden Age Atom, and All-American Girl. He spent much of his early life unaware of his powers and lineage, believing himself to be an ordinary teenager. His powers manifested during a traumatic event, and he subsequently became the hero Damage. He has been a member of the Titans and Young Justice.

Ethan Avery (Second Damage)

Ethan Avery is a former soldier who was injected with a experimental formula called ATOM (Accelerated Total Organic Mass). This formula transforms him into a monstrous, hulking version of himself, significantly enhancing his strength, speed, and durability. However, this transformation lasts only one hour, after which he reverts back to his normal human form. The process is incredibly painful and takes a toll on his body. Avery has struggled to control the Damage persona and the destruction it causes. He is often depicted as a more reluctant and conflicted hero than Grant Emerson. The ATOM formula was designed to create a super-soldier, but its side effects and limitations make it a dangerous and unpredictable weapon. He briefly worked with the Suicide Squad.