Damage Control #1 (May 1989)

When superheroes and supervillains battle, things will get broken. Buildings blasted, cars wrecked, streetlights upturned, and havoc will be raised. When those battles are over, somebody has to come in and clean that mess up. In the Marvel Universe, when that happens, you call in...Damage Control.

The concept of Damage Control was dreamed up by the late Dwayne McDuffie and also late Ernie Colon. McDuffie imagined it as basically a "sitcom" set within the Marvel Universe. As such, stories focused on the company tended to take on a more comedic tone. 

While not considered as "famous" a fixture of the Marvel Universe as, say, S.H.I.E.L.D., Damage Control did manage to make appearances in various media outside of comics. The group has appeared in video games, animated series (most notably Ultimate Spider-Man, which featured a character created in tribute to McDuffie), and even in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having been mentioned in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and agents of the company have appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Ms. Marvel. In 2015, ABC ordered a pilot based on Damage Control, which was to have been set in the MCU, but nothing came of it since.

The comic I'm looking at this week is the first issue of their first miniseries. They actually have had four so far: Two in 1989, the third in 1991, and their fourth was published in 2008, as part of the aftermath of the "World War Hulk" event. McDuffie wrote all four miniseries, with different artists: Colon on the two 1989 minis, Kyle Baker on the 1991 mini, and Salva Espin on the 2008 mini. Damage Control had also appeared in various comics over the years, befitting their function. And with that out of the way, let's look at Damage Control #1!

The cover is an Ernie Colon piece. 

The story begins on a normal day in Manhattan. Well, a normal day in the Manhattan of the Marvel Universe. Because a giant robot is on the loose.

Built by the supervillainous inventor known as the Tinkerer, it engaged in battle with Thor, Spider-Man, the Black Knight, and She-Hulk. The four heroes are able to stop the robot, but the city is left wrecked.

It's here we focus on a Mr. John Porter. Porter is on his way to the Flatiron Building for his new job. On his way inside, he ends up meeting a supervillain.

Thunderball of the Wrecking Crew, everybody! It's here we learn Porter's new place of work. He was given a job at Damage Control. They specialize in repairs and restoration, in particular after superhero/supervillain battles. After an encounter with the villain, he meets the head of Damage Control: Anne Marie Hoag. Thunderball has come to Damage Control for an unknown reason.

If you ever watched Spider-Man: Homecoming, Hoag appeared in that film, portrayed by Tyne Daly. She introduces Porter to another one of his new co-workers: Robyn Chapel. Thing is, she was up for the job that Porter was.

Chapel introduces Porter to his first client: a Mr. Robert Washington with the Port Authority. He's in tears because of the giant robot.

Oh...dear...

Inside, Spider-Man is trapped inside the giant robot. He was able to shut it down by going inside it and finding a control room. Black Knight and Thor try to free him, but to no avail. The heroes are contacted by another Avenger member at the time, Dr. Anthony Druid. Druid reveals that the robot was a commission for a man named Virgil Starkwell. He wanted to use it to attack a local auto show. Who knows why? Considering some men, likely a showroom model turned him down.

The Avengers go after Starkwell, leaving Spider-Man in the robot. No respect for the Wall-Crawler. They tell him to sit tight, though. They'll come back for him. Eventually. Porter is introduced to more members of the group: Comptroller Albert Cleary, and technician Eugene "Gene" Strausser. At a construction site, foreman Lenny Ballinger oversees some repairs. One of his employees touches a glowing orb. The orb acts like some kind of super-steroid, transforming the worker into a green Hulk-like muscleman. The man states that his destiny lies elsewhere and seemingly flies off.

As Ballinger himself says, "We lose more employees this way..."

That guy will be back. Ballinger is called over to help get the giant robot cleaned up. Strausser tries to open the robot up, but Cleary makes him stop. He has to check with legal. He fears if Spider-Man is injured, the Wall-Crawler could hold Damage Control liable. Porter has an idea. He had Gene build a little something earlier.

The robot gets up and gets on its feet. Porter's going to have it walk to a warehouse where it can be examined and disassembled, right? Well, not exactly.

Yup, he had the robot pull a Bumblebee. They're going to drive it over...forgetting Spider-Man is still trapped inside, and likely was crushed.

Naw, the Webhead is just fine. He's just in the trunk. He's shaken up, but none the worse for wear. And with the robot now being transported to a warehouse, it's just the cleanup remaining. That night, Chapel calls a truce with Porter. And as for the World Trade Center...

...oh, brother.

I enjoyed this issue. I admit, the concept of Damage Control is one that I like and makes perfect sense to me in a superhero universe. Somebody has to clean up the messes of superhero/supervillain battles, after all. 

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2015 trade paperback Damage Control: The Complete Collection.