History ComicBook / DamageControl

''Damage Control'' is a comic (in both senses) series published in intermittent bursts by Creator/MarvelComics. Created by Creator/{{Dwayne McDuffie}}, it offers a lighthearted look at the MarvelUniverse through the lens of a company specializing in rebuilding areas devastated by superhero-supervillain throw-downs. HilarityEnsues when abandoned bits of AppliedPhlebotinum are picked up, superweapons are accidentally activated, and super-villains won't pay their bills.

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: After Walter Declun took over Damage Control, he decided to generate more business by giving mutant growth hormone to supervillains to increase their powers and cause more damage as a result. This indirectly led to the Stamford incident, which in turn led to the infamous ''Comicbook/CivilWar'' story arc.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: John Porter, more than any of the other employees.
* ButtMonkey: Henry Ackerdson.

* CigarChomper: Lenny Balinger.

* SuperOCD: Edifice Rex, a cosmically-powered crewman, declares his newfound duty was to clean ''the entire planet''.
-->"A world where garbage bags have built in handles. Where zip-lock stripes turn green, to assure proper sealage. Where spray cleaner comes in a bottle with setting both spray and stream. So many gifts they have, so untidy they are. Rejected though I am, I will leave them with this gift: a world of perpetual neatness. With a place for everything -- and everything in its place!"

-->'''John Porter:''' "Actually, that's a pretty good point."

-->'''John:''' "LIGHTS OUT!"
-->(Lights go out, Thunderball hits the Wrecking Crew in the heads) ''*Bonk!* *Bang!* *Blam!*''

-->The City of New York tried to fix the George Washington bridge for 7 months. Then they called us.
-->We fixed it in one day. Before lunch.

* CelebrityEndorsement: One of Henry's proposed advertising campaigns was to center around [[Comicbook/IncredibleHulk Joe Fixit]], with the tag line "We Clean Up The Hulk's Messes, We Can Clean Up Yours". Needless to say, he wasn't pleased...

** In conversation, Black Goliath mentions that he was teased as a kid for being named "Tom", but he [[JustForPun grew out of it.]]

'''Lenny:''' Yeah, he had [[UnderStatement a little bit of a size advantage.]]

-->'''Lenny:''' "I always tell them -- when you [[BreakingTheFourthWall break the fourth wall]], the whole structure collapses."

* SuperOCD: Edifice Rex, a cosmically-powered crewman, declares his newfound duty was to clean ''the entire planet.''

-->'''xxx''': Did a shaved monkey just refer to me as a "toy"?\\
'''Robin''': Did a talking Dustbuster just call me as a "shaved monkey"?

* PersonalHorror: Penance of the Thunderbolts forces the team to leave Damage Control alone to avoid revealing his embarrassing secret. [[spoiler:That Bart knows his secret identity, and earlier suggested professional help for Penance's DarkerAndEdgier emo persona and SelfHarm tendencies.]]

%%* HilaritySues

* UncleTomfoolery: Happens to prim-and-proper Comptroller Albert in the movie adaptation. He files a lawsuit while the film is still screening.

* RidiculouslyFastConstruction: A company trademark, as featured in [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v420/Doop/marvelyearinreview/marvel_1989_the_year_in_review_p01.jpg this advertisement.]] [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that Damage Control often uses the super-powered gadgets, battle robots, and AppliedPhlebotinum they scavenge during their cleanups to expedite repairs.

* AdaptationDecay: One story arc involved a Hollywood producer who wanted to make [[TheMovie a movie]] about Damage Control. The results were less than faithful.

* CoolOldLady: Mrs. Anne-Marie Hoag, who hobnobs with [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]], stands up to ComicBook/TheKingpin, beats the living hell out of muggers, has survived multiple hostile takeovers and is best friends (and perhaps more) with ComicBook/NickFury and [[ComicBook/LukeCageHeroForHire Luke Cage.]]

* CoolOldLady: Mrs. Anne-Marie Hoag, who hobnobs with [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]], stands up to [[Characters/SpiderMan The Kingpin]], beats the living hell out of muggers, has survived multiple hostile takeovers and is best friends (and perhaps more) with ComicBook/NickFury and [[ComicBook/LukeCageHeroForHire Luke Cage.]]

* ComesGreatResponsibility: During one of Ackerdson's hair-brained schemes to brand the company, he gets the staff to dress up in spandex uniforms complete with capes. When one part of the scheme creates an underground flood, Porter and Gene are stuck when the elevator gets packed with regular crewmen. When Porter asks why he and Gene have to endure the flooding, the foreman exclaims "''You're'' the ones in the capes!"
-->'''John Porter:''' "He's got a point..."

* GenreSavvy: From the first issue, when a crewman foolishly picks up a glowing artifact that turns him into a cosmic power: "Yeah, can you send Legal over to the site? One of my guys just had an [[SuperheroOrigin Origin]]."
-->'''Lenny:''' "We lose more employees this way..."

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Happens to Albert in the movie. Played by [[Series/GoodTimes Jimmy "J.J." Walker]]. Albert was not thrilled either way.

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Happens to Albert in the movie. Played by [[GoodTimes Jimmy "J.J." Walker]]. Albert was not thrilled either way.

In October 2015, it was announced that a television series based on the title was in development at Creator/{{ABC}} by Ben Karlin (''Series/ModernFamily'') as a part of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. While it was initially intended to release in 2016 or 2017, the project was placed in DevelopmentHell due to the network re-evaluating its commitment to creating Marvel television shows. They ultimately made their first official appearance in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' as a [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction federal agency]] funded in part by Tony Stark.

''Damage Control'' is a comic (in both senses) series published in intermittent bursts by Creator/MarvelComics. Created by {{Dwayne McDuffie}}, it offers a lighthearted look at the MarvelUniverse through the lens of a company specializing in rebuilding areas devastated by superhero-supervillain throw-downs. HilarityEnsues when abandoned bits of AppliedPhlebotinum are picked up, superweapons are accidentally activated, and super-villains won't pay their bills.

In October 2015, it was announced that a television series based on the title was in development at Creator/{{ABC}} by Ben Karlin (''Series/ModernFamily'') as a part of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse. While it was initially intended to release in 2016 or 2017, the project was placed in DevelopmentHell due to the network re-evaluating its commitment to creating Marvel television shows. It was ultimately revealed that Damage Control will make their first official appearance in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' as a group funded by Tony Stark.