Demolition Man (character)
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Demolition Man | |
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Partnerships | Captain America |
Notable aliases | D-Man, Demolition Dunphy, Scourge of the Underworld |
Abilities | Skilled aircraft pilot Excellent hand to hand combatant Superhuman strength, stamina and durability |
Demolition Man (Dennis Dunphy), also known as D-Man, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2010) |
Dennis Dunphy first appeared in
Fictional character biography
Dennis Dunphy was born in
After the fall of the UCWF, Dunphy becomes the Demolition Man and teams up with Captain America to investigate Power Broker, Inc. His costume is intentionally designed so the body of it is a duplicate of Daredevil's first costume, and the hood is a knock-off of Wolverine's. He successfully rescues Captain America from Karl Malus and helps Captain America catch him.[6] Dunphy is captured by the Power Broker and is subjected to further treatments which augment his strength further but damage his heart. While under the influence of the stimulant, he goes mad and attacks Captain America. Dunphy suffers a heart attack, his second augmentation is reversed and he is hospitalized.[7] Dunphy then takes a step back from superhero activity to take over Captain America's hotline.[volume & issue needed]
Soon after this, Steve Rogers is stripped of his Captain America costume by the
When Dennis is finally released by the CSA, he seeks out the Captain, discovering that not only had his team disbanded, but that the East Coast
In a later adventure with
It was later established that Dunphy had become delusional and mentally unstable.[17] His intentions remain pure, but he had begun to believe that a "Cosmic Gamemaster" had asked him to retrieve the seven Infinity Gems, which D-Man carried out by stealing common jewelry. At Ben Urich's request, D-Man's hero Daredevil descends into the sewers and persuades Dennis to get some help.[18]
In Civil War: War Crimes, an unnamed newspaper carries the headline "D-Parted: D-Man On The Run After Whereabouts Revealed By Anonymous Tip".
Dennis was being considered as a "potential recruit" for the Initiative program, according to Civil War: Battle Damage Report.[19]
During the Dark Reign storyline, D-Man is shown to be serving in the U.S. military in his civilian identity and covertly in his Demolition Man costume. For a while, he inspires several of his fellow soldiers to operate covertly in costumes as well, but he puts a stop to it out of concern for their military careers. He continues operating by himself. How he recovered from the brain damage/mental instability he had been suffering from is unknown at this point.[20]
In a one-page strip in I am an Avenger #2, D-man attends a picnic at Avengers Mansion and competes in a pie-eating contest, besting The Thing, Protector, and Valkyrie.[21]
D-Man made an appearance in The New Avengers #7, while various heroes are being interviewed to be a nanny for Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. He appears to be spontaneously weeping and his only lines are "I am so lonely...", "I think I came off desperate before--" and "Does Captain America ever talk about me?". When Jessica Jones says her mind is made up on a nanny (Squirrel Girl), Cage quips "D-Man it is." to which she responds "Cute".[22]
Wonder Man recruits Demolition Man to join his Revengers.[23] All three Avengers team defeat Demolition Man and the rest of the Revengers and they are remanded to the Raft. Demolition Man claims the Grandmaster called him to reclaim the Infinity Gems from the Avengers and that the Avengers haven't been returning his calls leading him to be recruited into the Revengers.[24]
A brainwashed Henry Peter Gyrich chooses him to become the new Scourge of the Underworld.[25] Captain America tracks down the new Scourge and the two engage in an intense fight. During the altercation, Captain America recognizes his strength and voice and pleads with him to stop fighting. Demolition Man accuses Captain America of making deals with villains and providing them with new lives instead of punishment, and he takes control of the brawl and Captain America's shield. As Demolition Man is about to strike the killing blow, Sharon Carter arrives on the scene and fatally shoots him.[26]
Someone in Demolition Man's costume is seen as one of the heroes being mentored by
During the Secret Wars storyline, Dennis is accidentally resurrected by a young sorcerer who mistakes the name "D-Man" for "demon". After visiting the Avengers Mansion and meeting with Edwin Jarvis and Rage, he has the best day of his life, just before being killed by the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610.[28]
After the eight month
Lockjaw, the Inhuman's teleporting dog, recruits D-Man in an attempt to rescue Lockjaw's siblings. D-Man travels with Lockjaw across his home Earth and beyond. Eventually all the canine siblings gain a place of safety. One with the woman he loves, D-Man's elderly neighbor.[32]
D-Man is later seen as a security officer at the rebuilt Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane.[33]
Powers and abilities
Augmentation of Dennis Dunphy's physical attributes by Dr. Karl Malus on behalf of the Power Broker increased his physical strength, stamina and durability to superhuman levels. Dunphy possesses superhuman strength sufficient to enable him to lift at least 15 tons. He was addicted to a drug supplied by the Power Broker based on a lie that it was needed to stabilize his augmentation, but was used to keep him dependent on the Power Broker.[34]
He has a heart condition, increasing his vulnerability to excessive exertion.
Dennis is a skilled aircraft pilot. He is also an excellent hand-to-hand combatant, especially in wrestling, and received further training from Captain America.
Other versions
Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows
During the "Secret Wars" storyline in the pages of
Earth-398
When
Reception
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2017) |
Newsarama ranked Demolition Man as the ninth worst Avengers member describing him as having "the power of pretty strong strength, constantly being confused for Wolverine and Daredevil, and as demonstrated in the first issue of Kurt Busiek and George Perez's Avengers run smelling so awful that no one wants to get within 30 feet of him."[37]
References
- ^ The New Avengers (vol. 2) Annual #1 (2011)
- ISBN 978-1465455505.
- ^ The Thing #28 (October 1985).
- ^ The Thing #34 (April 1986).
- ^ The Thing #35 (May 1986).
- ^ Captain America #328 (April 1987).
- ^ Captain America #330-331 (June–July 1987).
- ^ Captain America #336-337 (December 1987–January 1988).
- ^ Captain America #339 (March 1988).
- ^ Captain America #340 (April 1988).
- ^ Captain America #342 (June 1988).
- ^ Captain America #344 (August 1988).
- ^ Mark Gruenwald (w), Kieron Dwyer (p), Al Milgrom (i). "Icecap" Captain America, no. 349 (January 1989). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Captain America #384
- ^ Captain America #400-401 (May–June 1992).
- ^ The Avengers (vol. 3) #1 (February 1998).
- ^ The Pulse #13 (March 2006).
- ^ The Pulse #15
- ^ Anthony Flamini & Ronald Byrd (w), Scott Kolins (p), Scott Kolins (i). Civil War: Battle Damage Report, no. 1 (March 2007). Marvel Comics.
- ^ Marvel Assistant Size Spectacular #2 (March 2009).
- ^ I am an Avenger #2 (2010)
- ^ The New Avengers (vol. 2) #7
- ^ The New Avengers Annual 2011
- ^ The Avengers (vol. 4) Annual #1
- ^ Captain America (vol. 6) #12
- ^ Captain America (vol. 6) #14
- ^ AXIS: Hobgoblin #1-3
- ^ Secret Wars Too #1
- ^ Captain America: Sam Wilson #1
- ^ Captain America: Sam Wilson #15
- ^ "After Thirty Years, We Get To Meet Demolition Man's Boyfriend". www.bleedingcool.com. 10 November 2016.
- ^ Lockjaw (vol. 2) #1-4 (2018)
- ^ Ravencroft #1
- ^ The Thing #35-36
- ^ Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Avengers (vol. 3) #2
- ^ "The 10 WORST AVENGERS of All Time". Newsarama. Retrieved 2 September 2017.
External links
- Demolition Man at Marvel.com
- Demolition Man at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- Bibliography page for The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe containing Demolition Man
- Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe's article on Morgan Le Fay's alternate reality