Damage #11 Review

Damage Fights Things ... Again. 

Writer: Robert Venditti
Art Team: Aaron Lopresti, Matt Ryan, Hi-Fi, Tom Napolitano
DC Comics
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Cover Price: $2.99


Here we are in this weird state where the New Age of Heroes books are being canceled left and right, making any informed reader question this line of books future going forward, yet Damage remains one of the few still standing. With no news of its demise on the horizon Damage sets his sights on fighting a version of the Justice League this month, set up from last issues cliffhanger, so let's get right into things and discuss what happens. 



So what exactly is still happening in Damage you ask now that Jonas is out of the picture and Damage has just run through the Damage facility that created him? Well, I hope you were in the mood for a whole bunch of punching and action because that is all you get this issue.

Normally I'm a huge fan of the action issues that fill comic book shelves. It was part of the appeal of the Damage title when these New Age of Heroes books were announced. I anticipated the title being action heavy. However, I appreciate said action more when it's earned and built up to through means of a story being told.  This comic book is twenty pages of fighting every single month. Very little else ever goes on in the story and eleven issues in its just filling pages at this point with no purpose. 

Just as the fighting seems to be coming to a close, and Damage may have a tiny advantage towards the issue's conclusion, everyone gets interrupted by DC Comics Big Blue Boy Scout setting up next issues showdown.  While that cliffhanger may excite some people, we've seen Damage take on Justice League members previously now in two separate issues prior to next months already. Unless the creative team is set to bring a resolution to this repeated 'problem' I'm tired of seeing Damage versus DC Heroes continue to do the "is he good" or "isn't he good" dance with no resolution and Damage just moving on.

The art continues to look pretty good in this book but doesn't turn the title into must-buy material. I would like to see them get some work on other DC books from here though. 

Damage remains a tough book to recommend just based on its lack of momentum in the story alone. The fighting is fine when it's built to in a story, but Damage seems fit to tell the story through fighting, and a timing mechanism that never impacts our story much in any meaningful way. If you followed this title from the start, and plan on seeing it through to its conclusion, that would be the only way I see this series being purchased at this point in time.

Bits and Pieces

Damage shows up again this month to punch the latest batch of guest stars around that appear in this title. While the art looks good, and the ending sets up a mildly intriguing issue next month, I don't think any of it will solve the main issue with this book ... there isn't much story left to tell.

5.0/10