Issue(s): Marvel Comics Presents #19 (Damage Control story only)
Cover Date: May 89
Title: "Overture"
Credits:
Dwayne McDuffie - Writer
Ernie Colon - Penciler
Al Williamson - Inker
Mike Rockwitz - Assistant Editor
Terry Kavanagh - Editor

Review/plot:
This short story is a preview of Damage Control, the repair company in the Marvel universe featured in a few satirical mini-series by Dwayne McDuffie (and all but the last with art by industry vet Ernie Colon; pretty much the only thing he did for Marvel). This issue has John Porter, who we'll see at his first day on the job in Damage Control #1, still as an independent competitor of theirs, and he's trying to convince Josie of the famed Josie's Bar and Grill, the window of which gets smashed on an annual basis in Daredevil, to switch over to his company.

He fails to close the deal after a grenade from a Daredevil/Turk fight blows up the bar...

...and it's instantly replaced by Damage Control.

But Porter gets a consolation prize: they offer him a job.

Satire is difficult in a shared universe. I used to hate the very concept of Damage Control because it took a serious question (how does New York constantly reset itself after every super-hero battle that blows it to smithereens?) and hand waves it away. But of course it's really just poking fun at the inherent conflict between Marvel's realism and its "world outside your window" setting. I enjoy the concept much more now and the issues are a nice change of pace from the more serious stuff. I do sometimes find that things get too goofy and Mad Magazine-y where i'd prefer a smarter type of satire but more on all of that when we get to the actual full issues. This is a good introduction; using Josie's Bar as a starting point was a perfect choice.

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - first Damage Control

Chronological Placement Considerations: 1989's Damage Control #1 has to get pushed back into 1988 due to the composition of the Avengers that appear in that issue, so this prelude, which shows John Porter getting hired, has to get pushed back as well. The MCP puts Daredevil's appearance here between Daredevil #252-253.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I love Damage Control, but I never read the first mini (I started with the Acts of Vengeance one). I wish they would be collected.

And I just thought how cool it would be if Zac Efron's "surprise" Marvel role ended up being John Porter. He has the looks, and can be handsome, serious and funny as needed. Seeing him go for a romance with rival Robin Chapel over a few seasons of a weekly DC sitcom would be nice.

Never gonna happen, though...

Crazy thought: Is the guy washing the window in the last scan supposed to be Stan Lee?

Damage Control in general, and Anne Marie Hoag in particular (I knew it was Damage Control the moment I saw her) get a part in Spider-Man Homecoming. It was nifty.

Is there Fluppy? Without Fluppy, there is no Damage Control. This is non-negotiable.