Damage - Hiding Behind The Mask

It took me a long time to learn how take the mask off. I was one of those people that was acted one way for one group of people and wore a different mask for another group of people. I could not find people that actual knew me. There was no integrity within me. I learned how to be myself in every situation. How did I do this? By sitting down and getting to know myself. Becoming brave enough to speak my inner truth.

Hiding behind the Mask

“If I somehow make it out of this thing alive… I don’t want to hide behind this mask anymore." - Damage

Some heroes are so horribly disfigured they have to hide behind a mask. This is the case of Grant Emerson. Grant was a high-school student when his powers manifested. He could blow things up. He was raised by an abusive man and has suffered the loss of family and friends. It turns out his father was the original Atom -- Al Pratt. Grant Emerson realizing he could blow things up took the moniker “Damage”. His unique powers have been very useful in many major events and he has saved the universe on occasion. The villain Zoom tried to make Grant a better hero by disfiguring his face. Grant had to don a mask to hide the horrible scars. Then Grant met Sonia Sato – Judomaster. She looked beyond the mask and beyond the scars and fell in love with the true man. Grants life was not so damaging. But during the “Blackest Night Event” Grant lost his life.  Now Grant's dedication and true self inspires Sonia and friends to continue to fight the good fight.

It's better to be ourselves to let the world see the scars, to see the pain, to see the emotion. There are people in the world that will not understand and will be offended by our true selves. Let them be offended.  As we meet and get know people we can become better at judging who is accepting and who is not. Traveling on a true spiritual path would involve shedding the mask and being oneself in the light of the new day. Letting the world see us for who we truly are – a human being. If we all could shed our masks we would find that we all share the same emotions, feelings, and desires. We would find and see that we are all on the same spiritual journey and so why walk that path alone.

Damage

First Appearance: Damage #1 DC Comics (April 1994)

Last Appearance: Blackest Night #4 DC Comics (Dec 2009)

Creators: Tom Joyner and Bill Marimon

 * JSA All Stars #7, August 2010