Approximate
Condition Profile
DC COMICS · 10/94 · DIRECT EDITION
UNIT ECA-013347
DAMAGE #0
Origin and first appearance of Damage (Grant Emerson), a Zero Month tie-in
// Unit specification
| Publisher | Cover date | Era | Variant | Key attribute | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC Comics | October 1994 | Modern | Direct Edition | First appearance and origin of Damage (Grant Emerson); Zero Month/Zero Hour tie-in issue | AVAILABLE |
// Copies in archive
| Unit | Grade | Variant | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECA-013347 | ~9.2 | Direct Edition | AVAILABLE |
// Condition analysis
Cover shows strong gloss and sharp corners with no visible creasing or spine stress. Colors appear vivid with no fading. A faint printing/production line is visible near the character's leg but this appears to be an inherent print artifact rather than damage. Interior pages and back cover were not assessed, so grade is based solely on the visible front cover.
// Valuation — market reference
| Bracket | Grade | Est. market value | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW_RAW | 0.5 – 1.5 | $2 | |
| MID_RAW | 4.0 – 6.0 | $4 | |
| HIGH_CERT | 9.8 SLAB | $55 |
// Archive commentary
Damage #0 is one of the many zero-numbered issues DC released in October 1994 as part of the companywide Zero Hour crossover, using the event to relaunch or introduce characters with fresh origin stories. This issue serves as the introduction of Grant Emerson, a teenager whose latent powers are triggered by an accident, transforming him into the volatile, super-strong hero called Damage. Written by Dan Jurgens with art by Duncan Rouleau, the book ties Grant's origin to the legacy of the Justice Society's atomic-age heroes, positioning him as a new addition to DC's ever-expanding roster of legacy characters emerging from the Zero Hour relaunch.
Despite functioning as a genuine first appearance and origin issue, Damage #0 has never developed the secondary-market demand associated with recognized first-appearance keys. The character found a niche audience through later appearances in the Teen Titans and Young Justice era and eventual Justice Society membership, but that following has not translated into meaningful collector premiums for this particular issue. Like most Zero Month specials, it was produced in ample quantities for the direct market of the mid-1990s, and copies remain plentiful in back-issue bins and online listings decades later.
The book's audience today consists mainly of Zero Hour completists, Justice Society and Titans-legacy character collectors, and readers assembling a full run of Dan Jurgens or Duncan Rouleau credits rather than speculators chasing appreciation. Raw copies in any reading condition are easy to source cheaply, and even top-graded slabs carry only a modest premium over ungraded material, reflecting a book that trades on completism and nostalgia rather than scarcity or blockbuster demand.
INQUIRE_ABOUT_THIS_UNIT
Institutional buyers, auction houses, and private collectors — direct line to the archive.