SPOILERS AHEAD FOR MS MARVEL EPISODE 2, IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE EPISODE YET SAVE THIS POST AND COME BACK TO IT AFTER YOU HAVE WATCHED THE EPISODE.

Ms Marvel may have found its villain, or at the very least, has found an antagonist – the Damage Control team – and it’s not the first time we’ve seen them in the MCU either.

Damage Control, known in the MCU as the U.S. Department Of Damage Control (D.O.D.C.), has appeared previously in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: No Way Home. To be specific the D.O.D.C. were the ones who stopped Vulture from clearing up the Battle Of New York mess, and the ones who arrested Peter Parker.

And now they’re going after Kamala Khan.

But, just who are Damage Control? Are they villains? And who even created them in the first place?

I’ve got all the answers to your questions!

Who Are Damage Control?

Damage Control in the comics is a construction company tasked with cleaning up the mess after battles between superheroes and supervillains, they also keep hold of technology owned by powered people who are considered missing or dead, as there is no real chain of custody for them.

The MCU version does a similar job, in the sense that the D.O.D.C. helps clean up superhuman messes after various battles, though it is not clear as to what they do with the weaponry they find.

Who Created Damage Control?

In real life, the Damage Control series was written by Dwayne McDuffie, and in the comics, the company was created by Anne Marie Hoag (who we see briefly in Spider-Man: Homecoming), but the company was co-owned by Tony Stark and Wilson Fisk. Both owners owned half the company, and though it was an uneasy alliance, it ensured that the company was neutral in conflicts.

What Does Damage Control Want?

Originally, they wanted to clear up the mess made during various conflicts between hero and villain. But, when Hoag left the company, things started going downhill, as both Tony and Fisk also left because neither of them trusted Hoag’s replacement, Robin.

Another company, Carlton Co, bought Damage Control and in the process of trying to make it more profitable, angered a lot of employees and nearly ran the company into the ground. It was then bought by S.H.I.E.L.D., but that didn’t stop more corrupt investors stepping in and using villains/the technology the teams had gathered to create more profit for themselves.

At the moment, Damage Control is owned by Anne Marie Hoag and is staying out of trouble and focusing on fixing damage caused by heroes and villains.

Are Damage Control Villains?

It really depends on the comic you’re reading! Mainly, the company is a good one, but it does occasionally slide to more morally grey territory, depending on who’s running things. Generally though their comics are silly and fun, and filled with fun down-to-earth worldbuilding elements, such as the fact that Doctor Doom owes the company a lot of money for all the damage he’s caused over the years.

As for the MCU, only time will tell if they’re going to be an obstacle to our heroes, a villain, or just a company trying to sort things out.

Where Can I Read More about Damage Control?

The absolute best thing to read is Damage Control The Complete Collection by Dwayne McDuffie, as it collects every major appearance of the company, including their solo series. But, be warned – it does contain the aftermath to World War Hulk, Acts Of Vengeance and Civil War, so be prepared to need to give those a read too!