Daniel Dunbar (New Earth)
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Contents |
History
Danny Dunbar was the star pupil of Thomas N. Thomas, a high school chemistry and physical education teacher.
One evening while Thomas and Dunbar are working on an experiment, Thomas' hand accidentally touches Dunbar's and both teacher and student find themselves feeling more energized. Thomas realizes that each of them has somehow absorbed the chemicals with which they have been working. By touching each other, Thomas and Dunbar now become charged with an unknown form of energy and briefly possess superhuman powers.
They decide not to reveal their discovery publicly for fear that it would be misused. Instead, they use their new super-powers to fight crime as costumed heroes. Thomas becomes known as TNT and Dunbar as Dan the Dyna-Mite, and both join the wartime All-Star Squadron. Thomas and Dunbar each wears a "dyna-ring." By pressing the rings together, Thomas and Dunbar trigger a chemical reaction that temporarily charges the two heroes with energy.
In April 1942, TNT and Dyna-Mite battle Nazi saboteurs who are attempting to blow up a dam in Colorado. When the saboteurs flee in a car, the pair gives chase in their own auto. One of the bullets hits the tire of the heroes' car and it crashes and bursts into flames. The young hero Iron Munro pulls TNT and Dyna-Mite from the wreckage. TNT is already dead, and his spirit is carried off by the Valkyrie called Gudra (a member of Axis Amerika). Munro takes Dyna-Mite to a hospital, where he soon recovers.[1]
Danny is grief-stricken but bucks up when President Roosevelt requests that he and other young members of the All-Star Squadron take a cross-country tour to encourage the buying of War Bonds.[2] His depression is worsened by the assumption that without TNT, he can no longer use his own super-powers. Soon Danny learns he can activate them by wearing both dyna-rings and pressing them together.[3]
In his "golden years," Dan joins his childhood friends Neptune Perkins, Doiby Dickles, Merry Pemberton and the Cyclone Kids to form "Old Justice". They were all once sidekicks to older superheroes. They advocate abolishing teen super-teams and butted heads with Young Justice many times. Over the course of the Sins of Youth storyline, a rally in D.C. over this issue occurs. It is attacked and dozens of adult superheroes turn young and the Young Justice members turn adult. Old Justice, unaffected, find themselves having to supervise the chaotic crowd of younger heroes, with the aid of the now adult Young Justice. Temporarily working out the JLA HQ in Happy Harbor, everyone must deal with Klarion the Witch Boy, other younger supervillains and dozens of magically created monsters. It comes down to every available hand in a vicious battle in the snowfields outside an Alaskan scientific complex. At the end of the adventure, once Klarion is blackmailed into restoring the altered heroes, Old Justice realizes Young Justice really are worthy heroes.[4]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Energy Projection: Dyna-Mite could project blasts of concussive force from his body. Originally, this power required contact between his specially designed ring and that worn by his partner TNT. Following TNT's untimely death, Dan developed the ability to project waves of concussive force on his own. In addition, Dan could project charges of electricity from his hands.
- Energy Transference: Dyna-Mite could charge inanimate objects with energy, causing them to explode.
- Enhanced Strength: Dyna-Mite's strength level was greater than that of a normal human being. However, his strength level was significantly lesser than that of power houses such as Captain Marvel or Superman.
- Hyper-Reflexes: Dyna-Mite's speed, agility and reaction time was significantly greater than a normal human being. However, this ability was not an aspect of super-speed, and he did not share a connection with the Speed Force.
- Superhuman Durability: Dyna-Mite's body could withstand injury and physical exertion far beyond that of a normal human being.
Abilities
- Chemistry: Dyna-Mite was a student of chemistry, but he would not be considered an expert in the field.
Strength level
Superhuman: Daniel Dunbar possessed superhuman strength as a side effect of his powers. As he grew older however, his strength began to wane.
Paraphernalia
Equipment: Dyna-Mite wore a costume composed of Fibro-Wax, which insulated from the effects of his own concussive blast powers. During his early adventures with TNT, Dyna-Mite could only access his power through the use of a specially charged ring. TNT wore a similar device, and when the rings made contact with one another, each of them were able to tap into their powers. Following TNT's murder in 1942, Dan developed the ability to use his powers without the use of the ring.
Notes
In an alternate reality, Dan Dunbar's body was used by a villain to house his brain, posing as the new "superhero" Dynaman.[5]
Trivia
- No trivia.
See Also
- Discuss Daniel Dunbar (New Earth) on the forums
- Appearances of Daniel Dunbar (New Earth) (Chronological)
- Appearances of Daniel Dunbar (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Daniel Dunbar (New Earth)
- Images featuring Daniel Dunbar (New Earth)
Recommended Reading
- None.
Links and References
Footnotes
- ↑ Young All-Stars #1 (Jun 1987) DC Comics.
- ↑ Young All-Stars #3 (Aug 1987) DC Comics.
- ↑ Young All-Stars #6 (Nov 1987) DC Comics.
- ↑ Young Justice #16 (Jan 2000) DC Comics.
- ↑ Golden Age Vol 1
