DP 7
| DP7/Displaced Paranormals 7 | |
|---|---|
 Art by Doug Alexander | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics under their New Universe imprint |
| Schedule | monthly |
| Format | ongoing |
| Publication date | November 1986 to June 1989 |
| No. of issues | thirty-two One Annual |
| Main character(s) | See Main characters |
| Creative team | |
| Created by | Mark Gruenwald Paul Ryan Lee Weeks |
| Written by | Mark Gruenwald |
| Artist(s) | Paul Ryan Paul Ryan |
D.P. 7 was a 32-issue comic book published by Marvel Comics under their New Universe imprint from 1986 to 1989. Along with Justice and Psi-Force, it was one of the few New Universe title to last for 32 issues.
The title stands for Displaced Paranormals and refers to the seven main characters of the series (who never referred to themselves by this name since they didn't look to be superheroes, unlike Kickers, Inc.). All of them received certain superhuman powers as a result of the stellar phenomenon known as the White Event (later revealed in a Star Brand comic to be the result of an individual's attempt to give up a cosmic-powered weapon).
Main characters
- Randy O'Brien, nicknamed Antibody, was a medical resident who could project a dark figure of himself that flew, could become intangible like the Vision, and transfer its host's (O'Brien's) memories to another person by physical contact; antibodies could also share their experiences with O'Brien upon returning to his body. At the beginning of the series, O'Brien could only project and within limits control one of these entities. After the original was destroyed, five antibodies manifested themselves and gradually developed their own personalities. The series ended with O'Brien becoming an antibody himself. While living in the city, he and Charlotte Beck started dating, but Randy could not get over his racist Southern upbringing, and when he became an antibody himself, Charlotte did not want to date him.
- David Landers, nicknamed Mastodon, was a cheese factory worker who became stronger as new muscles grew into his body, an effect that caused him great pain. When on the run from the Clinic for Paranormal Research, Landers met another group of paranormals known as the ESPeople, and one of their members made his mind unable to be probed by telepaths. He had a crush on Stephanie, but felt that a relationship between then would be hopless.
- Jeff Walters, nicknamed Blur, was a fast food restaurant manager whose body vibrated so fast that he could not stand still. He required vast amounts of food for his accelerated metabolism and could also move at superhuman speed.
- Charlotte Beck, nicknamed Friction, was a dance student who acquired the power to make herself, anything she touched, and any other object she thought about within a limited range friction-free enough to make the object or person slide effortlessly. Over time, Beck learned to make her power object-specific or to increase friction to stick things together, and during The War was a special CIA operative.
- Dennis "Scuzz" Kazinski was a teenage dropout who produced an acid-like substance from his skin. He could increase his skin's production but not stop it, turning anything he wore into a tattered ruin within days and burning through a steel plate in ten seconds. By the end of D.P. 7, he became a member of the Cult of the White Event and attempted to stop Cure, another paranormal who'd acquired the power to remove others' paranormalities. The others stopped Scuzz from killing Cure, but not without Scuzz succeeding in severely burning Cure's hands through which his power had to be projected.
- Stephanie Harrington, nicknamed Glitter, was a housewife and mother of three who had the power to heal and energize others by physical contact. The use of this power was accompanied by the appearance of twinkling stars and when not used internalized itself to make Harrington superhumanly strong. She eventually became divorced from her husband who placed her in the Clinic and was recruited into the CIA during The War. Her husband agreed to take her back, but only because he secretly wanted her to cure him of HIV.
- Lenore Fenzl, nicknamed Twilight, was a retired Latin teacher whose body constantly produced "fatigue-poison inducing bioluminescence" that could paralyze and render unconscious individuals exposed to it. The amount of time would depend on how long one was exposed, and individuals with accelerated metabolisms like Walters would slow to normal speed. Fenzl's power required her to remain covered over her entire body at all times, and after leaving the Clinic for the second time became a special CIA agent during The War. She later discovered that exposing others to her bioluminescence renewed her youth and vitality. She was killed some time later.
Plot synopsis
Randy O'Brien first encounters David Landers when he's wheeled into the hospital in incredible pain. Landers rages until two dark arms spring from O'Brien's torso that restrain him long enough for O'Brien to give Landers a tranquilizer that renders him unconsciousness. The two compare their experiences, and O'Brien reads a classified ad for the Clinic for Paranormal Research, a facility designed to help individuals who've acquired strange abilities. Through his antibody (see above), he relays the information to Landers and they travel to the Clinic under assumed names. They are at first convinced of the Clinic staff's sincerity and are enrolled into Therapy Group D, where they meet Walters, Beck, Kazinski, Harrington, and Fenzl. Late one night, O'Brien's antibody intrudes on the Clinic staff, at least four of whom are paranormals themselves, and learn the Clinic has plans to make an army out of them, to be led by Philip Nolan Voight, the Clinic director who acquired the power to absorb and magnify anyone else's powers for his own use.
Therapy Group D fights off the Clinic staff and the paranormal Hackbarth* who can mainpulate others' nervous systems. They escape into the night and over the next year (twelve issues; unlike most comics, a year in the New Universe equalled a year in our own), the paranormals adjust to life with their powers. Scuzz runs away at one point; he and everyone else is eventually apprehended by bounty hunters and returned to the Clinic. O'Brien and Landers, the last two to arrive, find their friends have been behavior-modified to not remember their escape or the Clinic's ulterior motives. O'Brien and Landers defeat Voight and he disappears from the Clinic, although he later reappears to run for President in 1988. He uses his powers to win the election, but subsequently loses his power after a battle with a more powerful paranormal.
Without Voight and his senior staff (the aforementioned Hackbarth is in a coma, memory manipulator Charne was choked to death by an antibody, and telecognitive Speck was shot) to surreptitiously maintain order, paranormals at the Clinic soon form their own special interest groups/gangs (one is comprised of Clinic teenagers, one of African Americans, etc.). The potential for major disaster is soon fulfilled, and law enforcement soon comes in to shut the Clinic down, killing many of the patients in the process. By this time, most of the reformed Therapy Group D has struck out on their own. Many of them move into New York City trying to live normal lives, in the face of the public leeriness of Paranormals.
While in the city, some ongoing romances play out, while other Paranormals decide to become part of a superhero team. Except for Scuzz, the Displaced Paranormals are brought together after all paranormals are drafted into the United States Army after the destruction of Pittsburgh, believed to be caused by a nuclear weapon (though actually caused by another attempt to relinquish the Star Brand).
When the War is over, the Paranormals (that had not been cured) return to lives as normal as they can.
- - It is believed, by some, that the name Hackbarth was taken from a young boy who wrote to Marvel and asked that they use his last name for a character. Just a brief time after that letter, the character known as Hackbarth appeared. That young boy has since grown up to be known as screenwriter Adam Hackbarth.
Creators
Writers
- Mark Gruenwald - D.P. 7 #1-32 (November 1986-June 1989); D.P. 7 Annual #1 (1987)
Art
Cover art
- Paul Ryan - D.P. 7 #1-32 (November 1986-June 1989)