It looks like Marvel will be grooming a very different kind of network television series for the Marvel Cinematic Universe soon. Official Hollywood source, Variety has just confirmed that the network has given a pilot order to a television adaptation of Marvel Comics series, Damage Control.
As the title suggests, Damage Control is about the poor saps who have to clean up in the wake of a big superhero battle. The fictional organization has enjoyed considerable success since the Damage Control organization first appeared in 1989’s Marvel Comics Presents #19, where it’s since headlined four limited comic book runs. Damage Control even showed up as a subject in one of the first episodes of the popular Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon that airs on Disney XD, where Spider-Man temporarily joined their ranks, after a botched mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. Personalities from Damage Control are also playable in recent video game release, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes.
Some early information on the series, which will be a half-hour sitcom set in the MCU, mentions some of the work that Damage Control is already planned to do in the show. This includes returning a lost ray gun, trying to hastily re-book a wedding after the venue is vaporized, and trying to track down a stolen parrot that was also turned to stone. Clearly, given recent high-profile superhuman developments in the MCU, this is only the beginning of Damage Control’s problems.
If it goes to series, Damage Control will join two dramas in ABC’s lineup that are also set in the MCU, those being Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and mini event series, Agent Carter, as well as potentially another hour-long drama that is planned to spin off from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Most Wanted.
It’s quite likely that the push behind Damage Control is also meant as a way for ABC and Marvel to develop a competing half-hour comedy series for Marvel’s shared movie/TV universe, after their rival superhero corporation, DC was recently announced to be working with NBC to develop a DC Universe-set half-hour sitcom called Powerless, which will involve an insurance company that specializes in super-powered cases, essentially being a white collar variant to the blue collar Damage Control. Damage Control would in theory have a slight advantage however, since any event or character in the MCU would be fair game for the series, between both Marvel’s movies and television shows, while DC’s series would likely be barred from using characters whose TV rights are owned by competing networks, as well as characters that Warner Bros. wishes to reserve for their shared DC Movie Universe, which is separate from the universes of DC’s television shows, all of which are self-contained, save for Arrow and The Flash sharing a universe, along with their upcoming ensemble spin-off, Legends of Tomorrow.
We’ll be sure to keep a close eye on the development of Damage Control, so call us at Eggplante for any updates on both this, and other Marvel Television projects.