DNAgents
A comic book written by Mark Evanier and drawn by Will Meuginot, published in the 1980's. The series featured five genetically engineered super-beings created by the Matrix Corporation, originally intended as super-agents. It was one of the early creator-owned series published by Eclipse Comics. The main series lasted 41 issues with a renumbering, plus special issues and miniseries.
The team members were:
- Tank: Super-strong and had a suit of light powered armor.
- Surge: Energy blaster.
- Rainbow: Telepath and illusion-caster
- Amber: Flight and energy projection
- Sham: Shapeshifter. The youngest looking of the group.
The creators wanted it to be adapted to television, but it never got anywhere, if only because the television producers insisted on Executive Meddling.
Tropes used in DNAgents include:
- 3D Comic Book: Eclipse published a special 3D issue.
- Bat Family Crossover: Crossfire, star of another series by the same creators, was Rainbow's boyfriend, and they had several crossovers.
- Born as an Adult
- Broken Masquerade: The existence of the DNAgents is revealed to the public relatively early in the series.
- Cast Speciation: The team didn't have a traditional Five-Man Band but they do have five members including one strong guy, one shapeshifter, one telepath, etc.
- Civvie Spandex: The cast wore the same outfits, which somewhat served as costumes, but they resembled normal clothes and didn't have logos (even of the corporation who made them) or capes.
- Cloning Blues: When Angela Krell was revealed to be artificial as well.
- Intercontinuity Crossover: An unofficial one with The New Teen Titans, featuring "Project Youngblood" as the Titans equivalent in the DNAgents' book, and "The Recombatants" as DNAgents equivalents in the Titans' book.
- Gene Hunting: One storyline had some of them finding their genetic parents.
- Genetic Engineering Is the New Nuke
- Meaningful Name: Justified since they were created with powers.
- Personality Powers: Surge has electrical powers and is the hothead. Sham has shapeshifting powers and a very weak sense of self. Tank is the naive strongman.
- Powered Armor: Worn by Tank to enhance his strength.
- Secret Project Refugee Family
- Team Pet: Snafu
- Younger Than They Look: Crossfire once prevented a porn magazine from publishing pictures of Rainbow by pointing out that she is chronologically five. A reader then pointed out that, being her boyfriend, he would be in more trouble than the magazine. This was never followed up on.