Gunfire is one of the New Bloods, heroes indirectly created by the Bloodlines Parasites. He has the ability to agitate atoms, destabiliziaing them and causing them to explode.
History
Origins
During the Bloodlines event, Venev, one of the Bloodlines Parasites, is on the hunt in Metropolis airport. She consumes a luggage handler. A carelessly thrown piece of luggage from the dead man's inattentive partner stuns and entraps her in the cargo compartment of the plane. She emerges in Paris and in her human form, senses the power inside of Deathstroke.
She follows him to the Van Horn company building, where he is finalizing his order for new armor. While on the hunt, Venev attacks and slays the owner of the company. Andrew Van Horn, his son, arrives in the main office to talk to his father again about more environmentally friendly projects. He is attacked and seemingly killed. Venev notes how he has a 'familiar taste'.
Andrew soon awakens and with the assistance of two friends, realizes that something is inside what is now his company, slaughtering the employees. He creates a suit of armor and follows the trail of bodies. He encounters Deathstroke and thinking he was responsible, attacks. Both men are too well protected, thanks to Van Horn technology and fail to hurt each other. In the course of the battle, Andrew discovers his blasting powers and attempts to use them on Deathstroke. It isn't quite enough. Both men soon come to their senses and head off to battle Venev.[1]
New Bloods
Soon after this incident, Andrew's connection with the aliens draws him to Metropolis, where veteran superheroes are battling the creature that the parasites have brought forth. Andrew works with dozens of other 'New Bloods', people who have acquired powers when attacked. Eventually, the superheros are freed and the aliens are destroyed.[2]
Gunfire learns his father had profited from weapons sales to terrorists. He works to neutralize this and comes into conflict with 'Dominion', a former employee of his father's business. Dominion runs a group called the 'Oblivion Front' but Gunfire soon takes them, and Oblivion, down.
Gunfire was seen as one of the many prisoners in stasis tubes after the Ultra-Humanite, using the magic of Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt, conquers the world.[3]
Prometheus cuts off Gunfire's hands.
Infinite Crisis
In the events of "Infinite Crisis", the Secret Society of Super-Villains gathered an army to march on Metropolis during the "Battle of Metropolis". An army of heroes, including Gunfire, is gathered by the information broker Oracle. A massive battle ensues, with fatalities on both sides.[4]
The Day Evil Won
Around the time of the Final Crisis, Van Horn was active with the Blood Pack once again. After Hook was killed by "Prometheus", the Blood Pack went on a citywide chase across the rooftops tracking him down... only to be ambushed by the genuine Prometheus. In the attack, Prometheus pinioned van Horn and cut his hands off, before teleporting away. Although van Horn likely survived, it probably means the end of his heroic career.[5]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Horn discovers his powers.
Particle Agitation: Gunfire is able to agitate the atoms present in matter and either cause said objects to explode or convert a portion of their mass to directed blasts of concussive energy. Originally, the objects needed to have a topological focal point for the blasts (such as the tip of a crowbar or a metal pipe). Eventually, due to much of their mass being converted to energy, the objects tend to disintegrate. If Gunfire attempts to use an object without a defined topological focal point (i.e. perfect sphere like a snowglobe), it would become a timed explosive, like a hand grenade.
- Energy Projection: Andrew eventually learned he could use this power through his own body as a medium, causing explosive discharge by focusing his accelerant powers through his hands & forearms. Essentially, he himself becomes the firearm by agitating particle minutia in the air and dust around him to create explosive energy discharge.[6]
Notes
- Gunfire was created as part of DC's 1993 Bloodlines event, along with dozens of others, and had his own short-lived series.
- Gunfire's ability to convert matter to energy is similar to an ability possessed by Marvel Comics' Gambit.
Trivia
- On two separate occasions, Gunfire has opted to release a concussive force blast without using an object. He was able to agitate atoms in the air in front of his hands and released enough energy to send his father flying through a wall. This would seem to indicate that his abilities also function on non-solid materials, since air itself has no defined focal point.
Recommended Reading
Related
- 29 Appearances of Andrew Van Horn (New Earth)
- 22 Images featuring Andrew Van Horn (New Earth)
- Quotations by or about Andrew Van Horn (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Andrew Van Horn (New Earth)
Footnotes
  This character was one of the many superpowered individuals introduced during the "Bloodlines" crossover event, where a number of Alien Parasites invaded the Earth and inadvertently activated the Metagene in a number of people. While not necessarily all members of the "Blood Pack", this group of people has come to be known as the "New Bloods". This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the "New Bloods" category. |