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“Captain America: Brave New World” introduces us to a good number of Marvel heroes and villains, most of whom are decidedly less costumed than their comic book counterparts. For example, Shira Haas plays the Israeli hero Sabra while Giancarlo Esposito is the Serpent Society leader Sidewinder. But one slain character likely fell under a lot of fans’ radar: Dennis Dunphy, aka the forgotten Marvel sidekick Demolition Man.

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Better known as D-Man, Dunphy is introduced in the comics not as a sidekick to Captain America, but to Ben Grimm aka The Thing. In Grimm’s first shot at a regular solo series, D-Man is introduced as part of the UCWF (Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation): a wrestling league for people with superpowers.

Dunphy gains super strength from a drug peddled by the Power Broker, but winds up addicted to the same substance. After the late Mark Gruenwald left writing duties on “The Thing”, he continued D-Man’s story in “Captain America”.

After jumping titles, D-Man designs the superhero costume he becomes most well-known for: a mash-up that includes a mask copying Wolverine’s while the rest of his tights mimic Daredevil’s original red-and-yellow Silver Age costume.

He’s never referred to as D-Man or Demolition Man, but Dennis Dunphy (William Mark McCullough) lives and dies in “Captain America: Brave New World”. While not exactly a sidekick to Sam Wilson, Commander Dunphy is a Special Forces officer depicted as having a special rapport with the new Captain America. When things go sideways between Cap and President Ross (Harrison Ford), Dunphy is one of the few military personnel Wilson can turn to.

Sadly, Dunphy doesn’t live long enough to use Demolition Man or any other superhero names. He becomes a target of the vengeful Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) after Captain America tasks Dunphy to research the pills President Ross has been taking. Before Dunphy can relay the info that the pills are filled with the same gamma radiation that transformed Bruce Banner into the Hulk, Sterns uses a special instrument to interrupt Dunphy’s heartbeat, killing him.

Of course, while you shouldn’t hold your breath for the return of Commander Dunphy, “Captain America: Brave New World” is a comic book movie where the dead are only as dead as the writers will them to be. Dunphy’s comic book counterpart has returned from the dead before without explanation, so anything is possible.

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