DIRTBAG

Real Name: Darrell Schissel

Identity/Class: Alternate reality (New Universe) human paranormal

Occupation: Soldier

Group Membership: U.S. Army, Paranormal Platoon

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Dave Landers, Colonel Meyers, Swami

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Fort Benning, Georgia, USA

First Appearance: D.P.7 I#27 (January, 1989)

Powers/Abilities: Darrell had the parability to control dirt with his mind. He could cause dirt particles to fly through the air, forming them into a cloud of dirt. By forcing dirt particles into people's throats he could asphyxiate them.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'11")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 180 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown

History:

(D.P.7 I#27 (fb) - BTS) - Darrell Schissel discovered he was a paranormal following the White Event (July 22, 1986). At some point after the draft was reinstated in early 1988, Schissel was drafted into the U.S. Army. Because he was a paranormal, he was assigned to the Paranormal Platoon at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he received the nickname "Dirtbag." At some point Schissel murdered a man. As punishment, he was transferred to the Army stockade at Lawrence Rochefort Dentention Facility. His fellow prisoners were Dave Landers and Hamilton Hart ("the Swami").

(D.P.7 I#27) - When Landers attempted to strike up a conversation with Schissel about the murder he'd committed, the guards ordered them not to speak to each other. Schissel, Hart and Landers were finally confronted by Colonel Meyers. Meyers offered to drop all criminal charges against the three of them by sending them in search of a civilian scientific research team from the Smithsonian Institute who had gone missing while exploring the area of the Pitt. Colonel Meyers had the three men transported by helicopter to the Pitt and supplied the three men with enough food for five days, then set them down nearby the volcano that had begun growing in the center of the Pitt where Pittsburgh had once stood. Meyers told them if they didn't find the scientists in five days, they would airdrop more food but the men wouldn't be picked up until the mission was completed.

    As Landers, Hart and Schissel tried to assess the situation around the Pitt, Schissel noted the sky was so full of dirt, soot and ash that they couldn't see very far. Rather than continue the mission, Schissel suggested to the other two that the entire mission was false and there were no missing scientists. Schissel noted the three of them weren't Army material and would never be considered fit for duty. He saw the Army as having three options: first, to lock them up but that would be difficult and expensive due to their paranromal abilities; second, to execute them, but it might harm morale among the other paranormal soldiers; third, to send them on a wild goose chase and abandon them there permanently. Schissel noted they only had food for five days and there was little chance they could climb up the side of the Pitt; after 20 days, they'd starve to death and the Army's problems would be over.

    Schissel declared he was going to take the opportunity to try and escape, since the Army wouldn't be able to determine whether he died or not. Schissel left Landers and Hart behind as he set out to scale the Pitt. When Landers came in search of him, Schissel hid from him then doubled back and summoned up a cloud of dirty to asphyxiate Hart. Once Hart was dead, Schissel took his food, giving him enough for 10 days.

    Next, Schissel started stalking Landers, taking advantage of all the dirt and ash in the environment to surround Landers. Landers quickly remembered Schissel could be responsible for the clouds of dirt and fell down to cover his face. When Schissel thought Landers was dead he snuck out of hiding to steal Landers' food but the moment he touched Landers' gear, Landers sprang up and grabbed Schissel by his hands. Schissel summoned a large cloud of dirt to try free himself from Landers but in doing so he caused a rock that was caught in the dirt storm to hit him in the head. Schissel collapsed and his dirt storm went with him but he had disturbed so many of the rocks around him that it caused a landslide. An avalanche of rocks fell on Schissel and smashed him in the head, killing him.

Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Ryan and Danny Bulanadi.

   

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Dirtbag should not be confused with:

images: (without ads)
D.P.7 I#27, page 24, panel 1 (main)
D.P.7 I#27, page 18, panel 3 (face)
D.P.7 I#27, page 21, panel 6 (powers)

Appearances:
D.P.7 I#27 (January, 1989) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (penciler), Danny Bulanadi (inker), Howard Mackie (editor)

First posted: 10/28/2026
Last updated: 10/28/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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