Bunker was one of the biggest new characters introduced at the start of the New 52 era of Teen Titans. Created by Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth, Miguel Barragan helped form a new Teen Titans group alongside Red Robin.
But who is Bunker? The character spent a lot of time in the Teen Titans from the New 52 era right up until the Rebirth era, and DC certainly wanted to push him as part of their more diverse line-up of characters... but the character’s gone missing in the aftermath of Rebirth. Where’s he been, and what is he up to lately?
10 Was The First To Suggest Being In A Team
The original New 52 Teen Titans weren’t anything close to a team at first. Tim Drake noticed the actions of an organization hunting down teens with metahuman abilities and began trying to save them, but even then his plan wasn’t to create a proper team. But when Bunker met Tim Drake he immediately proposed the idea of them forming a permanent team that could do some good, and from there the Teen Titans were formed not long afterward.
9 Bunker Can Control The Density Of The Bricks He Creates
When people talk about the idea of someone having “energy bricks” as powers, the first thought most people have is that this ability can only be used offensively. But in actuality, Bunker has shown the bricks he makes aren’t just for attacking. They’re created by him so he can control the density, making them harder or softer as needed, meaning they can actually be used as a cushion to stop someone rather than to attack people.
8 Currently Running His Own Teen Titans Team
Bunker spent a long time after the end of Teen Titans vol. 5 basically being off the map. He made sporadic appearances in major event books but mostly no one knew where he was.
Even now, the character isn’t shown very often but his most recent appearance shows he’s gone back to working with the Teen Titans at the Teen Titans Academy. While the Academy is mostly about training the younger generation, Bunker appears to be responsible for running his own team alongside the other “upperclassmen."
7 Close Friends With Beast Boy
Bunker made friends with multiple members of the Teen Titans, but in Teen Titans vol. 5 he grew particularly close to Beast Boy. With no Cyborg around for Beast Boy to play off, Miguel became Garfield’s close friend instead. While the others often couldn’t take Gar’s constant joking for too long, Miguel’s more playful personality made it easy for the two of them to get along.
6 Saved Wonder Woman's Life
The New 52 gave a bunch of weird origins to every character from the ’80s and ’90s, like Cassandra Sandsmark, the Wonder Girl of the ’90s. Cassie was introduced to Cassandra from Greek mythology and learned that she was related to both Cassandra and Wonder Woman. Cassandra wanted the Staff of Asclepius to restore her voice, which she used to control people, but she’d lied to Cassie and told her she was going to use it to restore her dad to life.
After getting her voice back, she froze all of the Teen Titans in place and planned to kill both them and Wonder Woman next. But Bunker used his bricks to blow her voice with them, keeping them from hearing her next command, saving not only the lives of the Teen Titans but Wonder Woman as well. How many teen heroes can say they’ve pulled that off?
5 Bunker's Powers Are Based On Willpower
Miguel’s powers allow him to create psionic bricks and there doesn’t seem to be a limit to this power. He can create an infinite amount rather than being limited by a timer or a certain amount of built-in energy. Instead, it’s all based on his own willpower, which makes him similar to a Green Lantern. This means he can use his bricks to even create barriers to seal off weapons with the power to destroy entire city blocks.
4 He Can Make More Than Bricks
When people think of Miguel’s powers, they think entirely about his ability to make bricks. He makes brick walls, he can use bricks to fly, and other things that can be done solely through the power of brick creation.
But Miguel can actually create more than just bricks, he’s just young and hasn’t learned how to master his powers yet. Still, he can also assemble other items made up out of bricks, again making him similar to a Green Lantern. He’s shown the ability to create everything from hammers to giant hands or shields.
3 Despite Rarely Working With Them, Bunker Has The Confidence Of Older Teen Titans
Bunker has run into multiple different Teen Titans from older groups since his introduction. Each time he’s managed to impress them all. During the Death of the Family storyline, Roy Harper observed his abilities and thought he was a genius, and that he would eventually join the Justice League before he turned twenty years old. Meanwhile, Jason Todd witnessed how easily he demolished an entire prison facility and realized the true potential the teenager had but had yet to unleash.
2 Managed The Iceberg Lounge With Red Hood
For a time, Miguel disappeared from the Teen Titans comics and didn’t really have a place he could call his own. But he found a place within Red Hood: Outlaw after Jason Todd helped free him from prison. Jason took Miguel back to Gotham, where Jason took over the Iceberg Lounge from Penguin after shooting him in the face. For several issues, Jason ran the Lounge and had Miguel working for him. Miguel eventually quit once he learned the Penguin was being held in captivity by Jason, setting the Penguin free before eventually leaving.
1 Bunker Took Tim To His First Pride Parade
Recently, one of the biggest pieces of news coming out of DC Comics is Tim Drake coming out as queer. Though fans had long considered Tim as queer, canonically he'd only been acknowledged as straight. Still, when Tim Drake had a problem figuring out what to wear for an alumni event at his high school, he asked Miguel to help him avoid being a fashion disaster. Miguel was not only willing to help him out after they went shopping they both noticed there was a pride parade being held. The two of them attended without interference from the supervillains, and in the end, it was one of Miguel’s most fond memories of his time on the team, where Tim wound up making friends with every person there.
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