Gunn is high level agent for ARGUS, an offshoot of Homeland Security in the DC Universe formed especially to deal with superhuman threats in the wake of Darkseid’s attack. Gunn reports directly to Amanda Waller, who has tasked Gunn to approach and recruit Francisco Ramon. Ramon hides a secret, but ARGUS has learned that Ramon gained superhuman vibrational powers after being caught in a boom tube during the first dimensional attack by Darkseid. Francisco’s brother Armando pulled him out of boom tube field and became the first casualty in the war after being killed by a para demon. In the five years since the attack, Francisco has tried to live the life of a normal teenager while discreetly using his powers.
Gunn projects a cool, calm, and authoritative image to persuade Ramon to accept ARGUS’ offer for training and charter membership in the agency controlled Justice League of America. Gunn shows he’s a company man by toeing the line when by putting Ramon through several tests at Waller’s urging, which do not go quite as well as Waller would have liked, thus putting Gunn in a bit of a stressful situation as Vibe’s handler.
Writer Sterling Gates provides a look into Gunn’s personal life when in the opening scene in issue #4 we find Gunn returning home to his husband Casey washing dishes. In this brief conversation we learn that Casey owns a construction related business. There is also some tension in the relationship. Gunn has been taking his ring off and leaving it at home in order to the relationship secret from people he fears would exploit it. On the other hand, Casey is willing to risk it. Later on Gunn reveals this is his second marriage when Vibe notices the wedding ring. This seems to infer Gunn’s first marriage was to a woman and that he came out as a result of some incident during that relationship. Based on his position at ARGUS and the exchange with Casey, Gunn seems to have a controlling nature.
Marriage equality existed in a hodge podge of individual states in the US when this comic was published in 2013.
The fact that Dale and Casey live in Detroit, MI, which in the real world which was not one of the states whichhad legalized it at the time made for an interesting insight into the United States of the DC Universe and the minds of the creators.
Dale Gunn originated as a supporting character of what is referred to as “Justice League Detroit” and had a small romance with Zatanna. His first appearance was in Justice League of America annual #2. Gunn’s creators are Gerry Conway and Chuck Patton. This version of the character debuted in Vibe #1 (2013)
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