DOOM PATROL #1 / METAL MEN
Written by Keith Giffen; co-feature written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis; Art by Matthew Clark; co-feature art by Kevin Maguire; Cover by Matthew Clark; Variant cover by Matthew Clark and Kevin Maguire
The Doom Patrol’s latest incarnation is possibly the darkest, most bottomed out version we’ve seen yet. As depressing as it is to see the characters no longer care for themselves in regards to their own personal welfare, it almost seems like they’re simply going through the motions of living, if it can even truly be called that. Considering the number of times they’ve died and weirdness they have survived, it’s a wonder none of them are locked up in Arkham Asylum on suicide watch.
Of course with their history, I can’t really blame them and their state of mind or situation. Last seen in Teen Titans Vol. 3 (One Year Later) #35-37 and 52 Aftermath: The Four Horsemen #1-4, the Doom Patrol had just barely been retconned yet again during the events of Infinite Crisis (Teen Titans Vol. 3 #32), where the Doom Patrol’s history re-aligned and made “All” Doom Patrol stories cannon (it’s a long story, of which I’ll be coming back to).
Back to the new issue (and new #1), as I said they’re all in a dark place, of which they seem to try and ignore to lesser success. Within the first part of the story, we’re introduced to “Dusty” Marlow, support and transportation for the current Doom Patrol consisting of original members (or reasonable facsimiles, more on that later as well) Cliff Steele AKA Robot Man, Rita Farr AKA Elasti-Woman (formerly Elasti-Girl), Larry Trainor AKA Negative Man, and John Byrne Era DP’s Mi-Sun Kwon AKA Nudge and Henry Bucher AKA Grunt. As seen in the preview in several DC comics and DC’s the source, they’re mid mission searching for Dr. Amanda Beckett, who’s creating genetically engineered “Botflies”, some kind of creepy human/ insect hybrids. After an exchange of displeasantries between Dr. Beckett and the Doom Patrol, she strips down to her underwear (much to Larry’s pleasure) and morphs into a hybrid monster (much to Larry’s dismay) and attacks them. Reading between the lines here though, I almost wonder if Dr. Niles Caulder AKA the Chief (Leader and mad scientist of the Doom Patrol, formerly dead?) is not sending the Doom Patrol to stop her for the good of humanity, but rather either Beckett being an ex lover or just a fellow mad scientist he simply wants to kill out of spite. While leaving, Nudge explodes in a bloody mess in front of Grunt gunned down by one of three helicopters attacking them as they escape, Grunt runs off into the woods with what’s left of her corpse screeching and howling (they leave him behind).
Once back at home base, Oolong Island (tropical mad scientist haven and playground), Chief sends Father Leslie “Rocky” Davis (of the Challengers of the Unknown fame) to evaluate the members without “Exacerbating existing traumas..” as Chief eloquently puts in his email to Rocky. What follows are snippet’s of the personalities and mental damage the individuals carry around with them. Giffen’s managed to put DP and their history and characters in a blender, and clearly that’s how they came out, mixed up and messed up. Still, the story harkens back to the original series, while maintaining modern versions still in play. Not bad for a series that’s gone through strange permutations and publishing label jumps (from DC to Vertigo to back to DC). The “Doom” is back in Doom Patrol.
All in all, not a bad start and I’m going to stick it out to see what happens, especially with the final page reveal that they’ll be sent out next issue to negotiate with a black hole!
THE METAL MEN
The Metal Men nearly steal the show in the second half of the book. Doc Magnus and the Metal Men are another one of my favorite kooky teams of the DCU, after some lukewarm restarts over the years, post 52 we’ve got the best set up for the characters returning to their roots and adding to the concept without loosing the original.
Dr. William “Will” Magnus, now living in a suburban community is subjected to a “neighborhood” meeting with concerned neighbors who want Doc and the Metal Men out of their community. Seems they’re not as of yet at least concerned about the possibility of Supervillain attacks, but rather the “mettle” their made of, in regards to being strange and that one of the local children ran up and licked “Lead”. Ah kids do the darndest things! The set up here is great, harkening back to old TV sitcoms (like I Dream of Jeannie or the Addams Family) and runs through the story, it’s a perfect fit for the characters and doesn’t feel stale or dated, just right if you ask me.
Meanwhile, the Metal Men themselves are out on an assignment in Brazil where they’ve unfortunately awaken Zummazumma the Living Idol. Tin the least fortunate of the bunch has become not unlike flattened gum upon the foot of Zummazumma, most likely in some feeble attempt to stop the Idol or perhaps just the first to fall. A museum in Sao Paulo has paid them to recover a large ruby from a pedestal (simple right), much to Mercury’s dismay, Lead who removed the ruby and set off the Idol didn’t stay awake to watch the Indiana Jones movies to learn bad things happen when you commit to such a simple act.
As the group try and stop the Idol, Copper (newest addition to the metal family) tries to get the others attention (they don’t know who she is or that she was on the flight over with them, thanks to their “human” personalities), after giving them a refresher, she melts herself over the Idol’s eyes to assist in stopping the rampaging monster (they end up losing the ruby and looking around the jungle for 12 hours for it).
After a battle that was more shenanigans than tactical takedown, the Metal Men return home where Doc repairs Tin. Also, the hot-headed Mercury is off his “Meds” and is overly emoting according to Doc. To which Mercury throws back at the Doc who’s on medication himself due to his delicate mentally unstable mind. Meanwhile, Platinum (now calling herself “Tina”, cooks up Doc a “Tofu Turkey” dinner, in hopes of “seducing” the good Doctor (ah Tina, will Doc ever love you, despite not being a robosexual?)
The Metal Men feature reunites Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire, formerly known for their crazy Justice League run. The story is brilliant and fun, comparable to Venture Bros as the most modern example I can think of. As much as I liked the Doom Patrol story, their Metal Men really almost overshadows the main feature. Pick it up, its great!
Welcome to your DOOM!
A brief history of DP.
Who are the Doom Patrol? It’s a bit of a complex answer really.
Originally appearing in the series “My Greatest Adventure” issue #80 in June of 1963, the 60’s “freaks” of science first assembled under the Chief to stop a bomb (probably set by Caulder himself, as it was later revealed that he was the one behind their “accidents”). After 41 issues and strange adventures involving a geriatric madman named General Immortus, plastic men, evil robots, a human brain in a bucket and a talking French gorilla, the Doom Patrol lived up to their name, dying at the hands of former Nazi U-Boat captain, General Zahl. Interesting side note, the creators book-ended the story in a meta way, later to be used by Grant Morrison, though many DC stories crossed this line.
Years later in 1977 (specifically in Showcase #94), it is revealed that Cliff “Robotman” Steel was the only survivor of the explosion that killed DP. After being rebuilt by Doc Magnus (of Metal Men fame), he returns to DP’s home base to find it inhabited by a new Doom Patrol, now run by Arani Desai, who was married to Niles Caulder (well, at least according to her). She’d assembled the New Doom Patrol to protect herself from Immortus, as she had the immortality serum coursing through her veins that he desperately needed. After a shift in mission statement and addition of new DP members, Arani begun a mad quest to find her husband, the Chief after finding evidence he could still be alive…. To be continued next week!
DC COMICS IN STORES 8/12/2009
DC/ JOHNNY DC
* ACTION COMICS #880
* ADVENTURE COMICS #1
* BATMAN #689
* BATMAN: HUSH
* BLACKEST NIGHT #2 (OF 8)
* BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN #1 (OF 3)
* BOOSTER GOLD #23
* CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #40
* FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: ESCAPE #4 (OF 6)
* GREEN ARROW AND BLACK CANARY #23
* GREEN LANTERN CORPS #39
* JSA VS. KOBRA #3 (OF 6)
* THE LAST DAYS OF ANIMAL MAN #4 (OF 6)
* LOONEY TUNES #177
* R.E.B.E.L.S. #7
* THE RED CIRCLE: INFERNO
* RED ROBIN #3
* ROBIN: SEARCH FOR A HERO
* THE SANDMAN BY JOE SIMON AND JACK KIRBY
* SHOWCASE PRESENTS VOL. 3: THE FLASH
* SUPERMAN SECRET FILES 2009
* TITANS #16
* WEDNESDAY COMICS #6 (OF 12)
VERTIGO
* DMZ #44
* FABLES #87
* FABLES VOL. 12: THE DARK AGES
* THE UNWRITTEN #4
WILDSTORM
* GEN 13 #31
* PROTOTYPE #5 (OF 6)
* RED HERRING #1 (OF 6)
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Thanks for reading!
MANDROID, My love of DC Comics is real, though I am not.