Doom Patrol

Archives

Doom Patrol Archives 1 (My Greatest Adventure 80-85 and Doom Patrol Vol. 1, 86-89; w Arnold Drake, Bob Haney; a Bruno Premiani). [From DC Comics: Made up of misfit super heroes with unusual powers and abilities, the Doom Patrol embarked on and endured some of the most bizarre adventures ever imaginable. Assembled in this hardcover volume are the earliest escapades of Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Girl, and the Chief. Reprinted as they originally appeared in the 1960s, this archive edition includes the Doom Patrol's first appearance and origin, as well as their first battles with their greatest adversary, General Immortus, the prehistoric monster menace Dr. Janus, the subterranean Atomic Furies, and the mutant Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man.]

Doom Patrol Archives 2 (90-97; w Arnold Drake; a Bruno Premiani, Bob Brown). [From DC Comics: Robotman, Elasti-Girl, Negative Man and "The Chief" take on classic villains including The Brotherhood of Evil, the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man, Dr. Tyme, Mento, General Immortus, and more! Plus: an introduction by comics legend Roy Thomas.]

Doom Patrol Archives 3 (98-105, Challengers of the Unknown 48; w Arnold Drake; a Bruno Premiani, Bob Brown). [From DC Comics: Witness a new "unofficial" member, a wedding, and the Challengers of the Unknown! Featuring an introduction by comics historian Bill Schelly and a new cover by Brian Bolland.]

Doom Patrol Archives 4 (106-113; w Arnold Drake; a Bruno Premiani). 2/27/08

Volume 2

1 Crawling From the Wreckage (19-25; w Grant Morrison; a Richard Case et al.). [From DC Comics: All I want is the answer to one simple question before I run screaming back to the bughouse. Is this real of isn't it? It's a simple question, but it isn't a simple world - not anymore. Not for the members of the Doom Patrol - the World's Strangest Heroes. Originally conceived in the 1960s, the Doom Patrol was reborn in 1989, bursting out of the utterly unique imagination of writer Grant Morrison and heralding a new direction for American comics. Following that direction, the World's Strangest Heroes have left behind almost every vestige of normality. Though they are super-powered beings, and their foes are bent on world domination, all that is conventional ends there. Shunned as freaks and outcasts, and tempered by loss and insanity, the Doom Patrol faces threats mystifying in nature, corrupted beyond any sensible motives - threats that must, at all costs, be defeated.] Old Book of the Week 9/15/04

2 The Painting that Ate Paris (26-34; w Grant Morrison; a Richard Case, John Nyberg). [From DC Comics: Very very very shortly, this drab, workaday world and everything in it will be changed forever! Follow us into the golden country, into the empire of the senseless! Just as the old Doom Patrol has yielded to its newer and even stranger incarnation, the old Brotherhood of Evil is no more - but what will rise to take its place? Only something that properly reflects the insanity of modern life can hope to fill its shoes - and that something is the Brotherhood of Dada! Mr. Nobody! Sleepwalk! The Fog! Frenzy! The Quiz! Together they will bring a reign of unreason to an unsuspecting world, harnessing the untapped powers of ideas and symbols to transform reality itself into absurdist theater - unless the reconstituted Doom Patrol can find a way to stop them. But will all of existence in danger of being reduced to a nonsensical punch line, can even the World's Strangest Heroes find a happy ending for this lethal farce? And if so, will they have enough strength left to face the terrors that are waiting in the wings? There's only one way to find out! "When we're finished, you'll be able to go anywhere because it will all be yours! Let me tell you, I have Oh! such plans for us all!"]

3 Down Paradise Way (35-41; w Grant Morrison; a Richard Case, Kim DeMulder, Kelley Jones). [From DC Comics: The World's Strangest Heroes continue their adventures in this third volume collecting Grant Morrison's career-launching run on Doom Patrol. Reprinting issues #35-41 of the series,Down paradise Way features the debut of Danny the Street, the first appearance of Flex Mentallo, and, through it all, an incredible saga of cosmic war and super-evolving consciousness!] Book of the Week 10/12/05: I haven't read the issues collected in this volume, but two things give me confidence: the previous volumes, which are Morrison weirdness at its finest; and the first appearance of Flex Mentallo (which I've never read because of Ken Kneisel). For that alone, I am quivering with excitment like a little schoolgirl. But even without the legendary Flex, Morrison's Doom Patrol is worthy of BotW status. So think of this as two Books of the Week: The third Doom Patrol, and the first Flex Mentallo. And cross your fingers with me for the long-delayed publication of the Flex mini! (And the final redemption of Ken Kneisel...)

4 Musclebound (42-50; w Grant Morrison; a Steve Yeowell, Jamie Hewlett, Mark Badger). [From DC Comics: A new chapter begins for the World's Strangest Heroes with MUSCLEBOUND, collecting issues #42-50 of the surreal series written by Grant Morrison. Revealing the secret origin of Flex Mentallo and the terrifying secret beneath the Pentagon, MUSCLEBOUND also features the subtle menace of the Beard Hunter and more!]

5 Magic Bus (51-57; w Grant Morrison; a Richard Case, Stan Woch, Ken Steacy, Philip Bond, Mark McKenna). [From DC Comics: The collection of comics savant Grant Morrison's legendary run on DOOM PATROL continues in this fifth trade paperback volume reprinting issues #51-57. Featuring the final fate of the Brotherhood of Dada and the rise of the unstoppable Candlemaker, DOOM PATROL VOL. 5 also includes the delightful Jack Kirby tribute issue "And Men Shall Call Him -- HERO!" as well as a new cover by the incomparable Brian Bolland.]

6 Planet Love (58-63, Special 1; w Grant Morrison; a Richard Case, Stan Woch, et al.). [From DC Comics: Legendary writer Grant Morrison (ALL STAR SUPERMAN, BATMAN) finishes his fractured remake of this 1960s misfit super-team in this volume. Along the way, the Doom Patrol must face new challenges: Danny the Street meets his cosmic destiny, the bizarre hero known as Rebis battles the Candlemaker, and Crazy Jane attempts to find her place in the world.] 1/16/08

A new Doom Patrol series by John Byrne remains uncollected.

A four-issue mini, written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Frank Quitely, that may never be collected because Ken Kneisel is evil.

Note, however, that the first appearances of Flex are being reprinted in Doom Patrol above, giving us hope that the Evil One may yet be redeemed.