ARCUDI ON DOOM PATROL

[MattBrady]

by Alex Segura Jr.

They're creepy and they're kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They're all together ooky…
The Doom Patrol?

Dubbed "The World's Strangest Heroes" upon their first appearance in the pages of My Greatest Adventure, the team has gone through a bevy of creators and interpretations over the years, earning their strange moniker.

With almost 20 issues under their belt, writer John (Thunderbolts) Arcudi and penciller Tan Eng Huat are the latest creative team to put their stamp on the warriors of weird. Newsarama caught up with Arcudi to get the latest on DC's merry group of freaks and what fans can expect to see in the coming months.

Brought together by Jost Enterprises, the team features Kid Slick, who can form force fields that allow him to slide and move objects; Fever, who can heat things up by raising their temperature; and Freak, who uses her tough hair to ensnare stuff. Throw in veteran Doom Patrol members Robotman, who was brought in to help the youngsters, and Negative Man and you've got the latest incarnation of the World's Strangest Heroes.

Aside from the usual Doom Patrol weirdness, the team has lost a member, faced off against a "new" Doom Patrol that features Elongated Man and Metamorpho and had their minds transplanted into the bodies of the original Doom Patrol. But that's only part of it.

For those unfamiliar with Doom Patrol, Arcudi can sum up the team easily: family.

"Maybe the best way to describe the Doom Patrol is as a dysfunctional family that stays together because they really don't know what else to do," Arcudi said. "That's a simplification, of course. Each member has his or her motive for staying part of the team. Ted/Negative Man wants to be a figure of authority, Ava wants to feel less like a freak, Shyleen/Fever wants to help the world but lacks the confidence to do it on her own and Slick wants Shyleen. And Thayer Jost, the man who pays the bills, is in this to raise his international profile as billionaire/adventurer/philanthropist/etc. Some guys run for president, some fly hot air balloons, some buy super-hero teams. The point is, there is no unified cause for this group as you usually see in other 'team' books.

Readers can look forward to more off-the-wall stories in the coming month, Arcudi says, including a TV version of the Patrol.

"There's a TV version of the Doom Patrol that has shown up in the book - it's an attempt by Thayer Jost to make a little money off the license - and that begins to play a larger and larger role in the series,” Arcudi said. “Tycho Bray , who, for some reason, DC has called a Samurai, is returning to achieve his ultimate goal, as is the creature, Nao Yut. The background of both these characters will be filled out for old and new readers in a kind of fun way. It's not really a Doom Patrol story, but the way we handle it, it is. Just gonna have to read #18 and see what the hell that's supposed to mean."

While like other teams in the DCU, many different creators have handled the Doom Patrol since its inception, but unlike other teams, the team has crossed imprints, notably of course, a long run as a Vertigo title, which included a run by a guy named Grant Morrison. Given its hither and yons, the team has standard superhero stories in its background, as well as adventures that are a few steps away from Morrison’s The Filth.

Combining elements of the various versions isn't too tough to balance, though, Arcudi says. "It's not really a tough tightrope at all," Arcudi said. "All continuity is useful, for one reason or another. Any writer or artist can build on continuity. The tricky part is not stealing, but we've avoided that. Issue #20 is a great case of exploiting past continuity while creating a new story that fits right into the continuity of the present Doom Patrol incarnation. It's another of those odd sort of stories, but that's what makes this book fun."

Aside from crafting off beat stories, it's the characters that make writing the book a good experience, Arcudi says. "Writing people, and making them feel like more than just characters is what's most fun," Arcudi said. "If they're going to be around month after month, the reader has to care about them, so that's the most important thing to a series' success, in the opinion of some folks, anyway. It's also nice to conceive an unusual take on a story."

It also helps to have a solid artist putting pen to paper, and Arcudi says the title has one in Tan Eng Huat, a newcomer at the start of the series, who was immediately signed to an exclusive contract by DC.

"Tan is very gifted," Arcudi said. "We don't talk much, seeing as he's on the other side of the world, but he's fast and good. As to how his art has developed, well, folks will just have to look at issues #1-#16 and see for themselves."

Picking up Doom Patrol is a no-brainer if you ask Arcudi. "Well, the book is beautiful," Arcudi said. "The art is just tremendous, and it's not a bad read. The kinds of stories coming up in the next four issues - particularly #'s 18 and 20 - you just can't find in any other comic. That ain't a boast, just plain truth. See for yourselves. Besides, where else are you going to find characters like the Purple Purposeless?"

[RotSman]

Doom Patrol is one of those books that gets a huge mythological boost by all the different interpretations. Take the "classic" team, contrast it with the stuff from the late 80s and early 90s, and now this different-sounding version, and you've got a team with a lot of depth. Imagine if The Avengers went through that kind of creative process!

Doom Patrol also gets a bad rap as DC's version of the X-Men, but I don't think it's entirely deserved. DC has certainly tried that riff with DP every so often, but Marvel did the same with New Warriors (their Teen Titan-esque book). The differences in both cases outfavor the similarities.

I think I'll give this book a shot if I see it on the stands.

Matt
http://www.infiniteplayground.com

[Philip A Moore]

It nice to see Doom Patrol getting some publicity it not my favorite read but it's not that bad good day

[rockieman]

I've heard alot of good things about the book, but I haven't had the chance to check it out yet.

Unfortunately the book has already been cancelled. I think #22 will be the last issue. I guess I'll try to pick it up after the fact at a deep discount.

[PopCultureKid]

The DP has always looked interesting but I didn't get on board at the beginning.

Any news on possible Trade Paperbacks collecting this series?

[Gelogurte]

I'll tell you guys the truth: I NEVER read Doom Patrol. Not one single edition. That's why I'm not reading it now. But it's a talented creative team. Any trade paperbacks around?

[quote]Originally posted by rockieman:

Unfortunately the book has already been cancelled. I think #22 will be the last issue.

---

A lie.The book is NOT being cancelled.And it is indeed excellent...

[Harry Tzvi Keusch]

I discontinued my subscription on the current run. The art was nice, but the stories didn't really grab me.

As to TPB's, there is atleast one DP TPB including the first 7 issues of the Morrison run. I think it's called "Climbing from the Wreckage".

[Tommy]

I bought the first issue on a whim, and it's consistently one of my favorites. Doom Patrol and the Ultimates are always the first things I read on my list. Pick this book up!

[PeregrineReviews]

Geek Mode ON

Sorry, but the Negative Man appearing in the current run is not a veteran member. He's a rookie who was saddled with the nickname because of his pessimistic outlook. His original codename was something like Flashforward or something equally lame. The only true veteran member on the team is Robotman, and welll... that's a long story also.

Geek Mode OFF.

[John Jakala]

Nerd Nitpick Alert: I was surprised to hear Arcudi refer to Ted as "Negative Man" - I thought Ted's codename was "Flash Forward" or "Fast Forward" or something like that. Yes, I know other team members call Ted "Negative Man" due to his negative attitude, but I never thought Arcudi intended for that name to stick. In any event, Ted is certainly not one of the "veteran Doom Patrol members" as the article states - he's a new character appearing for the first time in Arcudi's run.

[OM]

[quote]Originally posted by RotSman:
Doom Patrol also gets a bad rap as DC's version of the X-Men, but I don't think it's entirely deserved.

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...Especially because the original DP was DC's version of the Fantastic Four.

[DarthRandall]

This is a solid read. It's not as great as Powers or Ultimates, but it does deliver the goods month in and month out.

[quote] Unfortunately the book has already been cancelled. I think #22 will be the last issue. I guess I'll try to pick it up after the fact at a deep discount.

---

Got a link to any news on this?

[Scott Wherle]

Often comedic, sometimes dramatic, always good. DP is a fresh take on the superhero team dynamic. Love this book. In my top five reads every month. Been picking it up since Issue 1 and haven't been let down since. Give it a shot. The rumors of its demise are exaggerated.

[Chris Galdieri]

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[Jeremy Williams]

I decided to not pick the book when it first came-out because i really thought it was going to be a mini-series. When it went past issue six, i thought that it was a twelve-issue mini-series . Now it`s recognised as a good book, but i`ve missed a big chunk of it...damn. And i only buy paperbacks about non-super-hero stuff like Vertigo etc...

Oh well..let`s hope it gets cancelled soon so i don`t have to see every month in "Previews" this good book that i might have read...

That`s what you get with poor marketing, i guess.

[Gerson Agena]

[quote]Originally posted by rockieman:
Unfortunately the book has already been cancelled. I think #22 will be the last issue.

---

Although sales have not been good, Doom Patrol has NOT been officially cancelled. Like many others I'm enjoying this title and I'll keep Doom Patrol in my pull list as long as it lasts.

[steveupson]

I also would highly recommend this book. It's generally agreed that Tan Eng Huat's art is beautiful (& Seth Fisher's 2-parter was excellent as well), but I think Arcudi has built some great characters that each have unique voices. I really enjoy the dialogue--dysfunctional family sounds like a cliche, but in this case it fits. They're all likeable characters, even when they're not being so likeable--if that makes sense.

[gOgIver]

Arcudi's current Legends of the Dark Knight arc is great. It's nice to see the Joker again!

[Elayne Riggs]

[quote]Originally posted by John Jakala:
Yes, I know other team members call Ted "Negative Man" due to his negative attitude, but I never thought Arcudi intended for that name to stick.

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I don't think Arcudi would have so many scenes where Ted says "don't call me Negative Man!" if he didn't intend the name to stick.

This book is a consistently good read, and I'm really enjoying the byplay between the characters. It also wins my vote for most consistently funny use of a cell phone.

- Elayne

[dollman]

[quote]Originally posted by Harry Tzvi Keusch:
I discontinued my subscription on the current run. The art was nice, but the stories didn't really grab me.

As to TPB's, there is atleast one DP TPB including the first 7 issues of the Morrison run. I think it's called "Climbing from the Wreckage".

---

I did the same thing, dropping the title at issue 15 or thereabouts. The thing that disappointed me was it never explained what happen to the last team (the Vertigo version). I kept waiting and waiting for Arcudi to explained what happened to Rebis (nee Negative Man) and the Chief. I dropped the Vertigo version a couple issues after Morrison left, so there's a gap of stories from the previous series to the current that I really wanted some answers to.

I realize writers aren't bound to what previous creative teams have done. However, with it's rich and somewhat convulated history, it would had been nice if some explanation had been provided. There was the story with Dorothy from the last team, which answered nothing. So many questions....

[little kon-el]

[quote]Originally posted by OM:


...Especially because the original DP was DC's version of the Fantastic Four.

---

nope, the DC versin of the Fantastic Four was the Challengers of the Unknown. The Doom Patrol is DC's version of the X-Men...being created at roughly the same time as X-Men #1. The whole professor in a wheel chair and a group of young people who were freaks lends itself more towards the x-men than anyone else.

little kon-el

[rockieman]

I should have made mention in my earlier post that I don't think it has been "officially" cancelled, but I was told by someone who actually works on the book that it has been cancelled.

As for trades, it seems that DC (in general) is a little slow putting out trades for series that are doing well (i.e. Legion), let alone a series on the chopping block. Hopefully they will come through.

[Greg Saunders Fan]

[quote]Originally posted by dollman:

I did the same thing, dropping the title at issue 15 or thereabouts. The thing that disappointed me was it never explained what happen to the last team (the Vertigo version). I kept waiting and waiting for Arcudi to explained what happened to Rebis (nee Negative Man) and the Chief. I dropped the Vertigo version a couple issues after Morrison left, so there's a gap of stories from the previous series to the current that I really wanted some answers to.

I realize writers aren't bound to what previous creative teams have done. However, with it's rich and somewhat convulated history, it would had been nice if some explanation had been provided. There was the story with Dorothy from the last team, which answered nothing. So many questions....

---

Actually John explained exactly what happened to the last incarnation of the team. Dorothy's powers blew up Cliff, Kate and herself. They showed that George & Marion were (and apparently still are) at the house in Violet Valley. The Head (previously the Chief) is off to explore new worlds, as was detailed in the last issue of the Vertigo series.

Rebis, Crazy Jane are from a previous incarnation of the team, and their fates were already resolved by Grant Morrison (Rebis is exploring Danny the World, and Crazy Jane is either still there or died in a suicide attempt, depending on how you look at the last Morrison story and a couple of issues of Rachel Pollack's run).

John is using the history of the Doom Patrol quite well IMO, since he has at least acknowledged (and in some cases validated) all the incarnations and imprints of the team. He did "pander", if you want to call it that, to the old-time fans by bringing back the original team )(in his own inimitable, and very Doom-Patrol-like style).

I'd love to see something of the Morrison team come back into play myself, but I can't see a good justification from bringing back Rebis, Danny or Crazy Jane (and Flex Mentallo is out for reasons of legality).

--Rich

[Alex Segura Jr.]

[quote]Originally posted by Chris Galdieri:


Any chance the online comics press could make using "it's" and "its" correctly its New Year's resolution for 2003?

"It's" is the contraction of "it is." "Its" is the third person neuter possessive pronoun. Never use "it's" as a possessive.

Please?

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IT'S been fixed. Thanks for catching it.

Alex