Early on, I had written Doom Patrol off as a good art book, but one that was doing little other than re-telling straightforward super-hero stories. Clearly that was a mistake, as Arcudi has given the book a quirky sense of humor, reminiscent of Morrison's incarnation of the team, although not quite as surreal as all that. He has also developed these hard luck characters into likable people, even the aptly nicknamed "Negative Man." On top of all that, the artwork on the book is still phenomenal, with a clean and European style from Tan Eng Huat that features a terrific sense of motion and some truly amazing visual designs.
Mind you, I would be happier if the story of Robotman were a little easier to follow, as his multiple identity/impostor story is the only stumbling block to making this issue accessible to new readers as well as old. But I do appreciate that Arcudi is willing to change the characters and their status quo; one need look no further than the relationship with Jost, which isn't adversarial or friendly, but rather a sort of business relationship, to see that.
When I first began reading this book, I thought that the idea of a corporate super-team was fun, if not that new, but I'm finding that Arcudi has offered up an even more quirky look into super-teams than I had expected. The angle of needing money to buy bases and jets and all the cool stuff a super-team needs is still there, but it's married to some unusual ideas, including a strange goth with odd powers and an unplanned metaphysical journey for the team as a result. The book also has a great sense of humor, with Ted's new cellphone providing some of the biggest laughs of the issue.
While the story took a while to grab me, the artwork got my attention early on and continues to impress. Tan Eng Huat's work is breathtaking in its detail, and his depiction of the characters, particularly Ted and Robotman, is unique and interesting. There's a cartoony, goofy feeling that helps to maintain the somewhat light tone, but there is also plenty of fine detail and realistic proportions. In addition, the designs, particularly for the monster near the end or the creepy Goth, are beautiful and imaginative.
With solid characterization and an off-beat approach, not to mention some of the best artwork to be found on DC's books, Doom Patrol has become a book to watch. I'd really like to see a trade paperback collecting the early issues, because I think the growth of the characters is the big story, and it will read better in one volume, but my interest in the book is definitely higher now than it was when the book launched.
