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DOOM PATROL #1
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: John Arcudi
Artist: Tan Eng Huat
Colors: Dave Stewart
Letters: Bob Lappan
Editor: Andy Helfer
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
I imagine that fans of Morrison's Doom Patrol will react to this series much the way I reacted to the new Suicide Squad, but since I don't have any attachment to previous incarnations of Doom Patrol, my reaction to this is mostly to say that it's inoffensive and potentially intriguing, if a bit bland so far. Tan Eng Huat, touted as a major find, is certainly impressive, but doesn't look different enough from the manga style being used on an increasing number of DC books to be called revolutionary, and Arcudi does a nice mixture of humor and action, but so far I'm not seeing anything that Justice League International didn't do before. On the up side, a corporate take on super-heroes is certainly rife with potential, and it's not like Justice League International is around anymore, so while
this might not be all that new and original so far, it certainly has potential
to become something special.
Arcudi and Eng Huat open with a
sequence designed to show us the characters we'll be dealing with, and in just a
few pages they've captured the basics. This is a group of screw-ups, most of
them with intense personal problems, who are going to get people killed when
they go into the field. They're hard-luck heroes, not unlike the original Doom
Patrol. Enter Cliff Steele, the original hard-luck hero and the link between all
the Doom Patrol teams, and you've got a reasonable transition from the old guard
to the new guard that maintains a link to the style of the teams in the past, if
not the most famous style that the team had during their Vertigo run.
Cliff Steele is a likable
character, and Arcudi nails what makes him so with an exchange later in the
series. He may look like a big robot super-hero, but he's basically just a
normal guy. Turning his role as a super-hero into a 9-to-5 job is an interesting
idea, and I look forward to seeing how that plays out. Probably the most
entertaining aspect of the issue for me was seeing Robotman dealing with
coworkers, a landlord seeking rent and ice on the sidewalks. It is my hope that
these mundane aspects will continue to play a role as the series moves on.
In a text piece at the back,
Andy Helfer tells the story of how he found artist Tan Eng Huat. He's clearly
very impressed with his work, and engages in a bit of hyperbole, calling him the
most original voice in American comics in the last ten years. I don't know about
all that, as I see a fair bit of similarity to other art styles, but it's
certainly nice work. He combines the storytelling and feel of manga that Doug
Mahnke has with the attention to detail that some of Travis Charest's work has,
and for someone who is a new face, his work comes off as quite accomplished and
practiced.
Unlike many first issues these days (including DC's new Suicide Squad), this one also sets everything up nicely in the first issue. We know the concept, we know the players, we get a complete story of their origin, and now we're ready for more. There are mysteries, including the motivations of the company backing them, but nothing is left unclear. I think that those who enjoyed Morrison's Doom Patrol will probably steer well clear of this
series, but for those seeking out an enjoyable and somewhat light take on
super-hero teams, this might be just what the doctor ordered.
Email Randy Lander comments about this review. |
