The Doom Patrol Archives

    (DC, 2002, 2004)
™ and © DC Comics

The newest entry in DC’s Archives series features “The World’s Strangest Heroes,” The Doom Patrol. Introduced in 1963, this team has often been compared to The X-Men because of the numerous similarities (outcast heroes, wheelchair-bound leaders, Brotherhood of Evil enemies, etc.), but there is an additional similarity that is usually overlooked. The Doom Patrol were much more “Marvel” than other DC heroes of the time. They were not enthusiastic about being heroes. They were considered freaks by the general populace. And they resented being referred to by their “code names.” Superman’s biggest problem in those days was Lois Lane’s snooping.

This volume reprints Doom Patrol stories from My Greatest Adventure #80-89, which were written by Arnold Drake and illustrated by Bruno Premiani. In these early stories, Robotman was called Automaton and Elasti-Girl started out Elasti-Woman.

Beginning with the origin of the team and the introduction of their arch-nemesis, General Immortus, the volume also includes the first appearances of The Brotherhood of Evil in My Greatest Adventure #86 (with a great Silver Age ape cover), and the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man in #89. (The DP may have been more Marvel than most, but DC was still the company that brought readers “Matter-Eater Lad”!)

The Doom Patrol has had many incarnations. Grade B heroes. Surrealistic super-team. Wannabe corporate shills. With this volume fans can read the hard-to-come-by beginnings of the Doom Patrol dynasty.

— Jack Abramowitz
Jump to issue:
  NotesWriterArtist
#1

May, 2002
Cover Price: $49.95
1 copy available for $120.00 		Arnold Drake, Bob HaneyBruno Premiani, Bob Brown
#2

May, 2004
Cover Price: $49.95
2 copies available from $49.95 		Arnold Drake, Roy ThomasBruno Premiani, Bob Brown
#3

April, 2006
Cover Price: $49.99
2 copies available from $49.00 		Arnold DrakeBruno Premiani, Bob Brown