As the run nears its end, Grant Morrison was only just beginning with his masterful plot. Since Doom Patrol (vol 2) 19, Morrison had been planting seeds. Over time, the seeds grew and grew, until something was going to happen. This takes us to the Chief, Niles Caulder, the creator of the Doom Patrol. However, what secret, or secrets, is he hiding from Robotman and the rest of the team? Its clear that Morrison wanted to focus on the Chief during the run, since subtle hints are dropped throughout, suggesting that he knows more than he’s willing to give up. Crazy Jane’s personalities are another example of this, with the mysterious personality of Miranda being hinted at on numerous occasions. Similarly, to his run on Animal Man (vol 1), Morrison had been building up a complex overarching story for the Doom Patrol, one which would change everything. However, before all of that good stuff, we have to unfortunately deal with Mr Nobody and his magic bus, so let’s get through that…
In the fifth of six reviews covering Grant Morrison’s run on Doom Patrol (vol 2), I will be reviewing:
Magic Bus/After the Cabaret --- Doom Patrol (vol 2) 51-52
And Men Shall Call Him – Hero! --- Doom Patrol (vol 2) 53
Aenigma Regis --- Doom Patrol (vol 2) 54
The Blood of the Lamb/Down in the Well/The Nature of Catastrophe --- Doom Patrol (vol 2) 55-57
Doom Patrol (vol 2) 51-57 was published monthly from January to July 1992. As usual, all stories are written by Grant Morrison with art usually by Richard Case and Stan Woch, along with others. Lastly, I have read these stories in their original issues, but
once again, the collected edition is far from difficult to obtain.
Magic Bus/After the Cabaret --- Written by Grant Morrison with art by Richard Case, Stan Woch, Mark McKenna and Phillip Bond
THE STORY
Using Albert Hoffmann’s hallucinogenic bike attached to a school bus, Mr Nobody confirms he is running for US President, with millions supporting him. While Robotman and Jane ensure that Danny the Street is safe after Mr Nobody’s attack, Dorothy imagines a strange creature with candles on its head in her wardrobe. Meanwhile, underneath the Pentagon, Ms Roddick of the FBI searches for a John Dandy, while travelling on a space-hopper. At the same time, Mr Nobody and his team are attacked by police officers, who are easily taken care of by the villains. Later, Mr Nobody broadcasts a campaign message on TV about his presidential campaign in an asylum, with a mad inmate screaming about how Mr Nobody should be elected, before the villain urges viewers to vote dada. Robotman and Jane watch the strange broadcast in complete disbelief. Later, Mr Nobody and his brotherhood raid a toy shop, before leaving when the police arrive. The police then chase the villains in their bus, before giving up and wanting to dance due to Hoffmann’s bike. Elsewhere in the dark, a man named Major Main recognises Mr Nobody’s large support as a threat, hoping that John Dandy can save the day. Meanwhile, Robotman informs the other members of the team that Mr Nobody is visiting Washington for a rally. However, both Jane and Rebis refuse to fight the Brotherhood of Dada. Angry, Robotman decides to leave on his own, before Joshua follows him. At the same time, Ms Roddick is told by Major Main that Dandy was once a special government agent linked to the Men from N.O.W.H.E.R.E. He then stole research notes to synthesize a special gas which solidified on contact with air, keeping the gas inside a pen. Using it, he became a master of disguise. However, secret documents were stolen from the Pentagon which Dandy had to retrieve. But, when he returned, he had to be locked in a room after attacking two guards. Ms Roddick and Major Main then enter the room, where Dandy and some floating heads are on the celling…
While John Dandy is released from his room, Mr Nobody and his team prepare for the rally in Washington. Meanwhile in the large crowds, Robotman and Joshua notice Mr Nobody’s deluded fans being interviewed. At the same time, Mr Nobody and his brotherhood eat yesterday’s newspapers before kicking the table over and heading out for his speech. Elsewhere, Love Glove is confronted by a strange woman who has been manipulating him, before she pulls out a gun and shoots him. Meanwhile, Mr Nobody begins his speech to the crowd, before unveiling the messy Painting That Ate Paris. This causes spies on rooftops to signal Dandy, who attacks Mr Nobody. Soldiers then appear and begin firing as crowds run away. A fight between Dandy/the army and the Brotherhood of Dada breaks out, with Dandy transforming Mr Nobody back into Eric Morden. Before stabbing him. The soldiers then burn the painting as an injured Morden transforms back into Mr Nobody. Then, a dying Love Glove appears and begs for Mr Nobody’s forgiveness, before collapsing. Mr Nobody then disintegrates and turns to dust, with Robotman and Joshua standing over him. Then, a villain named the Toy arrives, before realising she has come too late. In the end, a young girl finds a scrap of the painting, before running away with it.
MY THOUGHTS
While this story does continue most aspects of the previous story (Doom Patrol (vol 2) 49-50), Mr Nobody’s intentions are very different here and a number of new characters are added. If it wasn’t clear from my previous Doom Patrol review (read it here), I really wasn’t a fan of the story featuring Mr Nobody and his new Brotherhood of Dada and just to clarify, I’m a great fan of this one. But first, lets start with the positives. In this story, particularly the second half, I do find Mr Nobody’s goal of becoming president quite hilarious and I assume that is what Morrison was going for. Thanks to the bike that once belonged to Albert Hoffmann, Mr Nobody has gained control of thousands and that aspect of the plot works well. I also like the introduction of John Dandy as a character, even if he did feel very underused, particularly his appearance at the strange end of part one. Apart from that, I like how quickly the Doom Patrol begins to fall apart, signifying that not only is Morrison nearing the end of his run on the title, but also the beginning of something big. Also, I think the ending works well, with a single piece of the painting left intact, obviously hinting at its return.
Pretty much the same problems I had with the last story (issues 49-40) repeat themselves here. The plot can often be hard to follow, thanks to the wordy dialogue from Mr Nobody. Whether it be the scene where he and his Brotherhood decide to eat wet newspaper, or when they decide to storm a toy shop, the main plot feels cluttered and full of ultimately pointless moments. Yet again, the new Brotherhood of Dada are incredibly boring, lacking any real memorable characters. However, we also learn here that they are incredibly stupid. I mean, Love Glove acts like an idiot and basically allows for himself and the Brotherhood to be found out by the FBI. I really don’t help that Morrison doesn’t try and give these new characters any detailed background or description, as that could have made some of them into decent and intriguing characters, but that wasn’t the case. While the huge fight at the end between the FBI and the Brotherhood doesn’t make the story feel stale, it just goes on for too long and ends up becoming dull. Yeah, it has some big shocks in it, such as the death of Mr Nobody and his Brotherhood, but this tale really didn’t try hard enough with them, meaning their deaths felt kind of casual and undramatic. Lastly, the Doom Patrol do basically nothing in this story. Apart from standing around screaming at TV cameras, Robotman just stands about for most of the time, while the FBI do all the work. The title of the comic is Doom Patrol, but they barely feature here, which is a huge shame, especially that this story features one of their main foes. Apart from that, the first part of this story is incredibly unappealing and while the second part may be more interesting, it still comes across as a mess.
Once again, Case’s art doesn’t make me feel much of anything. I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s the truth. Case’s art feels dry and lacking in any emotion or drama. Yeah, the story may have about three different inkers, but none of them improve the situation. If anything, Stan Woch’s inks can make the art look worse, with his repetitious use of flicky small lines.
Story: 3.5/10
Art: 5.5/10
And Men Shall Call Him – Hero! --- Written by Grant Morrison with art by Richard Case, Scott Hanna and Ken Steacy
THE STORY
One night, Danny the Street goes to sleep and dreams about a strange group of heroes known as the Mighty Mystics, who protect the galaxy in their satellite. A hero, named Hellblazer (John Constantine) warns his teammates, the Phantom Stranger, Doctor (continued)
Thirteen and Mr E, that something huge is heading their way. In need of help, Doctor Thirteen sends for his twelve other selves, who all begin to make their way to the heroes. Meanwhile, two members of the Legion of Strange, Negative Man and Automaton, who is not Cliff Steele, but Norman Caesar, a scientist, fight each other, before they are broken apart by Elasitwoman. Suddenly, the Chief arrives in his floating chair and warns of strange events occurring in space, before telling the Legion to investigate. Meanwhile, Celestius and his advisor, the Living Guru, have been trapped in space by elderly gods, but after hearing of the strange events occurring in space, Celestius pledges that he will break free. At the same time, the Legion find a building from Earth floating in space, but by using his powers, Automaton rescues a blind child from a trapped room. Suddenly, Celestius appears from out of a wall and demands to absorb the human flesh of the child. While, Elastiwoman and the Chief rescue civilians trapped in the building, Automaton fights Celestius and ultimately sacrifices himself to defeat the villain, which causes the child’s vision to return. Although saddened, Negative Man discovers that the Automaton that died wasn’t Cliff, as his brain is kept safe in a jar by the Chief. Successful, the Legion decide to head home. Later, back in his body, Cliff explores the Legion’s headquarters, noticing the strange items they have collected over the years.
MY THOUGHTS
If it wasn’t obvious enough, both the story and art is heavily influenced by Jack Kirby, a creator which Morrison clearly admires and enjoys his work. Therefore, this story must have been a dream for Morrison both to write and see the finished artwork. Reading this story is like reading any other Kirby story. It is full of action, space and fighting, which admittedly, can become very tiresome when it was done every issue. However, since this is only one issue, the story works incredibly well as a tribute to Kirby (even though he was still alive at the time). The story is full of ideas, whether it be the Mighty Mystics (featuring John Constantine (originally created in Swamp Thing (vol 2) 37), the Legion of Strange or even Celestius, who is clearly based on the Kirby characters of Darkseid and Galactus. In terms of the main plot, it is fairly standard, yet very reminiscent of Jack Kirby’s DC titles, particularly The Forever People (vol 1). The differences between the Doom Patrol and the Legion of Strange can be vague, yet it still works very well in this lighter, more sci-fi genre story. Although it may be self-contained, even here Morrison is planting the seeds for his ultimate Doom Patrol tales some issues later. For example, the Chief seems to have kept Robotman’s brain to himself, being secretive about its location to other members. This is classic Chief behaviour and it really shows that even in these strange and different tales, Morrison is building up these characters to a finale. Apart from that, I think the idea works perfectly as a dream, mainly because it adds some depth to Danny the Street and what he can do. Also, there is a two-page bonus story in the back, which is basically a showcase of the Legion’s strange headquarters and some of the items they have. Its not much, but an enjoyable feature in the story.
First time reading this story, I really didn’t like it. I just thought everything felt too busy, with new ideas being thrown in and characters without any background. Compared to Morrison’s usual stories, I hated this. However, a year passed, and, in that time, I was introduced to nearly all of Kirby’s work at DC. Because of that, I love this story, just because it parodies Kirby brilliantly. Stuff like this is what Kirby’s DC titles were full of and Morrison recreated that here well. However, this can be quite difficult to read because of the sheer amount of ideas. I mean, the Mighty Mystics, where do they go? They seem to just disappear after the beginning of the story. This is very similar to Kirby’s Fourth World titles and don’t worry, I will be reviewing them someday…
The art here is a perfect recreation of 1970s Kirby. Whether it be the huge muscles or the panels full of stars, planets and space, this just feels so classic and works perfectly. In my opinion, Kirby’s art was much better in the 1940s and 1950s and definitely the 1960s. However, it is miles better than the usual by Case. Also, it would have been nice if Kirby himself could have drawn it, but it was the 1990s and Kirby wasn’t really around anymore. Still, it would have been great to see.
Story: 9/10
Art: 9/10
Aenigma Regis --- Written by Grant Morrison with art by Richard Case and Stan Woch
THE STORY
Rebis travels to the moon and explores his two different personalities of Larry Trainor and Eleanor Poole. While they are both trapped inside Rebis mentally, relives
his life as Trainor, remembering his accident as a test pilot, before exploring the other aspects of his mind. After mentally travelling through his complex mind, Rebis continues to travel across the moon, locating a United States space shuttle. He then finds two trees attached together by a ring, before finding two wooden bodies attached to them. He then discovers that they hold a bag, with photographs of the lives of Trainor and Poole. Then, Rebis reads from a book named Partner in Wonder, before holding a giant glowing green egg.
MY THOUGHTS
Strangely, the plot to this story is quite difficult to summarise and review. I say strangely, yet reading this issue is nothing like any of the others. While it is littered with symbolism and arguably is just there to make Morrison look clever, I quite like the story. I think it depicts perfectly that Rebis is two characters in one and throughout the story, Morrison brilliantly presents this as a prison of sorts, creating a sense of sadness about Rebis’s character. Undoubtedly, that is the best aspect of the story, yet I’m hard-pressed to detail anything else. Not to say that I dislike this story. I don’t. Its just… its one you need to read for yourself since it relies on a visual perspective (i.e., Case’s dull art). Like the last issue, this is a story that you can only do once, this it is very experimental and can work well for a one-off. However, if this was every issue, then I would just end up hating it.
While enjoyable, I feel like Morrison wrote this story deliberately as a showcase of his obscure knowledge, meaning the story can be quite pretentious at times. Also, due to its rather hardcore symbolism, the story can be hard to understand at various times. I mean, the moment at the end with the giant glowing egg is a surprise but it just doesn’t make too much sense. Maybe it will later, but for now, who knows?
Unfortunately, it seems that Stan Woch became the regular inker around this period. This is far from ideal as now, Case’s boring pencils are embellished by Woch’s scratchy thin lines and messy finishes, which really leave a sour taste, especially as the run nears its conclusion.
Story: 8/10
Art: 5.5/10
The Blood of the Lamb/Down in the Well/The Nature of Catastrophe --- Written by Grant Morrison with art by Richard Case and Stan Woch
THE STORY
While Dorothy has a period, Robotman tries to convince Rebis to stay with the team. However, Rebis doesn’t listen and leaves. Later, while Robotman and Joshua wonder where Jane has gone, Willoughby Kipling (yeah, that tw*t again) is visited by a demon who tells him that the apocalypse is set to begin soon. However, Kipling doesn’t seem to care. Meanwhile, Robotman and Joshua visit Jane’s room and find a note from Jane’s father, telling her that he is coming to get her. Shocked, Robotman realises that Jane is in great danger. This and the absence of Rebis causes Robotman to believe that the Doom Patrol is falling apart. However, when Joshua suggests that Jane can take care of herself, Robotman begins an argument with him, which ends when Dorothy enters and asks for help. Meanwhile, Jane has got on a plane and arrived in Metropolis, where she finds the church where Miranda died. At the same time, Dorothy speaks to Joshua about how her killing of the Avatar (Doom Patrol (vol 2) 44) has caused an entity known as the Candlemaker to appear. Worried, Joshua decides to take Dorothy to the Chief for help. Meanwhile, Jane walks through the church, suffering from hallucinations and bad memories of when she was sexually assaulted by her father as a child. While Joshua goes to visit the Chief with Dorothy, she has a seizure, casing Joshua to run and find the Chief. Instead, Joshua runs into the Chief’s room and is suddenly shot and killed…
In the church, Jane kills a police officer trying to help her and although the building is surrounded, she transforms into a different personality and escapes, destroying the street outside. Meanwhile, Kipling enters a strange building where he is transported to a place where talking dentures explain the apocalypse. Meanwhile, Robotman heads to Jane’s mental hospital, where he discovers that her father has been dead for nearly a decade. He is then advised that Jane may be in Metropolis. At the same time, Jane heads to her childhood home, reliving memories of her father abusing her. She then finds a well and stares down into it, screaming about how she doesn’t want to go down again. Despite that, she jumps into the well and finds her toy lamb, named Harry, which she holds onto tightly. Elsewhere, Robotman speaks to the police about the damage that Jane has caused, before giving up and heading home to find the Chief. Meanwhile, Jane, in her head, imagines visiting her dying father in hospital, before telling the doctors to switch his life support off. Jane then leaves, free of her pain as she enters a paradise. At the same time, Robotman arrives back at Doom Patrol HQ, where he finds a candle on the floor. He then runs into the Chief’s room, finding Joshua dead on the ground. The Chief then appears, standing out of his wheelchair with a gun…
Shocked, Robotman demands an explanation for what has happened. The Chief explains that he has been able to walk for some time and that (obviously) Joshua is dead. The Chief then takes Robotman down into the basement, showing him his laboratory, home to his think-tank. The Chief explains that the tank uses molecular sized processors to create a powerful neural net and that the processors are held in suspension and can simulate electrical activity in the human brain. This means that the tank can repair permanent damage such as disease and death. Although confused, Robotman suggests using the machine on Joshua, causing the Chief to reveal it was
him who killed Joshua in the first place. Meanwhile, Dorothy wakes up from her seizure and witnesses more hallucinations from the Candlemaker. Then, she discovers Joshua’s body, with a burning candle near it. In anger, Robotman runs to attack the Chief, but he is prevented by a device planted inside his body when the Chief created him. At the same time, Dorothy continues to be haunted by the Candlemaker, which reanimates Joshua’s corpse. However, this is only for a few seconds, before the corpse collapses and melts. Meanwhile, the Chief explains to Robotman that his ultimate goal has been to create life and he has finally achieved it, presenting to him a prototype cybernetic robot with life. The Chief then removes the cap off Robotman’s head, revealing his brain. He then explains that Doom Patrol villain, General Immortus, claimed he had used a chemical which had kept him alive for years. Intrigued, the Chief visited the villain, but was shot and captured. He was imprisoned with a robot servant, who the Chief killed after the robot carried out his instructions to destroy his lab, keeping it safe from Immortus. While the Chief continues to attach electronic needles to Robotman’s brain, he explains that one day, he saw Cliff Steele on television and decided to use him as a test subject. Therefore, he tampered with Cliff’s racing car, causing it to crash. The Chief then retrieved Steele’s brain, placing it inside a metal suit, giving him the name Robotman. The Chief continued with his tests, discovering pilot Larry Trainor and tampering with his plane, attempting to recreate what happened to Cliff. Instead, Trainor became infected with anti-matter, causing him to become Negative Man. For a last attempt, the Chief discovered actress Rita Farr and exposed her to strange unnatural gases, causing her to become either bigger or smaller. This resulted in her career being in ruins and the Chief asking her to join him, creating the original Doom Patrol. Shocked, the Chief continues his story about the Doom Patrol and how their end was becoming more inevitable. During the explosion that defeated the team (Doom Patrol (vol 1) 121), The Chief shielded himself from the destruction, along with the rest of the team, with the exception of Rita, who died. Years later, the Chief found another test subject, Arani, who he dosed with a longevity serum. However, she died when the serum began to eat away at her brain. The Chief then continues, explaining how the New Doom Patrol (Showcase 94) could help develop his findings. Finishing his tale, the Chief explains that using nanotechnology, he can recreate the world as he sees fit. Suddenly, the Chief’s new cybernetic robot attacks him, ripping his head off and killing him. Candlesticks then grow out of the robot’s head, before grabbing Robotman’s brain out of his head, ripping it apart, before screaming that he is the Candlemaker.
MY THOUGHTS
This is the Doom Patrol at their best. Let’s do this story in two stages, the first being parts one and two and the second being the mind blowing third part. The main plot featuring Jane revisiting her past is an excellent character piece that resolves an aspect of her past. It really works because since the start of Morrison’s run, we have seen developments in Jane’s character, or should I say characters, and we have become emotionally invested. Morrison really told this story at the right time due to that. That aspect of the story also works brilliantly as it explores the past of her character, which has also really been hinted at on a few occasions. It really feels like Jane has been building up to this moment and when it happens, we see her true powers and inner self unleash, concluding with her having to release her father from her mind.
This is a fantastic way to conclude a story-arch for a character which is as complex as Jane, as it shows a true change in her character, which has been strengthened by her time in the Doom Patrol. Also, her reward for doing so is fitting too, with Jane finding herself in a green paradise, suggesting her father has now left. Overall, while complex, it is very understandable when you engage with Jane’s character and have been following other stories she has appeared in, like Going Underground (Doom Patrol (vol 2) 30). The other members of the Doom Patrol are also great here, even if they aren’t present for the whole story. For example, after the last story, Rebis decides its time to leave the team and he does so quickly. Even though we have an inkling that he may return in the future, it shows how independent he has become from others, which is ironic since Rebis is home to two people. Also, other members like Dorothy, Danny and even Joshua are at their best here and we really see that the team is actually a family that cares for each other. This is shown by Robotman, who spends most of the first and second parts searching for Jane. You really get a sense of character and friendship between these characters. However, in the end, all good things come to an end. Part one ends excellently with the death of Joshua, creating both a sense of shock and mystery. Who could have killed him? Why? He may not have been the most interesting character of the run (he was created by Paul Kupperberg and Joe Staton after all), but his death is so unexpected and out of nowhere that you are instantly intrigued. Then, the second part ends with an even bigger twist. Not only is the Chief the murderer of Joshua, but he can now walk again. Let’s start with the second stage of the story, the third part, where everything you know changes. Morrison has been known to do this, whether it be his runs on Animal Man (vol 1) or Batman (vol 1), but this one takes the cake. The Doom Patrol was no accident. The injuries suffered by its members, whether it be Robotman, Negative Man or Elastigirl, were all planned by the Chief, who used them as test subjects. This twist is what the whole run had been building up to. Like I said, Morrison had been planting subtle hints to the Chief’s secret research, with Rebis being aware of it too. I don’t know why Rebis didn’t interfere here, but I assume he had a good reason not to. Anyway, the Chief reveals his ultimate goal of creating life and essentially recreating the world in a way he sees fit. Since the Doom Patrol’s first appearance in My Greatest Adventure 80, this has been the Chief’s goal and it is a shock. This is a character who has led the team since its beginning and the revelation that he has been behind every single member’s origin is a moment of great reading. I really like this whole twist, mainly because it confirms the suspicions of both Rebis and the readers, who all know that the Chief has been hiding something for a long time. It really shows how cunning and evil he can be. Robotman feels betrayed by this and it really confirms that in the space of three issues, the Doom Patrol, once a family of friends has been torn apart. However, it continues with another excellent shock. The Chief’s prototype robot rips his head off, causing us to say “oh, f*ck” out loud. This is another excellent unexpected moment, as it erases any chance of revenge or retribution that Robotman could have been after. Then, the robot reveals itself to be the embodiment of Dorothy’s nightmare, the Candlemaker, causing us to believe that the Chief must have been aware of that as well, shading him in even more darkness. Then, another twist! Robotman’s brain gets crushed into bits. Yeah, I know there are loads of twists and unexpected moments and while it can often be overwhelming, its just feels perfect. What a way to end the story yet begin the finale of Morrison’s run. Apart from that, if it wasn’t obvious, this is one of the greatest Doom Patrol stories of the run and is damn near flawless. Whether it be its unexpected twists or its great depiction of the Doom Patrol, this story shows us that in just the space of three issues, everything can collapse. Robotman’s brain is destroyed. Rebis has disappeared. Jane has escaped one hell and will have to come home to another. Joshua is dead. Dorothy is scared (no change there) and the Chief is seemingly dead, with the Candlemaker ready to destroy the planet… Sure, Willoughby Kipling may be in the story, but who cares, since this is the best story of the whole run.
Shame the art isn’t as good as the story, with Case and Woch boring me once again. That being said, at least they aren’t terrible, as that would have the potential of ruining this excellent story.
Story: 10/10
Art: 5.5/10
VERDICT
Overall, Doom Patrol: Magic Bus may have a disappointing start with the Brotherhood of Dada, but the stories get much better, with the final three-parter being one of, if not, the best Grant Morrison Doom Patrol story ever. Sure, the art can be pretty boring and rough at times, but at least the art is strong in one story and that is only because its an excellent Jack Kirby tribute. With Morrison’s run nearing its conclusion, the Doom Patrol have been destroyed and the Candlemaker rules over the planet. Will our heroes fight back? Tune in next week… or else.
Stories: 8/10
Art: 6.5/10
Next Week: Doom Patrol: Planet Love (Doom Patrol (vol 2) 58-63, Doom Force 1). Written by Grant Morrison, with art by Sean Phillips, Richard Case, Stan Woch, Steve Pugh, Ian Montgomery, Paris Cullins, Duke Mighten, Ken Steacy, Brad Vancata, Walt Simonson, Ray Kryssing and Mark McKenna. Expected to be published by 22/03/2020.
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