Review: DOOM PATROL #2

DOOM PATROL No. 2 (2016)
DC COMICS/Young Animal – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Gerard Way
ART: Nick Derington
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain
LETTERS: Todd Klein
COVER: Nick Derington
VARIANT COVERS: Mike and Laura Allred
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2016)

Mature Readers

Doom Patrol created by Arnold Drake

“Negative World” Part Two: “Brick by Brick 2”

The 2016 Doom Patrol is the latest iteration of DC Comic's Silver Age superhero team of the weird.  Part of the new DC Comics imprint, “Young Animal,” the new Doom Patrol is written by Gerard Way; drawn by Nick Derington; colored by Tamra Bonvillain; and lettered by Todd Klein.

Doom Patrol #2 (“Brick by Brick 2”) finds ambulance driver, Casey Brinke, and her partner, Samuel, getting the most peculiar emergency calls.  For instance, there is the raving lunatic who might be Larry Trainor.  Also, Robotman awakens; more Doom Patrol members from the past begin to appear, and there is a reunion and more extra-dimensional weirdness.

Gerard Way is certainly building his new Doom Patrol (DP) brick by brick.  With this second issue, however, there is just as much of the story becoming clear as there is of it remaining weird and vague.  Readers will like that more members of the original DP appear, as well as a somewhat infamous member.  After reading this second issue, I think that Grant Morrison's late 1980s, early 1990s Doom Patrol is the primary template for the Young Animals DP.  I don't yet know if that is a good thing, although I am a fan of Morrison's DP.

I still really like the art by Nick Derington.  No, I think I am falling in love with Derington's simple, clean style that looks like an indie comics version of Silver Age comic book art and also has a passing resemblance to the art of Chris Samnee.  It's great graphical storytelling simply because the art makes you want to keeping reading, being excited for each new page.

I am still recommending the Young Animal Doom Patrol.  Although I want more, I am not ready to give it a review grade.

[This comic book contains a “special sneak preview” of Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #1 by Gerard Way and Jon Rivera and Michael Avon Oeming.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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