Unstoppable Doom Patrol #2: Weird Just Got Weirder

After Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1 sets up the new status quo for DC’s weirdest super team, issue #2 builds upon that premise with excellent world-building and definitive character moments. This issue also serves as a reminder that the Doom Patrol occupies the “weird” side of the DC Universe by introducing odd situations and characters like Dr. Syncho, who can channel five fifth-dimension bits of intelligence who call themselves Jerry. These weirder concepts also allow Brian Reber’s explosive colors to liven up some crazier Chris Burnham drawings. Brief moments like this have defined this book in the past, and seeing this creative team tackle the same concepts will help win over long-time fans. 

Burnham’s art is on a whole new level here. Early in the issue, a multi-level breakdown of the Doom Patrol’s new headquarters, The Shelter, is presented. There are many layers here, both physically and contextually, as this underground fortress serves as a home base for the team and as a hiding/healing place for those who are rescued and in need of rehabilitation. Burnham details each level painstakingly and gives some fun easter eggs, such as the pit of fire in the gym or the giant octopus in the pool. There is little left to the imagination, as the entire structure is filled with so much detail and nuance, perfectly befitting a team of the Doom Patrol’s caliber. Pat Brossaeu also does a great job lettering, keeping the narration and dialogue off to the side so that dynamic pages like this can breathe and tell their own story. This issue makes it evident that DC needs to pair up with DK Publishing to have Burnham draw cross-sections of our favorite hero’s vehicles and headquarters.

The Shelter’s location is also a unique nod to continuity that subtextually fits with a narrative about misfits perfectly. The cross-section page mentions that The Shelter is underground, underneath an old shack in Kansas. Kansas also happens to be where Clark Kent grew up, yet since Clark appears “normal,” with no physical deformities, he didn’t have to hide. The placement of The Shelter here is another reminder about how hard it can be to be different in any way, building layers upon an already intriguing premise.

Fans of the Krakoan era of X-Men will likely chuckle when an infodump page looks strikingly similar to those in the X-Men books. This is likely a cheeky nod to the fact that the Doom Patrol has long been considered the inspiration for the original X-Men title. This page’s placement here is no accident, and the joke ends with Chief crumpling the page up, referring to it as a series of Endless Memos. Dennis Culver is no stranger to the world of comics, and it’s great to see him having so much fun in this world.

Whereas the first issue laid the groundwork for the series, Unstoppable Doom Patrol #2 does some backtracking and reminds readers where this team came from. There is a quick reference to Niles Caulder’s actions which gave the original team members their powers, some insight as to what Danny is up to, and Robotman grieving the death of Dorothy Spinner. Newer fans may not understand these references, but including them here will win over fans that want a creative team to build off of existing continuity.