Unstoppable Doom Patrol has been a delight as part of the Dawn of DC initiative. The new series has captured the quirky and weirdness of the team, but also their kindness. In the latest issue, Dennis Culver and Chris Burnham have two members of the Doom Patrol on the run from Green Lanterns who want to arrest an innocent kid whose metagene has put them in a tricky position.
Thanks to the kid’s unknown power, that position involves Starro in a clever new symbiosis. It’s a neat twist on Starro since the villain usually takes over minds with his stars, but it seems this person is something new. A book about weirdos protecting weirdos: it makes sense good-guy cops like Green Lanterns would be after him with no desire to ask questions before bringing him in.
Culver uses flashbacks in this issue to remind us of one of the Doom Patrol’s craziest adventures involving a painting while also shedding light on our characters. That includes Larry and Robot Man, who have a bit of a spat that feels wholesome. Culver continues to remind us the Doom Patrol are a family, while other heroes like Guy Gardner is a jerk just doing their job.
Another wild adventure.
Credit: DC Comics
The balance between the conversations in the car speeding away from the Green Lanterns and the Green Lanterns themselves is a nice touch. The only thing that didn’t quite work was the cliffhanger, partly because I wasn’t clear who the villain was or what the thing was in the box. I’m sure many will know, but it’s not exactly explained what we were looking at.
Burnham plays around with gadgetry and powers in a few different ways. That includes a feature of the Doom Patrol car that’s super out of left field and appropriately weird for the team. The Green Lantern characters look good with their energy effects. Burnham also makes you hate Guy Gardner right off the bat. The dude is basically a bully, while Burnham gets across Kyle Rayner is a bit kinder.
The entire vibe of this book is unique thanks to the unconventional heroes and story, but also thanks to Burnham and Brian Reber’s colors. Thanks to the ink work and colors, there’s a darker tone, with the bright orange colors in the Doom Patrol costumes contrasting well with the ordinary world around them. That vibe is ever present in a smash cut to the other team members fighting Animal-Vegetable-Mineral-Man.
Unstoppable Doom Patrol #3 is another great chapter in a series that’s easy to fall in love with. From the endearing main characters to the weird new heroes they’re trying to save, this book feels truly special. Like I’ve said before, can we get this upgraded to an ongoing series?
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