Episode 75: Green Monkey Genes Are Cool and Awesome OR Take That, Galtry!

Here we go again, fellow Patrollers! This time Paul and Mike are looking at Teen Titans Earth One Volume 2 and Tales of the New Teen Titans #3 (of 4!). Here's the link to the Podbean. And the link to the Comicosity post for the podcast. 

When you think of the number 75, you realise it signifies the 'diamond anniversary' of a thing, which usually entails a classy celebration of reaching such a milestone but thankfully you'll find none of that rot here. LET'S GET PATROLLING!

• Down on Derington Way - 6:39

• Doom Clock - 11:09

• Doomsplaining - 15:08 - This week we look celebrate the Doom Patrol on our 75th episode by looking at 2 Teen Titans stories. Oh. Anyway, this week we take a look at Teen Titans Earth One Volume 2, and Tales of the New Teen Titans #3!

• Mailbag O Doom - 47:56 - We read your responses to the question, "What is your favourite sequel?"

Here are some images to go along with Paul's assessment of Teen Titans Earth One Volume 2. 

The cover for the book. Safe to say Cyborg's had better days. 

I haven't actually read Volume 2, but there were certainly hints of an homage or re-introduction of the Doom Patrol in Volume 1 as Rita Farr factored into that book. That said, I really can't add much to the commentary, but I sure can provide some images (mostly thanks to Paul!). 

When is Robotman not Robotman?

Kole and Impulse show up to cause problems. 

Tempest, Changeling, Terra, and Cyborg really wonder WHUP is going on. 

Slade Wilson's motto: always make a memorable entrance. 

Don't forget: Raven and Starfire are in this book too! 

Before we go much further, I'm going to cross over to Derington Way to share a cover with y'all. Y'know, the cover for Doom Patrol #5 that Paul was finding so hard to describe.

Alrighty, now let's get to the gorgeous George Pérez art from Tales of the New Teen Titans #3 (which is available on Comixology). 

George Pérez as only Pérez can give us. SO MUCH detail!
And Mento almost looks cool! 

A bit of a dense read, but a good one. 

A George Pérez montage for the win. 

Gar SPAMM!'s Galtry. And no computers were harmed in the making of this spam. 

Return of the Arsenal! 

  

GALTRY!!

There wolf! There castle! 

Dating montage of death! 

Apologies for the bars, I screen-capped the pages from the DC Comics app, but didn't clean them up in the interest of getting this post done. 

 And the post is now done, save for the Question of the Week.
This week's Question of the Week is:

Who is your favourite character who hides their face?

Also, before I hang this up, I'll just post this to commemorate Mike's call regarding Casey's parentage. It's in white. So you'll have to highlight. 
Mike thinks Rhea Jones (Lodestone) is Casey Brinke's mom. And, truth be told, this is the same connection I made earlier in the week. And Danny's the dad, as only Danny can be. 

Doom Patrol in Earth One?

Anyone who read the Teen Titans: Earth One OGN undoubtedly saw the hints that Doom Patrol could be making an appearance. Well, my friends, with the second volume of Teen Titans: Earth One solicited in the DC June releases, it seems like we're one step closer.

TEEN TITANS EARTH ONE VOL. 2 HCWritten by JEFF LEMIRE Art and cover by ANDY MACDONALDAfter months on the run from the twisted project that created them, Cyborg, Terra, Beast Boy and Garth are near their breaking point, barely surviving on what they can steal, squatting in the ruins of an abandoned subdivision. But as they reach their lowest ebb, their creator, Dr. Niles Caulder, is ready to make his move…and they’re about to learn that they weren’t the only kids to go through Caulder’s twisted process! There are more children with powers out there, and unlike our heroes, they were raised for only one purpose—to be the living weapons Caulder wants ALL his Titans to be!Writer Jeff Lemire (GREEN ARROW, ANIMAL MAN) teams up with artist Andy MacDonald (THE NEW 52: FUTURES’ END) to deliver the next chapter in the Earth One series! On sale AUGUST 10 • 144 pg, FC, $22.99 US

Here's the accompanying cover image. 

And, just for fun, here's a panel from Volume 1 with Rita Farr, drawn by Terry Dodson. 

Luthor has DOOMed the Justice League

Justice League #30 hit the new comics racks this week and brought along with it another one-panel appearance from the New 52 Doom Patrol. Shrouded in shadow, this quintet - yes, QUINTET - seems philosophically opposed to the Justice League or, at least to Lex Luthor championing the Justice League.

The art for the issue is attributed to Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke and Scott Hanna. The page with the DP on it looks to be a Reis page through and through.

It appears as though the membership includes Niles Caulder of Ravagers "fame" (upright and mobile, however) someone answering to "Trainor" and three other shady pseudo-silhouettes open to rampant speculation. One is almost certainly Robotman, although not immediately recognizable as the New 52 version as seen in My Greatest Adventure. He looks a little more like the "classic" version of Robotman, but is sporting a jacket with a patch that I can't quite make out. Anyone reading a digital version might have a better chance to decipher it and I'd love to read your speculations.



The other two are visibly female. Speculation I've come across is that the figure to the left of the image is Element Woman. Her addition to the team would help balance the genders a bit and also mix in a tie to Metamorpho's legacy (such as any legacy is in the New 52). Granted, Rex's membership is more tenuous than true, but he always seemed like a proper fit with the team of freaks.

The other female form between Caulder and Trainor could be anyone, from Negative Woman to Celsius to Elasti-Girl/Woman. I'm thinking it's going to be Rita, but I'd LIKE to see Celsius pop back up. We saw her in a few panels and Johns gave readers reason to believe she may have been a casualty of Forever Evil, but we never did see a body.

So there you have it, Patrollers. New 52 Doom Patrol in the wings. Are you excited? Scared? Inspired? Sound off.

New Year, New Post, New 52

I'm not sure how long DC can call the rebooted DC Universe line "The New 52," but for sake of clarification, I'll play along. For now. 

I'll fully admit, I have no clue whatsoever if the Doom Patrol ever existed in this post-Flashpoint world. I seriously doubt it, since there really is no concrete evidence of Larry Trainor or Rita Farr, at least not that I've seen. I mean maybe Larry flew with Hal Jordan still if that one issue of Green Lantern is still in canon, but DC has some powerfully selective memories for what still holds true and what doesn't. 

So we'll move on. 

Danny the Street has appeared in Teen Titans. I haven't been getting that book, but there is a nice little story here on Comics Worth Reading. I'm certain this cannot possibly be as creative as the original Danny concept or even Giffen's re-imagining of the character as Danny the Brick. 

Niles Caulder is a recurring character in Ravagers, a title which also stars one-time Doom Patroller Beast Boy. Admittedly, I haven't given this title much attention or money as every issue I've sampled of it woefully disappoints. Furthermore, neither character seems to have much resemblance to their previous incarnations. Caulder is still a scientist, but ambulatory and affiliated with other characters, like Fairchild and Superboy. Beast Boy is red now, a visual cue that he is connected to the same mystical source of animal-based power used by Animal Man. 

Unfortunately, I personally find Ravagers to be an awful comic book from concept to execution, and cannot justify shelling out three bucks a month for something that may or may not (smart money is on "not") pan out to be Doom Patrol-related. It is, however, the strongest chance we have to see more Doom Patrollers, so if anyone else is more tolerant of the title than I am, please share your discoveries. 

Cliff Steele appears in My Greatest Adventure along with Maddy Rouge. I'll get more in depth on the adventures of Cliff Steele in that comic book very soon. 

Finally, re-imagined members of the Brotherhood have popped up in the pages of Blue Beetle. That Brotherhood included an unnamed employer, Phobia, Warp, Plasmus and a character that seems to be part Mallah, part Brain in the form of Silverback. Sadly, I don't think we'll ever get a Silverback action figure, but take a gander down below and let your imagination wander. 

Drawn by Ig Guara, inked by J. P. Mayer and colored by Pete Pantazis

Those are the post-reboot appearances I have figured out (with confirmation and collaboration from folks far and wide across the interwebs, but notably the gentlemen on Doom Podtrol and my fellow CBR reviewer, Greg McElhatton). 


Sorry I've been so intermittent throughout 2012, my friends. Life gets busy when you're raising three kids with various activities throughout the year, changing jobs and reviewing at least six comic books every week on the side. Excuses? Nah. Just facts. I'm not a master at time management, but by golly, I'm learning how to squeeze in as much as possible into the time I have available.