Episode 98: Butterflies and Mercury; Mutants and Space Arks OR Step Into the Spotlight

HUZZAH! 

Another new episode of Waiting for Doom means another new post on My Greatest Adventure! Actually, another new post on My Greatest Adventure means you won't have to wait long for yet another new Waiting for Doom episode, because, y'know, I'm usually a fair bit behind on these things. 

Anyway, here's what the Podbean tells us: 

At last, Mike and Paul are BACK with a new episode of WFD, featuring everyones favourite team of superpowered misfits and outcasts, the DOOM PATROL! [Checks show notes] Wait, what? Oh. Um. Well, look, let's just be glad the show is back, shall we? LET'S GET PATROLLING!
Down on Derington Way - 9:32
Doom Clock - 12:35
Doomsplaining - 15:55 -This week we look at some comics *related* to the Doom Patrol legacy, and discuss issues 9 and 11 of Teen Titans Spotlight, focussing on Beast Boy / Changeling, and the Brotherhood of Evil!
Mailbag O Doom - 44:42 - We read your responses to the question, "What Doom Patrol character (from any run) would you like to see in a spotlight issue?"

So let's have a looksee at what the images just might be. 

Paris Cullins's cover for the Gar Logan special.

KLANNG!

Mister All the Elements

Not so much the Brotherhood of Evil spotlight!

Everywhere he looks, Reading Hix sees gorillas wearing underwear! 

Tintin and not-quite-a-gorilla. 

Previously on He-Man and Masters of the Universe. . . 

As for next time, here's the Question of the Week

Who is your favorite anthropomorphic character? I was going to say "The Tick" to be a smart alec, but I realized that's a real Aaron Long type of answer. My answer can be found right here: 

Yup. Pig-Iron. 

And, finally, Down on Derington by Way of Bonvillain. 

Nick Derington wished everyone a Happy Independence Day! 

. . .and was feeling webheaded. . .

. . .and is now doing the alternate covers for the current Doom Patrol volume. 

In lieu of aggregating EVERYTHING Tamra Bonvillain has been working on,
here's a pinned tweet to give you a notion of how critical color truly is. 

Waiting For Doom #64: Kup O' Berg or Cup o' Kupperberg or Heeeeeeeeeere's Paul!!

The Amazing Australians from Waiting For Doom had a chance to ask Paul Kupperberg all of the pressing questions about life, the universe, and everything, but chose to talk about Doom Patrol instead. Because, y'know, Doom Patrol.

You can find the latest episode here or in the usual spot you find the episodes, if you have one of those usual episode spots.

But you might be thinking to yourself, "Where, oh where, can I find other Waiting For Doom episodes that cover Paul Kupperberg's run?"

Deep Thoughts with Arani Desai

Well, we've got you covered.

Seriously.

Check out this extensive list from Mike Garvey:

Episode 11: The Lost Years (1977 and 1982) 

Showcase V. 1 #s 94-96 and DC Comics Presents #52

Episode 26: Back From the Dead! Again! Apparently. Aired 23 July2015.

V. 2 #s 1, 2, 3

Episode 27: Good Thing They Only Come Once A Year  Aired 6 August 2015.

Secret Origins Annual 1 & Doom Patrol Annual 1 (#2 also discussed)

You can also check out my coverage of the Secret Origins Annual right here on the Secret Origins Podcast. 

Episode 29: That Time Arani Took the Team to the Ozarks Aired 20 August 2015.

Doom Patrol Volume 2 #s 4, 5 & 6. Wow. That's some big difference between #4 and #6. 

Episode 30: The Life and Times of John Dubrovny Aired 27 August 2015.

Doom Patrol /Suicide Squad Special 

Episode 33: Kansas City Hijinks Aired 17 September 2015.

Doom Patrol #7 & 8

Episode 37: A Life in the Day When It Rains Plastic Men Aired 21 October 2015.

Doom Patrol #9

Episode 39: Waiting for Supergirl with Dr. Anj! Aired 4 November 2015.

The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #9. Cover art by Gil Kane.
Also covered on this episode are

Superman Family #s 191-193 and Daring New Adventures of Supergirl # 8 

Episode 40: No Way – Hot Hands Saves the Day?!?  Aired 18 November 2015.

Doom Pat#10 & Superman vol 2 #20

Episode 47: Betrayal and an Invasion? Talk About A Bad Day! Aired 3 March 2016.

Doom Patrol #11 & 12

Episode 53: Order, Chaos, Doom and Butts Aired 15 April 2016.

Doom Patrol #13 & 14

Episode 59: Attack of the High-Tech Weaponry Wielding Geriatrics! Aired 2 June 2016.

Doom Patrol #15 & 16

Episode 63: Endings…Beginnings…Doom! Aired 13 July 2016.

Doom Patrol #17 & 18. The end of an era. 

THANK YOU PAUL KUPPERBERG!!

The first issue of the second volume of Doom Patrol was the first DP I ever read, and it will always be special to me, even if we never got the Kalki action figure and playset. 

Waiting For Doom #63: The Back Butt or An Invasion to Remember

In Waiting For Doom #63, Paul has some issues with his nautical terminology, or perhaps he's just helping us all understand how things SHOULD be.

Here's the cover for issue #17.

Paul's super-sexy Sea Devils.

. . .and THE page from Doom Patrol (Volume 2) #17.

And now the cover for #18.

And some mopey Doom Kids. 

And a sad note to end the issue on. . .

. . .and a random panel from Invasion! #3. Art by Bart Sears and inked by Dick Giordano. 

Negative Monday 27

It's Monday, so let's get negative. . . . !

This week I want to share a page with you from Showcase #94. I hear you out there, "Showcase #94? Why should I know that, I know I KNOW that. . . " and so on.

Here's why:

Got it? Good. Showcase #94 from 1977 was the first time we saw the "new" Doom Patrol under the pen of Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Joe Staton. Right here is the first time we get to meet Tempest, Celsius, and Negative Woman. You know, the Doom Patrol that was recently resurrected as Black Lanterns? First appearance right here.

I'm going to leave you with Cliff's re-introduction to the Negative being and we'll pick up a little more about this later this week.

Negative Monday 13

(in very best Doofensmirtz voice) Look at that! The thirteenth installment of Negative Mondays on Monday the thirteenth!

Sorry for that, I've been soaking up as much Phineas & Ferb and possible with the kids.

Continuing the exploits of Larry Trainor and his negative thoughts, here's the cover for this week's episode.
The team (Joshua Clay, Negative Woman, Celsius, Lodestone, and Karma) are off on the trail of Niles Caulder, or so Arani (Celsius) Caulder would have everyone believe. Larry Trainor, however, is left to stew about Val Vostok maintaining her hold on the Negative energy being.

Serendipitous that the rant from Trainor just so happens to be on page 13 for this, the thirteenth installment of Negative Monday, no?

This series has been entertaining to re-investigate. Arani is really a bit obsessed, and I wonder where that character could have gone. Kupperberg did a great job of making her a schemer, but didn't make her intolerable.

I haven't been able to go as in depth with it as I really want to. I'm hip-deep in my second book and have been devoting my back-issue re-reading time to that endeavor.

Another bit of negativity: this is Steve Lightle's last issue on the art chores.

Negative Monday 12

So we're under a month until Doom Patrol #1 by Keith Giffen, Matthew Clark, Livesay, and crew hits the stands!

Until then, I'll keep posting nuggets from here and there. Today, I decided we'd take a peek a something really negative - the conflict (the negative power struggle) between Val and Larry in issue #4 of the Paul Kupperberg, Steve Lightle, and Gary Martin series from 1987.

Here's the cover. That Steve Lightle certainly knew how to craft one helluva cover, eh? What's he up to nowadays?
Upon discovering Larry Trainor in the clutches of the sinister Kalki (another time, but same place - here on this blog!) the DP bring Larry back to Kansas City. The problem is, however, that Val doesn't want to give up the Negative being.
This, of course, in typical 1980s-comic fashion, leads to some seriously retina-damaging color choices and one whiny former superhero.
Come back next week for the next segment in Negative Mondays. I'll pick it up from here.

Negative Monday 9

Sorry for yet another brief entry, but here it is.

The cover from the second volume of Doom Patrol. This is the first time that Doom Patrol would ever have an issue #5, but not the last. (Hmmm, I wonder what issue #5 of Giffen/Clark will hold for us?) This volume started off with Kupperberg on the words and Steve Lightle on the art. This issue is Lightle's last, but I thought the cover was appropriate for Memorial Day.

I'm looking forward to spending a little more time re-reading and reviewing this series - especially as it went Vertigo - but have to continue on with my current research project before I can do the "fun" research for this little blog-site.

No, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop doing this site, far from it. It simply means this site will be SO MUCH MORE once I get done with the current project load.

Look for another update tomorrow from the blogosphere of Matthew Clark.

History of the DCU part 2

As promised, here's the second appearance of the "new" Doom Patrol in the pages of the second issue of History of the DC Universe. Beyond this appearance in the History, the DP hadn't truly made very many other appearances (and trio in Showcase, some glimpses in New Adventures of Supergirl and a DC Comics Presents) before moving into the Paul Kupperberg-penned, Steve Lightle-drawn Doom Patrol.

Click on it to read it with significantly less squinting.



This version of the DP made an appearance in Crisis that led to Negative Woman's critical role in the defeat of the Anti-Monitor.

For the most part, with some significant wardrobe updating, this is the team that appeared in Doom Patrol volume 2.

Of course, I just realized I might be getting slightly ahead of myself. I think I'll take the next few updates to introduce the characters of the DP to you, my Doomed readers.