Comic Info
Comic Name: Doom Patrol (Volume 2)
Publisher: DC Comics/Vertigo
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Richard Case/Kelley Jones
# of Issues: 7
Release Date: 2005
Doom Patrol (2) #37
Reprints Doom Patrol (2) #35-41 (August 1990-February 1991). The Doom Patrol is diving into the strange and bizarre again. They encounter a living part of the city called Danny the Street and uncover Danny’s odd inhabitants that include a strange man named Flex Mentallo that might hold the secrets to some of the world’s biggest mysteries and a great conspiracy. Also Rhea comes out her coma to find herself transformed, and Doom Patrol is thrust into the middle of an age old war that started with roots to the Fall of Eden.
Written by Grant Morrison, Doom Patrol Volume 3: Down Paradise Way continues Morrison’s critically acclaimed and strange turn with one DC’s most offbeat teams. Following Doom Patrol Volume 2: The Painting That Ate Paris, Doom Patrol Volume 3: Down Paradise Way is illustrated by Richard Case and Kelley Jones and features the first appearances of fan favorites Danny the Street and Flex Mentallo.
I love Grant Morrison’s writing. Half the time you read it and question if it really makes sense, but it feels like a beautiful weirdness while reading it. Either Grant Morrison is a genius at crafting stories or he’s great at tricking readers, but it is always fun to read due to his experimental nature of storytelling.
Doom Patrol (2) #40
The story in the book is pretty much divided into two parts with the first part being about Danny the Street. The idea of a living street feels similar to Neil Gaiman’s Fiddler’s Green from The Sandman who was the human embodiment of a place. The idea is fun and strange like much of Doom Patrol, and what is weirder is that Danny has since made an appearance in the New 52 in Teen Titans storyline as a member of the Titans.
The Danny the Street portion of the collection also sets up one of Doom Patrol’s greatest storylines which is the focus of Doom Patrol 4: Musclebound. One of Danny’s inhabitants in Flex Mentallo and the introduces the question of what is the Pentagon? It also introduces the Men from N.O.W.H.E.R.E. that become major enemies of the Doom Patrol.
The second half of the collection revolves around Rhea’s rebirth. After Doom Patrol 2: The Paris That Ate Paris, Rhea is still in her coma but is transformed. Her rebirth coincides with the Doom Patrol getting involved in an ancient war. Tripping dimensions, this part of the collection is a bit weaker but does provide resolution for Rhea’s character, and little snippets into the future battles of the Doom Patrol through multiple prologues.
Doom Patrol Volume 3: Down Paradise Way begins to develop a bigger story for Morrison’s Doom Patrol. The series starts to lay the lines for future storylines and big events surrounding Flex Mentallo, the Ant Farm, and the Pentagon. Doom Patrol Volume 3: Down Paradise Way is followed by the fun Doom Patrol Volume 4: Musclebound.
Related Links:
Doom Patrol 1: Crawling from the Wreckage
