DCU Comic Book Reviews

DOOM PATROL #22

Doomsday (No, Not Him)

July 2011

Written by Keith Giffen

Pencils by Ron Randall

Inks by Art Thibert

Cover by Matthew Clark

Synopsis

Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man wakes up in the Antarctica, thanks to Danny the Bungalow.  On Oolong Island, the order to retrieve AVM is given by Mr. Somebody, who has embodied President Veronica Cale.  Cale declares she will fight Mr. Somebody, but h does not seem concerned.  Elsewhere, Doom Patrol (Robotman, Elasti-Woman, Negative Man, and Bumblebee) invade Oolong Island.  Meanwhile, Amanda Beckett is the next to be sent to Antarctica.  Mr. Somebody orders her return.  Just then, he receives a call from General Immortus, who indicates he is helping Doom Patrol.  The team has made it to the island, but is spotted by security cameras.  They are then attacked by the Front Men.  Doom Patrol wins the battle, but seem to be losing the war when Mr. Somebody appears to give the order to kill them.  Just then Ambush Bug appears, gives Mr. Somebody information (“Flash-what?”), which causes Mr. Somebody to fell the island, returning it to Veronica Cale and Doom Patrol.  Later, Cale informs Cliff that Mr. Somebody left with a souvenir, the body of Nils Caulder.   

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Due to the fact that I am extremely behind schedule (by 3 months) completing reviews, the following few words will suffice until I can get back on track. 

Good:   The issue was average, but the ending was brilliant.  Well, let me rephrase, I loved the ending with Ambush Bug and the meta-textual reference to being cancelled in the wake of Flashpoint.  I thought the ending with Niles was the wrong way to end the series on a cliffhanger (unless the series comes back after Flashpoint, but I doubt it).

Thoughts on final issue and series:  There were some good moments and bad moments with this series.  I think the bad moments tended toward those issues there were, for lack of a better word, incestuous.  Giffen explored a lot of Doom Patrol continuity and frankly I can’t blame him for wanting to make all of the different facets of Doom Patrol fit into the current run.  However, the execution was not at all crisp or clean, leaving me often bewildered and betwixt trying to figure out what the hell is going on.  However, when Giffen stuck to the current incarnation and stayed away from the past, then his unique dialogue syntax and humor shone through, especially with the conversations between Cliff and Larry.  Those were the best moments, despite the pelican.  Ultimately, I would love to read a series featuring just Cliff, Larry, and Rita, that doesn’t rely on whatever Grant Morrison or the other writers brought to the team.

 

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Last updated: 08/06/11.