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Review: Mother Panic #2

Posted on December 28, 2016 by Logan Dalton

With timely flashbacks and outbursts of violence, Mother Panic #2 continues to be the darkest vigilante comic set in Gotham City. Writer Jody Houser digs deeper into Violet’s screwed up mind and unearths her motivation to become a crime fighter: she was manipulated and used by the man she trusted most, namely, her father. And her quest for vengeance continues at a pretty twisted Gotham social outing (A supervillain themed costume party.) as she uses her social status, gadgets, and even sexuality to get close to Hemsley, a wealth child trafficker so she can take him out.

Tommy Lee Edwards’ art and colors captures the trashy vibe of Gotham’s wealthiest. It takes a special class of sociopath to thrive in this city and Houser’s dialogue for the big social gathering reeks of privilege and bragging about everything from expensive special effects makeup to new sports car. (Of course, sports car guy is an old man talking to younger women and happens to be Hemsley.) Evil and chaos is just a joke to these one-percenters, and these pages reminded me of the time in 2005 when Prince Harry of England showed up to a costume party in a Nazi uniform. When you have enough money, you don’t have to care about the terror that permeates the world around you or have to be a decent human being.

Edwards uses all kinds of gross and garish colors for this scene before filtering them out into pure white and single color tones when Violet switches to her Mother Panic persona. To go along with his color palette skills, Edwards gives characters personality through gesture as Violet flips off some fuckboy she slept with so she could be closer to Hemsley and his special car shipment. She has an air of casual disdain while strolling among the wealthy Gothamites whereas as Mother Panic, she is a blunt instrument with her snarky inner dialogue replaced by single word or syllable outbursts of profanity.

There are a couple pivotal sequences in Mother Panic #2 where Houser and Edwards throw us into Violet’s moral compass. To kill or not to kill is the major question that vigilantes ask themselves with Batman and The Punisher falling on opposite sides of the spectrum. Mother Panic is in a gray area where she has killed but hesitates to now even when she has Hemsley on the ropes. Edwards uses a super intense color palette as Mother Panic totals Hemsley’s sports car with her fists and gadgets and easily gets the information about his child slave ring. However, then he and Houser cut to a light blue flashback of her wanting to not kill a deer as a child even when it’s in her sights.

Except the big twist is that Violet killed her father with his own rifle as a child because he wanted to sell her as a sex slave for money. He was a terrible human being, and the fiery recoil of the rifle as she guns him down is cathartic. It’s also deeply depressing as this is just a young girl doing this. Mother Panic’s trauma-filled past informs her present as she takes out criminals everywhere on behalf of her mother, who a cop thinks is being held hostage by her daughter, and then spills his guts about issues with his husband/boyfriend and how he wants to be a nurse. Mother Panic’s pursuer isn’t some self-righteous Javert wannabe, but probably the most decent human being who has popped up in the series.

Mother Panic #2 continues its fragmented narrative style, but Jody Houser and Tommy Lee Edwards continue to embrace the sleaziness of Gotham City and a new vigilante that is more than a match for it. There is also a three-page backup story about Gotham radio host and Batman supporter who was murdered by writer Jim Krueger and artists Phil Hester and Ande Parks that also looks at the moral implications of being a vigilante albeit with cleaner, more Bruce Timm-esque art.

Story: Jody Houser Art: Tommy Lee Edwards
Story: 8 Art: 9.5 Overall: 8.7 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics/Young Animal provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Review: Shade, the Changing Girl #3

Posted on December 14, 2016 by Ashley Leckwold

When asked in interviews about the body horror of her series InSEXts, Marguerite Bennett would often describe the central conceit of the series in regards to how being a woman in this society is a body horror of its own. When asked by Paste Magazine about that common thread in her works, she said, “…If you are told that by virtue of your birth, you must offer your body and heart and compliance and emotional labor in the service of others and be grateful for the chance to be subservient to someone your society actually values and reflects in stories of heroism—you are going, very much, to be consumed by the ideas of monsters with power instead of human beings without it.”

I was thinking about that quote a lot when reading over this particular issue of Shade, the Changing Girl. While Cecil Castelucci and Marley Zarcone aren’t exploring body horror with Shade, they are taking more of a route of introspection, making it very clear that beneath all the Madness, alien visitation and the horrors of high school, Shade, the Changing Girl is a series about changing yourself and coming to grips with the person you used to be and the person you’re expected to be because of it.

While the reader still doesn’t know much about Loma Shade’s past, we and Shade are learning more and more about Megan’s. In short, Megan Boyer was kind of the worst. The palimpsest of Megan’s memories is becoming clearer and Shade struggles with the balance. “It’s hard enough to sit with your own thoughts. Even stranger to creep around in someone else’s leftover memories.”

Shade has been a dense work since it began a couple of months back, but this particular issue took me a couple of reads to fully appreciate. Now that Shade’s initial enthusiasm about being on Earth has faded off, she now has to begin to face the complications of actually being a teenage girl. Let alone a teenage girl who has been called a “toxic human” and a “sociopath” by her peers and distressed her parents to the point they were willing to pull the plug on her before Shade took over. Castellucci’s balance of telling finding oneself in the madness is gorgeous and made even better by Zarcone’s art and paneling. The two-page spread of Shade crawling around in Megan’s memories shaped like the plan of a house was particularly brilliant.

As a result of trying to figure out the balance, Shade realizes that she’s going to have to start acting like Megan in order to survive the Madness and live on Earth. Probably not a moment too soon because not only is Meta getting closer to figuring out what is going on, but River starts to suspect that maybe there is something alien about her. Just in time for her to rise from the pool to strike her teammates, give into the Madness, get detention for it and for Megan’s spirit to feel the call of the Madness, of course.

Speaking of Meta, we get to see a bit more of life on the planet in this particular issue. Mellu Loran is trying to close in on the Madness Vest while Lepuck tries to figure out how to wake Loma up from her enclosure before it’s too late. Since I’m not as familiar with the original Shade, The Changing Man series, the importance of Loran was initially lost on me, but this month’s bio material includes a biography of her and what she’s been up to since she and Rac Shade called it quits. Between this, Mad Dog showing up in Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye and the brilliant and mostly silent Dial H for Hero backup in this issue from Tini Howard and Sanya Anwar, I feel like I’m learning more about obscure DC and Vertigo characters from Young Animal than I have anywhere else.

Shade, the Changing Girl #3 continues the brilliant work of the series as Shade travels deeper into Megan’s psyche and memories to try and understand both Megan and herself. It leaves a certain vulnerability that wouldn’t have been possible in any other setting besides high school and Castellucci and Zarcone tell a story that makes it worth revisiting.

Story: Cecil Castellucci Art: Marley Zarcone and Kelly Fitzpatrick
Story: 8.5 Art: 10 Overall: 9.25 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with FREE copy for review

Mini Reviews For The Week Ending 11/12

Posted on November 13, 2016 by Alex K Cossa

Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling short reviews from the staff of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full review for. These are Graphic Policy‘s Mini Reviews.

Alex

All-Star Batman (DC)** I don’t know if it’s because the other Batman centric books have become so intertwined with each other lately that you need to read more than just the one to be able to get the full picture, or that Scott Snyder is a level above the other Batman writers (to be fair to them, Snyder has been writing Batman for a long time – for a good reason), but every time I pick up an issue of All-Star Batman I wonder why I’m still reading the other Bat-books. If you’re a fan of the Batman, you need to be reading this series. Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Black #2 (Back Mask) Despite a legitimately fantastic concept,the second issue fails to impress – no matter how much I want it to. Overall: 5 Recommendation: Pass

Brigands #1 (Action Lab) Uh… so I don’t know if this is a one shot or the start to a new series (there’s the word end at the end of the comic which implies a one shot). If it’s a one shot, then honestly you’re better off leaving this on the shelf because the interesting premise peters out pretty quickly into an at best mediocre finale. However, if it’s the start of a series, it’s worth keeping your eye on it because there’s a lot of potential here. Overall: 6.75 Recommendation: Pass/Read depending on if there’s an issue #2

Clone Conspiracy #2 (Marvel) The problem with crossover events when you haven’t been reading the build up is that inevitably you’re going to feel a little lost. The first issue of this comic means very little to the events here aside from how Spider-Man ended up where he starts out in #2; you will feel a bit lost if you haven’t been reading at least one Spider-book before starting this. But hey, Scarlet Spider’s back, so that’s always a plus for me. Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read.

Namesake #1 (Boom! Studios) There’s something about this first issue that encourages a second read through, and once you’ve done that then you’ll find the comic opens itself up to you that much more. A solid first issue – keep your eye out for this. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

The Paybacks #4 (Heavy Metal) Holy. Shit. Absolutely amazing. Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

Red Hood And The Outlaws #4 (DC) This is a sleeper hit for me. I never think of how much I’ve been enjoying the comic until I start reading it; seeing Red Hood inhabit the grey area of an anti-hero’s role has been fantastic, just as his struggle to find which side of the line he falls on. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Revolution #4 (IDW) Shit is finally hitting the fan, and it’s a gloriously chaotic comic that demands at least a second reading just to understand the flow of the conflict. Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

Solo #2 (Marvel) If you like your comics to a like a popcorn action movie, then you’re going to like this- but if you don’t then this may not be your cup of tea (and no, you don’t need to read issue #1). Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Joe

Invincible Iron Man #1 (Marvel) – After such a downer of an event (so far) with Civil War II, and my doubt that it gets fun or cheery anytime soon, I am looking forward to more fun books like Champions. I would say this book for the most part fits into that category as well. That’s not to say there isn’t a dark and sad moment or two, but for the most part we get to see a super genius child get into super hero armor and have some fun. She is overwhelmed, and trying to figure out how to live in the giant legacy of Tony Stark, but it felt fun and authentic to me. I like Riri as a character so far, and I enjoy how they play with the social awkwardness of someone so smart that it is hard for her to speak with normal everyday people. The ending has a nice tie-in to the Infamous Iron Man book a little, and I want to see where this goes. I am dying for her to meet Doom, and we all know that is coming eventually. Bendis is at his best on solo titles, and I hope this will be another hit. The art by Stefano Caselli was also very well done. Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

The Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #1 (Marvel) – This was a fun read and is perfect for a miniseries. It is obvious the series is taking a jab at the controversial story in Spidey’s past where he and Mary Jane are no longer married in the Marvel universe. In this short series, we take a look at what could have been and also give the couple a child, Annie. Then we get to see all three of them with powers fighting crime together. I enjoyed the art by Ryan Stegman, and the design of Mary Jane’s and Annie’s costumes. There was some fun and cute moments between Peter, MJ, and Annie. Overall this was a solid book. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Doom Patrol #3 (Young Animal) – I wasn’t sure how I felt about the first Doom Patrol issue, although I did love something about it. I had a feeling it was going somewhere, and whether it was the amazing art by Nick Derington, or the hints at bigger things inside this weird book by Gerard Way, I decided I wanted to keep reading it. I did just that with the second issue, and I liked the book even more. The introduction of the other characters made this weird book already weirder, but still better. I really enjoy how deep this book gets with its own ridiculousness, and this issue goes even further down that path. I highly recommend this book, and am excited to read it every month. Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

Patrick

Casanova #7 (Image) – Ever have one of those days where stuff is happening that’s supposed to be superdramatic, but you’re so far beyond caring? I think the danger of having a story that circles around the idea of Acedia, the Deadly Sin of sloth, is that at least one reader just gets beyond caring about your characters. In this issue, there are revelations, sudden screeches to a halt, and explosions – all carried out with brilliant style by Fraction and Moon – but missing dramatic depth. Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: keep reading if you’ve come this far (also, continue to drool over Fabio Moon’s delicious artwork).

Ryan C

Invincible Iron Man #1 (Marvel)** – Another ho-hum intro to Brian Michael Bendis’ two “new” Iron “Men,” Riri Williams seems like an interesting enough character, but not because of anything that happens in this uninspired half-slugfest/half-slow-burn-origin story. Stefano Caselli’s art is serviceable but generic, and that sums up the script fairly succinctly, as well. Overall: 3. Recommendation: Pass.

Doom Patrol #3 (DC/Young Animal)** – Gerard Way and Nick Derington continue their surreal re-introduction of “The World’s Strangest Super-Heroes,” this time going a bit heavy on the info-dumping and explicit references to the Grant Morrison/Richard Case years, but at least managing to do so in a highly original, downright “gonzo” manner. This issue will probably prove to be a bit alienating to anyone who isn’t familiar with ’90s-era DP, but what the hell? I still enjoyed the heck out of it, warts and all. Overall: 7.5. Recommendation: Read.

Glitterbomb #3 (Image)** – After taking a step back and catching a breath with their second issue, Jim Zub and Djibril Morissette-Phan put their foot firmly back on the gas this time out as our “heroine” (and the creature inside her) take delicious revenge on a William Shatner stand-in who’s clearly got it coming, and set the stage for how she’s going to climb back to the top of the Hollywood ladder. Deliciously creepy shit here, folks. Overall: 9. Recommendation: Buy.

Black #2 (Black Mask)** – I still WANT to like this comic more than I ACTUALLY do, and odds are that’s going to be a short-lived problem since I’m only prepared to give this maybe one more issue. Jamal Igle’s art is more than competent (although he’s got plenty of help this time out with tones and inks and unspecified ‘art assists’ — and all these contributors are barely credited), but Kwanza Osajyefo’s script, while making some crucial steps forward plot-wise, is filled with almost comically hackneyed dialogue, and “designer” Tim Smith 3 contributes nothing that I can see to warrant co-ownership of the book. The workers are carrying all the weight here while the top dogs hold the copyright and stand to reap all the rewards if this thing hits the big-time. Exploitative capitalism at its finest, disguised as a “revolutionary” comic? That’s a con Trump himself would be proud of. Overall: 2. Recommendation: Pass.

Shean

Black Panther: World of Wakanda#1 (Marvel):Black Panther’s Dora Milaje , at first glance seems to be a super version of the Secret Service but thanks to Coates recent run , the world is getting a more intimate view of their inner workings. Now Roxanne Gay and Afua Richardson are giving readers a ground floor tour of what it takes to be a sacred guard. In what starts out as a scene from Full Metal Jacket becomes a complex episode of Quantico , just with more story development. By issue’s end, there is a few internal rivalry, a budding romance and a war with Namor. Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Violent Love#1 (Image): When it comes to world of crime, the many famous legends that permeates the public consciousness, there is none more infamous and romantic than Bonnie and Clyde. What never really gets discussed is their origins , how they starlit doing these heinous acts . In this story, Barbiere attempts to tell a story similar, with the introduction of Daisy Jane and Rock Bradley. We follow these star crossed lovers as they create mayhem everywhere they go. By issue’s end, you will either be repulsed by them or be rooting for them. Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write. See you next week!

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Reviews

Review: Mother Panic #1

Posted on November 9, 2016 by Ashley Leckwold

From the moment the series was announced, Mother Panic has been on my most anticipated list for comics this year. With the Burnside Era of Batgirl and Black Canary coming to a close, there didn’t seem to be a lot coming up to take its place. With Mother Panic’s story about a celebutante turned vigilante, it seemed like it might just do that.

I’m happy to report that not only does Mother Panic fit in with Burnside’s punk rock vibes, but might add a bit of DC’s Young Animal curator Gerard Way’s The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys as well in terms of heart.

Mother Panic #1 introduces us to Violet Paige, a young member of Gotham’s elite who returns after some time away. It’s a familiar story to anyone who has read a Batfam origin story like Bruce’s or Kate’s. However, Violet has a decidedly different approach to her return to Gotham. She’s not looking to be a protector or to save Gotham. She’s looking to burn it down. Might be why she calls herself “a work in progress.” Not really a hero, but not certain if she’s a villain yet either.

For those familiar with Jody Houser’s writing through Faith might initially be surprised at the stark contrast in tone. Mother Panic is like a kick to the teeth in a dark alley. It hits fast, hurts and is bloody before you really get all of what’s going on. However, there are moments of humanity that ground you and make you understand just where Violet is coming from a little bit more. Particularly in the flashbacks involving her father and the moments she shares with her mother both as a child and an adult. As conflicted as Violet is about her position in Gotham’s grand scheme, it is these moments that provide absolute clarity about the kind of person she is and could become.

Tommy Lee Edwards’ art, in particular, is perfectly fitting for this kind of mode. Dark and sketchy, with just the right touch of surrealism to keep your head spinning. The fact that the villains of this story are violent artists in unreal spaces is what really makes this story work in the Young Animal line. Not to mention that design for Violet’s vigilante costume. It keeps the lines and shapes we’re familiar with when it comes to the Bats, but it also feels a bit more armored and heavy. Like something that could really mess you up. Plus, the nice contrast of her in all white and not knowing what kind of masked crusader she is yet matched against Batman’s all black everything is the kind of duality in comics I live for. With the mutual hatred of Batman, can I get a meeting with Violet and Olive Silverlock at some point?

As a fan of Gotham stories and Young Animal, Mother Panic hits all the right notes. It’s an intense and punk as hell story about a young woman still figuring herself involving vigilantism and art. If you enjoyed the Batgirl of Burnside or Brenden Fletcher and Annie Wu’s Black Canary, you’ll probably find a familiarity in Mother Panic that will excite you. If you enjoyed The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, the similar lush tone and surrealism will jump out at you faster than Violet herself. Either way, Mother Panic makes Young Animal four for four so far and brings a new twist to the familiar Gotham story.

Story: Jody Houser Art: Tommy Lee Edwards
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.

Review: Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye #1

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Logan Dalton

With 78 years of accumulated history, the DC Universe is really a strange place, and writers Gerard Way and Jon Rivera and artist Michael Avon Oeming mine that strange side in Cave Carson Has A Cybernetic Eye #1, the latest release from Way’s Young Animal print. Cave Carson is a Silver Age era “daredevil” hero, who was created in response to characters like the Challengers of the Unknown, but with a side of spelunking. His adventures were featured in backup stories for books like Brave and the Bold and Showcase , and Cave has made cameos in comics like the villain Eclipso’s solo series and even Infinite Crisis.

Way and Rivera make Cave a compelling character by giving him the very relatable problem of dealing with grief and escaping into the hallucinations of his cybernetic eye to avoid the emotions surrounding the death of his wife, Eileen. The comic doesn’t fall into the melodramatic trap of making Cave’s daughter Chloe, a total rebel, and him being a deadbeat dad, but there is some strain in their relationship as depicted in a diner scene. Oeming draws Cave as listlessly scanning his daughter with his eye before she snaps him out of it, and he finally opens up about how all the minerals and things he discovered underground couldn’t save his wife. This panel is the melancholy heart of Cave Carson.

Colorist Nick Filardi makes Cave Carson #1 drearier than an entire year of rainy days while occasionally making the book’s color palette look like someone dropped acid when Cave uses his cybernetic eye. The grey skies during Eileen’s funeral look like actual skies and not some kind of film noir knockoff, and there is not an ounce of brightness as Cave returns to his home and lab. Oeming’s double page spread shows the sudden nature of grief as he condenses an entire funeral and road trip in two pages, and Filardi’s bleak color scheme finishes the job. However, he’s not afraid to get a little weird, like the puke green shade he picks out for the monster that looks to be Cave Carson’s first antagonist.

While keeping the story very stand alone, Way and Rivera place Cave Carson firmly into the both the science hero and mad scientist tradition of Silver Age comics where every hero was scientist, or fought them. He is more comfortable talking shop with Will Magnus and the Metal Men or running his fingers through his old spelunking vehicle than having normal human interactions. And, like in Doom Patrol, Way (and Rivera) doesn’t tip off his the twists and turns of plot too soon through the use of the Ben-Day dot filled flashbacks, a possibly extradimensional monster, and an intriguing fellow on the final page, who has the body of a superhero, but the wardrobe of a serial killer. However, Cave Carson #1 gives readers a good idea of what makes its hero tick along with his problems and interests before monsters start exploding.

Michael Avon Oeming has one of the most aesthetically pleasing art styles with his angular figures finding a perfect balance between Mike Mignola and Bruce Timm just like Cave Carson has a little superhero and a little body horror going for it wrapped in a science fiction package. Gerard Way and Jon Rivera also make Cave Carson himself a likeable protagonist with dry sense of humor and love for science buried beneath his sadness.

The combination of character study from Way and Rivera with exemplary storytelling and atmosphere from Oeming and Nick Filardi and just a touch of Silver Age whimsy are a few reasons why Cave Carson #1 is my favorite Young Animal comic so far.

Story: Gerard Way and Jon Rivera Art: Michael Avon Oeming Colors: Nick Filardi
Story: 9 Art: 10 Overall: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.

Review: Doom Patrol #1

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Logan Dalton

Writer Gerard Way got the blessing of the great Doom Patrol writer Grant Morrison before beginning his run on the title, and the comic definitely shows the great Scottish writer’s influence. But the comics reads more like Invisibles or Flex Mentallo than JLA with its parallel universes in a gyro, brick throwing hobos, keyboard solos from Doom Patrol founder Niles Caulder, and a singing, former roommate exploding space girl named Terry None. It’s safe to say that Doom Patrol is the strangest experience I’ve had reading a comic in 2016.

Even if Way doesn’t do readers any favors by showing clear transitions between most scenes (Except for the masterful cut from a fly on a gyro to Robotman fighting through a post-apocalyptic wasteland.), he, artist Nick Derington, and colorist Tamra Bonvillain deliver on some eye-catching imagery throughout the comic and also begin to develop some basic themes as well as the protagonist Casey and the evil corporate antagonist. Casey has a “normal” job as a hard-driving EMT, but a weird backstory involving aliens and strange beings that her co-worker Samson comments on while on a lunch break at an arcade. The Space Invaders-esque arcade game could very well be a door into another universe, but Way and Derington don’t give us any clear answers yet.

The experience of Doom Patrol #1 is like being dropped into the middle of someone else’s dream or in the middle of a video game where the controller has buttons set up completely foreign to you and is a genre that you don’t even have the words in your personal lexicon to Like you’re some kid from the far future who has just been handed a Sega Dreamcast controller and are playing something archaic (to you) like Tomb Raider or any sports game. And that metaphor is probably too simplistic. Like Morrison in Invisibles with his protagonist Dane, Way and Derington drop you into this explosive, reality bending universe without giving you the rules to figure it out. Hopefully, a John-a-Dreams type fellow shows up in a few issues to show readers nature of this world, but for now, it’s blind flying.

Doom Patrol is a free fall that ends just before the reader turns into street pizza. And along the way, Derington and Bonvillain warp commonplace visuals into something unusual from double page spreads to panel grids and even a run of the mill explosion. (Things do go boom a lot in this comic making Doom Patrol a natural extension of both Invisibles’ and My Chemical Romance’s unfortunate final (for now) album True Lives of the Fabulous Killljoys‘ penchant for using guns to illustrate philosophical ideas.) The scenes featuring Robotman are especially exemplary as Derington uses a different art style and a twelve panel grid to show the intensity of the battle as Bonvillain uses a light brown palette to show the dream-like nature of this fight as Derington zooms out and shows that there’s a whole world stuffed in a gyro in a trash can. Then, there’s a purple explosion from Bonvillain, and this reality enters what seems most like ours. In one bold color, like a Mikey Way bass line, she creates a connection between worlds.

Unlike the (possibly extraterrestrial) Moofgoober Corporation, who are creating a kind of constantly regenerating source of meat and pushing it on the world via franchise tie-ins, subliminal advertising, and just plain giving people what they think they want, Gerard Way, Nick Derington, and Tamra Bonvillain go away from the familiar in Doom Patrol #1 and bombard readers with a flurry of unfamiliar imagery. The final page is nigh incomprehensible even though it does feature a visual refutation of the cliche “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” as the hobo guy can’t stop throwing bricks.

Doom Patrol isn’t nostalgic comfort food for fans of DC Comics, but original almost to a fault and Way, Derington, and Bonvillain use the versatility of the comic book medium to linger or flip through pages and panels to skillfully recreate the falling into an unfamiliar world and decision to press on that artists like Lewis Carroll, Luis Bunuel, Salvador Dali, David Bowie, Grant Morrison, and The Wachowski Sisters or any kind of hallucinogenic drugs have tried to evoke or simulate throughout the years. And Derington’s interplay between the clean lines of his heroine Casey and her new “friend” Terry None and the geometrical corporate toadies creates a feeling of multiple realities without the usual clunky exposition.

Story: Gerard Way Art: Nick Derington Colors: Tamra Bonvillain
Story: 7 Art: 9 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review