Remembering Artist Bruno Premiani

Remembering artist Bruno Premiani on his birthday (January 4, 1907 - August 17, 1984) with My Greatest Adventure....the earliest appearances of the Doom Patrol, where he, Arnold Drake and Bob Haney created the Chief, Robotman, Elasti-Girl and Negative Man, and their vilest villain, General Immortus.

Bruno didn't do the cover to #85, but the Doom Patrol took over the title with #86 with the introduction of the Brotherhood of Evil.

My Greatest Adventure #80 and #81 (June and August, 1963)

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My Greatest Adventure #82 and #83 (September and November, 1963)

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My Greatest Adventure #84  (December, 1963)

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April Fools With Vertigo Ambush Bug

As it is April Fools' Day, one could actually spend a whole month (and then some) focusing on Ambush Bug as done by Keith Giffen, but instead, just a peek at his Ambush Bug Nothing Special #1 (September, 1992), from a time when comics were very serious, especially DC's Vertigo line.

So, of course, as DC's continuity cop, Ambush Bug came along and had a little fun with Swamp Thing, Doom Patrol, Sandman and Death in Keith's 9 panel style.  

Because, why not?

Ambush Bug meets Swamp Thing and the Doom Patrol 

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Ambush Bug meets Sandman and Death

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Remembering Artist Steve Lightle

Though Steve Lightle (November 19, 1959 - January 8, 2021) only worked briefly on the Doom Patrol, helping to bring back the title in the 1980s (starting in October, 1987)....

...his 5 issues were pretty memorable, and only make you wish that he could have done more (especially his work on Cliff Steele...the Robotman, as well as introducing readers to Lodestone and Karma!).

Doom Patrol #2 and #3 (November and December, 1987)

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Doom Patrol #4 and #5 (January and February, 1988)

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Still, we remember Steve, and honor his work!

Remembering Artist Bob Brown

In trying to remember artist Bob Brown (August 22, 1915 to January 29, 1977), a problem emerged.

Of all the wonderfully wacky covers he did for Doom Patrol, the Challengers of the Unknown and Tomahawk....which series should be the focus?

Well...decided on two from each below.

Enjoy!

Doom Patrol

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More Doom Patrol goodness here!

Challengers Of The Unknown

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Here's a history of the Challenger's biggest foe, Multi-Man!

Tomahawk

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Another weird revolutionary Tomahawk here!

If only DC would give as much love to Bob's Challengers as they have his Doom Patrol!

 

Happy Birthday George Perez

A little happy birthday to artist George Perez...

...and, here are a few DC Digests that have his art on the cover!

Best of DC 17 (October, 1981)

A cover of Supergirl by George Perez and Dick Giordano, with issues inside reprinting Supergirl stories from Action Comics #256, #285, #318, Adventure Comics #424, Supergirl #1 and Superman Family #165!

Great tales summarizing the career of Superman's cousin, Kara Zor-El, aka Linda Lee aka Linda Danvers!

Best of DC 21 (February, 1982)

The Justice Society of America are rebuilding on this cover, all by George Perez himself, with stories in this issue including DC Special #29, All-Star Comics #35 and Brave and the Bold #62!

These tales include the original of the JLA, the first appearance of Per Degaton and a Starman/Black Canary team up!

DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest 19 (March, 1982)

The original Doom Patrol are on view on this little cover by George Perez and Frank Giacoia, with stories inside including My Greatest Adventure #80, Doom Patrol #86, #91 and #90!

These tales include the first appearance of the Doom Patrol, the Brotherhood of Evil, Mento and battle royale!

Didn't forget about the New Teen Titans Digest, but that one is so special, it will get its own coverage!

Remembering Steve Lightle

Remembering artist Steve Lightle (November 19, 1959 - January 8, 2021) who passed away this morning.  

Known mostly for his work at DC Comics, on Legion of Super-Heroes, Doom Patrol and the Flash, Steve also worked at Marvel, doing Spider-Man and Classic X-Men covers, as well as odds and ends of work all over for both companies and even his own independent work. 

Below is a sample of some of his covers.  He will be missed.

 

 

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DC Invasion Crossovers Part 2

Invasion! was a three issue limited series by DC Comics in the later 1980s that crossed over with many of its titles.


Already covered some of them last time, here's the rest of the bannered crossovers of the time.

Firestorm

Firestorm was, at this time, a hero with his own mind, coming from the merging of Ronnie Raymond and Mikhail Arkadin (Martin Stein was not known to be part of the matrix at this time).  In Firestorm The Nuclear Man #80 (1988 by Robert Greenberger, Tom Grindberg and Sam DeLaRosa), Firestorm was recruited (along with his similarly nuclear powered friend, Firehawk) and Power Girl to battle Khunds (freeing Starman along the way), and the lot work to free America's first spaceman, Adam Strange (which happens in Starman #5).  In Firestorm The Nuclear Man #81 (January, 1989, by John Ostrander, Tom Grindberg, Arne Starr and Sam DeLaRosa), Firestorm returns to his normal life, but ends up reforming in Russia to help hero group Soyuz (young Russian heroes with mutant powers) fight Stalnoivok (a villain of extreme strength, who has gone mad battling aliens).

Atom

Ray Palmer was fighting his time traveling foe, Chronos, when the Invasion! hit.  The shrinking hero formed an alliance with Chronos in Power of the Atom #7 (Holiday, 1988, by Roger Stern, Graham Nolan and Keith Stan Wilson). freeing humans trapped by the Khunds. In Power Of The Atom #8 (January, 1989,  by Stern, Nolan and Wilson), Atom checks on the world's repair efforts (meeting Green Lantern along the way), finds that Chronos ended their truce by killing a Thanagarian Wingman (Ray thinking for a second it might be his friend, Hawkman), and goes to confront his foe as something bad happens for Earth (resolved in Invasion! #3).

New Guardians

The New Guardians were heroes that came out of the last DC crossover, Millennium, and were a group of heroes (Ram, Gloss, Floro, Extrano, Harbinger and not pictured, Jet) who, working with former Green Lanterns Arisia and Kilowog, faced the Warlords of Okaara in New Guardians #6 (Holiday, 1988 by Cary Bates, Joe Staton and Mark Farmer) with fatal results for a member of the team.  In New Guardians #7 (February, 1989 by Bates, Staton and Farmer), the team splits up to deal with the loss, and team sorceror, Extrano, gains a crystal skull to focus his power.

Doom Patrol

A later incarnation of the Doom Patrol, with original members Robotman and the Chief, and newer members temperature controlling Celsius, Negative Woman (similar powers to Negative Man), energy blasting Tempest, magnetic Lodestone and fiery Scott Fischer work with alien foe of the Patrol, Garguax (who was not invited into the Alien Alliance) against the Gil'Dishpan, to save Atlantis (along with help from Aquaman, Aqualad and the Sea Devils) in Doom Patrol #17 (1988 by Paul Kupperberg, Graham Nolan and Timothy Dzon), with the team losing a new member.  In Doom Patrol #18 (January, 1989, by Kupperberg, Nolan and Dzon), the team deals with the loss, as former Negative Man Larry Trainor is injured in a crash, and Negative Woman Valentina Volstok loses her powers, as the rest of the team gathers for the funeral for their fallen comrade (and leads into Invasion! #3, where another new member also perishes).

Batman and Spectre

Batman was recruited to battle Thanagarians, Durlans and Khunds in Cuba by Maxwell Lord in Detective Comics #595 (1988, by Alan Grant, John Wagner, Irv Novick and Steve Mitchell), and the Spectre kept the supernatural members of the DCU (Madame Xanadu, Deadman, Demon, Dr. Fate, Phantom Stranger, Tala and Zatanna) out of the conflict (with one exception, as seen in Invasion! #2), in Spectre #23 (Holiday, 1988 by Doug Moench and Chris Wozniak).

Superman

Superman had his two issues after Invasion! #2, the Aftermath issues, starting with Superman #27 (January, 1989 by Roger Stern, Kerry Gammill and Brett Breeding) with an exhausted Clark Kent (Superman), getting some rest, while Gangbuster goes to attack Luthor (who is protected by Brainiac, though not that well, as Brainiac went into a coma trying to read Gangbuster's mind), then Gangbuster is confronted by the Guardian, who finds out that Gangbuster is.... next in Adventures of Superman #450 (January, 1989), revealing who this Gangbuster really is, and leading Superman to decide that it is too dangerous for him to stay on Earth (and we also see the prototype Supergirl, Matrix, with the Kents in this issue).  Superman prepares to leave Earth (but events lead him back for Invasion! #3).

Justice League International

The current Justice League is pretty busy fighting Khunds with Wonder Woman, so Mr. Miracle's assistant, Oberon and future hero, Booster Gold, are left to defend their HQ in  Justice League International #22 (1988, by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, Kevin Maquire and Josef Rubinstein) from miniaturized Khunds.  The team regathers in Invasion! #2, plus many other heroes, and in Justice League International #23 (January, 1989 by Giffen, DeMatties, Maquire and Rubinstein), sees the gathering of the Injustice League (Big Sir, Cluemaster, Major Disaster, Multi-Man and Clock King, and the not pictured Mighty Bruce) form to raid a Khund ship, with disastrous results (for the Injustice League), facing Guy Gardner (then, onto Invasion! #3, and meeting more heroes).

The invasion had ended, and the pieces needed to be picked up....and they were in Justice League International #24 (February, 1989), with an expansion of the current JLI of Blue Beetle, Fire, Guy Gardner, Ice, Batman, Mr. Miracle, Captain Atom, Rocket Red, Booster Gold and Martian Manhunter), into a new team with Elongated Man, Wonder Woman, Power Girl, Animal Man, Metamorpho and Flash (Wally West) (and Hawkman and Hawkwoman leaving).....with more on that to follow, and of these stories, only the Justice League Internationals have been collected so far (#22 in their 3rd TPB, and #23 and #24 in their 4th)!

But, wait!  There is more!

Doom Patrol Opposite: Brotherhood Of Evil

Every hero needs a villain, even the odd hero group of the Doom Patrol.  Their opposite number was the Brotherhood of Evil, and they premiered in the first issue of the Doom Patrol...Doom Patrol #86 (March, 1964), by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani (the first 85 issue of this title were originally My Greatest Adventure, with the Doom Patrol having adventures in the title since My Greatest Adventures #80 (June, 1963).

The original Brotherhood of Evil members were as follows....

The Brain

The founder of the team, the Brain was, well, not only the brains of the operation, but truly the brains behind it all....and a disembodied brain in a bottle.

A French scientist who experimented on animals, and a rival of Niles Caulder, the man who became the Brain had his body damaged in an explosion, but was saved by one of his experiments, who transplanted his still living brain into a self-contained unit to keep him alive.

The Brain gathered the Brotherhood of Evil together, using his incredible intellect, and plotted to take over the world, and to have revenge on Niles Caulder (the Chief of the Doom Patrol). 

Part of those plans involved recruiting others to help him.....and the Brain started with the one he knew best!

Monsieur Mallah

The Brain needed muscle, and that was provided by Monsieur Mallah, an ape that the Brain evolved so that he could speak and think, with an I.Q. of 178, and function for the Brain.

It was Mallah that saved the Brain, and had him transplanted into the jar that saved his life.  Mallah often worked to keep his friend alive, and to do whatever the Brain needed him to do.

Mallah took over the functions of Rog, a giant robot, in Doom Patrol #93 (February, 1965 by Drake and Premiani), whom Mr. Morden used in the Brotherhood of Evil's first appearance (Mr. Morden was trying to join the Brotherhood, but failed, and became a real nobody). 

But, the team had another member, that the Brain also helped create....

Madame Rogue

Laura De Mille was a famous actress, until an automobile accident helped her develop a split personality....that the Brain and Monsieur Mallah took advantage of.

Laura became the headmistress of a Paris girls' school (which was also a front for the Brotherhood....and what school kid didn't feel their teachers were evil?).  First, Madame Rogue used her actress talents to disguise herself, but the Brain enhanced her powers in Doom Patrol #90 (September, 1964, by Drake and Premiani).  This story also gave hints of her split personality...and, a little later, her love for the Chief. 

Her origin was revealed in Doom Patrol #112 (June, 1967 by Drake and Premiani), where the Brain "cured" her split personality developed by the car crash (by turning her evil), with the Chief resolving to restore her good side.  The Brain and Chief war over Madame Rogue, with her evil self splitting off and dying in Doom Patrol #115 (November, 1967, by Drake and Premiani)....until Videx, a new potential recruit for the Brotherhood, starts a problem with Madame Rogue in Doom Patrol #118 (March-April, 1968), which the Great Guru finishes in Doom Patrol #119 (May-June, 1968), by turning Madame Rogue back to evil.

Madame Rogue went truly evil, teaming up with Captain Zahl, an ex-Nazi U-Boat commander, and seems to destroy not only the Brotherhood of Evil but the Doom Patrol as well in Doom Patrol #121 (September-October, 1968, also the issue which introduces Zahl).  It took some time, but Robotman did return, and with the help of Beast Boy (who was using the name of Changeling, and working with the new Teen Titans), finally ends the menace of Rogue and Zahl in New Teen Titans #13 to #15 of November, 1981 to January, 1982 (though a form of Rogue returns with Gemini, in later Brotherhood incarnations, as does the Brain and Mallah, with more Brotherhood recruits).   

The Brotherhood of Evil also worked with Doom Patrol foes General Immortus (who was a foe of the Doom Patrol since My Greatest Adventure #80 of June, 1963) and Garguax (an alien invader who menace the Earth since Doom Patrol #91 of November, 1964).  The Brotherhood of Evil even got new members like Plasmus, Warp, Houngan and Phobia, but that was later, and introduced in the the pages of the New Teen Titans (and we'll get around to them later....after giving you a chance to meet some of those new Teen Titans!). 

The Brotherhood of Evil must have gotten self conscious about the name at some point as well, changing over time to the Society of Sin (adding Trinity) and the Brotherhood of Dada (founded by Mr. Nobody)....but, also, stories for another day about how evil changed and grew!

Doom Patrol Archives And More

The Doom Patrol of the 1960s is a somewhat unique case.  All their team appearances in their own title were collected into 5 Archive additions, allowing you to read all of their adventures from My Greatest Adventure #80 (June, 1963) to Doom Patrol #121 (September-October, 1968) without totally having to break the bank or spend all your time tracking them down.

Here's the breakdown by volume of important events by Doom Patrol Archive, and the work of Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani, as well as Bob Haney and Bob Brown.

Doom Patrol Archive #1

The first Doom Patrol Archive came out in 2002, and features the premiere of the Doom Patrol from My Greatest Adventure #80 (as well as the first appearance of General Immortus, one of the teams most persistent foes).  This volume also includes all of their My Greatest Adventures tales (#81 to #85), the turning of the title to Doom Patrol with Doom Patrol #86 (which also features the first appearances of the Brotherhood of Evil, and its charter members of the Brain, Monsieur Mallah and Madame Rogue, with Mr. Morden trying to join using the Chief robot, Rog), learning "The Terrible Secret Of Negative Man" with Doom Patrol #87, "The Incredible Origin Of The Chief" in Doom Patrol #88, and the premiere of the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man in Doom Patrol #89 (in the tale where the Negative Man and Elasti-Girl get new red uniforms to replace their green ones, as well as the other Doom Patrol stories from the above issues.

Doom Patrol Archive #2

The second Doom Patrol Archive starts with Doom Patrol #90, seeing Madame Rogue get new shape-changing powers, the premiere of the sometimes heroic Mento (Steve Dayton) and alien invader Garguax in Doom Patrol #91, villainous Dr. Tyme in Doom Patrol #92, another return of the Brotherhood of Evil in Doom Patrol #93, the introduction of the Chief's "action chair" in Doom Patrol #94, the return of the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man in Doom Patrol #95, a team-up of Garguax, General Immortus and the Brotherhood of Evil in Doom Patrol #96, that continues into the last issue in this Archive, Doom Patrol #97.

Doom Patrol Archive #3

The third Doom Patrol Archive starts with Doom Patrol #98 and the introduction of the elemental villain, Mr. 103.  Doom Patrol #99 introduces us to Beast Boy (Garfield Logan), with Doom Patrol #100 giving us Gar's origin, while starting a look back at Robotman's history as well.  Doom Patrol #101 features the mystery of Kranus, and guest appearances by the Challengers of the Unknown, which leads to including Challengers of the Unknown #48 (with the Doom Patrol) in this Archive.  The Doom Patrol and Challengers finish their fight against Challs' foes, the League of Challenger-Haters (who include Multi-Man, Volcano Man, Kra and Multi-Woman).  Doom Patrol #103 sees the team face "The Meteor Man", with Doom Patrol #104 seeing Elasti-Girl marrying Mento (with the Justice League and Teen Titans of the time at the wedding, which was crashed by the Brotherhood of Evil.  Last in this volume is Doom Patrol #105, with "The Honeymoon Of Terror" (as well as all the Robotman-iac looks at Robotman's pre-Doom Patrol past).

Doom Patrol Archive #4

The fourth Doom Patrol Archive begins with Doom Patrol #106, and the last appearance of Mr. 103 in the Silver Age Doom Patrol title, as well as the start of Negative Man's pre-Doom Patrol story.  Problems with Beast Boy being around the team surface in Doom Patrol #107, as well as facing off against the Brotherhood of Evil for every issue going forward, with Garguax attacking in tandem starting with Doom Patrol #108, introducing the android Mandred in Doom Patrol #109, finding out about Madame Rogue's love for the Chief in Doom Patrol #110, introducing Garguax's alien boss, Zarox-13 in Doom Patrol #111, the Doom Patrol and Brotherhood of Evil working together against Zarox-13 and learning Madame Rouge's origin in Doom Patrol #112, ending with a battle against the robotic Arsenal and learning the Chief plans to help Madame Rogue with the last story in this selection from Doom Patrol #113, as well as flashback stories for Negative Man and Beast Boy.

Doom Patrol Archive #5

The fifth and final Doom Patrol Archive starts with Doom Patrol #114 and the introduction of Kor (Dr. Anton Koravyk), creating a time warp and a Beast Boy solo story.  Madame Rogue splits into her good and evil selves in Doom Patrol #115, and the team faces mutants Ur, Ir and Ar, who they defeat in Doom Patrol #116.  The Chief faces the Black Vulture alone in Doom Patrol #117, as the Doom Patrol abandons him (and the Chief grows closer to the good self of Madame Rogue), the Brain introduces a potential new Brotherhood of Evil member with Videx, as in Doom Patrol #119, the Great Guru makes Robotman a pacifist (and turns Madame Rogue back to evil).  The team deals with the Wrecker (Harvey Keller) in Doom Patrol #120, and then faces their own doom at the hands of Madame Rogue (and new boyfriend, Nazi Captain Zahl) in "The Death Of The Doom Patrol?" in the last story of the Doom Patrol in the Silver Age (and this volume) from Doom Patrol #121.

Showcase Presents: The Doom Patrol

If you don't mind reading adventures in black and white instead of in glorious color, you can get the collected Doom Patrol experience by buying the two volumes of Showcase Presents that feature the Doom Patrol.  The first volume features stories from My Greatest Adventure #80 to Doom Patrol #101 (coming out in 2009), and the second Showcase Presents: The Doom Patrol has the issues from Doom Patrol #102 to Doom Patrol #121 (and arrived in stores in 2010).

The Official Doom Patrol Index

If you just don't have the space for Archives or Showcase Presents, you can get the The Official Doom Patrol Index from 1986.  The two issues summarize the original run of the Doom Patrol, as well as giving details on the new Doom Patrol that premiered in Showcase #94 (August-September, 1977) by Paul Kupperberg and Joe Staton (as well as their next two Showcase issues, all under Jim Aparo covers), and a little extra information, all under two incredible covers by John Byrne.  Thanks to Murray Ward and his army of contributors who created this index, as well as to the Grand Comics Database and Mike's Amazing World of Comics, whose work make this article so much easier to create!

All this, and two Silver Age Doom Patrol appearances are overlooked.  The Doom Patrol appeared in Teen Titans #6 (November-December, 1966) by Bob Haney, Bill Molno and Sal Trapani, but it was reprinted in the Silver Age Teen Titans Archive Volume #2 of 2013, and in the Showcase Presents: Teen Titans first volume of 2006, and will be in the upcoming Teen Titans: The Silver Age Omnibus Volume #1 in November, 2016 (mostly focusing on Beast Boy...more on him later).  Sadly, the other appearance of the Doom Patrol, from Brave and the Bold #65 (April-May, 1966) by Bob Haney, Dick Giordano and Sal Trapani, has not been reprinted (but, if DC collected Flash's Brave and the Bold team-ups, as detailed here, this problem would be solved!).  Shouldn't we see another round of Silver Age Doom Patrol reprints....maybe even hitting their 1970s Showcase appearances (and more?).