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?).