Doom Patrol #18 Review

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Reviewer: John Babos
Story Title: Once Upon A Time…

Written by: John Arcudi
Penciled by: Tan Eng Huat
Inked by: Tan Eng Huat
Colored by: Dave McCaig
Lettered by: Bob Lappan
Editor: Andy Helfer
Publisher: DC

It’s been said before and it’s true. This “new” Doom Patrol series is one of the industry’s real hidden gems. While this issue is not a good jumping on point for new readers who want to understand who or what the Doom Patrol is, it is a great story for the title’s sophisticated fan following or readers who just love great art and a wacky story.

If you haven’t picked up this title by now, recapping what’s gone on before wouldn’t serve any real purpose. Its not needed to enjoy this particular funny book issue. With Doom Patrol members either injured, uninterested, insane or incarcerated in the modern day
DC Universe, issue 22 is predominantly a flashback-tale-of-sorts with the Doom Patrol standing in as Ancient Chinese royalty. This isn’t a time-travel story nor is it a dream sequence. What the Doom Patrol’s Ancient Chinese sojourn really is is a clever plot device by writer John Arcudi. It’s a non-Doom Patrol adventure starring the Doom Patrol. John uses our cast of heroes to illuminate the formative events of the blind monk Tycho’s life – a mystery man from this series’ early issues, who is not set to unleash more Chinese mysticism on the Doom Patrol as the series heads towards its finale in issue 22.

If you don’t know or don’t care to know who Freak, Fever or Kid Slick are, or think Negative Man is supposed to be wrapped in bandages and Cliff Steele is supposed to be a sleek cyborg, or just don’t know anything about any incarnation of the Doom Patrol, BUT you enjoy wildly fun and clever storytelling, you may just like this issue.

It opens with an incognito Tycho, in a small town General Store in Esperanza, California (as revealed in the previous issue), swapping glances with New York tourists and listening to the prattling of the Store’s elderly female owner. The focal point for Tycho and the discussion appears to be an ancient statue of Chinese Royalty delivered to the General Store in 1969 (also revealed last issue). Due to a postal mix-up, by the time the statue’s recipient was tracked down, she’s dead. Since then, the statue has served as the
store mascot, similar to the wooden Native American Indian mascot from “Cheers”. To shed some light on the statue with the ominous words “I know something,” Tycho leads us on a journey through Ancient China. I won’t give anything away, the story is just too fun and zany for me to spoil it, but I will tell you that our green shape-changing friend Beast Boy makes the Far East trip too, and Negative Man’s negativity should make you laugh.

Tan Eng Huat’s art just leaps off the page and I hope he can get some high profile assignments from DC after Doom Patrol wraps up. His range is incredible. He draws fantastic tigers and horses, great epic battle scenes, and has a dynamic pacing style. He makes a huge, clunky, metallic Cliff Steele fit into Ancient China. His pencils and inks are just breathtaking.

The issue closes in modern day with Billionaire Thayer Jost (the opportunistic businessman intent on cashing in on the Doom Patrol name, having already created a television show around the Silver Age Doom Patrol) picking up the pieces of the Doom Patrol team that walked out on his capitalist ways early in the series’ run. With the team in shambles, a confrontation with Tycho to come, and a meddling Thayer Jost, April’s
issue 19 couldn’t come soon enough. I haven’t anticipated a comic book release in years. This book will make you feel like a kid again. A fun ride, all the way.

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!