The door flew open and in he ran, the great, long, red-legged scissor man

[coldcut]

So I picked up a trade of Grant Morrison's run on Doom Patrol, and I'm absolutely stunned. I had no idea they were doing anything like this in 1989. Very few people in this world can make me re-examine my opinion of my own creativity. I think Morrison made me do it about four different times in a single trade.

[Randomus]

It's always interesting to get schooled by 80s comics. I got accused of ripping off The Watchmen about five times before I even read it.

Doom Patrol was pretty bizarrely awesome, though.

[Solario]

Doom Patrol was awesome, I just bought the two trades the previous week and the one before.

I still love the Red Jack arc.

Plus all the arc got me researching how much of what he used he got from other places like the anti-art, Dada.

[Gold Rush]

Doom Patrol was my favorite at the time. I consider that Morrison at his Prime. The stuff he puts out now isn't that interesting to me anymore. I am still influenced greatly by his run on Doom Patrol.

If you like that series, you may want to check out his run on Animal Man. Also some nice things covered there.

Shade the Changing Man (I don't think Morrisson wrote it) was also interesting in it's 1st year and part of second. I kinda drifted away after that.

And while not Morrisson, it does come from the same time period, I would recommend what everyone else has recommended (I am sure you've been told this, too). Sandman by Neil Gaiman is not to be missed. I still think back fondly to the story of Sandman being assigned the realm of Hell because Lucifer quits the job. Human emotions to godly beings.

Best line in that stoy arc that I will always remember is when Lucifer is roaming the world free of his position as ruler of hell (and looking human). He gazes off at the sunset and while admiring it, curses God as a Bastard for creating such beauty he has never seen before.

Without ruining the story, I also like the line of those in Hell being punished with "love; because they care" and the reply of "That makes it much worse." I am a big believer of good intentions paving the road to Hell,.

Gold Rush

[Masked Revenger]

Sandman was an awsome book, as was the Vertigo Doom Patrol. That was my first taste of the Doom Patrol, and I started digging into their past. It's an interesting groop, and very X-men in it's original incarnation. But, the Morrison DOom Patrol was by far the best, in my opinion. Really, I'm dissipointed in DC in re-booting the whole group.

As for Season of Mist (the Sandman story refered to by Gold Rush), my favorite line came from Thor, when he was hitting on Bast. "See my hammer? It gets bigger if you rub it." :lol: :chuckle: :D

Chris

[Randomus]

Not much of a Sandman fan myself. If you didn't know, there was a Flex Mentallo miniseries written by Morrison.

Ended up getting DC sued by the people who own the trademark to that particular series of ads.

[Gold Rush]

Damn, I didn't know about the Atlas Bodybuilding law suits, but that would explain why we haven't seen Flex Mentallo around.

I liked that ISSUE as well. Very fun and mind-bending.

To bring up more obsura, I have only met ONE person that knows this, but for the yearly Annuals based on comic series at the time, Morrison came out with a comic called "Doom Force" (one-issue shot). It was set in the future time line of Doom Patrol, but it was more of a tongue-in-cheek parody of the X-Force/X-Men Rob Liefeld art influenced books at the time. VERY funny stuff. Even has vague Wolverine/Cable clones. The letters column also teases if you like this issue, they would do more and gives a list of possible future candidates into Doom Force, with the asking for readers to send in their ideas for names!

If you read it in the correct frame of mind (not a serious Doom Patrol book, but just a parody of Liefeld's trashy work), then it works great!

Needless to say, either for reasons of legality or otherwise, I have not heard about Doom Force since then. :)

Gold Rush

[Solario]

To stray for a bit, I've always found that particular motto highly annoying; Good intentions also pave the road to heaven, because while everything good can be used for something bad, they are also inherently good.

Anyway I just read the 3rd Trade with Flex Metallo/Charles Atlas. "I don't think. I just act. You brains are the ones who do all the thinking. You ruin it for us bodies."


And Byrne should be punished for reviving the Doom Patrol.

[Gold Rush]

To stray for a bit, I've always found that particular motto highly annoying; Good intentions also pave the road to heaven, because while everything good can be used for something bad, they are also inherently good.

Well, that's true enough. What I mean, personally, is don't stop doing good deeds. I think honor enters into my scheme of things as well as intent. I try to drive myself to do good just for itself. I think I tend to worship more from the personal driven side of things rather than a God commanding one to be good or get punished. This kinda is like being your own Superman or even Batman.

I will never stop doing good deeds, even though it can be rather painful. At times, I admit, I feel rather selfish and don't want to be dragged into a long-term commitment, but it really is ultimately about "making your own bed and sleeping in it". I have seen and done both sides of this coin. It is better not to have too many regrets in life, even if you feel unappreciatted at the moment or pay for it in some other way later.

Good call, Solario. I am gonna have to re-think some things that have happened recently in life. I feel like Luke Skywalker in Episode 6 that has recently defeated Vader in the big duel, then looks down and sees Vader's hand chopped of and glances at his own, all the while as the Emperor cackles "Destroy him and take his place". Then Luke turns calm and turns off his lightsabre and throws it away. :D

But still, as in all things, look before you leap. :)


And Byrne should be punished for reviving the Doom Patrol.

Yeah Byrne has this uncanny knack to be a good writer at times but during others, especially when he is reviving old characters and comics, turn things sour.

I *REALLY* did not like his run when he revived Superman after Crisis, although most people did. True, a re-interpretation was needed and he did put in some good wrinkles into the story (Luthor as Millionaire Bad Boy instead of evil inventor genius that keeps inventing things with limitless money that he magically steals/has and keeps escaping jail), but generally, it has been a bust, at least in my eyes. Thank god for Kerry Gammel (sp?) and others who have evened things out and brought back old concepts in a new light.

Back to Morrisson, a few good concepts in his JLA run, but ultimately, a bit weak, although I haven't read them all. What do other folks think?

How about his X-Men run? I've only glanced at a few issues on newsstands, but how was his run on that, especially since we can look back with the lens of retrospection and judge?

Gold Rush

(And Crazy Jane died, right? I really lost track of Doom Patrol's history especially after Morrisson left.)

[Xanatos]

Yeah the Vertigo Doom Patrol run was amazingly creative. Although it doesn't quit compare to the satire of "The Beard Hunter". I think he's due to make an appearance in Volume 3.

"I'm the best there is at what I do...and what I do...is hunt beards."

http://www.angelfire.com/ar/hellUSA/Beardhunter.html

[Randomus]

I thought the Beard Hunter died at the end of the issue where Morrison introduced him? I mean, he followed whatever it was into the light after The Chief electrocuted the hell out of him. Seemed pretty dead to me.

[coldcut]

So on a side note, I picked up the third trade the other day. The death of The Brain and Malah may be one of the greatest things I've ever read. I thought it was a fever dream at the time.

Another side note: I fell asleep while reading the Men from N.O.W.H.E.R.E arc and when I woke up I thought I was a Salvador Dali painting for about twenty minutes.

[Randomus]

The death of The Brain and malah was one of the best things I have ever read, yes. I loved it.