The Doom Patrol #2 Review

 

The Doom Patrol #2 Review

Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest

Artist & Cover Artist: Niko Henrichon

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Variant Cover Artists: Kyuyong Eom, Eric Canete & Pete Woods

Editors: James Reid, Ben Meares & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)/Variant $6.99 US (Foil)

Release Date: October 14, 2026

 

Cliff Steele drove the fastest cars on Earth. Now, he ferries his team around in an outdated van. Rita Farr competed against the world's best on the Olympic stage and starred on the silver screen. Now she searches the streets for lost cats. Larry Trainor flew the US Air Force's newest jets as a test pilot. Now, he hides his face behind bandages to prevent anyone nearby from getting cancer. Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man are ready to move on with their lives. Yet they are all that they have left.

 

Can the Doom Patrol remember the reason they once felt like a family? And how will their boss, Niles Caulder, threaten their future together? Let's leap into The Doom Patrol #2 and see!

 

Story

Like Dick Grayson, Niles Caulder has struggled with his sleep. Every night, a girl invades his mind via a recurring dream. Yet the nightmare varies. In a recent dream, he spoke with the girl. Her name was Evelyn. After dying in one dream, Niles promises to help her in another. Worn down by the nightmares, it may not have seemed like a great sacrifice. Yet as Larry Trainer transforms into Negative Man to investigate an alien's pain, he emerges with a physical object that further troubles Niles.

 

As Niles types up his incident report on Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man’s battle with the alien, Niles imagines his subordinates’ experiences. Then, in The Doom Patrol #2, he calls his team in for a briefing. The promised income from their next assignment lifts Rita’s spirits. As Cliff contemplates the ethics of Niles’ instructions, he remembers the crash that ended his racing career. Unlike his teammates, Larry’s former life holds little allure. Niles' instructions also trouble him. Yet, Larry mourns a death no one else cares about.

 

As Darcy Van Poelgeest’s story unlocks a new power set for Negative Man, a villain arises to menace them. Like Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man, the villain seeks a return to greatness. As they drift farther apart, the team seems ill-prepared to fight him. The villain ignites a spark of levity in the ominous atmosphere. Still, the team's demise may be nearer than they realize in The Doom Patrol #2.

 

Art

Images of Negative Man traveling through a memory support a silhouette of Niles typing his report. An alien ship lies beside a burning firehouse, flames surrounding a family photo. As he leaves the spaceship via a conduit-filled tunnel, Negative Man picks up a stuffed cat with a heart pendant on its collar. Yet the alien ship in Niles' imaginings resembles the spaceship that Robotman and Elasti-Girl attacked.

 

As Niko Henrichon adorns Niles’ mental images in green and blue, autumn colors surround the team in The Doom Patrol #2. Their yellows and oranges find echoes in the villain’s observation post and the evil the team prepares to confront. Yet a poster in the villain’s hideout links with the violet and indigo in the family photo. While Robotman’s blue trousers clash with his mood, they link him with a schematic of their destination. Vibrant green surrounds Elasti-Girl as she envisions a better future. Still, a vignette of Niles and Larry evokes Niles' dream of sprawling on the floor, with his head resting in a pool of blood.

 

Thick white letters in colored boxes denote time and space. Small, lowercase black letters in beige boxes convey Niles’ typed report. Uppercase black letters fill tan narrative boxes. Then, the box color shifts to blue as the story veers toward its conclusion. Lucas Gattoni fills white balloons with black uppercase letters. The dialogue shrinks for lowered voices, grows bold for intonation, and swells with raised voices in balloon shapes that differentiate the teammates. Cliff and Larry’s enlarged dialogue in white and orange balloons haunts their memories. Yet orange music notes accompany Rita’s enlarged dialogue as she attempts to lift their spirits. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Negative Man remembers happier times when his teammates were heroes. But as Elasti-Girl and Robotman seem headed in opposite directions, a character who fears he’s losing his connection to his Humanity demonstrates his heart in The Doom Patrol #2.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To look inside see The Doom Patrol #2 Preview. 

 

For why cats have started disappearing in their neighborhood, see The Doom Patrol #1 Review.  

The Doom Patrol #2 Preview

 

Cliff Steele drove the fastest cars on Earth. Now, he transports his team around in an outdated van. Rita Farr competed against the world's best on the Olympic stage and starred on the silver screen. Now she searches the streets for lost cats. Larry Trainor flew the US Air Force's newest jets as a test pilot. Now, he hides his face behind bandages to prevent anyone nearby from getting cancer. Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man are ready to move on with their lives. Yet, they're all that each other has.

 

Can the Doom Patrol remember the reason they once felt like a family? And how will their boss, Niles Caulder, threaten their future together?

Here's all the info from DC Connect: 

 

The Doom Patrol #2 Preview

Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest

Artist & Cover Artist: Niko Henrichon

Variant Cover Artists: Kyuyong Eom, Eric Canete, & Pete Woods

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $3.99 US | Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)

Release Date: October 14, 2026

 

 

Award-Winning Writer Darcy Van Poelgeest

& Superstar Artist Niko Henrichon continue

the DC Next Level Adventures of the World's Strangest Heroes!

 

 

The Doom Patrol’s latest heroing-for-hire gig has brought Robotman, Elasti-Girl, & Negative Man face-to-face with a massive UFO & its strange—& rather gloopy—inhabitants. Now, as Negative Man breaches the minds & memories of these alien invaders, he finds himself digging into the Doom Patrol’s past & future…& the mysterious young girl who seems to be intrinsically connected to both. When all is revealed, the Doom Patrol may never be the same again…

Award-winning writer Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird) & superstar artist Niko Henrichon (Spectators) continue the Next Level adventures of the world’s strangest heroes.

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

For why cats have started disappearing in their neighborhood, see The Doom Patrol #1 Review. 

The Doom Patrol #1 Review

 

The Doom Patrol #1 Review

Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest

Artist & Cover Artist: Niko Henrichon

Letterer: Lucas Gattoni

Variant Cover Artists: Clayton Crain & Ian Bertram

Next Level Variant Cover Artist: Hayden Sherman

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Ashley Wood

Editors: James Reid, Ben Meares & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)/Variant $6.99 US (Foil)

Release Date: September 2, 2026

 

Dr Niles Caulder has been contemplating the cycles of life. The Chief has led his team through good times and bad. He has always believed that endings, no matter how painful, give birth to new beginnings. But recently, something has shaken his confidence. A recurring dream robs him of sleep, leaving him weakened. It's so extraordinary that he decides to file an incident report. Why does the nightmare bother Niles Caulder so much? And what is his team doing while he draws inward? Let's leap into The Doom Patrol #1 and see!

 

Story

Once, the world needed them. They battled villains and saved the Earth from destruction. But now, Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man are helping their neighbors. When they find Milo in the street, Negative Man is disheartened. He knows how much Ms Green will miss her companion. Robotman urges him not to get sentimental. It’s bad enough that they’ve been reduced to finding lost cats. But Elasti-Girl has a plan. She may not be doing something important. Still, she can make an aging, lonely woman happy.

 

While The Doom Patrol #1 provides a glimpse inside the Chief’s psyche, it also covers the team’s desperate attempt to get through another dreary day. With the team on the wane, Robotman and Elasti-Girl recall the incidents that shipwrecked their earlier careers. Negative Man wants to take comfort in all their victories. Yet even he wonders if the team that gave them a second shot at life has outlived its usefulness.

 

In Darcy Van Poelgeest’s story, Robotman and Elasti-Girl need a reason to keep going. Life may have dealt them another failure. Still, Elasti-Girl has a plan to reverse their fortunes. But Negative Man quietly disagrees with his friends. Unless he is going into battle, Negative Man cannot reveal the truth about who he is for fear of hurting others. And he’s tired of hiding.

 

His team may be at a crossroads. His boss may be withdrawing due to lack of sleep. Still, Negative Man wants to face the facts. If these are his team’s final days, he wants to go out by recognizing the situation for what it is, instead of what he’d like it to be, in The Doom Patrol #1.

 

Art

As Niles sits at his desk, a framed photo shows him with Negative Man, Elasti-Girl, and Robotman in happier times. Yet, no smile relaxes his taut features. The cloaked girl who appears before Niles lacks his blemishes and wrinkles. After his stony features transform into shock, an overhead view reveals Niles sprawled on a white background. But in the street, an upshot shows the team looking down at a corpse. While they may be in the cat rescue business, Elasti-Girl has a bag ready. Still, when she holds it out for Robotman, she looks away as he drops the still body in the bag.

 

While Niko Henrichon adorns Niles’ office with brown and green, Negative Man’s red tie links him with Elasti-Girl’s dress in The Doom Patrol #1. The yellow sky hangs over Robotman’s yellow body as he contemplates another losing situation. Yet the sky turns white as they travel in their throwback van adorned with fall colors. The remaining orange leaves cling to the mostly bare trees as the team pursues its plan. Yet Ms Green's green earrings and skirt link with Negative Man's memory of his team as he decides how best to resolve the situation.

 

Lucas Gattoni fills white balloons with black uppercase letters. The dialogue shrinks for lowered voices, grows bold for intonation, and swells with raised volume in balloon shapes that differentiate the teammates. While the narration fills beige boxes in Act One, yellow boxes adorn Act Two, before transforming to light indigo boxes in Act Three. After Niles’ clacking typewriter fills the air of his study, the team pursues its mission despite animal sounds, knocking, and a cry for help. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Through their ups and downs, Niles Calder has insisted that Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man remain by his side. Yet, as the Chief struggles with haunting dreams, the team wonders if the cycles that turn losses into new opportunities are winding down in The Doom Patrol #1.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see The Doom Patrol #1 Preview. 

The Doom Patrol #1 Preview

 

When members of the Teen Titans and the Doom Patrol got together last year, Beast Boy grew closer to Beast Girl, while Cyborg shared his struggles with Robotman. But everything has changed since Darkseid invaded reality. Cyborg leads a group of New Titans in a former Justice League stronghold. And Doom Patrol's leader, Dr Niles Caulder, worries about the future. 

Why does Niles contemplate the cyclical nature of time as he studies a photo of himself with Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man? And why, buoyed by such an optimistic philosophy, does Niles suffer from a recurring nightmare?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

The Doom Patrol #1 Preview

Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest

Artist & Cover Artist: Niko Henrichon

Variant Cover Artists: Clayton Crain & Ian Bertram

Next Level Variant Cover Artist: Hayden Sherman

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Clayton Crain

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Ashley Wood

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Price: $3.99 US/Variant $4.99 US (Card Stock)/Variant $6.99 US (Foil)

Release Date: September 2, 2026

 

 

Eisner Award-Winning Writer Darcy Van Poelgeest

and Legendary Artist Niko Henrichon

Usher The Doom Patrol to The Next Level!

 

 

The Doom Patrol is broke. Adopting a heroes-for-hire business model to stave off financial and emotional ruin, the team finds itself responding to a simple case—a missing cat. But when this case proves to be far from simple, the world’s strangest heroes find themselves pulled into a truly out-of-this-world situation! And elsewhere, beyond the view of Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man—and perhaps even beyond the veil of our reality—a ghost of the team’s past is preparing to cross into their world.

 

The visionary team of Eisner Award-winning writer Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird) and legendary artist Niko Henrichon (Spectators, Pride of Baghdad) ushers the Doom Patrol into a new age for DC Next Level.

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

 

Precious Metal #1 Review

 

Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest

Artist: Ian Bertram

Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Cover Artists: Ian Bertram & Tradd Moore

Publisher: Image

Price: $5.99

Release Date: June 6, 2024

 

Max hunts Mods who flee from their indentured servitude and sells them to the highest bidder. Yet he has a terrible secret and nothing to live for. What happens when Max meets a boy who could change all that? Let’s leap into Precious Metal #1 and find out!

 

Story

As a tracker, Max mixes with dangerous people. Chief among them is Elle The Blade. As Precious Metal #1 opens, a bartender slams his fist into Max’s skull to awaken him from his stupor. The bartender knows Max has a job and doesn’t want to arouse Elle’s ire by letting Max snooze through an assignment.

 

Max can’t afford to get involved with the fugitives’ lives. But he should have asked questions before taking this job. Max finds priests surrounding his quarry. The High Priest releases a boy from his constraints, and the boy recites scripture with him. Then the High Priest explodes. The violent act provokes a long-forgotten memory. The boy steps into his mind and promises Max liberation. The memory fades as the priests lock the boy away.

 

Max should capture the boy and bring him in. Instead, Max flees. Then Elle and her goons catch him. Max must fulfill his contract. But Max needs to understand what happened to him. He and Elle’s people demand that the priests bring the boy out of their spaceship. When the priests whip out guns, Max ducks gunfire, charges inside the ship, and flies away.

 

Long ago, people cared about Max. Now he's lost. He smokes, pops pills, and drinks to find peace. Nothing fills the void. This boy could destroy him. The boy could also help Max reclaim his memories and reconnect with his past. In Precious Metal #1, Max begs a favor from an embittered friend. Even though he hunts Mods, Max must convince a genetic modification designer to help him. Max braves the wrath of a powerful gangster, a church that wants to use the boy as a weapon, and a rival faction who vows to prevent the church from wielding the Human Weapon Of Mass Destruction. But Max doesn't want to be alone anymore. He’s willing to risk his profession and existence in return for a life.

 

Art

Max makes an impression, whether slumped over the bar or staggering away. He may clutch a beer bottle with tentacles, yet he's the most Human of the customers. Like plastic surgery addicts, the others display so many genetic modifications that they've left their Human appearance behind. Only the man standing on a dais clutching a knife and the clergy surrounding him look more Human than Max. Like Silas in Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code, the bleeding man’s body displays his desire to emulate Christ’s suffering.

 

Max clutches a gun in his Human hand and shelters behind a rock as he observes hooded priests surround a pedestal and an orb. The priests stand beneath a giant spaceship in Precious Metal #1 while stairs wind toward the densely packed buildings displaying myriad architectural styles. The High Priest removes his hood. Only a cross-shaped portion of the High Priest's face retains his Human features. The High Priest touches the orb, and it comes apart, revealing not an object on a pedestal but a boy in a robe. Then the boy regards the hovering cross of bloody meat, his expressionless features evoking the brutal Shrike in Dan Simmons' Hugo and Locus Award-winning novel Hyperion.

 

Matt Hollingsworth lavishes a loaded palette on Ian Bertram’s mesmerizing art in Precious Metal #1. Green dominates the bar ruled by the Jade Plant bartender. Blue rules the street as Max walks past the dripping disciple who dances to Cuts Like A Knife. Soft pastels color the world of tomorrow and form a backdrop for the priests and the boy. Yet his magenta tentacles make you wonder how Max could trail a target unobserved.

 

Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou modifies white dialogue balloons with large uppercase black letters that grow bold for inflection. Small, italicized lowercase letters portray lowered voices. Otsmane-Elhaou designs hand-drawn black narrative boxes with large uppercase white letters to reveal Max's thoughts and outlook. White letters evoking a kidnapper's note appear in red oval balloons. Expressive sound effects help us hear gunfights, explosions, and a priest's reaction to his superior's transcendence.

 

Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Max may be a fly caught in a web of intrigue, but the bounty hunter battles powerful factions amid genetically modified Humans in Precious Metal #1 as he seeks to discover the truth of his existence.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For another cover option see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.