Imagine weird, wacky superheroes and mystery, magic and the historic classicism of British espionage stories. Feeling a sense of vertigo? Well, that’s the almost the point.
Vertigo Comics, the dark and mature imprint from DC Comics arose from the publishing wastelands last year with new titles carrying the hallowed logo that originated with great acclaim in the late twentieth century amidst the hopes and dreams (and maybe nightmares) of comic book historians and readers of alternative storytelling alike. Now, both new and established voices have been given that platform to tell their strange and instinctively more mature, somewhat niche, stories to thirsty ears and darker minds everywhere.
Meanwhile, over at the staid parent publisher of mainstay superheroes, DC has been slowly unveiling a plethora of new comic book titles under their “All In” marketing brand. It’s been a way for new readers to hop on abord old (and new) titles, that have begun their publishing runs with brand new “#1” issues, featuring a new host of writers and illustrators set to make their mark on the comic book industry.
Both disparate publishing strategies have been successful – which is great news for us readers.
Under that DC Comics “All In” banner, today we get the first issue of the new, wonderful and completely wacky series, The Doom Patrol.
Doom Patrol #1
Written by: Darcy Van Poelgeest
Illustrated by: Niko Henrichon
Published by: DC Comics
So, Doom Patrol, if you didn’t know, has been a long-standing title with DC Comics, first appearing in the My Greatest Adventure #80 in 1963. Most would recognize the title (and the C-list characters of Chief, Robotman, Negative Man, Crazy Jane and others) during the high times of Vertigo Comics in the early 1990s under the pen of Grant Morrison and Rachel Pollack and then an updated Vertigo series in 2017 by writer/rocker Gerard Way. More might even know of the rag tag crew via the trippy, dark comedy, cult-classic HBO Max series on television that lasted four sterling seasons, starring Brenden Fraser, Timothy Dalton, Alan Tudyk, April Bowlby among other acting greats, from 2019 through 2023.
Today’s “All In” first issue sees the team back under the mainstay DC Comics umbrella. But fear not, readers of the weird! The strange heroics inherent with the title still prevail!
Written by Eisner Award-winning author, Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird) and scrumptiously illustrated by the beloved Niko Henrichon (Pride of Baghdad), this iteration of The Doom Patrol is down on their luck with empty pockets to boot. What’s a poor hero to do? How about setting up a heroes-for-hire business where their first case: finding a missing cat turns into a sense-shattering feline affair. One where reality itself is put into question.
It’s totally Doom Patrol’s brand and bag. And yours.
Meanwhile, over at Vertigo Comics…
Last week saw the release of the distinctly dark and sophisticated horror of Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1. Sure, we’re one week removed from it, but that doesn’t mean you still shouldn’t pick the book up off the comic book shelves (if you haven’t already).
Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1
Written by: Ram V
Illustrated by: Mike Perkins
Published by: Vertigo Comics/DC Comics
Written by the award-winning team of writer Ram V (The Swamp Thing, The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Detective Comics, Rare Flavours, The One Hand) and illustrator extraordinaire Mike Perkins (The Swamp Thing, The Stand: Captain Trips, Lois Lane: Enemy of the People, Captain America, The Bat-Man: First Knight), Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy is the story of occult warfare, played out by British Intelligence among clandestine others.
Here, the “gifted” twenty-three-year-old Dareen Burroughs is sent to train with Division Nine, an obscure section of the British spy service, specializing in dealing with paranormal incidents. It’s the first chapter in a six-issue miniseries that plans to recur and tell a deeper, more shadowy story about diplomacy, the arcane…and a brewing war!
You can find out more about Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy via the outstanding trailer directly below.
In the meantime, make the run to your local comic book shop today and pick up the weird, frightening and altogether wonderful The Doom Patrol #1 and Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #1. That sense of Vertigo you’ll assuredly feel will be anchored in all sorts of awesome!
