So the summer-long search for the perfect romance was a bust; on the bright side, September is half-over already, which means October is just around the corner. I’m feeling that vibe, you know? And besides that, it’s been like, three months since I picked up a new comic. I was itching for some new (to me) material.
Enter Gerard Way’s Doom Patrol Volume 1: Brick by Brick.
Back in 2016, Way was tasked with the curation of DC’s Young Animal imprint; a branch of the company that explored offbeat, eccentric comics for “dangerous humans.” The reboot of Doom Patrol was Way’s baby; an admitted fan of Grant Morrison— whose run of The Doom Patrol in the ’90s is still perhaps the best-known and most-beloved— Way’s version of Doom Patrol reads like an enthusiastic, sincere love letter to Morrison’s run of the series
But more than that— it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
This entire volume is a zany, eccentric, off-the-wall joyride, and every page explodes with the knowledge that the creative team— Way, along with artist Nick Darington and colorist Tamra Bonvillain— had a phenomenal time putting it together.
It’s honestly really hard to talk about Doom Patrol Volume 1: Brick by Brick because the arc sort of relies on you going in blind and trusting that the story’s pieces will fit together as you go on. Does this make for an intriguing story? Of course. But an accessible one? Well…
Listen. If you want in-depth introductions and back-stories to The Doom Patrol, if you want to know who these people are, who’s doing what, and what the hell is even happening and why, my recommendation is to at least get to issue 2 before drawing any conclusions about whether or not you like it. If it’s just not for you, that’s okay. While Brick by Brick jumps in with both eyes shut and both feet forward, it won’t hold your hand and explain everything in a logical, step-by-step way. If that sort of storytelling style frustrates you, maybe this isn’t the series for you. Everything is weird and nothing is as it seems, the mundanities of ordinary life suddenly become extraordinary. But if you’re up for an adventure that surprises you with each sharp turn and shock twist: I eagerly and enthusiastically suggest you pick it up. Truth be told, I think Brick by Brick is one of my favourite comics of 2018.
The Young Animal imprint is inactive (at its inception, it was described as the comic book equivalent of a pop-up shop. A temporary, experimental boutique selling its wares for a limited time before packing up and vanishing into the night), though (as far as we know), it’s not dead and will see a resurrection eventually. Hopefully, Way (who’s busy with Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion) will remain the imprint’s ringmaster, because after reading his version of the Doom Patrol, I’m eager to check out the rest of Young Animal. I’m always behind anyway because I read things in trades, but this seems like the perfect chance to catch up!
I couldn’t find a recipe that matched up with the kooky vibe of this book, but I did manage to find a recipe for brain cookies (yum), posted on Popsugar a few years ago, so I feel like, at the very least, those might earn a grumpy eye-roll and a grudging smile from Robotman.
Comments are closed.