Unstoppable Doom Patrol #3 - DC Comics

UNSTOPPABLE DOOM PATROL No. 3, July 2023

Hurling “the World’s strangest superheroes” against two of the DC Universe’s “best” Green Lanterns with little to no exposition, Dennis Culver’s script for “The Fast And The Nebulous” must surely have had the vast majority of its audience still sat upon the edge of their seats. Sure, the American author doesn’t really ever provide the reader with a plausible explanation as to just how Starbro found their way to the metahuman Mento or earnt the protection of Steven Dayton’s former dysfunctional team-mates. But it’s arguably enough to know that the face-hugging spawn of Starro the Conqueror did somehow manage it, and resultantly is now a prime target of the Guardians’ intergalactic corps of police officers.

Furthermore, there’s some incredibly well-written interplay between Robotman and Negative Man throughout this twenty-two-page periodical, which manages to both depict some genuine tenderness between the ‘partners-in-crimefighting’ as Cliff Steele apologizes to Trainor for repeatedly calling him Larry when the Negative spirit once merged with Doctor Poole, as well as provide the protagonists with some highly memorable wins over their pursuers. Indeed, the pair’s ability to transform their motor car into a wall-penetrating phantom vehicle is easily one of the highlights of this comic.

Similarly as well penned though has to be the hubris imbued into Guy Gardner and Kyle Raynor, as the Green Lanterns relentlessly track down the ‘brand-new fugitive’ without giving a moment’s thought as to why one of Starro’s spores has some how gained self-awareness. The famous arrogance of the former Baltimore lawman is particularly well-captured, with the overconfident ring bearer threatening to beat-up “a whole Doom army” almost single-handedly rather than reach any sort of compromise; “It’s not our decision to make. Above our pay grade.”

Adding plenty of wheel spin and the smell of burning rubber to Starbro’s predicament is Chris Burnham, whose slightly tongue-in-cheek pencilling repeatedly instils this book’s cast with so much more emotion and humour than its dialogue suggests. As aforementioned, Gardner is debatably at the height of his haughtiness during this story, with his arms folded tight across his chest or right fist cocked back ready to throw the first punch. However, the Connecticut-born artist is equally as good at making Robotman’s metallic face come alive, with subtle mouth gestures, or fleeting looks at Negative Man whenever their road trip starts to go awry.

Writer: Dennis Culver, Artist: Chris Burnham, and Colorist: Brian Reber