Doom Patrol

DOOM PATROL

Membership: Celsius, Lodestone, Karma, Negative Woman, Robotman, Scott Fisher, Tempest

Base of Operations: Midway City

First Appearance: Showcase #94 (August-September, 1977)

History: The superheroine Celsius was the ex-wife of Niles Caulder, aka the Chief, founder of the Doom Patrol. When the Doom Patrol were seemingly killed in action Celsius wanted to keep their memory alive. She dredged Robotman, who'd survived the DP's last mission, from the sea, and recruited Tempest and Negative Woman to form the new Doom Patrol.

(DC Comics Presents #52) - Negative Woman lost control of her powers, and her energy form leaked out, covering her body. She flew into a NJ power plant, overloading it, and blacking out half the state. Superman responded, but she flew past him at nearly the speed of light. Villain Ambush Bug made his debut at the Metropolis Day parade, murdering DA Syms, and Superman went to confront him. Negative Woman was destroying the building around the parade, , and after passing through Superman the charge of her body knocked him out. He was woken by the new Doom Patrol, and Ambush Bug tried to incite them to fight before teleporting away. Superman was suspicious of a Doom Patrol he never met, but Robotman vouched for his new teammates, and they asked him for help containing Negative Woman. Ambush Bug kept interfering, attacking them before teleporting away. Superman realized he was using mechanical insects to teleport, and destroyed all of them. Ambush Bug dared Robotman to hit him, and failing to teleport away, he was knocked out. Superman used a lead box to contain Negative Woman until her powers were under control. Her teammates were glad to have her back, but Negative Woman still despaired at the idea of living under chemically treated bandages for the rest of her life.

(Doom Patrol V #4, 5) - Celsius and her Doom patrol were resurrected as members of the Black Lantern Corps. They were charged with ripping out the hearts of those emotionally affected by their resurrection, gathering their emotions and using them to help Nekron return and end life in the universe. Celsius looked forward to exacting revenge on Chief, reflecting that he'd manipulated people to achieve her goals, but her Doom Patrol rejected everything he stood for, giving her team choices and hope. The Corps arrived on Oolong Island, the newly reformed DP’s hq, and Celsius attacked Chief, and told him he no longer got to manipulate her emotionally. She froze his legs, and shattered them, telling the helpless Chief that they would be together forever in death, even though he was never there for her in life. Black Lantern Tempest took out Elasti-Girl, and Lanterns Negative-Woman and Cliff Steele attacked Negative Man and Robotman. Robotman was disconcerted by fighting with his human body. Negative Man combined his negative being with Negative Woman’s, forming a new version of Rebis, and it destroyed her. The sentient black hole, a friend of Chief’s, rescued him, and Chief and the Oolong Island Science Squad were in agreement that they needed to get the Lanterns off the island. Chief commanded the DP to lure the Lanterns to I.Q.’s Boom Tube based gateway, and he teleported them away. I.Q. told Chief he was cold-blooded for sacrificing his team to save Oolong.

(Doom Patrol V #8 (fb)) - The makeshift Boom Tube put both Doom Patrols in the midst of the Black Lantern’s war. The Black Lanterns were defeated by Earth’s heroes.

Comments: Created by Paul Kupperberg.

The Doom Patrol received profiles in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #7 and Who's Who: Update '88 #1.

The Doom Patrol had cameos in Doom Patrol V #6, 21 and Teen Titans III #32.