Doom Patrol #12 Review
Summary: Doom Patrol #12 embraces the fantasy theme and goes all in, in a big, fun way.
5
Fun and engaging!
To Tame a Land – Into the Daemonscape-
This issue of Doom Patrol was incredibly easy to get into. It features a cover that will definitely stand out on the shelves of your local shop, as well as a story that is both immersive and engaging. There’s also some pretty fun art to be found within as well.
The Cover
This issue features two fantasy themed covers. A standard cover and a variant. The variant features the Reynolds family done in the style of a fantasy painting. Lucius and his parents stand as typical fantasy characters. His father is the sword wielding warrior, his mother the bow-wielding amazon, and Lucius is the wizard. It is a beautiful variant, and would fit in a book of fantasy paintings any day.
The standard cover is what made me really excited to read this book. The primary cover is done in the style of a 1980’s D&D adventure module. The art and layout would fit seamlessly onto a gaming shelf from that era. It’s eye-catching, and like nothing else in comics right now. This will stick out and be easy to spot. It’s literally perfect for an industry that dares you to judge a book by its cover.
The Art
The art in this book is very much fantasy themed. Big muscles on Lucius’s Dad, well drawn dwarf-like and goblin-like creatures, and a great choice of colouring to enhance and provide that great fantasy feel. This book has art that while not standing out, does everything it needs to do to support and enhance the story. It really breathes life into this fantasy themed issue and makes it feel like it’s taking place in another world. The art is really fun in this book.
The Story
Doom Patrol #12 focuses on Lucius and his family entering the Daemonscape to face off against Margoth and reclaim the family throne. The issue focuses on the journey of the family. Of Lucius as the young mage, his mother as the master bowman, and his father as the warrior that has given up violence to become a healer. All three characters grow as the issue moves along, in a fun and organic manner. We see a flashback to his mom learning how to use a bow, which is blended effortlessly into the main story.
Some of the tropes used in the parent’s history are fairly common, but they work here! Each character plays their fantasy role well, and there are no behaviors that feel out of character for anyone. The protagonists are likeable and I found myself genuinely rooting for them as the book went on. I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt like that reading a comic.
The Conclusion
This book embraces the fantasy genre from beginning to end. The cover is probably one of the most unique and fun I’ve seen in years. It’s brilliant. Even the variant embraces the fantasy theme. The title page also goes all in, with all the creative staff listed by character class rather than their contributions to the issue. To me this adds to the fun and enhances the story. Seeing a comic go all in on this kind of theme is great to see and makes for a special book. If you’re looking for something to just immerse yourself in and get away for a few minutes of good clean fun, this is the issue for you. This is literally a comic book recording a Dungeons and Dragons session.
This is probably one of the best all around books I’ve seen in a while. Doom Patrol #12 embraces the fantasy theme and goes all in, in a big, fun way. 5 out of 5 stars.
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