Happy Harbor feels the wrath of Milkman Man.
On a very basic level, JLA/Doom Patrol unfolds like most superhero crossovers do. Two teams butt heads and battle each other for a bit before uniting in order to confront a common enemy. But given that the Young Animal line has built a reputation for highlighting the weird, mind-bending corners of the DCU, there's plenty of room to add flavor to that familiar formula. The result is a wacky team-up that captures the best qualities of Young Animal while being somewhat more approachable for readers who crave traditional superheroics.
The gist of this crossover is that an inter-dimensional corporation seeks to profit on the concept of superheroes. To do so, they've created Milkman Man, an all-American Superman analogue who furthers their goal of ushering in a safe, homogenized existence where everyone worships at the altar of their corporate oppressors. On one hand, that's an excuse for the Doom Patrol to trade punches with the milk-addled Justice League. But on the other, the premise opens the door for a thoughtful, if very bizarre, examination of the power of superheroes and and the tenuous divide between reality and fiction. As much as co-writer Gerard Way tends to draw inspiration from the work of Grant Morrison, this issue in particular reads like a love letter to Morrison's big ideas, even as it piles on more craziness and meta-humor for good measure.
Way and co-writer Steve Orlando succeed in blending their two series together into a cohesive hole. Tonally, this is much more in the vein of Way's Doom Patrol than Orlando's JLA. But something about the quirky, dysfunctional dynamic of the JLA makes them fit this conflict in a way the traditional Justice league probably wouldn't. Better still, the writers instantly begin playing the two teams off of each other in clever and satisfying ways. I got a big kick out of seeing Robotman and Lobo grow from bitter enemies to wisecracking comrades, and in seeing Space Case and Killer Frost immediately form a close-knit bond.
Artist Aco makes for a logical fit here, given both his prior experience working with Orlando and the generally psychedelic nature of his art. That said, Aco's work can often have a stiff, robotic quality given his reliance on computer-rendered figures, so it wasn't clear how well he'd fit the material in the end. But if anything, this issue is a testament to how much coloring can make or break a book. Tamra Bonvillain's vivid colors bring a newfound warmth and vitality to Aco's characters, making them feel more lively and personable. Aco's ambitious, densely constructed pages immediately capture the surreal qualities of this story. A multi-page splash montage serves as a true showcase of inspired figure work, page design and color. Unfortunately, the issue loses something when Marissa Louise steps in for Bonvaillain late in the issue. Aco's figures take on a more eerie, unnatural quality at that point.
The Verdict
Like most of the Young Animal line, JLA/Doom Patrol Special #1 is a little too weird and eccentric to be to every reader's liking. But if you enjoy a healthy dose of psychedelic imagery and fourth wall-breaking storytelling in your superhero comics, this issue won't disappoint. It makes the most of this oddball pairing even as it sets the stage for a wealth of new crossovers to come.
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