The Doom Patrol #2 (DC Comics, 10/14/26): Writer Darcy Van Poelgeest & artist Niko Henrichon examine Larry’s recent evolution after exposure to a Protean alien. Meanwhile, the team is sent to rescue a girl trapped in a cult. Van Poelgeest’s script leans (again) into the weird and disjointed, with mixed results. Verdict: Whether you loved or hated issue #1, issue #2 is about the same.
Credits:
- Writer: Darcy Van Poelgeest
- Artist: Niko Henrichon
- Colorist: Niko Henrichon
- Letterer: Lucas Gattoni
- Cover Artist: Niko Henrichon (cover A)
- Publisher: DC Comics
- Release Date: October 14, 2026
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Page Count: 24
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of The Doom Patrol #2:
First Impressions:
If you like weird and confusing, The Doom Patrol #2 is right up your alley. Unfortunately, it’s not up mine.
Recap:
The Doom Patrol #1 opened with Dr. Niles Caulder recording a journal entry about a mysterious figure who visited him in the night, seemingly caught in a recurring dream or time loop. Meanwhile, Rita, Cliff, and Larry took a job to find an old woman’s supposedly alien-abducted cat, only to discover the feline dead and replace it with a lookalike before an organic spaceship arrived and tractor-beamed up the neighborhood’s cats, forcing the team to confront its gooey alien pilot. Larry unleashed Negative Man to defeat the slippery extraterrestrial, but the experience somehow changed his alter ego, while Caulder encountered the hooded Evelyn once more and promised to help her.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS):
The issue begins with Dr. Caulder journaling about Larry’s recent change after encountering an alien in the previous issue. Negative Man can enter memories in a pocket dimension… or something like that… and even bring pieces of those memories back with him. Dr. Caulder’s journal is followed by a multi-page recap of the individual team members’ origins.
Later, Dr. Caulder assembles the team for their next assignment. A tech billionaire will pay the Doom Patrol handsomely if they will rescue the tech billionaire’s daughter from a cult called The Children of the Ever-Void. The mission doesn’t sit right with everyone, but they need the money to pay off their excessive debts and get a proper headquarters.
As the team heads out, they don’t realize they’re being spied on by a portal-creating villain named Warp, who works for the cult. Warp informs the cult leader that the Doom Patrol is headed their way, just as the cult’s great plan (unexplained) is a day away from fruition. The leader orders Warp to bring the Doom Patrol to them (????) so that they may be defeated by the leader’s collection of Zeroes.
The issue ends with Warp zapping the team’s van to the cult’s compound, resulting in an explosive wreck.
How is the story in The Doom Patrol #2?
If you’ve read the description above, The Doom Patrol #2 is filled with swerves (literal and figurative), events that somehow happen without clear explanation, and oddly nonsensical decisions. In an effort to make this title as weird as the team it follows, Darcy Van Poelgeest infused more than a little confusion into the script. You can follow what’s happening, but are regularly forced to ask “Why?” and “How?”
How does Larry’s new ability work? Why did Van Peolgeest spend several pages on the team’s origin and a go-nowhere road trip bit about an argument over Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline? How did the cult know that the Doom Patrol would be after them before the team knew it themselves? Why would the cult bring their biggest and most disruptive threat closer to their location? The more you pick at the nagging questions, the less sense the story makes.
How is the art in The Doom Patrol #2?
The art by Niko Henrichon has the right tone and vibe that matches the off-the-beaten-path nature of the Doom Patrol. That said, and much like Van Poelgeest’s script, some of the details get lost in the translation due to Henrichon’s indie, scratchy linework style. You can tell what’s going on, so this criticism falls more into the preference category, but the stylistic art may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Characters
Ensemble/team books still require a focal point to bring the reader along. Here, Van Poelgeest doesn’t necessarily give any one character the focus, which is a downer, but Larry’s recent change via alien contact is the development that holds your attention. It’s tough to tell whether Larry’s listless personality is normal for him in this iteration of the team or if he’s somehow off due to his change, but his behavior is at least intriguing.
Originality & Concept Execution
Credit where credit is due. Weird is typically original, so Van Poelgeest is giving readers plenty of original pieces to chew on. Besides Larry’s evolution, nothing carries over from the previous issue in terms of an overarching plot, but the team’s progress will hold your attention for now.
Pros and Cons
Art Samples:
The Scorecard:
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): 2/4
Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): 2.5/4
Value (Originality & Entertainment): 1.5/2
Final Thoughts:
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The Doom Patrol #2 gets weirder and a bit confusing when Larry’s exposure to an alien results in new powers, and the team is sent on a mission to rescue a girl from a cult. Darcy Van Poelgeest’s script leans into the team’s brand of strange, sometimes at the expense of clarity, and Niko Henrichon’s heavily stylized art won’t be for everyone.
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