Monday, April 14, 2014

All-New Doop #1

   Well, I wanted to like this issue.

   Doop is the odd creature - presumably a mutant - who looks like a cross between a potato and Slimer, doesn't speak English, and is a complete mystery.

    He serves in a mysterious function (tutor? guard dog? janitor?) at the Jean Grey School for Gifted Children (and has appeared most recently in issues of Wolverine and the X-Men), but his motives and methods remain unknown.

   Now he has his own series - All-New Doop, of course, because everything at Marvel these days is "All-New" (just ask the Invaders or the Ghost Rider) - and I'm not quite sure if it's intended to be a comedy or just plain weird.

   The story by Peter Milligan succeeds at the latter, but not the former. It gives us a look at events during the recent "Battle of the Atom" mini-series to see the effect Doop had on the proceedings - and if you didn't read that mini-series, you'll be totally lost here.

   It's very clever and breaks the fourth wall in interesting ways, but ultimately, it never really manages to be much more than some clever vignettes.

   The art by David Lafuente is a lot of fun and loaded with energy and comic potential.

   I admit it, I just don't see how this character can sustain an ongoing series - but I could be wrong. Maybe I'm wrong. Hopefully I'm wrong.

   If you're looking for a comic that's daring and different, here you go.

Grade: B-

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