From: sherman@oak.math.ucla.edu (The Ahkond of Swat)
Subject: DC: Doom Patrol summaries
Summary: it lives!
Organization: UCLA Mathematics Department
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 92 04:02:35 GMT


(The first of three posts)

Yes, it had to happen.  Several people have asked that I add to the
Doom Patrol summary files by summarizing the pre-Morrison run.  I have
done so, and am here posting the three files which constitute this
summary.  These also cover various cross-overs and miscellany, including:
the DP Annual, the DP-Suicide SquAd special, Superman #20, and the
Invasion series.  If there are any other cross-over appearances of the
DP (or its members) in this era, please let me know.  As usual, I will
not plan on reposting these.  E-mail me for copies of these or of
the original summary files of the Morrison issues.

As always, suggestions and comments (other than those impugning my
sanity) are welcome.  My next project will be to enter the All-England
Summarize Proust Competition when the BBC revives it.  Proust in his
first book wrote about, wrote about...

These issues are not without interest to the modern DP reader, because
they contain several important plot developments.  These include the
revivals of Niles "the Chief" Caulder and Larry "Negative Man" Trainor, 
both previously thought to be dead, and the introductions of Dorothy 
Spinner and Rhea "Lodestone" Jones.

Anyway, enjoy!

------------------------------- (cut here)

The following is a summary of events in Doom Patrol # 1 - 9
 and the Doom Patrol/Suicide Squad Special.
Prepared by Bill Sherman (sherman@math.ucla.edu).

It is meant only as a plot summary; no attempt has been made to
annotate the stories.

The Doom Patrol has a long history in the DC universe, having 
previously enjoyed two incarnations.  See your "Who's Who" for
background information if you're unsure who Arani Caulder is,
for example.

#1, "The Doom Patrol!"

Paul Kupperberg, writer; Steve Lightle, penciller; Gary Martin, inker

Arani Caulder is in the Caribbean, searching for the Chief; she finds
his wheelchair.  She reminisces about the second incarnation of the team, 
including herself (Celsius), Robotman (Cliff Steele), Negative Woman 
(Valentina Vostok) and Tempest (Josh Clay).  She decides to reform 
the team, to carry on the search for the husband she believes still lives.  
She leaves the island, followed by an American submarine.  Valentina, 
working for US intelligence, is directing the surveillance.  

Arani goes to Cliff's ranch in California and recruits him for the search.

Flash to the Himalayas, where a monstrous villain named Kalki has set
up a petty kingdom, where he plots conquest.  His chest is a gateway
to a demon dimension.  He is most intested to hear that Arani has been
located by his spies.

Cliff finds Josh in New York, and recruits him amid much pyrotechnical
histrionics.  They go to the Caribbean with Arani, and Cliff searches
the sea floor, finding the body of Rita Farr (Elastigirl).  The
trio is suddenly attacked by Kalki and his cohorts; Kalki grabs Cliff.

This issue includes the Who's Who pages for the Doom Patrol, Celsius, 
Negative Woman, Tempest and Robotman; unfortunately, these omit 
characters like Mento and Changeling, and details like Cliff's short-lived
association with Will Magnus' Metal Men.

#2, "Satellite of Doom!"

Kupperberg, Lightle, Martin

Josh and Arani are being held prisoner in Kalki's stronghold in Jamaica.
Kalki apparently believes himself to the final avatar of the god Vishnu,
and that he must kill humanity as part of a cosmic cycle of death and
rebirth.

A mysterious patient is being kept alive elsewhere in the installation.
He moans the names "Cliff" and "Rita".

Cliff is in another dimension, fighting demons who keep trying to eat him.

Lt. Harry Stein of the NYPD is in Jamaica too, to investigate the situation.
(Stein is a character from the "Vigilante" book.)  Valentina is also on
the island, looking for Arani and the others.  She wants to protect them
from certain members of the military, who would probably try to have them
killed if it were discovered that they were active again as superheroes.
Note: nothing ever comes of this fear, even after the group goes public.

Kalki was originally a colleague of Niles Caulder, who accidentally
mutated himself while testing a serum of some kind.

Cliff escapes from the other dimension, breaking through Kalki's chest
armor.  Negative Woman finds the complex, and during the ensuing 
confusion Cliff and Valentina find the mysterious patient; they feel
that they know who it is.  That's right, it's Larry Trainor.  Kalki
forces them to submit by threatening to kill Arani and Josh.

#3, "The Fire of the Gods!"

Kupperberg, Lightle and Martin

Kalki has loaded Valentina's energy-body into a missile, planning to 
use her power to send a lethal negative-energy charge around the world.  
It seems that he is Arani's father, too.

Harry Stein makes it into the complex, and begins snooping.

A young woman named Rhea Jones arrives in Kansas City.  Arani has
recruited her for the team.

Josh, Cliff and Arani break their bonds and begin fighting Kalki's men.
The missile is launched.  Arani fights Kalki while Josh and Cliff
meet Stein and compare notes.  They destroy the missile, thus saving
humanity.  Arani kills Kalki by unleashing his demons, which consume him.
Valentina returns to her body and all is well.

#4, "Trouble in Kansas City!"

Kupperberg, Lightle and Martin

Weeks later, Cliff discovers that the old headquarters in Midway City is
being converted into co-ops.  He is searching for Arani.

In Kansas City, Arani is training Rhea in a Danger-Room setup.  Her
powers are magnetic in nature, including flight and strength.  She's 
having trouble fitting in with the group.  Larry is living with the 
team, feeble and bandaged.  Valentina refuses to give up her powers,
which might heal him.

In a nearby mall, an annoying young man with an erratic fashion sense
robs a store, and escapes, but not before getting involved with 
a mishap involving police gunfire and bystanders falling from high 
railings.  Seemingly, everyone who attacks him encounters what 
might best be termed "bad luck", always tripping and missing.

Josh and Rhea socialize, and Rhea tells her origin.  They find the
abovementioned slippery youth in the lobby, and when they try to subdue
him, they find themselves tripping, slipping and generally acting 
clumsily.  He identifies himself as Wayne Hawkins, Arani's latest recruit.

(Rhea's superhero "handle" is to be Lodestone, and Wayne's is "Karma".)

#5, "Natural Order"

Kupperberg, Lightle and Martin

In this first issue with no exclamation point in the title, a man
staggers into a roadside bar in the Ozarks and makes a phone call,
but is killed by a supervillain.  He was part of a covert "Operation
Overcast", which was an experiment designed by Niles Caulder (so
Arani notices the call).  Arani's teammates are unimpressed when
she tells them that this is evidence that Niles is alive.

Harry Stein calls Cliff in California, about Operation Overcast.
He gets Cliff to go to the Ozarks to investigate, hinting that he
might find the Doom Patrol there.

A small Ozark town is being despotically run by its Sheriff and a 
goateed man (not Niles) in a wheelchair.  The supervillain works for
them.  

The Doom Patrol flies toward the town; Josh explains that Wayne's power 
is telepathic: he unconsciously screws up his opponents' coordination
and reflexes.  The plane is attacked by three supervillains from the town.
During the fight, the plane crashes into a mountain.


#6, "Heroes and Villains!"

Paul Kupperberg, writer; Erik Larsen, penciller; Gary Martin, inker

The fight continues.  Cliff is stuck in Little Rock, looking for details.
He finds a likely town which has been cut off by storms.

After escaping from the DP, two of the supervillains complain to their 
superiors about the toughness of the fight (they had abandoned the third
villain during the fight).  We discover that the purpose of this experiment
is to prove that super-powered people are a threat to society, by observing
a small town with a few super-villains.

The DP, walking through the woods, encounter and fight more supervillains.

A young man named Scott Fisher, another of Arani's recruits, arrives
at HQ and meets Larry.

The DP arrive in town, scaring away the terrorized populace, and fight
yet more villains.  There is more combat, Arani discovers that the madman
behind this farce is not Niles, and the good guys win.  Cliff arrives
to fill in the details on the chief bad guy, and Stein arrives to tell
them all that their services are required in San Salvador.

Doom Patrol/Suicide Squad Special, "Red Pawn"

Plot: John Ostrander, Script: Paul Kupperberg, Pencils: Erik Larsen, 
Inks: Bob Lewis

Hawk is taken prisoner by the Sandinistas.  Reagan and Amanda Waller
send in the Suicide Squad: Psi, the Thinker, Weasel, Col. Flag and
Mr. 104.  Two of Waller's rivals, hoping to embarrass her, decide to 
gum up the works by tricking Valentina into involving the Doom Patrol.

Sneaking around the castle where Hawk is being held captive, 
the SS meet the Doom Patrol: Cliff, Arani, Josh and Valentina.  104 
attacks Cliff (an old enemy), Weasel kills the Thinker and the groups
fight each other.  The battle is stopped when the Rocket Red Brigade
shows up and surrounds everybody.  Using the Thinker's helmet, Col.
Flag stuns the RRB and the two groups combine forces to escape from
the Russians.  In the ensuing combat, the Rocket Reds kill Psi and
Mr. 104.  Col. Flag is being contaminated by the helmet, becoming
evil.  Eventually, the Americans defeat the Rocket Reds.  

A super-strong, silent man rescues Hawk from his cell and 
disappears into the night.  Flag kills the Weasel, manages to remove 
the helmet, and collapses.  The DP escape from the remaining Rocket 
Reds, find Flag and Hawk, and escape in a helicopter.  

In an epilogue, we find that Hawk was rescued by an operative of a
rival of the commander of the Rocket Reds, also out for political 
gains by embarrassing said commander.


#7, "The Kids' Night Out!"

Kupperberg, Larsen and Martin

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, things are tense.  Wayne is playing loud
music while Larry tries to figure out a way to steal the Negative Being
back from Valentina.  Wayne and Rhea decide on a night on the town.

In the city, a weird villain named Shrapnel (he looks like a walking 
scrap heap, and can explode at will) is in town with a mission.  He
is spotted by the police, but escapes.

Rhea and Wayne head out for some night life, and Scott tags along.  We
are introduced to Scott's power: his hands emit tremendous heat, and
he must wear specially treated gloves to control it.  In a disco, Wayne
(predictably) starts a fight and Rhea has to cover it up.  Wayne leaves
the disco in a huff (a favorite mode of transport, it seems) and runs
into some police, who recognize him from the mall fracas.  He runs from
them, hides in an alley and runs into Shrapnel.

Scott and Rhea arrive and the three of them are easily defeated by 
Shrapnel.  They return to HQ and get scolded by Arani, who has returned
(with the others) from Central America.

#8, "The Morning After"

Kupperberg, Larsen and Martin

The Doom Patrol is assisting the Kansas City police in the search for
Shrapnel.  

A sinister-looking fellow named Mr. Benjamin bribes a member of the city
council, telling him to oppose the presence of the DP in KC.  He then
organizes a picket-line in front of DP HQ (also in KC).

Larry and Valentina argue about the Negative Being.

Shrapnel enters an office building and kills an old acquaintance named
Walter Williamson.  This, it seems, was the contract which brought 
Shrapnel to KC.  On the way out of the building, he is stopped by the
entire DP, and defeats them (wow!).  

After the fight, Cliff learns from the police that Wayne is wanted
in connection with the deaths at the mall, and confronts Wayne about
it.


#9, "It's Raining Plastic Men"

Kupperberg, Larsen and Martin

In the New Mexico desert, a horde of primary-colored plastic androids
lands at a nuclear missile base and steals the missiles.

Arani is more obsessed than ever with finding the Chief.  

In Washington, an elderly government official recognizes photos of 
the plastic men, and realizes that they represent a tremendous 
threat.  He urges that the photos be made public, and when they are...

Cliff recognizes them (in the newspaper) as the creations of interstellar
megalomaniac Garguax, an old foe of the DP.  The DP get themselves to Arizona, 
to await another attack by the plastic men.  Right on cue, they arrive
and the DP can't stop them.  In fact, they almost manage to kidnap Cliff,
but Rhea and the others manage to save his upper half.  

After the fight, back at HQ, the team discovers that Larry is missing.
He's on his way to Louisiana, but they don't know that.

This issue also contains the following "Bonus Book":

"A Life in the Day"

Writer: Steve Miller, Penciller: Randy DuBurke, Inker: Joe Adiletta

Arani is moping after Niles, and meets an old woman in a wheelchair.
This woman, Ellen, tries to cheer Arani up by taking her to lunch 
and a baseball game.  They run into a fire, and Arani saves some
people.  Afterwards, Ellen urges Arani to go and talk to the people,
but Arani can't stand dealing with them.  Later, Ellen simply nods
off and dies (as she had told Arani she would), admonishing her to
enjoy life more.  It's pretty sappy, IMHO.  


--
 Bill Sherman     S^1 `--> S^(2n+1) -->> CP^n      sherman@math.ucla.edu
  The loudest mouth will hail the newfound way / To be King for a Day.
       - XTC, _Oranges and Lemons_, "King for a Day" (A. Partridge)