DP01-AR2 Original Period reprints part 2 of 4

.....In 1973, DC briefly published standard format reprint titles. Some were entirely new titles, such as Legion Of Super-Heroes, and Secret Origins. Others had been cancelled in the previous five years and returned where their numbering had left off, except that they now had reprints. These were Challengers Of The Unknown, Metal Men, and Doom Patrol. Those last three each lasted only three more issues and were cancelled again. Had Metamorpho lasted longer in the '60's it likely would have joined them, as these titles were often considered 'of a kind' in contrast to DC's other mid-60's super-hero titles.

.....The three 'new' issues of Doom Patrol are detailed below:

1. The Doom Patrol #122(02/73) features a reprint of the first Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man story in issue #89(08/64), except for page 13 of the main story and omitting the Elasti-Girl back-up story completely. In their place is a text page, "Meet The Doom Patrol", presumably by editor Jeff Rovin and a non-DP story, "We Battled The Micromonster" from My Greatest Adventure #76(02/63).
2. The Doom Patrol #123(03-04/73) features a reprint of the second Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man story in issue #95(05/65) but with two pages' worth of panels eliminated. Pages 2 and 3 are combined into one page as are pages 20 and 21. A new text page, "The Men Behind...The Doom Patrol" by Allan Asherman, is added.
3. The Doom Patrol #124(06-07/73) reprints a Brotherhood of Evil story with Madame Rouge in which she receives the brain surgery that enables her to change identities, but which eventually drives her insane. This comes from #90(06/64) and reproduces the first chapter (7pp) intact and all the material from the second chapter (10pp) blended with another seven pages made of panels from chapter three (originally 8pp) and a new 2/3 page text piece, "The Doom Patrol's Professional Fans" by Allan Asherman.
4. Each of the three Doom Patrol issues above have covers made with reduced art taken from the covers of the issues reprinted within and framed by head-and-shoulders spot illustrations of each of the members. These mini-portraits were taken from the letters' pages of the 1960's.
5. The Brave And The Bold #116(12/74-01/75) This was one of this title's '100-Page' issues, edited by Murray Boltinoff and Paul Levitz. While there are no DP stories, there is a three page article called "Heroes Who Wouldn't Die!" by Bob Rozakis. It mentions both the Golden Age Robotman (Paul Dennis?) and our own Silver Age Cliff Steele (but it's the Golden Age Robotman whose face accompanies the cover blurb). Each character discussed is accompanied by an appropriated illustration, and the panel used as an example of Cliff may come from either My Greatest Adventure #80(06/63) or Doom Patrol #100(12/65).

.....Speaking of The Brave And The Bold, the Metal Men seemed to make nearly annual appearances in that title until they were awarded their own series again in 1976, with the numbering continuing where the 1973 reprints left off. In 1976, the Challengers of the Unknown began appearing in new stories in Super-Team Family, eventually carrying over into their own restored title in 1977, again with the numbering continuing from where their 1973 reprints left off. In 1977 the Doom Patrol began appearing in new stories in Showcase and in 1978... well, you can always type in "DC Implosion" to the word-search engine of your choice. There was no issue #125, of course. The actual rocky path to a regular series is summarized in DP02-AA and DP03-AA.

.....Part 3 will focus on reprints in Super-Team Family.