Some thoughts about JLA/Doom Patrol Special #1

Is there a middle point between the bizarre and the common?

The Doom Patrol have traveled to a strange place where members of the Justice League have been turned into weird yet normal creations that could destroy everyone.

Well, here it is, a crossover that I wasn't really asking for. As people should know, I haven't been a fan of Gerard Way's Doom Patrol because at times it looked like a parody of Grant Morrison's work and I especially haven't been a fan of Steve Orlando's JLA because it has been immensely dull.

And this is exactly not the best combination of both ideas either.

Let's be fair though, the premise is interesting enough indeed. From the appearance of such an over-the-top supervillain like Manga Khan to the JLA being transformed into bizarre friendly neighbors, it seems like this story is going to deliver a bit of classic and creative Vertigo stuff but just like most of Gerard Way's works it ends-up being mostly weird for the sake of being weird with many scenes and double-page spreads dedicated to show strange visuals (which are pretty good to be fair) and offering very little substance beyond that.

Oh, but there's actually a REASON for this! You see, Way knows that what he does is weird and he wants to sell the idea that "Weird is good! There must be place for the bizarre!" and is so heavyhanded and preachy that is just takes me out of the story. This is not how old Vertigo worked (or at least how old Grant Morrison Vertigo worked which seems like the only thing that Way takes inspiration from), old Vertigo knew how to combine the strange events with actual deep material that made you think and even revaluate some aspects in life, this story offers nothing like that. Add the overused and patronizing "The best people in the world are weirdos! Everyone is strange and that's okay!" phrases that were old already 20 years ago and you get a pretty tiring story that is desperate to be relevant.

ACO's pencils are fantastic though, he really knows how to depict the most esoteric parts of the story.

Other than that, I should have known better and so should you.