The most underrated superhero team in the DC Universe gets its time in the spotlight once again. Iconic figures like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are fully realized institutions with their own massive mythologies and rogues' galleries. Every major JLA member shines as the center of their own expansive stories, which makes the Justice League less of a traditional team and more of a summit of living gods who choose to face threats that can't be contained either by individual heroes or by any of DC's other superhero squads.
The Justice League's individual stardom is a rare phenomenon, and it contrasts with other legendary superhero teams where a few breakout figures tend to overshadow their teammates. For example, a noticeable disparity persists within the Teen Titans, as the various Robins, Cyborg, and the Kid Flashes have successfully leveraged their popularity in non-Titans titles, while similarly famous teammates like Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy continue to be largely tied to the Titans brand. The same applies to the Justice Society, with Jay Garrick as a pillar of the Flash family, while fellow Golden Age pioneers like Wildcat and Hourman are almost exclusively recognized as JSA heroes.
Other DC groups, like the Doom Patrol, are so tight-knit that they're equally synonymous with their team.
DC officially announces a new comic series centered around Doom Patrol, reuniting Robotman, Elasti-Girl, Negative Man, and Niles Caulder for a regular mission that soon evolves into an unprecedented challenge for the team. Darcy van Poelgeest, known for Precious Metal and Little Bird, teams up with Pride of Baghdad and Spider-Man: Fairy Tales artist Niko Henrichon to deliver a new take on the Chief's superpowered outcasts, starting with a thirty-two-page debut issue releasing September 2, 2026. The Doom Patrol arrives three years after the seven-issue 2023 miniseries Unstoppable Doom Patrol, written by Dennis Culver and Chris Burnham.
The Doom Patrol is broke. Adopting a heroes-for-hire business model to stave off financial and emotional ruin, the team finds itself responding to what seems like a simple case—a missing cat. But when this case proves to be far from simple, the world’s strangest heroes find themselves pulled into a truly out-of-this-world situation!
And elsewhere, beyond the view of Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and Negative Man—and perhaps even beyond the veil of our reality—a ghost of the team’s past is preparing to cross into their world. The visionary team of Eisner Award-winning writer Darcy Van Poelgeest (Little Bird) and legendary artist Niko Henrichon (Spectators, Pride of Baghdad) ushers the Doom Patrol into a new age for DC Next Level.
The Doom Patrol #1, a 32‑page debut issue written by Darcy Van Poelgeest with art and cover by Niko Henrichon and featuring variant covers by Clayton Crain (card stock and foil), Ian Bertram, Ashley Wood (1:25), and Hayden Sherman (Next Level), will publish on September 2. The Doom Patrol #1 will retail for $3.99 US for the main cover, $4.99 US for card stock variants, and $6.99 US for the foil variant.
The Doom Patrol doesn't arrive alone. DC has also announced two other new comic series that promise to bring two other young superhero squads back into the spotlight. Written by Joshua Williamson and illustrated by Hayden Sherman, Legion of Super-Heroes explores a future where superheroes are outlawed and hunted down by the Persuaders. Meanwhile, writer Kyle Higgins and artist Daniele Di Nicuolo deliver a new chapter for the Teen Titans' titular team, with a new generation of heroes led by Jason Todd also coming to DC's Next Level this September.
Sixty-three years after their comic debut, the Doom Patrol should be one of the most prominent and culturally dominant superhero teams in comic book media. First introduced in June 1963 under the creative vision of Arnold Drake, Bob Haney, and Bruno Premiani, the found family of bizarre superhumans preceded Marvel’s X-Men by several months and established the precedent for the "freaks-turned-heroes" trope years before the Teen Titans became a household name. Yet, despite being pioneers of counter-cultural superheroes, the Doom Patrol has consistently been overshadowed by a number of newer teams.
The Justice League is considered to be DC Comics' greatest team of heroes, but more than a few iconic crimefighters have refused to join.
The Doom Patrol pushed the boundaries of Silver Age innocence before it became fashionable to do so, but they remain a cult group of characters to this day. On the bright side, the 2019 live-action Doom Patrol series perfectly captured the surrealist heart of Grant Morrison’s comic run and placed characters like Robotman, Negative Man, and Jane on the map. Despite its eccentric premise, Doom Patrol successfully elevated the group's profile and ran for four seasons, to an overwhelmingly positive reception.
However, despite its critical success, the Doom Patrol live-action show only scratched the surface of the team's massive universe, leaving an enormous amount of untapped potential waiting to be explored. Within the pages of DC Comics, titles like 2026's The Doom Patrol can finally ignite a renaissance for Niles Caulder's superpowered protégés. With the right commitment and a renewed focus on their status as the world's strangest heroes, the Doom Patrol can finally claim the mainstream crown they earned over six decades ago.
Which member of the Doom Patrol is your favorite?
Doom Patrol #1 is available September 2 from DC Comics.
