Warning: contains spoilers for Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate #1!The Doom Patrol has a shocking new leader. In the story 'Storm Damaged,' appearing in Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate #1, the Doom Patrol returns to the DC Universe with a new mission and a new incarnation of the Chief. Yet rather than Niles Caulder, this Chief is revealed to be one of Jane’s 64 super-powered personas. While readers only get a tantalizing look at this shocking new version of Jane, it sets the stage for the Doom Patrol’s new status quo.
In the story, written by Dennis Culver, drawn by Chris Burnham, colored by Brian Reber and lettered by Steve Wands, the Doom Patrol responds to a summons from General Blanche, Larry Trainor the Negative Man’s former commanding officer. Blanche asks the Doom Patrol to investigate a research facility that has gone silent; one of the personnel was mutated into a metahuman monster thanks to the eruption of DC's Lazarus Pits. Before they head in, the teleporter Flit tells them the Chief said to radio in for support if needed. Inside the base, the Doom Patrol is confronted by demonic clowns and just as they are overwhelmed, they contact the Chief - as a result, the metahuman fighter Chainsaw Nun enters the fray. The Doom Patrol realizes the mutated monster poses no real threat - the clowns were simply manifestations of the other personnel’s inner fears, and they recruit the metahuman.
Jane Takes Control of the Doom Patrol
As the Doom Patrol escorts the metahuman out, Blanche confronts them, threatening to take the "monster" into custody. He tries to play on an old debt of Niles Caulder, only to be confronted by a new Chief, who is confirmed to be one of Jane's personas. Indeed, both Flit and Chainsaw Nun are also Jane personas, suggesting the Chief has marshaled Jane's powers and is able to dispatch them as needed.
Jane’s ascension to the role of leader of the Doom Patrol is the latest development in the team’s 60-year history. Jane (formerly known as "Crazy Jane") was introduced during Grant Morrison and Richard Case’s epic Doom Patrol run of the late 1980s/1990s. Jane has Dissociative Identity Disorder, with 64 different personalities - each with their own superpower. She was recruited to the Doom Patrol by then-leader Niles Caulder, also known as the Chief. It was later revealed that Caulder has engineered the accidents that created the Doom Patrol, which has led to a testy relationship between him and his creations.
A New Status Quo Calls For a New Leader
This story reintroduces the Doom Patrol to the DC Universe, setting up a bold new status quo - and with this new beginning comes a new Chief. Jane’s ascension to the role flips the script on the Doom Patrol’s dynamic. As Chief, Niles Caulder was cold and manipulative, possessing a ruthless nature. Here, Jane continues Caulder’s ruthlessness, particularly in her dealing with Blanche, but she makes it clear she will not tolerate anyone crossing her or any other member of the Doom Patrol. It also marks a new beginning for Jane, showing she has evolved, and the story acknowledges this. Jane is more confident in her abilities, and taking over as the Chief brings an exciting new dimension to her character arc.
The Doom Patrol’s new Chief raises an obvious question: what happened to Niles Caulder? This mystery will no doubt be explored when the Doom Patrol return in their upcoming miniseries, titled The Unstoppable Doom Patrol, in March.
Lazarus Planet: Dark Fate #1 is on sale now from DC Comics!