Before the Doom Patrol debuts on DC Universe, Anthony & Doc tackle THE CHIEF! This Professor X/Mr. Glass mashup has a host of issues, including ignoring female agency! Plus our hosts pitch a new series for Tom King & Mitch Gerads to work on! Listen now!
SHOW NOTES:
Introduction
Shout-out to The Fantom Zone (05:32)
Background (06:00)
The Chief (Niles Caulder) created by Arnold Drake & Bruno Premiani in My Greatest Adventure #80 (June 1963)
Leader of the Doom Patrol, a group of superpowered "freaks"
Received funding from a mysterious benefactor at a young age to create inventions
Met a woman named Arani Desai and got married – gave her immortality on their wedding night, then left her because he was in danger from the benefactor
Discovered the benefactor was General Immortus, who wanted him to create a serum that would prolong his life – Caulder refused, and Immortus implanted an explosive device in his body – the device was removed, but it cost him the ability to walk
Determines that greatness comes from overcoming tragedy, so he engineers accidents to create other powered individuals
Uses his genius intellect and money to help the Doom Patrol fight crime – creates suits for members
Later discovered that his experiments led to the Brotherhood of Evil, a terrorist organization responsible for destroying Bludhaven
Gets decapitated by the Candlemaker, and exists as a severed head in a bucket of ice – combines with Alice Wired-For-Sound, a Sexually Remaindered Spirit, which allowed him to move around, and then died
After Infinite Crisis, he regained his body and leadership of Doom Patrol – becomes more manipulative over the team, who resent him
Takes over a Kryptonian body, and uses his intellect to "improve" the world – destroys every missile on the planet, and then attacks the UN – gets taken down by his computer
New 52 – young and healthy, provides a headquarters for Doom Patrol, but gets captured by Deathstroke
Issues (14:31)
Misguided belief that only tragedy can create greatness
Manipulation of team (24:11)
Abandonment of wife on wedding night (33:53)
Treatment (48:09)
In-universe
Out of universe (53:21)
Skit (61:39)
References:
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