How would you make the Doom Patrol sell?

[Colossus1980]

Really all DC needs to do to make DOOM PATROL sell is put an A+ creative team on the title. End of story.

YES. This applies to the majority of properties out there. Most cannot gain popularity on their own to sustain longevity. It's sad but true. Sometimes a Deadpool or Harley Quinn can come along and become popular. Most cannot. Even Lobo was a hot property for a while but then he lost it. The New 52 reboot never helped.

[Robotman]

Like most of DC's (and Marvel for that matter) mid tier characters need a big name writer to sell. Putting Way on the book and having the Doom Patrol kick off a whole new line is the best way to sell the team.

[goof]

Make Dr. Doom their leader.

[M@Bowers2014]

You're definitely correct on that unless the editor makes sure to keep a top notch team on the book.

[ed2962]

I have an idea for a Doom Patrol pitch that would combine elements from a couple of different eras and at the same time push it into a more modern take. But just cuz I think my idea is nifty, I can't guarantee that it'll sell big.

Like a couple of folks have already pointed out, it takes more than just the right pitch...it takes promotion, the right creators and the right audience being able to find the product.

[Desh]

Get the concept popular in other media that has a much greater reach and impact than comics, like television or movies. If done correctly, the popularity from the other projects can be used to bolster comic book projects with the Doom Patrol.

[Lee Stone]

Bring in Gerard Way to follow up Morrison and give us an epic in the vein of UMBRELLA ACADEMY.

This.
Great idea, btw.

[Doctor Bifrost]

I don't know because the Giffen run was great and no one bought it because most people just are too stupid to read a good book.

You know, a writer can be brilliant and excellent at his craft, and still his approach doesn't mesh with what certain readers are interested in seeing. Doesn't make the writer bad; doesn't make the readers stupid.

[colonyofcells]

I would concentrate on the metas who want to be cured so get rid of robot man.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Focus on giving them a clear cut and iconic villain. The Doom Patrol are like the Fantastic Four minus Dr. Doom, which is to their disadvantage. Dr. Doom is essentially a fifth member of the FF and a big reason for their iconic status. Either build up the Brain to be a more prominent threat, focus on another villain (like, say Madame Rouge), or just create a new villain altogether.

But I'm just interested in seeing what Way has in store. However, since Marvel seems to not want to publish a Fantastic Four book, DC could definitely try and fill that void for FF fans (myself included) by promoting the Doom Patrol.

[Inhuman X]

Sex, Violence, Nudity.

[warzon]

Geoff johns=writer phil jimenez=artist

roll call

lodestone=rhea jones
celsius
power girl=tanya spears
negative woman
robotman
tempest=joshua clay
deadman
mindwarp=from justice league dark

[SmokeMonster]

As someone who never been interested in Doom Patrol or understood why they're even a thing, I think what Way's done is exactly the right move: an offbeat stylized hipster book about hilariously odd superheroes with a cheesy team name that looks more Image than DC.

Got me interested at least.

[Ascended]

You know, a writer can be brilliant and excellent at his craft, and still his approach doesn't mesh with what certain readers are interested in seeing. Doesn't make the writer bad; doesn't make the readers stupid.

Generally I agree, but the lawn of comic books is fertilized with the dead carcasses of amazing quality titles that no one read.

As someone who never been interested in Doom Patrol or understood why they're even a thing, I think what Way's done is exactly the right move: an offbeat stylized hipster book about hilariously odd superheroes with a cheesy team name that looks more Image than DC.

Got me interested at least.

I dont know if the Doom Patrol has what it takes to be a mainstream success, honestly.

I think that the current attempt is as good as its going to get. Ideally, a movie or tv show would be a huge help, and might provide a Guardians of the Galaxy style lift to the property. Throw that into the current mix and I think it might have a real shot of being a consistent, mid-tier seller. But without that larger-media backing I think this book will slide under everyone's radar.

But some concepts just arent made for the mainstream, and I think the DP might be one of them. Without a lot of heavy marketing from DC, a popular A-list creative team, and some larger-media attention...I dont see the DP selling in this current market. Maybe if DC had managed to nab some of the indie demographic, it could work, but as it is? Unless they drop the Batman into the roster I just dont see it holding up.

And I dont have an idea I think has a real shot of working either. The only two things I can think of are pretty obvious and others have already said them; appeal to the indie demographic that has made Batgirl of Burnside sell, and take the DP in a non-traditional direction of some kind. But beyond that? I got next to nothing.

I suppose the non-traditional direction I might consider would be to use the DP to explore the roles of heroes and villains. Take that dynamic and use Caldur and the members of the Patrol to turn the concept on its head and force readers to ask who the real heroes and villains in the DCU are. If Caldur can be an insane, life-destroying maniac who, by rights, should be considered a full-out villain but leads a team of heroes, are Lex Luthor or Two-Face any different? Is Ocean Master *really* a villain if we can call Caldur a hero? Stuff like that. And even then, I doubt it'd catch on with the general audience.

[Lee Stone]

As someone who never been interested in Doom Patrol or understood why they're even a thing, I think what Way's done is exactly the right move: an offbeat stylized hipster book about hilariously odd superheroes with a cheesy team name that looks more Image than DC.

Got me interested at least.

That's a smart move by DC.

You could do Doom Patrol as a traditional mainstream "meat and potatoes" book, but it won't sell unless one of the big name creators is on it. Why?
Because people who like that sort of stuff already get their "fix" with Justice League, Avengers, X-Men, etc.

And making it non-traditional means you're advertising it to a crowd that prefer "meat and potatoes".

In short, readers of JL, Avengers and X-Men won't pick it up either way. It'll be redundant as something they already read and not interesting to them if it's not.

Having Way on board taps into the non-traditional comics readers. Those people who wince when they think of comics because they think it's all tights and goofy names.
It's going to attract indie music fans who like his music, and you can bet it'll get press in the music circles.
And pulling those people into comics with a book that's not "superheroey" is the best thing you can possibly do. It opens up ideas and breaks the preconceptions that comics are just about tights and capes.
I have a feeling it'll be a surprise hit and will make as much of an impact on the industry as Batgirl of Burnside did.