Doomed #3 review

Star Labs intern Reiser isn't having a great day. He's having to dog-sit his aunt's annoying pooch, still hasn't got a girlfriend ... and has taken to turning into a rampaging, destructive monster after cleaning a lab at the Metropolis research facility. Things improve when fellow apprentice Jayne - who doesn't know about his transformations - offers to learn just what was in the room Reiser had been mucking out. Boy genius Reiser hopes knowing the nature of his infection will help him effect a cure

Reiser might feel better if he shared his problems with best pal and roommate Roman, who, it turns out, has his own super-secret - he's occasionally invaded by the spirit of an ancient god who goes by Alpha Centurion.

And stalking Reiser is an alien mercenary who, disguised as a wacky-looking boy named Miles, is out to kill him.

Of all the new DC books, Doomed is the one I was least looking forward to. Written by Scott Lobdell, whose DC work has been notoriously spotty, and spinning out of the long, dreadful Doomsday story in the Superman books, it sounded unpromising. A student who Hulks out into a radioactive monstrosity? Not my cup of tea.

But I tried it anyway, and while a Teen Titans appearance next issue threatens to send the quality plummeting, so far this is a rather wonderful book. Reiser - I've Googled, but can't find any other examples of it as a forename - is relentlessly likeable as he struggles to cope with what he's become while dealing with life's regular frustrations. The supporting cast members are a colourful crew, especially the hugely cute Roman, who gets a wee gay gag from the winking Lobdell.

And Miles, who reminds me a little of God-boy Wally from Peter David's Supergirl run, is a fun antagonist.

The vibe is light in an early Firestorm way, the fight scenes are effective and don't wear out their welcome, and the narrative thread of how Reiser will deal with everyone thinking he's a monster - so far, no one but Miles can understand his snarls - has legs.

Big, red, gnarly legs, as depicted by the excellent team of illustrator Javier Fernandez and colourist Ulises Arreola. The scenes with Wally are full of big, daft, comic book life, while the origin of Alpha Centurion in an opening flashback is effectively composed and paced, and moodily lit. Fernandez also contributes the cover, but it's not as effective as the interior art - the angle of vision, and colouring by Kyle Ritter combine to subsume our hero.

Still, that's a minor note on a great issue. If you've not tried this series (and I can imagine why you wouldn't) give it a go. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised too.