Issue 37 - The Chief

Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling

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)

• Ending (78:42)

References:

• Mr. Glass - Anthony - 9:27
• Unbreakable, Split, Glass - Anthony - 14:45
• Reddit /r/raisedbynarcissists - Anthony - 24:00
• Oprah giveaway - Anthony - 44:40
• Undercover Boss - Doc - 49:27
• Dr. Strange episode - Anthony - 53:50
• Tony Stark episode - Anthony - 53:51
• Scarecrow episode - Doc - 66:10
• Black Manta episode - Doc - 66:30

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