History, part 1... The Doom Patrol started when the wheelchair bound Chief (Niles Caulder) brought together ex-actress Rita Farr (who became Elasti-Girl), ex-test pilot Larry Trainor (who became Negative Man) and ex-race car driver Cliff Steele (who became Robotman) to form a team of super-heroes who dedicated their lives to the defeat of General Immortus and anyone else who would threaten to enslave the world.

Niles was one of the most brilliant scientists of the 20th century, creating all sorts of wonderous experiments and gadgets. Not the least of which was the secret to immortality.

Rita was an actress who insisted on doing her own stunts. While on a shoot in Africa, she ended up going off a waterfall. When she made it out of the water, she ended up near these craters that expelled noxious gases. Inhaling some of these gases, Rita got sick. While she was recovering, she found her body would grow and shrink uncontrollably. Scared, sure that her career was ruined, she disappeared. She was eventually found by Niles and he promised to help her control her powers.

Larry was a test pilot who accidently flew through an area of radiation. After recovering from the experience, he found his skeleton glowed through his skin and he had an energy being that he could send out from his body to do his bidding. It could fly at light speed, pass through all objects and materials (except lead) and it had super-human strength. It had its limitations, of course. One of which was that it couldn't remain out of Larry's body longer than 60 seconds. Plus, it couldn't speak.

Cliff was a race car driver who had an accident. His car had crashed and burst into flames. The only thing salvageable was his brain. Niles, himself took his brain and placed it in the body of a robot.

Each one of them regarded themselves as misfits.

Niles brought them together and said to them, "You three are victims of a cruel and fantastic fate! I summoned you here to give you the opportunity to cheat that fate by offering you the chance to experience adventures more incredible than any humans have ever known."

And they became the Doom Patrol.

Many years later, it was revealed that the Chief (Niles Caulder) had orchaestrated the events that caused their individual accidents.

History, part 2... The Doom Patrol battled several menaces during their time together. Changeling (as Beast-Boy) and Mento helped them during their later adventures.

Until one day when they were given an ultimatum... Let themselves be killed or a small village (of around 14 people) would be destroyed.

They agreed and were blown up. Robotman was the sole survivor, his head floating in the ocean...

Will Magnus (of the Metal Men) put him back together and he ended up crossing paths with a lady named Arani Caulder, who claimed to be Niles' wife.

Arani had the ability to generate heat from one hand and cold from the other. She named herself Celsius and was intent on reforming the Doom Patrol to continue her search for Niles, whom she believed to still be alive.

She found Joshua Clay, a man who was studying to be a doctor who appeared to be a mutant with the ability to generate energy blasts from his hands. Taking the name of Tempest, he joins the team.

And she also found Valentina Vostok. Val was a pilot from the Soviet Union who decided to defect to America. During her trip, she encounters engine trouble and has to make an emergency landing in the sea. Going down with the plane, she emerges with an energy being much like Larry Trainor's. Calling herself Negative Woman, she takes her place in the Doom Patrol. Her being, however, can remain out of her body indefinitely. And hers can cause injury to people by passing through them.

This team was together for several years, searching for proof that Niles was still alive.

Nothing real eventful happened during this period.

More coming soon...