Doom Patrol #9

In "Freaks," the Doom Patrol faces a monstrous, ever-changing threat unleashed by Simon Stagg’s failed experiments on Metamorpho—now a rampaging giant beyond recognition. As Robotman, Elastic Girl, and Negative Man struggle to contain the chaos, the team’s realization of the creature’s true identity brings both shock and heartbreak, especially for Sapphire, who finds her husband in a shattered, unconscious state. Meanwhile, Nudge grapples with loneliness as her only friend, Grunt, is taken back by circus owner Hank Gambol. Written and illustrated by John Byrne, with inks by Doug Hazlewood and colors by Alex Bleyaert, this 2005 issue delivers a poignant, character-driven story anchored in identity, loss, and the fragile bonds that define the team—its cover by Byrne captures the eerie, shifting dread of the central mystery.