Doomsday Clock 6 NM Gary Frank Variant Cover DC Comics Geoff Johns 1st pr Joker

Description

DOOMSDAY CLOCK #6 Gary Frank Mime & Marionette Variant Cover

Art by: Gary Frank
Variant cover by: Gary Frank
Written by: Geoff Johns

The critically acclaimed super star team of writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank continue this groundbreaking event as the Mime and the Marionette take center stage in DOOMSDAY CLOCK #6.

“Dr. Manhattan? Who’s that? I could use a good dentist. It hurts when I smile.” — Joker

Featured Characters:

Marionette (Flashback and main story)
Mime (Flashback and main story)

Supporting Characters:

League of Villainy
Black Bison
Black Mask
Court of Owls
Judge of Owls
Doctor Poison
Doctor Psycho
Doctor Sivana
Giganta
Hector Hammond
Joker
Mad Hatter
Mister Freeze
Moonbow
Penguin
Prankster
Professor Pyg
Riddler
Rogues
Captain Boomerang
Captain Cold
Heat Wave
Mirror Master
The Top
Scarecrow
Sonar
Tattooed Man III
Toyman
Two-Face
Typhoon (Dies)

Antagonists:

The Comedian

Other Characters:

Batman

The supplemental information section contains the Department of Metahuman affairs files on Typhoon.

In the sewers of Gotham City, Marionette and Mime are escorted by the Joker and his henchmen, following his attack on the GCPD Headquarters. Along with them is an unconscious Batman, who’s been temporarily paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. As they walk, Marionette remembers her past, and her first encounter with Mime:

Erika Manson was raised by her immigrant father, who moved to America to open a doll-making shop. Across the street lied “Maez Glass”, a store run by a Hispanic family. The son, Marcos Maez, was a mute, and verbally abused by his step-father. Marcos enters the Manson store one day, and is shown around by Erika.

While treading through the sewers, they encounter a group of henchmen belonging to Mister Freeze, who seem to be lost. Coincidentally, the henchmen happen to be attending the same event the Joker is: the formation of a new coalition of villains dubbed the “League of Villainy”. Joker coerces the henchmen into joining his ranks, branding them with his signature “J”. Mime and Marionette rebuff Joker’s offer, attacking his men, ending with Joker accidentally shooting one of his own. He laughs, and the group proceeds towards the meeting.

One day, while Erika walked with her Marionette puppet, she was confronted by a group of bullies. The bullies insulted Erika’s father, accusing him of being a “child molester”, as well as taking her puppet. She attacked the leader, but her cronies pinned Erika down, preparing to cut her hair. The bullies were then stopped by Marcos, who assaulted them with glass bottles. Erika tackled the leader, and happily asked Marcos for more bottles.

Joker leads the group to the meeting, where a large group of villains have gathered, all led by the Riddler. Following the controversy over the “Superman Theory”, the villains have banded together in order to determine a safe way of operation. Numerous rumors have arisen; Green Lantern’s adversaries leaving for the stars, the Amazons of Themyscira kidnapping Wonder Woman back to Themyscira, and the only potential safe haven for villains being in Kahndaq. Joker then announces his arrival, much to the dismay of Riddler.

After showing Marcos around his shop, Erika’s father offered to make Marcos a puppet of his choosing. However, two police officers enter the shop, offering their “grievances” for Marcos’ mother. As Marcos ran out of the store, Erika’s father gives the officers a Leprechaun puppet for the officer’s “daughter”.

A minor Firestorm villain, Typhoon, is accused of being involved with the “Theory”, prompting the League to turn on him. As he prepares to attack, Typhoon is shot through the head by none other than the Comedian, who proceeds to open fire on the villains. Mime distracts Blake, allowing him and Marionette to escape while the Comedian blows up the room.

Later that day, the officers return, wondering which puppet Erika’s father “used” this time. When he tries to refuse the officers, they assault him, stating that their “boss” brought him to this country thereby owning him. These corrupt cops had been bringing in immigrants and allowing them to open shops, so that they could use them to smuggle drugs. The cops are implied to have killed Marcos’ mother, and threaten to kill Erika if he doesn’t comply. He secedes, revealing the delivery to be inside a Nite-Owl puppet.

After the encounter, Erika comes to the shop, only to find that her father has committed suicide, as he believed that she was safer with him gone. The corrupt officers arrive at the scene, prompting Erika to stab one in the neck with a pair of scissors. The other prepares to shoot her, but Marcos stops him, allowing Erika to strangle him with a cord.

The two run away and live on the streets, eventually assuming the persona’s of Mime and Marionette. Following their encounter with Doctor Manhattan, Erika gives birth to their child, while Marcos remained trapped in prison. Their baby was taken, never to be seen again.

As Mime and Marionette resolve to find their baby, they are caught by the Comedian. Blake believes he only needs one of them alive to find Ozymandias, but he is electrocuted by the Joker, who joins them in their quest to find Manhattan.

Doomsday Clock is back, and this issue finds Marionette and the Mime being taken hostage by the Joker, whom also has an unconscious Batman in a wheelchair, and forcibly escorted through the sewers beneath Gotham City. He leads the duo, as well as a retinue of his own thugs, to a grand meeting between many of the world’s superhumans being led by the Riddler. Nigma and the rogues are trying to come up with a plan to deal with the increased pressure brought on by the “Superman Theory,” but, before they can get very far, the Comedian arrives and begins gunning down everyone in sight.

I can say with confidence that Doomsday Clock #6 is the best issue of the series thus far. It’s fun, gleefully dark, and weaves a compelling narrative through both the backstory of Marionette and the Mime and their present predicament.

The ultraviolence in the back half is effectively both shocking and unnerving, so, again, this issue garnered an emotional reaction out of me. It was just all-around solid and engaging.

Gary Frank does some excellent work once again with this comic; his artwork was already the most consistently good thing about this comic series. He can craft very effecting looks of fear on characters’ faces, and that shines through in this comic. I also like that the Riddler is in his old green spandex in this comic. Brad Anderson’s color work is moody, grim, and graded well. There are a few larger panels for the artwork to breath in this issue too. This book also looks better than previous issues as a result.

Doomsday Clock #6 is the most impactful and stable comic of this maxiseries. It’s fun, decently paced, and even emotionally effecting in spots. The artwork continues to be a joy, and the overall comic earns a recommendation.

Near mint, 1st print. Bagged & Boarded.