The Doom Patrol never appealed to me as a kid - I have a distinct memory of going into the corner candy store (Murray's Luncheonette, southwest corner of University and Burnside Avenues - jeez, it's amazing what you can remember from your childhood!) and, spying the latest issue of Action Comics in the stand, I grabbed the mag BEHIND it ('cuz everybody knows, the copy in front gets handled by EVERYbody), thinking it was a mint copy of Action.  I paid for it without even looking at it, then ran out to the nearest bench to enjoy the latest adventure of Superman, -- and found in my hands, MUCH to my dismay, the latest issue of Doom Patrol!  I ran back to the store, utterly disgusted, pleading desperately with ol' Murray to let me exchange it because I had accidentally picked up the WRONG book.  To my relief, he agreed. 

Never actually BOUGHT a Doom Patrol until JB's run -- and HE'S the reason.  I KNEW if he was associated with it, it would HAVE TO be worth trying, and I'm happy to report, I was right.  Ya can't go wrong if JB's involved!  

... helping society but feared, shunned and hated by those they have sworn to protect.

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Certainly the Doom Patrol was TURNED INTO that, by later writers, but there is little evidence to support this view in the original series.

Right. The DP in the original series fears, shuns, and hates themselves to a degree, but most civilians of Arnold Drake's comic saw them as helpful benefactors, sort of like a special emergency unit.

One aspect I liked about the original DP was their blue-collar type service to Mankind. They always helped stop natural disasters as well as rampaging robots. The DP didn't sit around waiting to get attacked by the Brotherhood of Evil. They were generally always busy helping ordinary people. The original DP found this service to be primary to overcoming their "handicaps" and being productive parts of society. In this way, I found the DP to be the most realistic superhero group ever created.

This was my introduction to the Doom Patrol. Some of my favorite JB on JB inks ever, as well.

Let's not forget that DC's Captain Comet was a mutant long before Marvel made it fashionable.  Maybe JB could take a crack at him...

And Rita Farr was pretty feckin' hot!

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Why? Do you think she's wearing lace panties under there? Or nothing?

C'mon. Female figure skaters -- the basis for early superheroine costumes -- wear short skirts, and the audience does not titter and nudge whenever a leap or a spin lifts the hemline enough to show what's under them.

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And Namor was a mutant long before Captain Comet came along.

Why? Do you think she's wearing lace panties under there? Or nothing?

Thank you, JB, for saying this.  That very lazy joke recently appeared in the DP's BLACKEST NIGHT crossover and it made me cringe.  To me, it's the same as the "why doesn't the Hulk rip out of his pants" gag.

This was my introduction to the Doom Patrol. Some of my favorite JB on JB inks ever, as well.
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Same here.  A wicked step-mother threw that (and many other comics) away, and I have yet to replace it.