The brutal and fast-paced video game franchise known as DOOM has adopted the catchphrase “rip and tear” that perfectly sums up what it feels like to take on cyberdemons armed to the teeth with weapons and tools designed to murder and maim effectively. But where did this iconic catchphrase come from? Fans may be surprised to hear that “rip and tear” didn’t originate from the Doom video games but from the comic book industry instead!
A game-changing first-person shooter released over 30 years ago in 1993, id Software’s Doom allowed gamers to slip into the boots of “Doomguy” or “Doom Slayer,” as he’s now more commonly referred to, in his attempts to keep the demonic hordes of Hell from destroying everything and everyone around them.
Focusing less on telling an engrossing story and more on its influential combat-heavy mechanics where players can shoot, punch, explode, and utterly decimate their enemies with abandon, Doom has released multiple follow-up games over the years, with the “rip and tear” catchphrase coming from a one-shot comic book from 1996!
Doom’s Best Video Game Catchphrase Came From a Little-Known One-Shot Comic Book
Doom #1 - 1996 (Steve Behling, Michael Stewart and Tom Grindberg)
Released as a giveaway at a video game convention by Marvel Comics, Doom #1 drops readers in the middle of a battle between a helmet-less Doomguy analog and a vicious demon spawn, the latter of which gets its spine ripped out on page one in appropriately brutal Doom fashion. Coming off the heels of the powerful effects provided by a berserk pack, an item that gives Doom players increased damage while fighting enemies with their fists, this unnamed marine eventually encounters a huge horned cyberdemon, proceeding to rage on about how he needs to “rip and tear” its guts out.
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A phrase featured in the 2016 refresh of Doom up to the recent Doom: The Dark Ages game, “rip and tear” has been further used in Doom soundtracks, merch, and even for titles of in-game achievements and trophies, and has transcended its comic book roots to become something synonymous with the game series. A one-shot comic used to continue to promote the original Doom and 1994’s Doom II, Doom #1 ripped and tore to the fullest on the page, with its main character going up against a slew of game-specific enemies while wielding popular Doom weapons like the BFG.
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A comic-exclusive story hailing from an obscure corner of Doom’s multi-media empire that most fans may not be aware of, Doom #1’s extreme dialogue, gory art, inconsequential story of a protagonist that simple wants more guns, and wild one-liners that would make a bad ‘80s action movie cringe, were all front and center in this issue, giving gamers a fresh take on Doom’s signature elements while staying true to what made the franchise so great to begin with. Ripping and tearing his way through sixteen blood-soaked pages, Doom #1’s protagonist easily solidified himself worthy of the Doom name.
Also popularizing the phrase “huge guts” on the same page where “rip and tear” was entered into Doom’s lexicon, the latter effectively describes the fast-paced and brutally satisfying gameplay Doom prioritizes as a series in a way that cannot be summed up any better. Though Doom #1 was a one-and-done adventure that amounted to nothing more than a story that showed off the franchise’s staple demonic action and wildly overpowered weapons, the cult following that this comic eventually developed only further proves what kind of impact it had on the overarching Doom franchise, despite most not knowing it even existed!
Doom #1 is available from GT Interactive Software.
