First Published: September 2007

Contents: Batman and the Outsiders story from The Brave and the Bold #200 (July 1983); Batman and the Outsiders #1 (August 1983) to #19 (March 1985); Batman and the Outsiders Annual #1 (September 1984); and New Teen Titans #37 (December 1983)

Key Creator Credits: Mike W. Barr, Jim Aparo,  Marv Wolfman, George Peréz, and others

Key First Appearances: Brion Markov/Geo-Force, Gabrielle Doe/Violet Harper/Halo, Tatsu Yamashiro/Katana, Baron Bedlam, Dr. Helga Jace, Masters of Disaster (Coldsnap, Dust Devil, Heatstroke, Mudslide, New Wave, Shakedown, and Windfall), Force of July (Major Victory, Lady Liberty, Mayflower, Silent Majority, and Sparkler)

Overview: Lucius Fox, who oversees Wayne Enterprises for playboy Bruce Wayne, has gone missing in Markovia during a revolution. As Batman, he goes to his friends in the Justice League asking for help – and is rejected, as the JLA has promised the State Department that they would not interfere in matters of state. Fed up with the JLA, Batman quits the League and strikes out on his own. Enlisting the help of long-time friends Metamorpho and Black Lightning, Batman works his way into Markovia to rescue his friend. Along the way, new heroes are met to aid Batman in the rescue of Fox. Realizing the need for a team, Batman organizes these heroes into a new team, the Outsiders.

Over the next 18 months of stories, the Outsiders gel as a team. Questions are answered regarding the origins of Halo and Katana. Geo-Force finds a missing sibling hanging out with the Teen Titans. Metamorpho continues to seek out a cure for his condition, which would allow him to someday finally marry Sapphire Stagg. And Batman learns along the way to trust those around him, finally revealing his identity to his teammates.

Why should these stories be Showcased?: This is a fun read of Batman in the mid-1980s, before the dark and gritty Batman introduced by Frank Miller takes over the direction of the character. The new characters introduced (Geo-Force, Katana, and Halo) all continue to be part of the ongoing DC continuity, throughout multiple crisis and reboot events. These are not the greatest comics ever – in the grand scheme of things, this was definitely the #3 monthly Batman book on the shelves in this era, behind Batman and Detective Comics. That said, this is a very good run on an interesting set of new and veteran characters. Give this book a look, that can be appreciated by readers of all ages.

Footnotes: In a reversal of teacher and student roles, Batman and the Outsiders received a boost by doing a crossover with The New Teen Titans. At that time, the Teen Titans had recently added a new member in Terra, who had a similar costume and similar powers to Geo-Force. (For the record, Terra was introduced first, by about six months.) In the story, we find out that Terra is the younger step-sister of Geo-Force, and received her powers from Dr. Jace. The two teams unite to take on Dr. Light and the Fearsome Five, with Robin taking the lead in directing the heroes and Batman taking orders from his former protege. 

The full review can be found at Essential Showcase. 

To find the original issues, or reprints, of Batman and the Outsiders, check with your local comic book store. In the Midwest, I strongly recommend Clint’s Comics in midtown Kansas City. Clint’s has been in business for nearly 50 years at the intersection of Main St. and Westport Rd. The back-issue selection is incredible, and what you see in the store is just a small fraction of their total inventory. In addition to the back issues, Clint’s stocks current issues, trade paperbacks, toys, T-shirts, and more. Check out Clint’s Comics to build your own essential collection!

Categories: Jerry

Tags: Batman and the Outsiders, Essential Showcase, Jerry McMullen, Throwback Thursday