Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Review: Batman and the Outsiders #2

By Philip Schweier
June 18, 2019 - 09:47

I enjoyed the original Outsiders, as presented by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo in the early 1980s. There’s always been a bit of a consistency with the team’s many iterations, and that continues here. But mostly what is offered here is action, and plenty of it.

The Outsiders have been tasked with protecting a young woman, and when the attack comes, it requires all their collective skills and abilities to ensure her safety. But is even that enough to safeguard her from one of the DCU’s more powerful villains? He’s been off-stage for far too long, and it’s a joy to see him here, ready to re-enter Batman’s life and turn it into a living hell.

The dialogue is entertaining, as each character clearly has their own voice. That’s often a challenge in the written word, and some writers have specific voices in their heads when they write; Kevin Conroy or Mark Hamill, for example. But it’s a greater challenge to create that voice and present it effectively, which Bryan Hill accomplishes here.

I’m curious to see how Hill develops the individual Outsiders. He will likely have a fully-formed template for his Batman to follow, but the other members of the team are a bit more free-form, and open to broader interpretation. This could be an opportunity for them to grow into higher-profile characters.

Rating: 8/10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12