“Never The End” – Part One
Writers: Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly
Artists: Robert Carey
Color Artist: Valentina Taddeo
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Review by James Attias
Outsiders #1 is here! Join Batwoman, Luke Fox, and their new team for a journey into the unknown! This isn’t a super team, though, no… this is something different.
Not in Gotham Anymore
This story starts with Kate Kane walking through what’s left of a warzone (not Gotham, but after the Bat/Cat war, we’re not far off). She’s then greeted by a familiar Luke Fox, who tells her that she’s a soldier without a war. She’s been pushed out of the Bat family (just to clarify readers, she hasn’t) and he says he has a proposition to use the Billions of dollars of Fox money to finally make a difference in the world, outside the normal parameters of the Justice League, Titans and especially the Bat-family.
Whilst reading, as a die-hard, superhero, Bat-Fam fan, I did get a smidge grumpy with all the cape bashing. I mean the same thing happens whenever someone says “Why doesn’t Bruce Wayne spend his money on feeding people and building houses instead of Batmobiles”. Well, the answer to that is simple, he does… read more comics, folks.
So, reading an issue that flat-out says that about Bruce gave me a little case of the grumps. It’s fine, though. Every new book in DC that has a former Bat family member has to start by saying a few things; 1. we’re leaving Gotham, 2. We’re not doing it Batman’s way, this is something different, and finally 3. I don’t do super team-ups. With all that in mind, this one does genuinely feel a little different, yet still connected. Which I liked.
Wildstorm
Guess what, my readers and fellow nerds? I have not read every comic ever. I know, I know. Hard to believe. Despite what I told that group of Gotham City Sirens Cosplayers at Comic-Con last year, I, in fact, have missed a few storylines in the last 80 years, but only a few. The Wild Storm was one of them, so I don’t know much about it.
So, when I saw the third member of this team “The Drummer” I had to do my research. This is a specific and new version of the character, from a comic I will not divulge. I’m hoping going forward this series treats all its readers a bit like me, up to date on most, but still needs a little exposition on some of the more obscure, non-mainstream DC stuff. I’m looking forward to finding out more.
The art in this story was fine, a little dark at points, but that can be forgiven as it suits the mood. Although, when Luke told Kate she didn’t need to wear a wig to be on his team, it took me a few minutes to think if she’s even wearing a wig at that moment. I mean, she usually has a pretty close trim, but that’s just me being a bit pedantic. Either way, the art was good and I’m looking forward to seeing it develop.
Conclusion
Outsiders #1 was an interesting first issue that planted many seeds for stories to be told. If they just keep the Bat-bashing in check, this series could be great!
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
