Major Spoilers
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Twitch Discord RSS
    Major Spoilers
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Random Access Memory
      • Retro Review
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Podcasts
      • Critical Hit
        • Critical Hit House Rules
        • Critical Hit World Building
      • Dueling Review
      • Finally Friday
      • Geek History Lesson
      • The Legion Clubhouse
      • Major Spoilers Podcast
        • MSP TPB for 2019
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2013
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2012
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2011
      • Munchkin Land
      • Top Five
      • Wayne’s Comics
      • Zach on Film
    • Features
      • Casual 60
      • Comic Casting Couch
      • Comics Portal
      • Did You Hear?
      • Editorials
      • Features
      • Gamer’s Corner
      • Hero Histories
      • Let’s Get Nerdy
      • Major Spoilers Adventures
      • Random Access Memory
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Movies
      • Did You Hear
      • Movies
      • Television
    • Comic Previews
    • Patreon
      • Patreon
      • Store
    Major Spoilers
    Review

    Batman and the Outsiders #1 Review

    Stacy BaugherBy Stacy BaugherMay 10, 20196 Mins Read

    The Batman has entrusted Black Lighting with the leadership of a group of heroes in need and promised to let him make a team of them on his own. However, circumstances blow that promise out of the water and Batman calls them in to save the life of a young girl. BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #1 is out on store shelves now.

    BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #1

    Writer: Bryan Hill
    Artist: Dexter Soy
    Colors: Veronica Gandini
    Letters: Clayton Cowles
    Cover: Tyler Kirkham & Arif Prianto
    Publisher: DC Comics
    Release Date: May 8th, 2019
    Cover Price: $3.99

    Previously in BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS: Originally, Batman formed the Outsiders because there were just some issues the Justice League refused to handle. With strong ties to Markovia, the original team contained all new heroes (Katana, Halo, Geo-Force, and Looker) and two heroes who had turned down membership in the Justice League (Black Lighting, Metamorpho). In universe, the team went through multiple incarnations, including having been led by Nightwing and Arsenal as a pro-active group that hunted villains. The original title is noted for the amazing creative team of Mike Barr and Jim Aparo.

    YOU GET TOUGH LIKE ME…

    On the roads above the skyline of Los Angeles, Gabriel Ramos and his daughter Sofia are driving in silence. The silence stems from the date; this was the day they lost Gabriel wife and Sofia’s mother. Gabriel is trying to reach out to his daughter, to let her know it is alright when without warning he slams on the breaks and screams for his daughter to hold on. Their car comes in direct contact with a large, costumed man who stands immobile against the momentum of the red car, shouldering it into the air. Gabriel’s last words are to his daughter, to run, as the man emits a green glow from his eyes and mouth that is mirrored in the dying eyes of the father. Unable to escape, the assailant grabs Sofi, but is surprised that his touch seems to have no effect. Telling her he will show her what she is, he tosses her off the overpass and directly into a tanker truck carrying flammable material. The explosion picks the truck up and engulfs it, as well as the young woman who is lying in the wreckage. Nevertheless, she is not dead, and with a scream, she stands and moves away from the carnage.

    In Gotham City, the heroes known as Orphan and The Signal are hiding under cover, protected temporarily from the gunfire of a mania named Saint John, a church shooter. Black Lighting and his team are on the scene to take down the lunatic, and The Signal is moments away from leaving the plan and taking the killer on his own. Then Black Lighting strikes. As his partner, Katana, uses her soul sword to disarm the target, Black Lighting lights him up with a bolt from the blue. They took the enemy down, but not without problems. Signal was clearly about to go off script, and Black Lighting calls him on it. Angry and chaffing under Lightning’s orders, Signal verbally attacks the older hero, and then realizes he was in the wrong and apologizes. Katana asks Orphan if Signal is always like this, but Orphan says that Signal has changed since his injuries at the hands of the villain named Karma.

    Later, in Kubrick Towers, Jefferson Pierce is meeting with Bruce Wayne. He is not happy with the fact The Batman has placed him in charge of this team of Outsiders, and lets Bruce know it. He feels that the Bat casts too large a shadow, and tells Wayne he feels it will end badly for the team. Bruce tells him to make the team his own, that he will not stand in the way. He confesses that the Batman just does not have what the team needs, he cannot have it. He expresses how much he trusts Jeff to do the job and how he knows he can. As a parting gesture, he lets Jeff know that the penthouse apartment is now in his name. Black Lighting has a home.

    Later, the Batman uncovers the incident with Gabriel Ramos and his daughter. He has a connection to them, a connection that involved a promise. This will cause Batman to call in the Outsiders, and for a reluctant Jeff Pierce to make a decision about the future of the team. Moreover, what of young Sofia? She is on the run, but the appearance of a mystery man with a story of her being the answer to the future will change her decisions. Can Black Lighting and the team find her in time?

    STAY GOLD, SIGNAL BOY, STAY GOLD!

    Bryan Hill (Postal, The Wild Storm: Michael Cray) has succeeded in something several other authors missed, making the Outsiders interesting again. The Outsiders is one of those titles that had a huge impact on many readers and creators back in the day, due to the excellent scripting of Mike Barr and the original art of Jim Aparo. It has come back several times, with and without the Batman pre-fix, to varying degrees of success. Here we have a team that is broken, and in those ways may be more on the outside than others. Black Lightning doubts his leadership abilities, Katana is dealing with the ghost of the past, Signal is possibly suffering from PTSD and Orphan is running from her past by living her future as fast as she can. The characters are interesting, and stand out from the regular ‘we have to make The Batman proud’ syndrome some other titles have fallen to. He is a solid writer and is weaving the initial threads of what may become a great story.

    Artist Dexter Soy (Red Hood and the Outlaws, Mortal Kombat X) is delivering some great, solid, cinematic artwork. His action sequences are on point, and the quieter moments draw you in. Every page has eye candy that will make you smile. Hope he gets to stick around for a while.

    BOTTOM LINE: SOLID BEGINNING

    Batman and the Outsiders #1 is a good start to what looks to be an intriguing story, but there are a few character choices that make me shake my head. They are little things, and do not detract from the overall story, but still I wonder what they were thinking. Regardless, this first issue is a good one. Let us see if it can continue.

    BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #1 delivers an intriguing story that deals with issues of responsibility and trust, while at the same time delivering great action and character development.


    Dear Spoilerite,

    At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.

    Batman and the Outsiders #1

    6.7 A solid beginning

    A good story, diverse cast of characters, and enough sub-plot possibilities to wreck a Levitz Paradigm. Go pick up a copy today.

    • Writing 7
    • Art 7
    • Coloring 6
    • User Ratings (1 Votes) 9.8
    Arif Prianto Batman And The Outsiders Bryan Hill Clayton Cowles dc comics dexter soy Review Tyler Kirkham Veronica Gandini
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous Article[First Look] Spencer & Locke 2 #4
    Next Article Finally Friday for May 10, 2019 – Weird Stories
    Stacy Baugher
    • Website
    • Twitter

    Back in February of 2008, Stacy Baugher wrote his first article for Major Spoilers and started a solid run of work that would last for over two years. He wrote the first series of Comic Casting Couch articles as well as multiple Golden Age Hero Histories, reviews and commentaries. After taking a hiatus from all things fandom he has returned to the Major Spoilers fold. He can currently be found on his blog, www.stacybaugher.com , were he post progress on his fiction work as well as his photography and life in general, and on Twitter under the handle @stacybaugher . If you're of a mind, he also takes on all comers with the under the Xbox Live Gamertag, Lost Hours. He currently lives in Clinton, Mississippi with his understanding wife, and two kids.

    Related Posts

    Giant-Size Dark Phoenix Saga #1 Review

    Read More

    Supergirl #2 Review

    Read More

    COMICS PORTAL: Where Is All The Cool Merchandise?

    Read More

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    AMAZON AFFILIATE

    Support this site by making a purchase through our Amazon affiliate links

    Reviews
    8.3
    June 17, 2025

    Giant-Size Dark Phoenix Saga #1 Review

    7.7
    June 17, 2025

    Supergirl #2 Review

    6.0
    June 16, 2025

    Runaways #1 Review

    8.0
    June 15, 2025

    The Death of the Silver Surfer #1 Review

    4.7
    June 15, 2025

    Retro Review: Master Comics #11 (February 1941)

    Patreon Support
    Major Spoilers Store
    Recent Comments
    • ZackaryTobias on COMICS PORTAL: Where Is All The Cool Merchandise?
    • Nathan on Wayne’s Comics Podcast #696: Interview with Creators from Concrete Arcanum
    • Austin Cowboy on FIRST LOOK: Conan the Barbarian #21
    • Frank on COMICS PORTAL: Batman Meets… Deadpool!?
    • ZackaryTobias on COMICS PORTAL: Batman Meets… Deadpool!?
    Subscribe to the Major Spoilers E-Mail List
    Sponsor

    ComiXology Home Page

    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Twitch
    Major Spoilers Patreon
    • About
      • Major Spoilers Terms of Use
      • Major Spoilers Frequently Asked Questions
      • Major Spoilers Privacy Policy Statement
      • Major Spoilers Podcast Gear
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy (EU)
    Major Spoilers is copyright 2006-2025 by Major Spoilers Entertainment, LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT