Showcase Presents Batman and the Outsiders: Volume 1
I grew up on a steady diet of weekly DC Comics, but gave it up when I hit high school, because girls didn’t find that kind of thing appealing. (Turns out girls didn’t find me appealing, either – with or without a four-color habit – but that’s beside the point.) But one of the last new titles I remember collecting is now rounded up in SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS: VOLUME 1.
Although Batman was/is a member of the Justice League of America, he reluctantly led his own ragtag team of heroes in this 1983 book, a creation of writer Mike W. Barr and artist Jim Aparo. It’s a group that comes to be after the caped crusader quits the JLA in a huff, when Superman and Wonder Woman won’t help him when friend Lucius Fox goes missing in Markovia.
So Batman travels to the country himself, and before too long, through one instance or another, ends up with five new crime-fighting friends. Readers will recognize two B-level heroes in Black Lightning, still smarting with guilt after his electrical powers resulted in the death of a little girl, and Metamorpho, the elemental man who’d love to lose his powers in order to regain the love of his life.
The remaining Outsiders were new to the DC Universe: Geo-Force, a Markovian prince with gravity-controlling powers; Katana, a bitter, sword-wielding Japanese martial artist; and Halo, a ditzy, amnesiac blonde who shoots beams of energy.
Together, they all end up living in Bruce Wayne’s palatial mansion, and family dramas start to emerge; Katana plays surrogate mother to Halo, who starts having the hots for Geo-Force. Outside their home, they spar with the Teen Titans, battle the Cryogenic Man, are aided by The Phantom Stranger in finding out why Gotham City’s children have turned into senior citizens, square off at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and get transported back to ancient Egypt. The mysterious origins of Katana and Halo are explored further.
BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS represents some of the best pure-superhero work of that era. There’s a lot of adventure, which translates to a lot of fun. I also like how the characters interact with one another, even if a couple are underutilized (namely, Metamorpho), and the fact that Barr is as interested in their personal relationships as much as their public exploits is a plus. He also doesn’t overdo it on dialogue, allowing Aparo’s clean art to serve as an equal storytelling partner.
I’m happy to see DC continues to recognize these lesser-known titles through its affordable SHOWCASE line. While OUTSIDERS was fairly short-lived, there are enough left to merit a second volume. –Rod Lott
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES:
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATGIRL: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 2
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD BATMAN TEAM-UPS: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE ELONGATED MAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS GREEN ARROW: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HAUNTED TANK: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS HAWKMAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY: VOLUME 2
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS JONAH HEX: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS METAMORPHO: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE PHANTOM STRANGER: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS SHAZAM!: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN FAMILY: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT: VOLUME 1
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