Comic Book Review: Outsiders #50 (DC COMICS)

DC Comics

Writer: Tony Bedard

Pencils: Matthew Clark and Ron Randall

Inker: Art Thibert

Editor: Joan Hilty

This final issue of The Outsiders sets up the new status quo for the new Batman and the Outsiders series. Batman has assembled a group of second-tier superheroes to operate on the fringes of society. The heroes on the team include Metamorpho, Martian Manhunter, Katana, and Grace the Amazon. Batman (as his gangland alter-ego "Matches" Malone) takes the team to a seedy Gotham City bar for super-villains to ambush the new Suicide Squad. After a brief skirmish, Batman gives the Suicide Squad a message to give to their boss Amanda Waller and the team escapes. When they get back to their submarine, they are surprised to find Catwoman has invited herself onto the team.

After the five one-shots where Batman picked the team (Outsiders: Five of a Kind) it was nice to see the team see some action. Tony Bedard, a new DC acquisition best known for his work on Exiles at rival Marvel Comics, crafts a rip-roaring superhero tale and ensures fans that the new Batman and The Outsiders book will be worth checking out. His Batman characterization is spot-on, and the reference Bats makes to forming the original Outsiders is sure to please continuity buffs. The use of Bane, the man who broke Batman's back in the 1990's, in the Suicide Squad is appealing but it makes one wonder where all of Batman's meta-human friends were during the Knightfall saga. Regardless, it was quite entertaining to see Batman in the role of mentor to the younger heroes. The one-page recap of the events of 52 and Amazons Attack are informative and not likely to scare away new or returning readers. �â'¬Å"Matches�â'¬ï¿½ Malone's appearance in the bar scene was well-thought out and the way in which he interacted with the various crooks indicated that while he has been absent in recent comics, the �â'¬Å"Matches�â'¬ï¿½ identity is still used by the Dark Knight to infiltrate the underworld. The introduction of Catwoman was a little heavy-handed, and one wonders how the Batman didn't notice her while in the bar. The art in the story is very iconic, although the moments of cheesecake throughout take away from it a bit. This issue's potential will hopefully be realized when Batman and The Outsiders premieres in October 2007.

While some fans may be upset that the Nightwing-led Outsiders team has come to an end, older fans are excited for Batman to be leading the team again. While the basic premise is quite different than the classic 1970's series, the issue indicates it will retain the same general feel. Bedard is one of DC's hottest new writers, and giving him a title of this magnitude shows DC thinks he's ready for the big leagues. Hopefully the series remains self-contained, although the appearance of the Suicide Squad suggests an eventual crossover with that title. Overall, a well-written issue that serves as a great introduction to the new series.

Rating: 8/10