Outsiders #34 was the first of the “One Year Later” storyline and the Revolution was less than impressed. Outsiders #35 is all that stands between this title staying on our regular reading list and being placed on the Probation List.
Creative Team
Writer: Judd Winick
Penciller: Matthew Clark
Inker: Art Thibert
Art Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10.
Story Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10
Total Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10
Synopsis: The issue starts with a low level government officer of Mali being abducted. He is then brutally tortured by two Outsiders wearing leather S&M masks, Grace Choi and Captain Boomerang. Despite the beating, the government officer will not tell them the location of the Sarin gas.
We cut to Nightwing, Metamorpho, Katana and Thunder. Nightwing bitches Thunder out for blowing her cover and thereby forcing them to resort to torturing this government official for the location of the Sarin gas.
We then cut to the President Benin of Mali destroying his office in anger over the Outsiders being in his country. Benin tells one of his aides to release their secret weapon.
We go back to the Outsiders breaking into the compound where the Sarin gas is located. A bunch of soldiers are waiting for them aaaaaaand it’s a brawl! The Outsides kick some butt and find the containers of Sarin gas. Right before Metamorpho can change the Sarin gas into helium, he disappears. Then Captain Boomerang disappears. Then Thunder. Then Katana. Then Grace. And finally Nightwing. We then see them all lying in one big pile and see a super-speedster in a silver and black costume who had just attacked them. End of issue.
Comments
The Good: I guess this issue was to illustrate that these aren’t your father’s Outsiders. They aren’t the JLA or the JSA. They kidnap and brutally torture people. While the Revolution totally understands torture in times of war and civil unrest, we aren’t too sure how we liked it in this issue. Judd Winick is a good writer. Winick writes some strong dialogue and has crafted a pretty intense story.
The Bad: The art is too inconsistent. Some panels look good and others look less than great. Overall, the art ends up being average. Nothing great, but nothing bad. It really should go in the neutral category rather than in “the Bad.”
The Revolution isn’t sure we are digging Winick’s story. I’m really not into this whole raiding some piss ant African country to destroy all their Sarin gas. I guess the Outsiders are now Bush’s secret task force in the “War against Terror.” The story in general just feels a bit generic. I’m not too sure Winick is really going anywhere interesting with this plotline.
And this new super-speedster villain also has a generic feel to him. This entire story arc just reads like a generic mission with a standard issue villain. Unlike DC’s other titles who are really shaking things up with this “One Year Later” storyline, Outsiders seems to be missing the boat. I don’t find this storyline particularly compelling nor does it make me wait in anticipation for the next issue.
The scene with Grace and Captain Boomerang just didn’t go over too well with the Revolution. I just don’t see any organization lead by Nightwing as being cool with brutally torturing a person. Maybe Nightwing has really changed in this past year.
It is still very early; however, this lineup just isn’t working for me so far. They are an odd mix of characters that really have little to no chemistry between them. I like the addition of Captain Boomerang. However, I think Choi, Metamorpho and Katana probably need to be replaced.
Well, Outsiders #35 failed in keeping the Outsiders from slipping onto The Revolution’s Probation List.
