Batman and the Outsiders
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The Outsiders are a
superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
team appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
. As their name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who do not fit the norms of the "mainstream" superhero community, i.e. the
Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
. The Outsiders have had a number of different incarnations. They were founded by
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...
, whose ties to the League had become strained at the time, and introduced the now-classic line-up of Batman,
Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...
,
Metamorpho Metamorpho (real name Rex Mason, also called The Element Man) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created in 1965 by writer Bob Haney and artist Ramona Fradon. Metamorpho is a founding member of the O ...
,
Geo-Force Geo-Force (Prince Brion Markov) is a fictional superhero character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Markov is the younger Prince Twin of Markovia and the elder brother of Terra. One of the founding members of the superhero group ...
,
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge ...
,
Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...
and
Looker ''Looker'' is a 1981 American science fiction film written and directed by Michael Crichton and starring Albert Finney, Susan Dey, and James Coburn. The film is a suspense/science-fiction piece that comments upon and satirizes media, advertisin ...
. A later incarnation of the Outsiders from the early 2000s comics was led by
Nightwing Nightwing is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character has appeared in various incarnations; the identity was adopted by Dick Grayson when he left his role as Batman's vigilante partner Robin. Although ...
and
Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostl ...
following the dissolution of the
Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
superhero group, and depicted the team as a pro-active group hunting for supercriminals. For the team's third incarnation, Batman reforms the team as a special strike team featuring classic members Katana and Metamorpho alongside new recruits such as
Catwoman Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she is ...
and Black Lightning's daughter
Thunder Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
. After the '' Batman R.I.P.'' storyline,
Alfred Pennyworth Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Pennyworth is depicted as Bruce Wayne's loyal and tire ...
acts on Batman's instructions to reassemble the team once more, recruiting new members and more of the team's original lineup. Another version of the team with a familiar line-up briefly featured in ''
Batman Incorporated Batman Incorporated (also known as Batman, Inc.) was an ongoing American comic book series published by DC Comics, featuring the superhero Batman. Written by Grant Morrison, the series debuted following the events of '' Batman R.I.P'', ''Final Cr ...
'' in 2011 as the black ops section of Batman's organization. Following DC's 2011 reboot, a new version of the Outsiders is introduced in the pages of ''
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His real name is Oliver Jonas Quee ...
'' as a secret society represented by seven weapon-themed clans. Members in this incarnation include Katana,
Onyx Onyx primarily refers to the parallel banded variety of chalcedony, a silicate mineral. Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has parallel bands. The ...
, and several new characters. The original Outsiders are returned to continuity in 2017, following ''
DC Rebirth DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the DC ...
'', once again as a secret team founded by Batman; Batman revives the team with a new line-up in 2018. Black Lightning leads another incarnation in 2022. A version of the team appears in the live action series ''
Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...
'', fully formed starting in the third season led by Black Lightning.


Fictional history


''Batman and the Outsiders'' / ''The Adventures of the Outsiders'' (1983–1987)

The Outsiders first appeared in a special insert in the final issue (#200) of ''
The Brave and the Bold ''The Brave and the Bold'' is a comic book series published by DC Comics as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983. It was followed by two mini-series in 1991 and 1999, and was revived as an ongoing title in 2007. The focus of the series has varie ...
'' in 1983. The team was given its own comic, ''Batman and the Outsiders'', which debuted in August 1983. It was created and originally written by
Mike W. Barr Mike W. Barr (born May 30, 1952) is an American writer of comic books, mystery novels, and science fiction novels. Barr has written for every one of the first four incarnations of ''Star Trek: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Tr ...
and illustrated by
Jim Aparo James N. Aparo (August 24, 1932 – July 19, 2005) was an American comic book artist, best known for his DC Comics work from the late 1960s through the 1990s, including on the characters Batman, Aquaman, and the Spectre, along with famous stories ...
(later illustrated by
Alan Davis Alan Davis (born 18 June 1956) is an English artist and writer of comic books, known for his work on titles such as ''Captain Britain'', ''The Uncanny X-Men'', '' ClanDestine'', ''Detective Comics'', ''Excalibur'', '' JLA: The Nail'' and '' JLA ...
). After Batman left the group in issue #32, the title was changed to ''The Adventures of the Outsiders'', continuing until its cancellation with issue #46. Issue #38 featured the last original story in the series, as issues #39-46 were reprints of stories from the companion series ''The Outsiders'' (1985). The cast of the Outsiders was notable for having mostly new characters (
Geo-Force Geo-Force (Prince Brion Markov) is a fictional superhero character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Markov is the younger Prince Twin of Markovia and the elder brother of Terra. One of the founding members of the superhero group ...
,
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge ...
,
Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...
and
Looker ''Looker'' is a 1981 American science fiction film written and directed by Michael Crichton and starring Albert Finney, Susan Dey, and James Coburn. The film is a suspense/science-fiction piece that comments upon and satirizes media, advertisin ...
). The other members were two characters who refused membership in the Justice League (
Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...
and
Metamorpho Metamorpho (real name Rex Mason, also called The Element Man) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created in 1965 by writer Bob Haney and artist Ramona Fradon. Metamorpho is a founding member of the O ...
) and former Leaguer Batman.


Markovia and Baron Bedlam

The Outsiders formed in the fictional East European country of Markovia, which was ravaged by war at the time. Batman had attempted to enlist the Justice League of America's aid, but was told they had been ordered to stay out of the conflict. Because he disagreed with the order, Batman resigned to strike out on his own. He and Black Lightning traveled to Markovia to free captive
Lucius Fox Lucius Fox is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Bruce Wayne / Batman. He is Bruce Wayne's business manager at Wayne Enterprises who runs the business interests that s ...
from
Baron Bedlam Baron Bedlam (Baron Frederick DeLamb) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Batman and the Outsiders'' #1 (August 1983). Fictional character biography Baron Bedlam is really ...
(who killed the country's ruler, King Viktor). One of the king's sons became Geo-Force after gaining powers from Markovia's top scientist (Dr.
Helga Jace Dr. Helga Jace is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe. She is a supporting character of the Outsiders (comics), Outsiders and was the scientist responsible for bestowing the different earth-controlling powers upon Terra (comics), Princ ...
) to stop Bedlam. Metamorpho was searching for Dr. Jace for the doctor to help him with his powers. Katana arrived in Markovia to kill General Karnz (Bedlam's military commander) as vengeance for her family's death. Batman found a young,
amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...
c girl in the woods exhibiting light-based powers whom he names Halo who was an Aurakle that possessed the body of Violet Harper after she was killed by Syonide. These heroes banded together to defeat Baron Bedlam and decided to stay together as a team, later fighting such villains as Agent Orange, the
Fearsome Five The Fearsome Five is a group of supervillains from DC Comics who serve as enemies of the Teen Titans. Publication history They were created by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman, and first appeared in ''The New Teen Titans'' #3 (January 1981), going ...
and the Cryonic Man.


The Masters of Disaster and the Force of July

Recurring foes include the
Masters of Disaster Jim LeRoy (April 5, 1961 – July 28, 2007) was an American aerobatics pilot. He died upon impact in a crash at the Dayton Air Show in Ohio. Background A former US Marine Corps Scout/Sniper, Jim LeRoy held a B.S. degree in Aeronautical/Aerospace ...
(New Wave, Shakedown, Windfall, Heatstroke, and Coldsnap), who at one point were almost able to kill Black Lightning. Windfall eventually became disenchanted with her team and joined the Outsiders. Another recurring opponent was the
Force of July The Outsiders are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As their name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who do not fit the norms of the "mainstream" superhero community, i.e. the Justice League. The ...
, a group of patriotic metahumans who also regularly came into contact with the
Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
. During this time, Geo-Force's half-sister
Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...
died as a traitor against the
Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
. Batman revealed his real identity as Bruce Wayne to the team (although they already knew it). Eventually, Halo's origins were revealed. Emily Briggs (who later became the superheroine Looker and joined the team) was introduced. Denise Howard (the love interest of Geo-Force) appeared for the second time.


Without Batman

Baron Bedlam later returned to life. With the assistance of the Bad Samaritan, the Masters of Disaster and
Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
forces, he again tried to seize control of Markovia. Batman withheld this information, angering the rest of the team. This eventually led to Batman disbanding the team and returning to the Justice League of America. Nevertheless, the team traveled to Markovia, discovering many Markovian military casualties. They were defeated by the Masters and learn that Bedlam cloned
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and the ...
; however, the Hitler clone committed suicide in horror of the atrocities perpetrated by the original. The Outsiders became unofficial agents of Markovia to receive Markovian funding. They moved to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...
; Geo-Force left his girlfriend Denise behind and Looker separated from her husband.


''Outsiders'' (1985–1988)

This series again featured the original group, and was printed in the Baxter paper format used on such titles as ''
The New Teen Titans The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to DC ...
'' (vol. 2) and the ''
Legion of Super-Heroes The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, the Legion is a group of superpowered beings living in the 30th and 31st cent ...
'' (vol. 3). It lasted for 28 issues, in addition to ''Annual''s and special issues. The series originally ran alongside the title ''The Adventures of the Outsiders'', chronicling events a year after that series. In the end, the first few issues of this series were reprinted in ''The Adventures of the Outsiders'' before that title was cancelled.


Story

The team moves into a new headquarters in Los Angeles and once again becomes involved in an adventure with the Force of July (ending in
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
). Villains such as the Duke of Oil and the Soviet super-team the People's Heroes are introduced during this time. The team's adventures take them all over the globe, most notably when the Outsiders' plane is shot down and the team is marooned on a deserted island for three weeks. Tensions rise as Geo-Force tries to resign his leadership and he and Looker succumb to temptation. Eventually, the team is rescued. More trouble arises when a detective is hired to look into Looker (now working as a model known as Lia Briggs) and her private life, and learns of her actual identity as Emily. The detective tries to blackmail her, but she hypnotizes him and forces him to leave. However, he is killed shortly afterward and Looker is arrested as a suspect. The Outsiders, fortunately, clear her name.


Reunion with Batman

The Outsiders are reunited with Batman when they band together to fight
Eclipso Eclipso () is a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre. The character bares notable similarities to Dr. Jekyll an ...
. After the adventure, Batman gives them access to a
batcave The Batcave is a subterranean location appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. It is the headquarters of the superhero Batman, whose secret identity is Bruce Wayne and his partners, consisting of caves beneath his personal r ...
in Los Angeles. The team is also infiltrated by a clone of Windfall. Meanwhile, Looker and Geo-Force feel guilty about their affair and eventually end it. Metamorpho faces his own personal problems with his wife, Sapphire Stagg-Mason. The clone of Windfall is ultimately killed; the Masters of Disaster are defeated, as the real Windfall joins the Outsiders. The team also meets the other Los Angeles-based team, Infinity, Inc.


''Millennium''

The team is next involved with the crossover event ''Millennium'', wherein it is revealed that Dr. Jace is an operative of the villainous Manhunters and kidnaps the team. The team (now joined by the
Atomic Knight Atomic Knight is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC comics, and was briefly a member of the Outsiders team. He is sometimes depicted as one of a group of Atomic Knights, which first appeared in ''Strange Adventures'' #117 ...
) free themselves, but Dr. Jace blows up herself and Metamorpho. Looker is called to return to Abyssia (the origin of her powers), where she must also face the Manhunters. During the adventure, she is drained of much of her power and returns to her normal form. Halo is hit in the crossfire when saving Katana's life, and slips into a
coma A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhi ...
as Katana vows to look after her. The team is disbanded by Geo-Force as Looker returns to her husband, and Batman rejoins the Justice League.


''Outsiders'' (vol. 2) (1993–1995)

This revival of the title in 1993 lasted 25 issues and was written by Mike W. Barr, with most issues penciled by
Paul Pelletier Paul Pelletier is an American comic book penciller. Career Pelletier began working as a professional comic artist in the late 1980s. His first work appeared in Cosmic Steller Rebellers (hammac publications) and Wayward Warrior (Hammac Publica ...
.


Story

Declared a traitor in his native Markovia, Geo-Force is forced to seek the help of old (and new) Outsiders to battle the
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
-lord who controls his country. This is later coupled with the framing of the Outsiders for the slaughter of a Markovian village, forcing them into hiding. This fugitive status motivates the Atomic Knight to go after them, hoping to bring in his former allies without too much trouble. He is eventually convinced of their innocence and joins them. The new members who join the team in Markovia are the magician
Sebastian Faust Sebastian Faust (known as simply Faust) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, created by Mike Barr and Paul Pelletier. He was introduced in the 1993 '' Outsiders'' comic book series and is loosely base ...
, the warsuit-wearing engineer and industrialist the Technocrat and Wylde (Charlie Wylde), a friend of the Technocrat who has been turned into a mountain bear by Faust's uncontrollable magic. During the initial confrontation with the vampires, Looker is (apparently) killed. Hiding out in
Gotham City Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family, allies and List of Batman fa ...
, the Outsiders experience another loss as the Technocrat's wife Marissa and Halo are killed during a fight with Batman (actually the man standing in for Bruce Wayne,
Jean-Paul Valley Jean-Paul Valley Jr. is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Denny O'Neil, Joe Quesada, and Peter Milligan. He debuted in ''Batman: Sword of Azrael'' #1 (October 1992) as an ally of th ...
). However, Halo's spirit survives in the reanimated body of Marissa. For some time afterward, the Technocrat has trouble accepting that his wife (whose body is still walking around) is dead. Eventually it is discovered that Looker is not dead, but undead. The Outsiders find her, and free her from the vampire's control.


Split in two

After the defeat of the vampires, two teams (one composed of Geo-Force, Katana, and the Technocrat; the other composed of the Eradicator, Looker, Wylde, Halo and Sebastian Faust) claim the name of the Outsiders; both teams are considered fugitives for some time, thanks to questionable tactics by their new members. During this time, the teams learn that Halo's (original) body has been brought back to life by the terrorist organization Kobra. In control of her body is Violet Harper, the evil woman whose body Halo originally inhabited. She now has abilities similar to Halo's, calls herself Spectra and joins
Strike Force Kobra The following is a list of fictional criminal and terrorist organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. 0-9 100 Originally based in Metropolis, the 100 kept a firm grip on the city's criminal underworld for years, ind ...
with Dervish and Windfall. Both Kobra and Violet Harper are defeated, and Windfall rejoins the Outsiders. The two teams unite to confront
Felix Faust Felix Faust is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Justice League of America #10'' (1962), created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky. He is depicted as an mystic sorcerer obse ...
, the father of Outsiders member Sebastian Faust. During the confrontation, the bear-like Wylde betrays the team when Felix promises to restore his humanity. The team defeats Felix Faust and Wylde, who eventually becomes an actual bear (without the ability to speak) and is kept in a zoo. The title ends with the clearing of the Outsiders' names and the marriage of Geo-Force and Denise Howard. In the interim, the Halo entity is restored to Violet Harper's body, returning her to normal off-panel and a new team of Outsiders is formed and seen as active during the ''
Day of Judgement The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...
'' crossover event. Members of this new team include Geo-Force, Halo, Katana, and Terra II, who in the 1999 ''Titans Secret Files'' series, left the team after a round of genetic tests performed by scientists failed to decipher Terra II's genetically altered DNA in order to tell who she was prior to being turned into a genetic doppelgänger of the original Terra.


''Outsiders'' (vol. 3) (2003–2007)

''Outsiders'' (vol. 3) is almost completely unrelated to the previous series. It was launched in 2003 with new members, some of whom had been part of the
Titans In Greek mythology, the Titans ( grc, οἱ Τῑτᾶνες, ''hoi Tītânes'', , ''ho Tītân'') were the pre-Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (Sky) and Gai ...
. The series was cancelled with issue #50 and relaunched as ''Batman and the Outsiders'' (vol. 2), featuring a mix of current and new members.


Formation

The new team is put together in the wake of the '' Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day'' crossover, which dissolves both groups.
Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostl ...
accepts a sponsorship offer from the Optitron Corporation and uses the money to buy an enormous
bomb shelter A bomb shelter is a structure designed to provide protection against the effects of a bomb. Types of shelter Different kinds of bomb shelters are configured to protect against different kinds of attack and strengths of hostile explosives. Air ...
which had belonged to a multimillionaire, renovating it as group headquarters. He recruits a group of young heroes, the last of whom is his friend Nightwing (who joins reluctantly). Nightwing decides that, instead of functioning in a reactive capacity like most other superhero teams, this group should act as hunters, tracking down supervillains before they can cause problems.


''Infinite Crisis''

Former Outsiders the Technocrat and Looker are near the
Breach Breach, Breached, or The Breach may refer to: Places * Breach, Kent, United Kingdom * Breach, West Sussex, United Kingdom * ''The Breach'', Great South Bay in the State of New York People * Breach (DJ), an Electronic/House music act * Miroslav ...
when he explodes in the
Battle of Metropolis "Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, ...
. The fate of the Technocrat remains unclear, while Looker soon appears in an issue of the ''
World War III World War III or the Third World War, often abbreviated as WWIII or WW3, are names given to a hypothetical worldwide large-scale military conflict subsequent to World War I and World War II. The term has been in use since at ...
'' limited series. Roy Harper is saved by
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
from Doomsday, and
Captain Marvel Jr. Captain Marvel Jr. (Frederick "Freddy" Freeman) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A member of the Marvel/Shazam Family team of superheroes associated with Captain Marvel/Shazam, he was created by Ed Her ...
was sent to
Earth-S The DC Multiverse is a fictional continuity construct used in DC Comics publications. The Multiverse has undergone numerous changes and has included various universes, listed below between the original Multiverse and its successors. The original ...
when it was reformed. When New Earth came into existence, he went with other heroes who could fly to fight
Superboy-Prime Superboy-Prime (Clark Kent, born Kal-El), also known as Superman-Prime or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain and an Alternative versions of Superman, alternate version of Superman. The character first appeared in ''DC Comi ...
. In the ''Infinite Crisis'' hardcover, Freddy joined alongside the other Titans to take down the members of the
Secret Society of Super Villains Secret Society of Super Villains (SSoSV) is a DC Comics title that debuted in May–June 1976. The series presented a group of DC's supervillains, mostly foes of the Justice League of America. The series was cancelled with issue #15 in July 1978, ...
who tried to kill
Robin Robin may refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including: **European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'') ** Bush-robin **Forest r ...
.


''One Year Later''

After ''Infinite Crisis'', the Outsiders are "officially" no more. Because of the Freedom of Power Treaty, the Outsiders have been operating covertly outside of the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. Most of the members were presumed dead until a botched mission forced them to reveal their presence. Following the revelation of their existence, they are recruited by
Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...
to pursue missions which Checkmate cannot support publicly. Checkmate's assignment as part of the "CheckOut" crossover story arc involves dispatching the Outsiders to Oolong Island in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
, the scene of World War III the previous year. The mission goes disastrously wrong when
Chang Tzu Egg Fu is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Wonder Woman. Most frequently represented as an enormous sentient egg (and often, inexplicably, of Chinese descent), ...
captures
Owen Mercer Captain Boomerang is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, who respectively serve as enemies to both the Barry Allen and Wally West versions of the Flash. Created by writer John Broome and artis ...
and Checkmate's Black Queen, until both sides are bailed out by Batman. In the aftermath, Nightwing decides to give Batman control of the team once more.


''Batman and the Outsiders'' (vol. 2) / ''Outsiders'' (vol. 4) (2007–2011)

In November 2007, writer
Chuck Dixon Charles Dixon (born April 14, 1954) is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on the Marvel Comics character the Punisher and on the DC Comics characters Batman, Nightwing, and Robin in the 1990s and early 2000s. Early life Di ...
and artist Julian Lopez relaunched ''Outsiders'' (vol. 3) as ''Batman and the Outsiders'' (vol. 2), with the Dark Knight taking control of the team in the aftermath of the "CheckOut" crossover with Checkmate.


''Outsiders: Five of a Kind''

In the weeks leading up to the new series' debut, Batman holds tryouts to determine who will be on the team in a series of one-shots called ''Five of a Kind''. Each issue featured a different creative team (including Outsiders creator Mike W. Barr) and an epilogue written by
Tony Bedard Antony J. L. Bedard is an American writer and editor who has worked in the comic book industry from the early 1990s through the present. He is best known for his work at CrossGen Comics, where he was under exclusive contract, and for his run writi ...
. Batman angers several members, who feel he has no right to remove people already on the team. Captain Boomerang leaves the team for
Amanda Waller Amanda Blake Waller (née White), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and ...
's Suicide Squad, and Nightwing decides to take no part in the Outsiders' questionable activities. Katana is chosen as the team's first official member, joined later by the
Martian Manhunter The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and designed by artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" ...
, Metamorpho and
Grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninc ...
.
Thunder Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
is kicked off the team; the second
Aquaman Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a ...
is rejected because Batman feels he does not match up to his predecessor,
Orin ORiN (Open Robot/Resource interface for the Network) is a standard network interface for FA (factory automation) systems. The Japan Robot Association proposed ORiN in 2002, and the ORiN Forum develops and maintains the ORiN standard. Background ...
. Batman then tells the other members: "Whether you like it or not, you're here to save the world. And you're going to be ''hated'' for it". After the team's first official mission (in ''Outsiders'' #50),
Catwoman Catwoman is a fictional character created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Debuting as "the Cat" in ''Batman'' #1 (spring 1940), she is ...
overheard the other recruits talking about the team being "down by law" and said: "Batman can't possibly start up his own crew of super-crooks without ''me'' in it!"


''Batman and the Outsiders'' (vol. 2)

The team from ''Outsiders'' #50 was featured in the first two issues of ''Batman and the Outsiders'' (vol. 2). Afterward, Catwoman and the Martian Manhunter left the team and Batgirl, Geo-Force and the
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His real name is Oliver Jonas Quee ...
joined; Thunder consistently appeared in the series as well. In issue #5, Ralph "the Elongated Man" and Sue Dibny make a guest appearance. They are now "ghost detectives", and seem able to possess people in a method similar to that of Deadman. Dr. Francine Langstrom (wife of Dr. Kirk Langstrom, a.k.a. the
Man-Bat Man-Bat (Dr. Robert Kirkland "Kirk" Langstrom) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Introduced in ''Detective Comics'' #400 (June 1970) as an enemy of the superhero Batman, the character belongs to t ...
) serves as the team's technical advisor, and her assistant Salah Miandad operates the "blank" OMAC drone known as
ReMAC The OMACs (; Omni Mind And Community, originally Observational Metahuman Activity Construct and alternatively One Man Army Corps.) are a fictional type of cyborg appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. They are based on the Jack Kirby c ...
. In issue #9, Batman calls on former team member Looker to assist in an interrogation. The first main storyline of the title involves Batman sending the team to investigate the mysterious Mr. Jardine, who is organizing a convoluted plot to populate a subterranean lake on
the Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
with alien lifeforms. While trying to stop Jardine's unauthorized space-shot in South America, Metamorpho is blasted into space and is forced to escape from the
International Space Station The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA ( ...
(where seemingly-brainwashed astronauts from around the world are building a giant weapon). Seeking a shuttle to hijack, the rest of the team infiltrates a Chinese space facility (only to be captured by members of the
Great Ten The Great Ten (Shi Hao Xia) or (十豪侠) are a team of Chinese comic book superheroes in the DC Comics Universe, who are sponsored by the government of the People's Republic of China. Appearing in comics published by DC Comics, they were intr ...
). The timely intervention of Batgirl and ReMAC saves the team from execution. Metamorpho steals a shuttle back to Earth, escapes from the European Space Agency and rejoins the team. During the '' Batman R.I.P.'' events, an assembly of the Outsiders (including Thunder) receives a message from the missing Batman. It asks them to feed a secret code into the cybernetic mind of ReMAC, allowing it to track the Caped Crusader and the Black Glove organization and help him in his fight. As they comply (against Batgirl's advice), the code reveals itself as a cybernetic booby-trap coming from Simon Hurt (the mastermind behind Batman's downfall) and ReMAC explodes. Several Outsiders are wounded, and Thunder suffers brain injuries severe enough to knock her into a seemingly-irreversible coma. However, her in-costume appearance in the ''Final Crisis: Submit'' story contradicts this; the events of that ''Final Crisis'' storyline occur after the events in ''Batman R.I.P.'', suggesting a continuity error. When Black Lightning rejoins the team after the events of ''Batman R.I.P.'' and ''Final Crisis'', he is shown visiting Thunder (who is still hospitalized in a coma).


''Outsiders'' (vol. 4)

As a result of ''Batman R.I.P.'' and ''Final Crisis'' (where Batman apparently died), the series was renamed ''Outsiders'' (vol. 4) and featured a new team roster. The change occurred when a new creative team took over, with Peter Tomasi writing and
Lee Garbett Lee Garbett is a British comic book artist born in the West Midlands. He has worked on British comics. As of February 2011, he is working freelance after a period of exclusivity with DC Comics. Career He created the 4-issue mini-series ''Dar ...
on art duty. Tomasi began with ''Batman and the Outsiders Special'' (vol. 2) #1 and the retitled series began with issue #15. One night, after going to visit the graves of Thomas and Martha Wayne, Alfred awakens in Wayne Manor to a giant door opening in his room. He walks through it, where he sees a pod with a chair inside. He takes a seat, as a hologram of Batman activates. Batman explains that, because he has not entered a special code into the Bat-Computer (or any of its subsidiaries) for a certain length of time, this recording is playing (meaning he is probably dead). He tells Alfred of a very important mission the latter must undertake on his behalf (since Batman is unable to do so), but gives him a choice to accept or decline. Alfred promptly accepts; Batman explains what Alfred has meant to him throughout his life, saying to him what he did not have a chance to say at his death: "Goodbye, Dad." With this, Batman charges Alfred to assemble a new team of Outsiders. Alfred travels around the planet, recruiting Roy Raymond Jr., Black Lightning, Geo-Force (leader), Halo, Katana, the Creeper and Metamorpho. As a member of the team, each must become a true "outsider," living away from their families and the public eye for months at a time. Each member fills a role once filled by Batman, making this team a composite. This story arc ended with issue #25, and the series ended after 40 issues.


Post–''Final Crisis''

Dan DiDio and
Phillip Tan Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
began a new run of ''Outsiders'' in January 2010, in which Geo-Force appears to be acting more irrationally since his battle with Deathstroke. Without consulting the rest of the team (or Alfred), Geo-Force enters into a non-aggression pact with New Krypton (offering Markovia as a haven for all Kryptonians). The Eradicator is New Krypton's representative.


''Batman Inc.'' (2011–2013)

In the 2011 '' Batman Inc.'' series by
Grant Morrison Grant Morrison, MBE (born 31 January 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer, screenwriter, and producer. Their work is known for its nonlinear narratives, humanist philosophy and countercultural leanings. Morrison has written extensively for th ...
, Batman assembles a new team of Outsiders which acts as a black-ops wing of Batman Incorporated. The team consists of Metamorpho, Katana, Looker, Halo and Freight Train, and is led by the
Red Robin Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., more commonly known as Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews or simply Red Robin, is an American chain of casual dining restaurants founded in September 1969 in Seattle, Washington. In 1979, the first franchised ...
. This incarnation of the team proved short-lived, as all of its members (except the Red Robin) were caught in an explosion caused by Lord Death Man in the 2011 ''Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes'' one-shot issue. The survivors were revealed in issue #1 of (vol. two) (2012). Metamorpho had kept everyone alive via his powers.


In ''Green Arrow'' (vol. 5) (2013–2016)

Beginning with
Jeff Lemire Jeff Lemire (; born March 21, 1976) is a Canadian comic book writer, artist, and television producer. He is the author of critically acclaimed titles including the ''Essex County Trilogy'', '' Sweet Tooth'', and ''The Nobody''. His written work in ...
's run of ''
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His real name is Oliver Jonas Quee ...
'' (vol. 5) in DC's ''
The New 52 The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
'' continuity, a new version of the 'Outsiders' was introduced. This is explained as being an ancient secret society dedicated to the elimination of corruption, but which itself has grown corrupt. Its membership is formed from the leaders of various clans centred around totemic weapons: the Mask, the Fist, the Arrow, the Axe, the Spear, the Shield, the Sword. A literal Green Arrow was the totemic weapon of the 'Arrow Clan', but this was destroyed by the Green Arrow as part of his symbolic rejection of the group. The Soultaker sword owned by
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge ...
is the Sword Totem, making her the leader of the Sword Clan. The weapon totems supposedly grant immortality and enlightenment on the wielder, but the Green Arrow doubts such claims. The leader of the Arrow Clan was once
Robert Queen Quakemaster Moira Queen Moira Queen is the mother of Oliver Queen/the Green Arrow. She and her husband Robert were killed by lions during an African safari. Moira Queen in other media Moira Queen was portrayed by Susanna Thompson in The CW's ...
, the Green Arrow's father. With his apparent death, it passed to Komodo (Simon Lacroix), an evil archer. It would later be passed to Shado, Robert Queen's former lover and another master archer. Katana heads the Sword Clan. An unkillable shapeshifter named
Magus Magi (; singular magus ; from Latin '' magus'', cf. fa, مغ ) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word ''magi'' is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius th ...
heads the Mask Clan. A physically intimidating man known as the Butcher leads the Axe Clan. Golgotha, leader of the Spear Clan, for a time led the Outsiders overall.
Onyx Onyx primarily refers to the parallel banded variety of chalcedony, a silicate mineral. Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has parallel bands. The ...
leads the Fist Clan. The Shield Clan is led by Kodiak, who in addition to his mastery of the shield, wears a terrifying skull mask.


''DC Rebirth''

The original Outsiders are reintroduced in ''Dark Days: The Forge'' #1 (2017), a prelude to DC's '' Dark Nights: Metal'' crossover, in an expository scene which explains that Batman formed the Outsiders (Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Geo-Force, Katana, and Halo) to investigate a mystery concerning the
DC Universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...
which connects the strangeness of the Multiverse to the amazing properties of metals—like Nth metal, the
Court of Owls The Court of Owls is a criminal organization and secret society appearing in DC Comics continuity as adversaries of the superhero Batman. The Court is described as an organization of the wealthiest and most influential citizens of the city of Got ...
' resurrection metal,
Aquaman Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). The character is a pastiche of Namor. Initially a ...
's trident, and
Doctor Fate Doctor Fate (also known as Fate) is the name of multiple superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original version of the character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, debuting in ''More F ...
's helmet— to metahumans and to mystical lands like
Nanda Parbat Nanda Parbat ( hi, नन्दा पर्बत, nandā parbat, the mountain of delight) is a fictional city in the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in ''Strange Adventures'' #216 (February 1969), created by Neal Adams. History Nanda Pa ...
,
Skartaris Skartaris is a fictional Hollow Earth fantasy setting created by Mike Grell for the sword and sorcery comic book '' The Warlord'', published by DC Comics. Skartaris debuted in ''1st Issue Special'' #8 (November 1975), where the character Travis M ...
,
Atlantis Atlantis ( grc, Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, , island of Atlas) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works '' Timaeus'' and '' Critias'', wherein it represents the antagonist naval power that b ...
, and Themiscyra, and much more. He assembled the team to operate outside the knowledge of the government, the Justice League, or the Batman family. In the ''
Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 before being collected in a single-vo ...
'' sequel ''
Doomsday Clock The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe, in the opinion of the members of the ''Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists''. Maintained since 1947, the clock is a metaphor for threats to humanity ...
'', Geo-Force took advantage of the metahuman arms race in light of "the Superman Theory" and assembled Markovia's version of the Outsiders. The group consists of Baroness Bedlam, the Eradicator,
Knightfall "Knightfall" is a 1993–1994 Batman story arc published by DC Comics. It consists of a trilogy of storylines that ran from 1993 to 1994, consisting of "Knightfall", "Knightquest", and "KnightsEnd".On the comic book covers, only the third part ...
,
Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...
, and Wylde. The ''Detective Comics'' story arc ''On the Outside'' (July 2018) had Batman and Black Lightning come together to defeat a villain known as Karma. In the aftermath of the battle, Batman told Black Lightning that he wanted him to lead a new team of Outsiders consisting of himself, Cassandra Cain, Duke Thomas, and
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge ...
, who had fought as their allies in the fight against Karma. An ongoing comic book featuring this team, titled ''Batman and the Outsiders'' (vol. 3), was set to release in December 2018. The series was abruptly cancelled before finally releasing in May the following year. Later,
Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...
assembles a new "modular" iteration of the team with himself, Duke, Katana, and Metamorpho, plus a "rotating fifth chair" for other superheroes like Robin, Green Arrow, or
Mister Miracle Mister Miracle (Scott Free) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in ''Mister Miracle'' #1 (April 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby. Publication history Mister Miracle debuted in ...
. In the set-up to the new series in '' Batman: Urban Legends'', Batman formally asks to join the team as the fifth chair to help Duke track down the location of his mother.''


Enemies

The following are enemies of the Outsiders: * Bad Samaritan - A master technician. *
Baron Bedlam Baron Bedlam (Baron Frederick DeLamb) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Batman and the Outsiders'' #1 (August 1983). Fictional character biography Baron Bedlam is really ...
- A Markovian baron. *
Doctor Moon Dan the Dyna-Mite Dan Turpin Damien Darhk The enigmatic Damien Darhk is an elusive and dangerous criminal mastermind and enemy of the Teen Titans. He makes his first appearance in ''Titans'' #1 (March 1999). Claiming to be a major player in t ...
- A mad scientist.''Batman and the Outsiders'' #20. DC Comics. * Duke of Oil - A
cyborg A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
who can control nearby nuclear devices.''Outsiders'' #6. DC Comics. * The Force of July - A group of patriotic metahumans that was established by the A.S.A. ** Major Victory - William Vickers is the team leader. He has enhanced strength, flight and energy blasts due to his government designed power suit. Killed by
Eclipso Eclipso () is a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre. The character bares notable similarities to Dr. Jekyll an ...
. ** Abraham Lincoln Carlyle - Government liaison. Suffered a heart attack during a
Suicide Squad The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
attack. ** B. Eric Blairman - Government liaison for the A.S.A. who had the
Psycho Pirate The Psycho-Pirate is the name of two supervillains appearin in American comic books published by DC Comics. Bob Frazer portrayed the character for his live action debut during The CW's 2018 Arrowverse crossover "Elseworlds (Arrowverse), Elseworld ...
's Medusa Mask. ** Lady Liberty - Projects energy blasts from her torch and flight. Killed in an explosion aboard Kobra's satellite during the climax of the Janus Directive. ** The Mayflower - Ability to control and grow plant life. Garotted by
Ravan Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations. In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. He ab ...
of the Suicide Squad. ** The Silent Majority - Power of self duplication. All of his duplicates were killed in battle aboard Kobra's satellite when he attempts to destroy a device that would kill billions. ** The Sparkler - Powers consisting of flight and the ability to project light as beams or even fireworks. Later slain by Doctor Light, who had severe mental problems concerning young superheroes. * Ishmael - A former experiment of the Ark Project that became a member of the League of Assassins. * Kobra - The leader of the Kobra organization. * The
Masters of Disaster Jim LeRoy (April 5, 1961 – July 28, 2007) was an American aerobatics pilot. He died upon impact in a crash at the Dayton Air Show in Ohio. Background A former US Marine Corps Scout/Sniper, Jim LeRoy held a B.S. degree in Aeronautical/Aerospace ...
- A group of elemental metahumans. * The New Olympians - The New Olympians are Maxie Zeus' group of mercenaries selected to represent Greek and Roman gods in order to disrupt the 1984 Olympics.''Batman and the Outsiders'' #14. DC Comics. **
Antaeus Antaeus (; Ancient Greek: Ἀνταῖος ''Antaîos'', "opponent", derived from , ''antao'' – 'I face, I oppose'), known to the Berbers as Anti, was a figure in Berber and Greek mythology. He was famed for his defeat by Heracles as part ...
I - Member of the New Olympians. He had powers similar to the actual
Antaeus Antaeus (; Ancient Greek: Ἀνταῖος ''Antaîos'', "opponent", derived from , ''antao'' – 'I face, I oppose'), known to the Berbers as Anti, was a figure in Berber and Greek mythology. He was famed for his defeat by Heracles as part ...
where he drew his strength from the ground. Antaeus was defeated in combat by Geo-Force. ** Argus - Member of the New Olympians. He can telepathically see events unfold from great distances. Argus is also a poor fighter since he was easily defeated by Batman. His abilities make him similar to the actual Argus Panoptes. ** Diana - Member of the New Olympians. She is a superb archer and swordswoman who also commands fierce dogs. Diana was defeated by Katana in a sword fight. Her talents make her similar to the actual
Artemis In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
. ** Nox - Member of the New Olympians. She controls a mysterious dark force that enables her to fly and can manipulate it to take on different shapes. Nox was defeated in a gymnastics match against Halo. Her abilities make her similar to the actual Nyx. ** Proteus - A shape-shifting member of the New Olympians. Besides shape-shifting, he can also elongate his limbs. Proteus first used his shape-shifting powers to make himself look handsome (since he disliked his previous appearance) and even grow bird-like wings. He and Vulcanus were defeated in a deadly soccer match against Black Lightning and Metamorpho. His abilities are similar to the actual
Proteus In Greek mythology, Proteus (; Ancient Greek: Πρωτεύς, ''Prōteus'') is an early prophetic sea-god or god of rivers and oceanic bodies of water, one of several deities whom Homer calls the "Old Man of the Sea" ''(hálios gérôn)''. ...
. ** Vulcanus - Member of the New Olympians. He wields a powerful hammer and can hurl high-temperature fireballs. Vulcanus and Proteus were defeated in a deadly soccer match against Black Lightning and Metamorpho. His abilities are similar to the actual
Hephaestus Hephaestus (; eight spellings; grc-gre, Ἥφαιστος, Hḗphaistos) is the Greek god of blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metallurgy, fire (compare, however, with Hestia), and volcanoes.Walter B ...
. * The Nuclear Family - A group of androids whose appearances are modeled after their deceased creator and his deceased family. *
Strike Force Kobra The following is a list of fictional criminal and terrorist organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. 0-9 100 Originally based in Metropolis, the 100 kept a firm grip on the city's criminal underworld for years, ind ...
- A group of villains whose powers are similar to some of Batman's enemies. They were created by Kobra. *
Syonide Sand Demon Sand Demon is the name of a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Eddie Slick is the manager of the wrestler King Crusher, and provided him with mutative steroids to win a match. However, Fire ...
- A female assassin. *
Tobias Whale Tobias Whale is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Black Lightning. Whale appears in the live-action Arrowverse series ''Black Lightning'', portrayed by Marvin "Krondon" Jones II ...
- An
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
albino Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albino. Varied use and interpretation of the term ...
crime lord. * Velocity - A clone of the
Flash Flash, flashes, or FLASH may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional aliases * Flash (DC Comics character), several DC Comics superheroes with super speed: ** Flash (Barry Allen) ** Flash (Jay Garrick) ** Wally West, the first Kid F ...
that was created by the Brotherhood of Evil and sold to a Malinese dictator named Ratu Bennin. While he possesses the Flash's speed, he does not possess his memories. Velocity was defeated by the Outsiders and taken into custody by Checkmate's White King
Alan Scott Alan Scott is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, and the first character to bear the name Green Lantern. He fights evil with the aid of a magical ring which grants him a variety of powers. He was created by Ma ...
.


Collected editions


''Batman and the Outsiders'' (vol. 1)


''Outsiders'' (vol. 3)


''Batman and the Outsiders'' (vol. 2) / ''Outsiders'' (vol. 4)


Batman and the Outsiders (vol. 3)


Other versions

In the '' JLA: The Nail'' miniseries, the Outsiders were formed by Black Canary to help
Oliver Queen Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His secret identity, real name is Olive ...
have his own team to focus on after becoming paralyzed and losing an arm after a disastrous battle with
Amazo Amazo () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky and first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #30 (June 1960) as an adversary of the Justice ...
, but who quickly dismissed them feeling like a "sidekick." The team consists of Black Canary, Black Lightning, Geo-Force, Katana, Metamorpho, and
Shade, the Changing Man Shade, the Changing Man is a comic book character created by Steve Ditko for DC Comics in 1977. The character was later adapted by Peter Milligan and Chris Bachalo in one of the first Vertigo titles. Both versions of Shade are distinct fr ...
. In the '' Batman: Earth One'' series of graphic novels, the Outsiders appear in volume 3 as an alliance of Gotham crimefighters brought together by Batman. The team consists of Batman, Robin, Batgirl, the Cat, Killer Croc, and Ragman, with Alfred Pennyworth and Lucas Fox supporting them in a subway version of the Batcave.


In other media

* The Outsiders appear in '' Batman: The Brave and the Bold'', initially consisting of teenage versions of
Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...
,
Katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge ...
and
Metamorpho Metamorpho (real name Rex Mason, also called The Element Man) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created in 1965 by writer Bob Haney and artist Ramona Fradon. Metamorpho is a founding member of the O ...
. Introduced in the episode "Enter the Outsiders!", the crime lord Slug brainwashes the trio into serving him. With Batman and
Wildcat The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while th ...
's help, the Outsiders break free of Slug's control, defeat him, and begin training under Wildcat's tutelage. As of the teaser for "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!",
Geo-Force Geo-Force (Prince Brion Markov) is a fictional superhero character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Markov is the younger Prince Twin of Markovia and the elder brother of Terra. One of the founding members of the superhero group ...
and
Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...
have joined the Outsiders as they work with Batman to stop Kobra and his cultists. * A team loosely based on the Outsiders appear in the '' Beware the Batman'' episodes "Monsters" and "Alone", consisting of Batman, Katana, Metamorpho, Oracle, and
Man-Bat Man-Bat (Dr. Robert Kirkland "Kirk" Langstrom) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Introduced in ''Detective Comics'' #400 (June 1970) as an enemy of the superhero Batman, the character belongs to t ...
. According to producer
Glen Murakami Glen Murakami is an American animator, director and producer best known for his work on '' Batman Beyond'', ''Teen Titans'', '' Teen Titans Go!'', '' Ben 10: Alien Force'' and '' Ben 10: Ultimate Alien''. Murakami co-created, produced, and develop ...
, the planned second season would have added
Cyborg A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
and Red Arrow to the team while Oracle becomes Nightwing. * Two variations of the Outsiders appear in '' Young Justice: Outsiders''. ** The first version is a loose, unnamed group of outcasts and exiles formed from the aftermath of a mission to shut down a metahuman trafficking ring. Consisting of Halo, Geo-Force, Forager and Cyborg, they are brought together by
Nightwing Nightwing is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character has appeared in various incarnations; the identity was adopted by Dick Grayson when he left his role as Batman's vigilante partner Robin. Although ...
, Black Lightning,
Superboy Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
, and Tigress, who train them to become members of the
Team A team is a group of individuals (human or non-human) working together to achieve their goal. As defined by Professor Leigh Thompson of the Kellogg School of Management, " team is a group of people who are interdependent with respect to inf ...
, and covertly work for the
Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
. Halo and Forager later join the Team, while Geo-Force goes on to join the Outsiders (see below). ** In the episode "First Impression",
Beast Boy Garfield Mark Logan, better known as Beast Boy, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He has also gone under the alias Changeling. Created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Bob Brown, he is a shapeshifter who po ...
forms the Outsiders with Geo-Force,
Wonder Girl Wonder Girl is the alias of multiple superheroines featured in comic books published by DC Comics. Donna Troy, the original Wonder Girl, was created by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani and first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #60 (June/July ...
,
Blue Beetle Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes who appear in a number of American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939. The most recent of the companies to own rights to Blue Beetle is DC Comics, which bought the ri ...
,
Kid Flash Kid Flash is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero The Flash. The first version of the c ...
, and
Static Static may refer to: Places *Static Nunatak, a nunatak in Antarctica United States * Static, Kentucky and Tennessee *Static Peak, a mountain in Wyoming **Static Peak Divide, a mountain pass near the peak Science and technology Physics *Static el ...
to serve as a public version of the Team and operate independently of the Justice League while secretly answering to them. In "Early Warning", El Dorado joins the team to inspire metahuman teenagers and children at the Meta-Human Youth Center to gain confidence in their abilities. In "Into the Breach", Cyborg joins them to help them find Halo after she is kidnapped by
Granny Goodness Granny Goodness is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. Granny Goodness made her live-action debut in the final two seasons of ''Smallville'', and she was portrayed by Nancy Amelia Bell and Christine Willes. Granny Goodness made her ...
. In "Nevermore", Markovian ambassador and Light member Zviad Baazovi secretly manipulates Geo-Force into killing his uncle, Baron Frederick DeLamb, and overthrowing his brother Gregor Markov as king of Markovia. As a result, the Outsiders oust him from the group and are joined by his sister
Terra Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...
, Superboy, and Forager. The Outsiders later merge with the Justice League, Team, and Batman Inc. to form one group under Black Lightning's leadership. As of '' Young Justice: Phantoms'', Robin, Windfall, Stargirl,
Looker ''Looker'' is a 1981 American science fiction film written and directed by Michael Crichton and starring Albert Finney, Susan Dey, and James Coburn. The film is a suspense/science-fiction piece that comments upon and satirizes media, advertisin ...
, and Livewire have joined the Outsiders. * The Outsiders appear in the ''
Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...
'' in two forms. ** In the season one episode "LaWanda: The Book of Burial", Grace Choi carries an ''Outsiders'' comic, which
Anissa Pierce Thunder is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Judd Winick and artist Tom Raney in the Modern Age of Comic Books. She is first mentioned in ''Green Arrow'' (vol. 2) # ...
notices while conducting research in a bookstore. ** In the
season three A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
episode "The Book of Markovia: Chapter Four: Grab the Strap", Black Lightning, Anissa, Choi,
Lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an avera ...
, Brandon / Geo,
Painkiller An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It i ...
, TC, and A.S.A agents Gardner Grayle and Erica Moran form a team loosely based on the Outsiders to battle Markovian forces.


References


External links


Cosmic Teams: Outsiders Index

DCU Guide: Outsiders II

DCU Guide: Outsiders III


at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
Archived
from the original on September 7, 2015. {{DEFAULTSORT:Outsiders DC Comics titles 1983 comics debuts DC Comics superhero teams Batman characters