The biggest draw of Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Robert Carey’s Outsiders is that it utilizes the vast history of the Wildstorm Universe. The very premise – Luke Fox, Kate Kane, and the mysterious woman known only as “The Drummer” exploring universal mysteries – was tackled before in Warren Ellis and John Cassaday’s Planetary, right down to the standalone aspects. The Bleed, the membrane used to travel in-between realities, was reintroduced in this series. The most recent WildC.A.T.S. maxiseries was the last major DC series to do this, and as someone who’s always been a fan of most of the Wildstorm characters I appreciate any nod to that universe.
Outsiders #4 cranks it up a notch by once again tackling another major Wildstorm concept: the Century Baby. The Outsiders are drawn to a series of strange cataclysmic events, all tied to a girl named Jenny. Throughout her life, Jenny’s been struggling with anxiety, and that anxiety manifests itself in strange ways. Catastrophic ways. It falls to the Outsiders to save the world – or rather, the Drummer, who seems to have experience with this kind of thing.
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Anyone who’s read previous Wildstorm works knows how the Century Babies are tied to the start of, well, every century and how their powers reflect it. Lanzing and Kelly’s script asks how would the powers of the 21st century manifest themselves; the answers lie in Jenny’s ability to harness probability, namely with how it’s tied to her mood. And quite frankly, it’s a very relatable read. With everything going on in the world, it’s hard not to think about what you can do to fix it. In Jenny’s case, she is affecting the world and must learn how to use that for bettering others. I also applaud Lanzing and Kelly for giving the Drummer more face time in this issue – she knows more than she’s letting on, but she’s also fully on board with the Outsiders’ way of problem-solving.
Carey and colorist Valentina Taddeo deliver yet another gorgeously illustrated installment of the series, utilizing the towering structures of London as their stage. Cool blue permeates most of the page, with the occasional flash of red from Batwoman or an orange glow from the street lights. The standout, however, is Jenny. Her powers manifest as fiery red energy, literally ripping across panels for an unsettling effect. Carey often pushes in on her eyes, usually contorted in a mix of pain, anger and sadness, as the energy erupts from there. Rather than alienate Jenny, this helps humanize her as well as letting the reader emphasize with her.
Outsiders #4 not only continues to reintroduce elements of the Wildstorm Universe, but it also injects plenty of humanity into a superhuman origin. More and more this book continues to set itself apart from other superhero fare – a rare feat, but one this creative team seems confident in accomplishing.
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