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 Outsiders have had a number of different incarnations. They were founded by Batman, whose ties to the Justice League were strained at the time, and introduced the original line-up of Batman, Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Geo-Force, Katana, Halo and Looker. A later incarnation of the Outsiders from the early 2000s comics was led by Nightwing and Arsenal following the dissolution of the Teen Titans superhero group, and depicted the team as a group hunting for super-criminals. For the team's third incarnation, Batman reforms them as a special strike team featuring classic members Katana and Metamorpho alongside new recruits such as Catwoman and Black Lightning's daughter Thunder. After 2008's Batman R.I.P. storyline, Alfred Pennyworth 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 was briefly featured in Batman Incorporated in 2011 as the black ops section of Batman's organization. Later, the Outsiders are rebooted as a secret society of weapons-themed characters in the pages of Green Arrow, featuring Katana and Onyx alongside several new characters. The original Outsiders are brought back in 2017, following DC Rebirth, as a strike team founded by Batman. 2020's incarnation of the team is led by Black Lightning, Batwing, and Batwoman, and add The Signal to the lineup.
A version of the team appears in the live-action series Black Lightning, fully formed starting in the third season and led by Black Lightning.
Publication history The Outsiders first appeared in a special insert in the final issue (#200) of The Brave and the Bold in 1983. DC's editorial team decided to replace it with a book that would feature Batman as the leader of a team. Writer Mike W. Barr volunteered for the assignment and the team was given its own comic, Batman and the Outsiders, which debuted in August 1983. The Outsiders were co-created by writer Barr and artist Jim Aparo, and later illustrated by Alan Davis.
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 included new characters created by Barr and Aparo (Geo-Force, Katana, Halo, and Looker). The other members were two characters who refused membership in the Justice League (Black Lightning and Metamorpho) and former Leaguer Batman.
Fictional history Batman and the Outsiders / The Adventures of the Outsiders (1983–1987) 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's aid, but was told they had been ordered to stay out of the conflict. Disagreeing with the order, Batman travels to Markovia with Black Lightning to free captive Lucius Fox from Baron Bedlam, who had killed Markovia's ruler King Viktor. One of the king's sons, Brion, becomes Geo-Force after gaining powers from Helga Jace to stop Bedlam. Separately, Metamorpho and Katana arrive in Markovia for their own means. Batman finds a young, amnesiac girl in the woods exhibiting light-based powers, whom he names Halo.Batman and the Outsiders #1 (August 1983) These heroes banded together to defeat Baron Bedlam and decided to stay together as a team.
The Masters of Disaster and the Force of July Recurring foes include the Masters of Disaster, who at one point almost killed Black Lightning. Windfall eventually becomes disenchanted with her team and joins the Outsiders. Another recurring opponent was the Force of July,Batman and the Outsiders Annual #1 (September 1984) a group of patriotic metahumans who also regularly came into contact with the Suicide Squad. Batman reveals his real identity as Bruce Wayne to the team (although they already knew it).Batman and the Outsiders #13 (August 1984) Eventually, Halo's origins were revealed. Emily Briggs (who later became the superheroine Looker and joined the team) was introduced.
Without Batman Baron Bedlam later returned to life. With the assistance of the Bad Samaritan, the Masters of Disaster, and Soviet forces, he tries to seize control of Markovia. Batman withholds information from the Outsiders, angering the rest of the team. This eventually leads to Batman disbanding the team and returning to the Justice League.Batman and the Outsiders #32 (April 1986) Nevertheless, the team travels to Markovia, discovering many Markovian military casualties. They are defeated by the Masters and learn that Bedlam cloned Adolf Hitler; however, the Hitler clone commits suicide in horror of the atrocities perpetrated by the original.Adventures of the Outsiders #35 (July 1986) The Outsiders become unofficial agents of Markovia, receiving funding from Markovia.Adventures of the Outsiders #36 (August 1986)
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 (vol. 2) and the Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 3).Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 215: "[The Outsiders] saw the popular team given the enhanced quality of a Baxter-format series...written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Jim Aparo." It lasted for 28 issues, in addition to Annuals 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).The Outsiders #3-4 (January - February 1986) Villains such as the Duke of Oil and the Soviet super-team the People's Heroes are introduced during this time.The Outsiders #6-7 (April - May 1986)The Outsiders #10 (August 1986) 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.The Outsiders #13 (November 1986)
Reuniting with Batman The Outsiders are reunited with Batman when they band together to fight Eclipso.The Outsiders #17-18 (March - April 1987) After the adventure, Batman gives them access to a batcave in Los Angeles. The team is also infiltrated by a clone of Windfall.The Outsiders #19-20 (May - June 1987) 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. The clone of Windfall is ultimately killed; the Masters of Disaster are defeated, as the real Windfall joins the Outsiders.The Outsiders Special (July 1987)
Millennium
The team is next involved with the crossover event Millennium, wherein it is revealed that Helga Jace is an operative of the Manhunters and kidnaps the team.Millennium #1 (January 1988) The team (now joined by the Atomic Knight) free themselves, but Jace attacks Metamorpho, causing an energy surge that kills them both.The Outsiders #27 (January 1988) 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 is rendered comatose. The team is disbanded by Geo-Force as Looker returns to her husband, and Batman rejoins the Justice League.The Outsiders #28 (February 1988)
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.Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 261: "The Outsiders made their return in a new series courtesy of writer Mike W. Barr and artist Paul Pelletier."
Story Declared a traitor in Markovia, Geo-Force is forced to seek the help of the Outsiders to battle the vampire-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, the warsuit-wearing engineer and industrialist the Technocrat, and Wylde, a friend of Technocrat who Faust transforms into a humanoid bear to save his life.
During the initial confrontation with the vampires, Looker is apparently killed. Hiding out in Gotham City, the Outsiders experience another loss as Technocrat's wife Marissa and Halo are killed during a fight with Jean-Paul Valley. However, Halo's spirit survives in Marissa's body. For some time afterward, Technocrat has trouble accepting that his wife 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 Technocrat; the other composed of Eradicator, Looker, Wylde, Halo, and Sebastian Faust) claim the name of the Outsiders; both teams are considered fugitives due to questionable tactics by their new members. During this time, the teams learn that Halo's original body was resurrected by Kobra and joined their ranks. Both Kobra and Violet Harper are defeated, and Windfall rejoins the Outsiders.
The two teams unite to confront Felix Faust, the father of Outsiders member Sebastian Faust. During the confrontation, Wylde betrays the team when Felix promises to restore his humanity. The team defeats Felix and Wylde, who is transformed into a normal bear and kept in a zoo where Looker can regularly visit him. 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 in the Day of Judgment crossover event. Members of this new team include Geo-Force, Halo, Katana, and Terra.
Outsiders (vol. 3) (2003–2007)
Outsiders (vol. 3) is largely unrelated to the previous series. It was launched in 2003 with new members, some of whom had been part of the Titans. 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 following the Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day crossover, which dissolves both groups. Arsenal accepts a sponsorship offer from the Optitron Corporation and uses the money to buy an enormous bomb shelter 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. 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.
One Year Later