OUTSIDERS by Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing in November

[Bat-Meal]

Post-able preview is up. I'll stick it in here so ppl can read it without ads.

[Bat-Meal]

Last 2 pages:

[Bat-Meal]

First review is up: https://aiptcomics.com/2024/01/09/outsiders-3-review/

[Jody Garland]

This was a good issue. Thick with meta narrative, but I think it works given that it's echoing complaints fans have had for a while.

Something I thought was interesting:Bleeding Cool posited recently that each issuer is meant to be an echo of its mirror Planetary issue. I thought that was a bit unlikely, but I can see how Dark Multiverse Duke (An unexpected call back!) echoes the Dead Gunfighter.

[Frontier]

This was a good issue. Thick with meta narrative, but I think it works given that it's echoing complaints fans have had for a while.

Something I thought was interesting:Bleeding Cool posited recently that each issuer is meant to be an echo of its mirror Planetary issue. I thought that was a bit unlikely, but I can see how Dark Multiverse Duke (An unexpected call back!) echoes the Dead Gunfighter.

I feel like this comic is trying way too hard to be meta and sound smart about it and so it just comes off as forced to me.

[thwhtGuardian]

I don't really get what this was trying to say...Never had that issue with Planetary.

[Jody Garland]

I feel like this comic is trying way too hard to be meta and sound smart about it and so it just comes off as forced to me.

Yeah, I don't blame you for that at all.

I don't really get what this was trying to say...Never had that issue with Planetary.

To me, this felt like a pretty stock "Batman's popularity among fans, writers and editorial alike" is choking out other potential stories, making the only way a lot of stories can be told is through Batman 'infecting' them, plus a dash of the seductive and reductive power of the angsty violence intrinsic to Batman being a troublesome thing to be the most popular and default story position. I liked it, but it sure ain't saying anything too original overall.

[PurpleGlovez]

Hmm. I believe this is the first time the September 21st date for the Wayne murders has been referenced. The June 26th date is more popular, but an autumn timeframe is referenced variously in (for example) Death and the Maidens and Nightwing #153; the first issue of the New 52 Batman and Robin placed it in September. So now we know the day. Neat.

[Caivu]

Hmm. I believe this is the first time the September 21st date for the Wayne murders has been referenced. The June 26th date is more popular, but an autumn timeframe is referenced variously in (for example) Death and the Maidens and Nightwing #153; the first issue of the New 52 Batman and Robin placed it in September. So now we know the day. Neat.

Is that June date really well-known? I've never heard of the Wayne murders having a fixed date before this issue whatsoever.

I didn't mind this issue so much compared to the other two, but I really don't like when comics get all meta like this. Comics as a medium in general seems really fixated on climbing up its own ass about that kind of thing for some reason, when most other mediums don't; I'm not sure why.

Kate still sounds off, but less off than before, and there are still some weird inconsistencies like the portraits of the twins showing Beth with blonde hair as a kid. But I guess it's an improvement.

[thwhtGuardian]

Yeah, I don't blame you for that at all.


To me, this felt like a pretty stock "Batman's popularity among fans, writers and editorial alike" is choking out other potential stories, making the only way a lot of stories can be told is through Batman 'infecting' them, plus a dash of the seductive and reductive power of the angsty violence intrinsic to Batman being a troublesome thing to be the most popular and default story position. I liked it, but it sure ain't saying anything too original overall.

That's where I thought it was going, but then Batman ended up being the person who saved them and got them safely back to their universe. If the message they were going for was that editorial's Batman fixation was an issue the resolution should have been Luke finding his own solution to the problem and his own way back home. It just didn't work on that level because of the mixed message, and it didn't really explore the concept of Batman in any interesting way like One Night on Earth.

[Frontier]

Is that June date really well-known? I've never heard of the Wayne murders having a fixed date before this issue whatsoever.

I didn't mind this issue so much compared to the other two, but I really don't like when comics get all meta like this. Comics as a medium in general seems really fixated on climbing up its own ass about that kind of thing for some reason, when most other mediums don't; I'm not sure why.

Kate still sounds off, but less off than before, and there are still some weird inconsistencies like the portraits of the twins showing Beth with blonde hair as a kid. But I guess it's an improvement.

I think the same thing happened in the Urban Legends story.

[Mantis-Ray]

I did it find it funny that Luke and Kate didn't really have a problem with Batman. Kate was at most confused by the room of Batwoman's, but regardless they were horrified by Duke going on a murder rampage on the existential plane.

[Bat-Meal]

This issue is only getting good reviews so far: https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-b...iders-(2023)/3

[Edit] Okay, mostly good reviews now more have come in.

[Bat-Meal]

Ok, that was the best issue yet! Finally some mystery going forward. Also loved the bits of humor like the Grieving Room and especially the Bat-Batman Repellent.

and there are still some weird inconsistencies like the portraits of the twins showing Beth with blonde hair as a kid.

I think the same thing happened in the Urban Legends story.

It's a minor retcon to differentiate between the two in flashbacks/portraits - otherwise dialogue or a caption is required to tell them apart. I suspect they might just be retconned to fraternal twins going forward. Like how now Kate hated the wig all along so that's gone, and now Luke and Kate were trained by Batman at some point.

[tabo61]

When was there a Bat-Bane?