REVIEW: ‘Outsiders,’ Issue #3

Outsiders #3 is published by DC Comics, written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, art by Robert Carey, colors by Valentina Taddeo, and letters by Tom Napolitano. Batwing and Batwoman are taken to a pocket dimension discovered by the Drummer, filled with endless versions of Batman and Batwoman.

This issue is where the story gets even more abstract than before. What is brilliant about the setups of the Outsiders chapters is the ease with which it sets the mission. Each chapter is its own story, explained or mused about early in the book before flinging the group directly into an adventure. The disorienting nature of the book draws you in whilst talking through the exploration as it happens.

The location is mysterious and purposefully repetitive, not adhering to the rules of the regular world. And even though it is abstract and certainly weird, the issue does its part to explain it as succinctly as possible whilst maintaining the unnerving quality of the comic. It combines the Multiverse and consciousness with frequent references to the Bleed. The latter may be disconcerting to newcomers and even to many who are familiar with DC Comics. It is the space in between dimensions, essentially a void of nothingness.

The danger is more direct than the other issues, but it is obscure, as it can be difficult to know who is hunting who. There is something scarier in this dimension than the endless Batmen, and it is this that intensifies the pacing. It creates a violent fight scene that still possesses the bizarre feeling that the rest of the comic features. The whole issue has a meta tone, questioning storytelling and derailing typical narrative norms. This is why the whole book can seem odd to read. By the end of the issue, a wider mystery is raised. And we are left suspicious as a wider plot begins to unfold throughout the series.

The characters and the dialogue are fascinating. It is absolutely hyperfocused on the Bat. The Drummer is largely taken out of the equation, with Batwing and Batwoman drawn into the pocket dimension. So, this is especially interesting as the duo are something of outsiders to the regular lore of Batman, with an express statement that Luke is not Batman. Meanwhile, the behavior of the Batmen and Batwoman is utterly bizarre and inhuman. They are like incorrect reproductions of the character, photocopying a photocopy. The script is a mix of existential pandering and some quirky and hilarious quips. It makes the dialogue a chaotic delight. There is more of Luke within Outsiders #3, as the book splits the groups by gender, and Batman is at the centre of everything within the issue.

The art is mesmerising. At first looking like Wayne Manor normally does, the location quickly becomes more of an illusion and does away with the concept of physics. It becomes a maze, a web of staircases that would make Escher’s nosebleed. And within it all are countless Batmen and Batwoman. Every single one is unique, with a mix of classic and brand-new designs. Some exist to be cool, taken from movies, TV shows, and alternate realities, whilst others are there to be humorous. There is a Batwoman with a fish for a head, for example.

The level of creativity needed to recreate the same costume again and again, with slight variations each time, is phenomenal, all with a similar level of impeccable detail. The other figures are taken from the same concept of Batman, just taken to another level. It introduces a hardcore fight sequence that is unbelievably gory as if the comic suddenly lets loose. The rapid panels and the intensity are intoxicating in those moments.

The colors are fascinating. The pocket dimension, like many Batman comics, relishes the darkness, which is prominent in this issue. Frequently, a dark blue shade covers the page. But there is also a yellowish tone that is unnervingly not quite candle or natural light. However, the sequence on the stairs features many block colors, totally unlike the rest of the book. The blue tone most present in this dimension’s iteration of the Batcave is offset by a bright and powerful red. The lettering is stunning, with multiple custom word balloons for the various characters, yet the legibility never falters.

Outsiders #3 breaks more boundaries. The comic routinely finds individual and experimental ways to tell a superhero story. This issue may feature more superheroes than any other issue so far and is much more action-packed, but it is far from normal. It requires the reader to question and to think as everything is tweaked. Using Batman is a clever ploy to draw in more eyes, as is frequently the case in less mainstream DC books, but it works towards the greater plotline of the run. This issue is trying something new, and that’s something that must always be celebrated.

Outsiders #3 is available where comics are sold.