REVIEW: ‘Outsiders,’ #6

Outsiders #6 is published by DC Comics. It is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, with art by Robert Carey, colors by Valentina Taddeo, and letters by Tom Napolitano. The team finds itself on the fringes of reality as the truth about their teammate is made clear.

The comic uses previous issues to try and explain what is happening within this chapter, but that does not make it easier to latch onto. The group is taken to a visage of Americana, with various dimensional breaks and storylines. The group then separates, breaking down the multiple subplots into the individual figures of the comic. One shatters the fourth wall entirely, breaking down the comic book business and publication politics into the DC Multiverse. Parts of it are somber and haunting as the relationship between creator and character is explored.

Elsewhere, the storyline with Kate and the human representation of the carrier they have used for travel is much more challenging to comprehend. And yet, it has a sweet and tender tone. Then there is the tale of the Drummer, who has been mysterious and ominous for the whole series. Her nefarious acts are the easiest to tether to. While the intentions are unclear, the revelation is stunning and completely unexpected.

The characters are dragged around this mysterious location. Most of them are purely there to experience what the site offers, with an immense amount to learn. But their experience dealing with these reality-bending adventures has changed them. Batwoman is the most prominent example of this. Kate Kane started this run eager to fight whatever she found. But here, she is gentle, caring, and touching. She has learned that the brutality of being part of brutality is not always the right answer. As for Drummer, that darkness that has started to emerge is fully realized, and it is frightening to have that appear in a comic with so much existential potential.

The art continues to be magnificent. Taking these almost incomprehensible concepts and turning them into something comprehensible is remarkable. The location is pretty and malleable. The fringes of the panels fade away into nothingness, highlighting the area’s fragility. The character designs are fantastic, with immaculate detail. When it is stationary, the book is calm. But when it gets frantic, the whole of the reality fractures and disappears.

The colors are exceedingly powerful. Outsiders #6 brilliantly uses pure white. That is presumably nothing, the edge of reality, and immensely dangerous. Bright light shines down on the location, threatening to overwhelm the whole issue. The lettering is hugely dynamic. The text from the carrier, even in human form, is huge and bold, with faded segments of the outer border of the word balloon. It serves as a constant reminder that it is not human.

Outsiders #6 takes the comic entirely out of reality. The writing is intelligent and unique, approaching the book from a fascinating angle. The story’s theme is paramount to the book, and the structures and intricacies of a narrative are explored on a cellular level. The cerebral nature of the storytelling can go too far sometimes, especially in the middle. There is always something to calm it down and cling to by the end of the issue. Even when it is nearly impossible to understand, there is still a sense of fascination, like staring into a supernova.

Outsiders #6 is available now wherever comics are sold.