Skip to content

Please note that when you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Thanks!

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks!

Outsiders Reading Order, A DC Comics Team (featuring Batman!)

When Wayne Enterprises manager Lucius Fox goes missing in Markovia, Batman recruits the Justice League of America (JLA) to find him, only to have Superman informing him that he promised the State Department that no member of the team would interfere in the Markovian Revolution.

As a result, Batman resigns from the JLA and goes to Markovia with Black Lightning. The duo encounters Metamorpho along with new heroes Katana, Halo, and Geo-Force. At the end of their mission, Batman convinces them to come together as a team. And thus, The Outsiders were formed!

Created by writer Mike W. Barr and artist Jim Aparo, The Outsiders first appeared in a preview of The Brave and the Bold #200 (July 1983), the final issue of that series, before making their official debut in the own title, Batman and The Outsiders, the following month.

As Mike W. Barr explained in the preface of the first volume of Batman and the Outsiders, the title was created to succeed The Brave and The Bold following its low sales. Since foreign publications published several titles including B&B under the Batman label, the new comic needed to include The Caped Crusader.

The first incarnation of The Outsiders was made of DC’s existing characters — Metamorpho and Black Lightning—with new characters— Geo-Force, Katana, Halo, and later, Looker.

While Metamorpho sort of came up with the name Outsiders in the pages of the comic book series, in reality, the name was chosen to avoid them being linked inextricably to Batman. Barr was already thinking about the time when the team could operate independently of Batman, and this is exactly what happened after Batman left the group in issue #32.

Since then, The Outsiders have had several different incarnations, some of which feature Batman and others that do not, some featuring a lineup closely resembling the original team and others diverging significantly. Overall, the Outsiders became a well-known DC team, appearing in several animated television series, including the Black Lightning TV series.

Let’s take a closer look at how to read and collect the many adventures of The Outsiders!

Outsiders Comics in the 1980s

The Outsiders Team Roster: Batman (until issue #32), Geo-Force, Black Lightning, Halo, Katana, Looker and Metamorpho. 

Batman left the Justice League and became the team leader of the new super-hero team The Outsiders—”a team of heroes who aren’t afraid to operate outside the rules.” They go where the Justice League cannot go and fight villains such as the Cryonic Man, the Masters of Disaster, Kobra and more.

Batman left the team in issue #32. Following his departure, the name of the comic book was changed to Adventures of the Outsiders. Those issues have not been collected by DC Comics but are available on digital.

Around Batman and the Outsiders #27, DC Comics started to publish Outsiders Volume 1, telling stories set later in the continuity. This book was exclusively sold in comic book shops, a relatively new concept at the time. The first eight issues were later reprinted in Adventures (#39-46) for those who didn’t have access to those stories. So beware of that fact if you are buying floppies!

The stories in Outsiders Vol. 1 take place after Adventures #38. While a few issues have been reprinted in some collection, the series as a whole is only available digitally.

Many years later, DC Comics offered a glimpse into different timelines during their Convergence event. It was mostly an occasion to feature older versions of characters, including the original Outsiders team!

The Outsiders in the 1990s

Still with Mike W. Barr in command, and artist Paul Pelletier, the several members of the Outsiders are reunited when in Markovia for the christening of a new crown prince, only to have to fight monsters and be framed for murder! This version of the team consists of old members Geo-Force, Halo, Katana and new members Faust, Technocrat, and Wylde, later joined by the Eradicator and Dervish.

 

Zero Hour DC Event Comic Reading Order

Zero Hour! When a mysterious force of entropy begins slowly erasing time itself, Superman rallies Earth’s heroes including The Outsiders to try to save the world in the DC rebooted event Zero Hour! 

After the conclusion of Zero Hour, The Outsiders split into two teams. Eradicator leads Faust, Halo, Looker, and Wylde in Los Angeles while Katana leads Geo-Force and Technocrat in New York City. 

After the end of the series, The Outsiders were absent for a few years. They reappeared in a panel during Day of Judgement #4 (see here) and again in JLA: Our Worlds at War #1 (see here), but eventually the team was disbanded.

Nightwing and The Outsiders (2003-2007)

After the Titans disbanded following the deaths of two teammates in Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day, Arsenal and Nightwing started their own team that included at first Grace, Indigo, Metamorpho, Thunder, and Jade. Dick chose to call the team Outsiders, establishing the team as super-villain hunters. Outsiders volume 3 is written by Judd Winick.

Infinite Crisis Logo Reading Order

There is an Infinite Crisis in the DC Universe! At a time when our heroes are divided, the Golden Age Superman makes his return and tries to restore the Multiverse. It’s a big event, with many ties-in, including several issues of Outsiders!

One Year later, the Outsiders have faked their own death and now operate internationally in secret. This is a new team that includes Grace Choi, Katana, Metamorpho, Nightwing, Thunder and reformed villain Captain Boomerang.

Batman is back with the Outsiders (2007-2012)

Nightwing hands over the task of leading the Outsiders to Batman who starts by recruiting the new members of his team: Catwoman, Metamorpho, Katana, Grace and Martian Manhunter. However, Catwoman and Martian Manhunter quickly leave the group and are replaced by Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), Geo-Force, Green Arrow as well as Thunder. By Chuck Dixon and Julian Lopez.

We’re at the end of the first part of Grant Morrison’s run on Batman! The Caped Crusader disappears in Batman R.I.P. and the team faces its greatest crisis!

Following the events of Final Crisis, which left Batman presumed dead, a new Outsiders team is assembled by writer Peter J. Tomasi. Per Batman’s wishes, Alfred Pennyworth reunites Black Lightning, Creeper, Geo-Force, Halo, Katana, Metamorpho, and the new Owlman. Together, they join forces to reconnect with the original mission that defined the Outsiders all those years ago!

Batman has made his comeback and enlisted a new team of Outsiders to Batman Incorporated, the international organization started by Batman (in the third part of Morrison’s run!). Led by Red Robin, this version of the Outsiders consists of Freight Train, Halo, Katana, Looker and Metamorpho. They make a quick appearance in Batman Incorporated (2011) #6 and are seen in action in Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! #1.

Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 3 (2019-2020)

From Bryan Hill and Dexter Soy comes the new Outsiders. After several years of absence, a new version of The Outsiders is brought together by Batman who puts Black Lightning in charge of this group that reunites Katana, Orphan (Cassandra Cain), and Signal as they have to confront Ra’s al Ghul.

Batwoman and The Outsiders (2024)

The last iteration of The Outsiders takes the team in a different direction. Batwoman is recruited by Luke Fox to join his new organization dedicated to gathering knowledge about the strange and unusual to protect the world. Written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, the title is described as ‘Planetary in the DC Universe’.

Elseworlds Outsiders

The Outsiders also appears in two comic books not part of the main continuity. In the 3-issues limited series JLA: The Nail, this version of The Outsiders is led by Black Canary after her departure from the Justice League, and consists of Black Lightning, Geo-Force, Katana, and Shade, as they are going on a mission to search for the missing Metamorpho.

The Outsiders also make an appearance in the third volume of Batman: Earth One. They are a group of crimefighters from Gotham assembled by Batman. The team includes Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Catwoman, Killer Croc, and Ragman, with Alfred Pennyworth and Lucius Fox providing support.

DC Comics

Pin
Tags:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *